Using short podcasts to reinforce lectures

Abstract

Podcasting, the pushing of potentially mobile multimedia files to end users, is not a new tool in relation to learning and teaching. There is a perceived association between recording lectures and podcasting, however many kinds of materials may be podcasted in higher education. In this paper, we discuss the use of podcast episodes – short audio files – recorded by a lecturer in the Faculty of Economics and Business at The University of Sydney. Files are designed to reinforce lecture content and are produced by the lecturer and uploaded to the Faculty learning management system, Blackboard, for student subscription. We consider the impact on students based on survey data, particularly regarding the technology itself, any perceived learning benefits and the proportion of the participating student population. We further consider the impact on the lecturer, his experience using the learning technology and any perceived teaching benefits. This paper may be useful to academic staff or institutions interested in providing multimedia content for students.