Student-authored podcasting in the EFL Classroom

1. Student-authored podcasting in the EFL Classroom - A reflection on the need for overt consideration of the pedagogical and social purposes of integrating student-authored podcasting in the EFL syllabus Kristen Sullivan (Shimonoseki City University) kris@shimonoseki-cu.ac.jp http://www.shimonoseki-cu.ac.jp/~sullivan UNTELE2007, 29th March 2007

2. What is a podcast? • A hybrid of ipod and broadcasting • Online audio (and video) content marked by the incorporation of RSS feeding allowing users to subscribe to podcasts and have them automatically downloaded to their PCs and mp3 players. • Is this distinction necessary for educational podcasting?

3. Pedagogical Possibilities of Podcasting - Why Podcasting in EFL? • Listening • Listening skills: • authentic texts: World Englishes, various dialects, natural speed • educational podcasts • Content: cultural understanding, real time information, autonomy-building • Production • Oral skills • Cross-cultural awareness and understanding through podcast exchanges

4. Podcast Production: stages where learning/practice can potentially occur planning/ recording editing broadcasting listening responding/ rehearsal feedback updating

5. Message of this Presentation • Introducing technology into the classroom doesn’t automatically equal an increase in motivation. • We need to make pedagogical considerations the focus behind the decision to use podcasting in EFL situations (=integrate podcasting into the syllabus). • These pedagogical decisions should shape the types of activities, frequency of recordings and broadcastings, group formations, etc, that we use. • Be fully aware of the (social/pedagogical) needs of the particular student group in question and be willing to adapt to these needs as identified throughout the life of the project.

6. The Project (1)- Motivation behind the original class Case Study 1 (October 2005 – February 2006) Purpose: To address issues of off-taskness and lack of (extended) use of the target language in class. Reasoning: • Hypothesized that podcasting and group project work may be exploited to develop motivation amongst students ( on-taskness  increased use of the target language) • Project work: authentic & purposeful use of the target language • Podcasting: new, fun and interesting medium Structure of the project: long term, fixed group project culminating at the end of the semester.

7. The Project (1)- A Success? * Creative, original, authentic * All reported the experience to be rewarding and enjoyable BUT * No significant increase in use of the target language * More instances of being off-task * Change in language skills? * In class preparation – a waste of time? * No major feedback on their spoken English during the semester * No major exchange at a class level

8. The Project (1)- Student Voices • Class level interaction • Inter-group collaboration (commented on by most students) • Too much Japanese when preparing • Less in-class preparation time • More non-podcast related activities (commented on by a few students) Social Needs Pedagogical Needs Matched my observations and reflections on the class

9. Teacher reflections on the project/Goals for Project 2 • Pedagogical activities • Increase chances of feedback = increase number of podcast recordings and broadcastings • Increase access to the recording technology • Multiple, unfixed group formations Goals for Class 2  Use digital recording as a way to develop students’ consciousness of their spoken language and spoken communication: * capture spoken language allowing for review * provides a defined task – concentration, continued speaking  Use podcasting as the vehicle for this: * the cycle of podcasting is pedagogically beneficial * meaningful and authentic

10. The Project (2)- Student Voices • Consciousness raising of spoken speech and pronunciation • Listening to own voice • Group work • Efficient Time

11. Lessons learnt  Using the technology in ways which will truly address the students language needs: short-term projects, numerous chances for feedback, focus on the message/interlanguage improvement over final product slickness.  Giving students as much access to the technology as possible.  Adequate time for preparation and recording  Appropriate group formations  Identify and adapt to other factors as they are identified throughout the life of the project.

12. References • Debski, R. (2000) “Exploring the Recreation of a CALL Innovation”Computer Assisted Language Learning 13(4-5), pp. 307-332 • Kaplan-Leiserson, E. (2005, June). Trend: Podcasting in Academic and Corporate Learning. Learning Circuits. Retrieved 28 February 2007, from http://www.learningcircuits.org/2005/jun2005/0506_trends • McCarty, Steve (2005) “Spoken Internet to go: popularization through Podcasting”JALT CALL Journal 11(2) pp.67-74 • Rost, Michael. (2007) “Commentary: I’m only trying to help: A role for interventions in teaching listening”Language Learning & Technology 11(1): 102-108 http://llt.msu.edu/vol11num1/rost • Rost, Michael. “New Technologies in Language Education: Opportunities forProfessional Growth” : www.longman.com/ae/multimedia/pdf/MikeRost.PDF.pdf • Thorne, Steven L. and J. Scott Payne. (2005) “Evolutionary Trajectories, Internet-mediated Expression, and Language Education.”CALICO Journal 22(3) pp. 371-397 • Warschauer, Mark. (1996) Computer-assisted language learning: An introduction. In, S. Fotos (Ed.) Multimedia Language Teaching (pp. 3-20). Tokyo: LogosInternational.