Summary: Review of research topics and methodologies concerning the use of podcasts in education
Title: "Use of audio podcast in K-12 and higher education"
Name: Matt Wilson
Date: 11/27/09

Hew, K. F. (2009). Use of Audio podcast in k-12 and higher education. Educational Technology Research & Development, 57(3), 333-357.

Problem:

Podcasts are an emerging technology that are seen by many as potentially valuable educational tools, and as a result, they have been implemented in many K-12 classrooms for students to access, primarily as supplemental educational materials. The journal article reviewed acts as a meta-analysis, compiling and reviewing existing data and knowledge regarding the use of educational podcasts, and highlighting knowledge gaps that will be important for future study.

Context:

The source material for the article is comprised of 30 original, empirical studies. When source material compilation began, 153 articles were reviewed, but 123 were discarded because they lacked empirical data, were not related to K-12 or higher education, or were opinion papers.

The authors then used an analysis method called the die constant comparative method to categorize those sources into 3 major categories: Podcast usage profile, Effects of podcast on learners' outcomes, and Institutional aspects. The data and relevant information for each category was then analyzed and presented as a cohesive whole, followed by authors' discussions of and conclusions about that material.

Findings:

To mirror the structure of the journal article, I will break this section down based on the three categories outlines above.

Podcast usage profile: this section laid a basic framework for the way podcasts are currently used in education, creating a basic taxonomy of podcasts and highlighting how students actually used podcasts. According to the sources, contrary to the prevailing predictions, most students used the podcasts at home on their personal computers, focusing their attention entirely on the material rather than listening on portable audio devices while in transit, or otherwise multitasking.

Learning outcomes: this section contained the most revealing data. The prevailing attitude towards educational podcasts is that they embody a vast potential for improving learning. However, based on the data in this section, that was not the case. None of the major studies, regardless of the formal structure of the study, displayed a statistically significant improvement in student performance.

Institutional aspects: this section focused on topics such as the effect of podcasts on student attendance, and the cost of producing podcast media. Of the four studies that examined student attendance, all reported that only a small portion of students changed or would change their lecture attendance practices based on the availability of podcasts. The data reporting costs and cost-effectiveness of podcasting was largely inconclusive and needed further study at the time of publishing.

Recommendations:

Based on the data presented, the most prevalent consideration for instructional designers or technologists is the question of learning outcomes. Based on the data presented, podcasts effect no improvement in learner performance, so from an educational standpoint, they do not appear to be a useful tool. However, the article states that because they are a very new media form, further study is needed to truly understand their educational usefulness. As a result, it is unclear how much weight those studies carry with their overall small sample size. At this point, they appear to be a cautionary note rather than a rock-solid decree.

The findings that students used podcasts at home on their personal computers casts further doubt on the effectiveness of podcasts and provides another cautionary note. They are generally viewed as having tremendous educational potential based on their portability and transportability, potentially serving as material for multitasking as the students absorb curriculum while engaged in other daily activities. However, since students tend to not use them in that fashion, that potential is virtually erased.