2. What is a podcast?
• Digital audio file that’s created, shared, and heard
• Automatically downloaded to your computer and synced
to your MP3 player

3. PODCAST: Use In Today’s Society
Materials such as reports, manuscripts, and lectures can
be recorded and delivered automatically
It can be played anywhere, anytime, many times
In a fast paced society, it gives you the control
An opportunity for new channels
of communication in higher ed

4. RSS: Staying Up To Date
RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, delivers regularly
changing web content
This program allows you to subscribe to the information
wanted (FEED)
Feeds are similar to web bookmarks
This saves time and effort

5. RSS: Software
Software automatically updates your computer
When you are connected, the information is put directly
onto your device
You are ready to go…
Examples include:
FeedDemon
Google Reader
NewsGator
NewzCrawler

6. PODCAST: Educational Tool
Harnessing the growing use of MP3 devices among college
students, podcasts can be utilized for education
Information is continually provided regarding academic
interest areas, course information, and social networking
Knowledge can be easily distributed, stored, and shared
between academic parties
The leading provider is iTunes U

7. PODCAST: Who Is Using iTunes U
Launched in 2007, iTunes U now holds more than 250,000
educational files
Used by top Universities all over the world including
Stanford, MIT, Yale, Duke, UC Berkley, Cambridge, and
Oxford
These podcasts allow students to study at their own pace,
whenever and wherever they want

8. PODCASTING in Higher
Education
According to a study conducted by Lonn & Teasley (2009),
audio/video podcasts provide students with the ability to
learn “on‐demand”, and is based on their learning styles.
Duke gave free iPods to the incoming freshman class of
2004. Duke found that 75% of freshman surveyed
reported using the iPods in at least one course and was
helpful in replaying lectures on their own time.
Several studies (Evans, 2008; Brittain, Glowacki, Van
Ittersum, & Johnson, 2006) suggest podcasting as an
effective learning tool.

9. PODCASTING in Higher
Education
In the Lonn & Teasley (2009) study, results indicated that
students use podcasts mainly for reviewing concepts and
lecture materials from classes they’ve already attended
(n=675; large midwestern university)
Students reported listening to the podcasts more often at
their desktops than on mobile audio/video devices.
Instructors and students agreed that podcasts help
students to learn, but students were less sure it improved
teaching.

10. PODCAST: Issues in Higher
Education
Affects class attendance for on‐campus classes
Copyright and intellectual property issues
Impact on faculty

11. Subscribing to a PODCAST

12. PODCAST and RSS: In Business
Instructional information materials can be broadcast over
a large company, decreasing the hassle of training
Sales, marketing, and advertising information can easily
be sent out in a timely manner
Keeps employers up to date with the latest company news

13. PODCAST and RSS in Health Ed

14. PODCAST and RSS in Health Ed

15. PODCAST and RSS in Health Ed
CDC guide to best practice:
What is the purpose of the podcast?
Know the audience
Audience‐centered content organization
To repurpose or not to repurpose?
Less is more
Production quality
Regular and frequent release
Cross marketing
Be complete…but limited
Transcripts to meet Section 508
Audience participation

16. Selected References
Brittain, S., Glowacki, P., Van Ittersum, J., & Johnson, L.
(2006). Podcasting lectures. Educause Quarterly, 29(3),
24–31 Available: http://www.educause.edu/ir/
library/pdf/eqm0634.pdf.
Evans, 2008 C. Evans and C. Evans, The effectiveness of m‐
learning in the form of podcast revision lectures in higher
education, Computers & Education 50 (2) (2008), pp. 491–
498.
Lonn, S. & Teasley, S. (2009). Podcasting in higher
education: What are the implications for teaching and
learning? The International and Higher Education, 12(2), p.
88‐92.