Podcasting

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Definition

Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. The term (a portmanteau), was coined in 2004 combining "iPod", a popular portable audio device, and "broadcasting." The term podcast, like 'radio', can mean both the content and the method of delivery. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. Though podcasters' web sites may also offer direct download or streaming of their content, a podcast is distinguished from other formats by its ability to be downloaded automatically using software capable of reading feeds like RSS or Atom. ([Wikipedia:Podcasting], retrieved 23:14, 13 September 2006 (MEST))

History

The concept of podcasting was proposed by Tristan Louis in October, 2000 and then it was carried out by Dave Winer, the author of the RSS format. Winer defined a new element called “enclosure” which would pass the address of a media file to the RSS aggregator and he succeeded in enclosing a Grateful Dead song in his weblog on January, 2001. He created the RSS 2.0 specification which is used to give information about podcasts. Rss is an XML format which is used to identify the channels of information which contain audio, video, images, text, PDF or stories. Rss files are usually used to see metainformation about content and generally contain the URL references to web content. So it is possible to use RSS files to give information in a “standard XML based format”."Podcast are simply the application of RSS enclosures to audio files".

The term podcasting was popularized by Adam Curry who created an “Applescript application that automated the process of downloading and syncing audio files to iPods”. In 2003 podcasts started to appear on lots of web sites and other software. "Podcasting" was considered the 2005 word of the year by New Oxford American Dictionary which defines the term as "a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the internet for downloading to a personal audio player".

Nowadays Podcasting is considered an important tool which allows students to use their technologies based on "entertaiment systems" such as MP players, iPods for educational experiences.

How podcasting works

Podcasting is an important technology which is simple and easy to use. The steps for creating and listening to a podcast are the following:

1.Users have to connect their portable audio devices to their computers and they have to create an audio content. This can involves recording, editing and videos, for example.

2.Users have to post their work to a web server, usually in MP3 format. Then, they have to publish an RSS file which contains meta information about the audio file such as the URL, the file's name and the text.

3.Users have to use a "new version of the newfeed" such as the application called iPodder which identifies the audio file and its URL. Then iPodder downloads the URL and "synch" it to a media player.

4.Users listen to their audio file.

Why is it important?

Podcasting is a significant resource which teachers can use to teach and learn a language. Podcasting is an alternative method of learning which can help to improve your listening skills. Most of producers of podcasts are educators who use this technology to communicate with their students outside the traditional class. Podcasting is also a tool which allows teachers to share their ideas and suggestions in order to improve their method of teaching. Educators who decide to create an educational podcast, have to follow five important steps:

1.It's important to choose an appropriate content. This means that it's better to avoid complex content material which includes lots of images ans descriptions because students generally don't take note, they always keep in mind the content they listen. it's important to not communicate too much content in a single podcast because students could not understand all the message. teachers have to choose the main concepts and help students to learn the meaning, also using some examples or episodes.

2.Teachers have to determine their "instructional goal" and purpose for each podcast they create. For example some of the most important goals are:

-Prepare students for learning something new;

-Elaborate and explain a complex concept;

-provide some alternative strategies for understanding new content.

3.Teachers have to explain their contents through interviews, dialogues or monologues. This is an important passage because the initial message can determine the success or the failure of their podcasts.

4.It's better if teachers produce their podcasts in a personal and informal way because some researches in "educational media" stated that students learn better using this method.

5.Teachers should integrated their podcasts into their course content and learning activities, because this could be very useful for their students.

Podcasting in education

Tape courses and distribute the recordings. (that's the cheapest form of distance teaching and has been done for a quite a long time before the term podcasting was invented).

It cannot replace the classroom but it provides teachers one more way to meet their students: it allows education to become more portable than ever before.

Scenarios where learners record (audio and/or video) things and discuss it in the classroom. Particularly interesting are integrated teaching scenarios in vocational training.

Recordings to be used as source materials for learnings (e.g. interviews).

It has a huge return for learners: either listening to material or creating resources for the class.

It's been up to date. Because neologisms are easily introduced, new words are learned in shorter time.

...

Educational Usage in Language Learning

Podcasting is a good opportunity for improving your conversational foreign language e.g. English because you may not only listen to several audio activities about different topics but also leave your own audio messages and compare your skills in spoken language to others’ ones.

They are also “an ideal tool for students of a foreign language (or who are not native speakers of English) allowing them to review material as often as required to support understanding. Podcasts are also much more effective revision tools than printed notes for students who have preference for an auditory learning style”.

It is an useful tool for language learning because you often find not only audio messages about lessons, activities, etc. but also scripts of the audio content in order to make understanding easier . On the Net there's a lot of websites on developing your language skills through podcasting (see Examples) here you find some that are useful for learning English.

According to Podcasting in Educationpodcasting has also many other interesting applications for learning e.g. student presentations, updates, interviews, evaluation for students work, but also " a record of activities, a way to collect note, or a reflection on what they have learned".

Through podcasts you can interact with other people on the Web and have a more human approach - because of the voice - in using Internet as an educational tool that has to be added to blogs and wikis in order to offer a better resource in online language learning.

Links

Podcasting in Education, a digial media center page from University of Minnesota. (useful).

Potcasting

Podcasting in Education, Apple Education solutions (you don't need an iPod - ed.]

iPod lessons for all of us, edugadget.

Podcasting Library from Learning Light e-Learning Centre. (This links to introductory articles)

Examples

Podcasting News / Education

Better at English.com

Englishcaster.com

Veryvocabulary.com

References

Educause, (2005), 7 Things You Should Know About Podcasting Abstract/PDF (Educause probably has more on this topic).

Crofts, Sheri et. al. 2005. Podcasting: A new technology in search of viable business models. First Monday 10(9) (September). HTML

G. Philip Rogers, Podcasting and Its Role in Semantic Social Networks, the Web 2.0, and the Semantic Web, School of Library and Information Science, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill [ Word]

Maag, Margaret (2006), Podcasting and MP3 Players: Emerging Education Technologies. Computers, Informatics, Nursing. 24(1):9-13, January/February 2006. HTML/PDF (Access restricted)

Collaborative Tools and Web 2.0

Educational Podcasting

Interest in podcasting for educational purposes is increasing, particularly in the USA ( http://recap.ltd.uk/articles/podguide.html). Podcasting can be used in educational settings, it “involves a shift from e-learning to m-learning”(from: http://dmc.umn.edu/etf/podcasting.pdf). M-learning indicates mobility because you can listen to podcasts at your convenience. Furthermore, it is a powerful tool to learn English; it integrates the traditional method of teaching English which consists mainly of ordinary lectures with audio files recorded by native speakers. Moreover, it supplies the podcasts’s community of additional online materials such as: the transcriptions of audio files, grammar and comprehension exercises; such material is easy downloadable and at the same time very useful in terms of practicing English. Listen to or create your own podcasts represents a bidirectional feature of podcasting and produces a richer learning environment so that learners can actively contribute to the improvement of their language skills and practice English outside their classrooms.

Personalized Learning

As regards educational setting, podcasting provides personalized learning for all levels: beginners, intermediate, advanced learners. Furthermore, it offers useful material not only for students but also for anyone who is interested in learning or improving his English skills. By Podcasting teachers employ alternative approaches to teaching and learning. The audio material advised by educators might be talilored for specific and different needs, abilities of learners. Moreover, teachers provide additional material which is useful for talented students and supports those with specific learning needs. This emerging method of teaching reinforces particular tasks and activities and it also supports independent learning for revision and homework.

Pedagogical Podcasting or Podagogy

While podcasting cannot substitute face to face education, the potential advantages of it in traditional and distance education include:

portability (using personal media players);
supplementary material such as speeches, music, or other audio recordings;
short language lessons, or other lessons that help students develop listening and speaking skills;
flexibility (no more “missed classes”);
audio material for blind and distance education learners;
assistance for non-native speakers;
active students’ contribution to the creation of a stimulating learning environment (by recording their own podcasts);
feedback/evaluation of student work;
replacement of classroom or online sessions (when content simply requires delivery of information);
access to authentic listening sources.

The Disadvantages of Podcasting

As it is already said podcasting is aimed at creating audio files accessible to a wider audience and distributing them to a worldwide level. Its pedagogical function consists of improving a new collaborative dimension, where students can add and listen to various topics in a free and innovative way. But, like wikis and blogs, podcasts are sometimes attacked by vandalism-As result the quality and accuracy of podcasts are spoilt. The free form nature of podcasting has a double implication, it surely allows you to download and upload audio and video files in a quick and easy way, but in a open and collaborative Web, anyone can easily copy copyrighted material without the permission of copyrights holders and also add misleading or unsuitable contents.