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Now hear this! Podcasting with students in modern languages. Kirsten Söntgens e-Learning symposium 2009. Overview. Web 2.0 & podcasting Student-generated podcasts Case study 2007-8 ‘ enhanced motivation, independence and collaboration ’. Web 2.0. Blogs, ‘Youtube’, Podcasts, Wikis …
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Now hear this! Podcasting with students in modern languages Kirsten Söntgens e-Learning symposium 2009
Overview • Web 2.0 & podcasting • Student-generated podcasts • Case study 2007-8 ‘enhanced motivation, independence and collaboration’
Web 2.0 • Blogs, ‘Youtube’, Podcasts, Wikis … • Active creators of content, participatory web • Publicise and share experiences ‘wisdom of the crowds’ (Surowiecki, 2004), two-way web (McLoughlin & Lee, 2007) • Micro-content: Collaborative remixability • Learning communities: Collaborate in knowledge-building as ‘prosumers’ (McLoughlin & Lee) • ‘Digital natives’ (Prensky, 2001) • ‘Read-write web’ -> Podcasts: ‘Listen-speak web’
Teaching & Learning • Coherent learning experiences by connecting various web applications (Bernd Rüschoff, Eurocall 2007) • New personal learning environments (PLEs) • Pedagogy 2.0 (McLoughlin & Lee, 2007): Learner-centred instruction, student-generated content, personalisation of learning content, peer-to-peer learning, blending of formal & informal learning, community building
Podcasting Downloadable to a mobile device: • Listen on demand (anywhere & anytime) (Kaplan-Leiserson, 2005) • Learning in ‘dead time’ • Ease of publication, subscription & access (Campbell, 2005) • Attractive & motivating (Stanley, 2006) • Audience • Community-building (Chan, Lee, McLoughlin, 2006) • Dissemination of learner-generated content (Chan, 2006) • Integration of activities/independent learning (Salmon, 2008) -> Podcasts don’t foster learning automatically! ‘We design in the pedagogy’ (Salmon, 2008)
Student podcasts • Bob Sprankle’s Room 208:http://www.bobsprankle.com/blog/C1697218367/index.html * Primary school children in USA produce a weekly podcast (school community, parents, public) * Benefits: Broadcasting to a real audience, enhanced engagement & motivation • University students/tourism http://themetourism.blogspot.com/ * Benefits: Attention to detail, greater care and more interest in work, audience (in podcast directory) (Stanley, 2006)
Student podcasts • Duke University, USA, 2004: 1600 ipods for Students’ speaking assignments, presentations and oral exams, group discussions for tutor or peer evaluation, audio journals, interviews (60% used recording facility) * Benefits: Increase in frequency and depth of student interaction (audio course content), greater student engagement & interest in class discussions & independent projects (Duke University evaluation report, 2005)
IMPALA (Informal Mobile Podcasting and Learning Adaptation), (2006-7) • 5 universities in UK and 6 disciplines: 500 students and 20 staff • Integrated into VLEs: Providing flexibility & learner control, promoting learner motivation and engagement, improving cognition, offering multiple learning spaces (Salmon, 2008) • English language & communication at Kingston University: Create a learning community, skills development by collaborative learning • Podcasts: Discussions and conversations between students, tutors & mentors • Benefits of ‘peer tutoring’: Arouse interest in the subject, allay concerns, provide additional perspective & advice, motivational, informality in a formal setting (Edirisingha et all, 2007)
Student Podcasts • Charles Sturt University, Australia: Students’ talkback radio-style ‘shows’ (3-5 mins) on subject-related issues in an informal style, with ‘guests’ • Students in charge of producing podcasts (independence) • Benefits for listeners: Understanding of subject content, assistance & feedback • Benefits for producers: Participating in a community, producing learning materials, ‘learning by teaching’ -> attention to and motivation for the task, meta-cognitive skills (Chan, Lee, McLoughlin, 2006)
Podcasting with students of German • German year 2 students (21) • Produce podcasts in groups (3-4) • 10-12 minutes • Powerpoint for ‘guided listening’ • Every 3 weeks • Discussion of current issues • Linked to activities in oral class • Oral assessment • Audacity • Listen via blackboard or mobile device http://Blackboard.soton.ac.uk
Students (2007-8) • German, year 2: 21; Questionnaires: 19
Know & listen to podcasts? N=19: YES, NO, not answered
Listening habits N=19: MP3 (2), computer (13), MP3 & computer (1)
BB or MP3? • I listened to the podcasts as for me it is easier to get into 'study' mode when I’m in uni and therefore found it easier to just go onto blackboard. […] • I listened via Blackboard as I actually have no idea how to put a Podcast onto my MP3 player. And besides that, it's useful to have LEO close by when listening! • well I don't have an ipod/mp3 player but even if I did I probably wouldn't know how to download the podcasts onto it... I'm about as good with technology as my grandma is :) At least on blackboard you can just listen to it there and then, and you can use microsoft word to make notes and stuff. • The podcast is a nice idea though. I have downloaded it to my ipod more recently and shared it with my friends, as I was quite proud of what we put together!
Collaboration & Independent learning N=19: by myself, with others, no preference
Benefits for learning N: 19; produce pod (3.894); listen pod (3.052); feedback (3.842); current issues (3.578) • Speaking German outside class & improved fluency. • Fun • Team-building & new friends • Topic research
Benefits for learning 2 N: 19; assessment (3.57); independence (3); collaboration (3.73); motivation (3.47) • Better than exam, less pressure • More skills, new way of learning • Already independent (4), collaborative (3), motivated (5) • Worked in German with others, confident
Issues • Discussions not spontaneous (scripted) • Good interaction, but not for assessment • Software induction • More time to prepare • Solo podcasts • More feedback from students
Findings Podcasting with students • Students as ‘prosumers’ of learning materials • Enhanced collaboration and motivation (independence) • More German spoken & employed • New way of learning, but not yet ‘mobile learning’ (Portsmouth University, Kingston University, 7% on MP3)
Findings 2 Similar to findings in other podcast projects: • Greater student engagement and interest in subject (Duke University Ipod-project) • Providing flexibility & learner control, promoting learner motivation and engagement (IMPALA) • Creating a learning community by collaborative learning (IMPALA) • Community-building by producing learning materials (Charles Sturt University)
Further research • How do web. 2.0 tools enhance students’ learning? • How valuable is student generated content for learning? • Educators: Designing in the pedagogy! ks5@soton.ac.uk