Grant funds classroom podcasting

Podcasting is the newest teaching and learning tool that professors across the country are using to supplement students' education. Professors are able to use podcasting to transfer course material in several formats, from audio to audio with still images to video. Students can then subscribe to the podcasts, which are downloaded to iTunes or an iPod to listen to on their computer or any MP3 players.

Mohammad Jadun, instructional technology specialist at Youngstown State University, describes podcasting as an effective learning tool that appeals to auditory and slower learners and saves valuable class time. He discussed the three basic steps when setting up a podcast.

First, the professor must have a Web site to host the podcast, Jadun said. Next, the podcast must be recorded and saved as an MP3 file, then uploaded to the hosting Web site. Finally, a Really Simple Syndication feed is created to let students subscribe to it.

Jadun walks the faculty through these steps in one of his two-hour seminars that are held every semester. The computer lab only allows for five faculty members to attend. The sessions are on a first-come, first-served basis and fill up very quickly.

Once the professors have the podcast posted, the students' job is very simple: Install a free iTunes program on their computers and subscribe to the podcast feed.

"As soon as the students turn on the computer or hook up their iPods to the computer, the lectures, as well as any additional assignments or class cancellations, will automatically be downloaded and available for the student to access," Jadun explained.

However, Jadun warned that students should not view podcasts as a way to get out of going to class.

"Podcast[s] are more supplementary. They cannot substitute the lectures," Jadun cautioned.

Podcasts are ideal to show lectures from guest speakers who cannot come to the classroom, to help students who are slower learners and to facilitate self-paced learning.

"Many professors are also using the podcast for foreign language classes. It can be a very effective way to hear the language spoken correctively by a native speaker," added Jadun.

The Ohio Learning Network provided the health and human services and education departments with a $5,000 grant to fund 14 professors to take part in a learning community study. The group chose to study the benefits of podcasting at a collegiate level.

The deans of both colleges, John Yemma and Philip Ginnetti, matched the funds from the grants in order to purchase professors iPods, digital headsets and digital records to get started with classroom podcasting.

Renee Eggers, education professor at YSU, was a part of the grant and has found podcasting to be very useful. Eggers has been using podcasting for her classes since last spring and encourages professors to take advantage of the useful tool.

"This software is out there, and it's free if professors want to download it to their computers and get started," Eggers said.

Even with the limited number of professors using podcasting at YSU, Jadun sees the technology growing from the positive feedback from his seminars.

Podcast[s] are becoming popular because students learn better when they receive something from [a] medium they like. Students can use iPods to listen to lectures while walking, talking or doing whatever," Jadun said.

Students without iPods can take advantage of podcasts as well. They are compatible with any MP3 player, and students can simply listen to lectures from a computer.

Faculty members interested in learning more about podcasting or attending any other technology seminars are encouraged to contact Jadun.