Have podcasts lived up to expectations?

Abstract

In the 21^st century learning environment emerging technologies such as lecture podcasts have been made widely available to tertiary students. However, few studies have looked at how students are using these tools and whether or not they are improving learning. This two-semester investigation examines podcast uptake by undergraduate students enrolled in two very different cognitively challenging subjects in the second year of the Nursing program and in the first year of a Business program. Regardless of the semester, the different content being studied and the statistically significant demographic differences between the Nursing and Business cohorts, strikingly similar study behaviours emerged.

Despite the flexibility and mobile learning opportunities afforded by podcasts significant numbers of students did not use them. The greatest uptake was in the week following the introduction of podcasts. However, once the novelty value wore off, many students returned to their previous study behaviours. While many students claimed to like the fact that podcasts were available as back up they exhibited a strong preference for face-to-face learning environments and accessed the podcasts infrequently. In addition, podcasts did not appear to live up to their “mobile” potential with most students who used them preferring to do so on a computer in their regular study environments. Contrary to expectations, students engaged in longer hours of paid work used podcasts least. Comments indicated that they did not represent an efficient or necessary use of their limited study time. Thus podcasts have not been as effective an addition to the learning environment as anticipated.