I know that I'm something of a cynic. I tend to believe things only after seeing them myself. Even seeing something isn't a guarantee of belief for me, most of the time. When I read and hear about the educational benefits of podcasting, I'm again wondering what problem is being fixed by their use? In Khe Foon Hew's article, he states a case for podcasting in education. While I would agree that there are definite advantages of audio in learning (when compared to just reading), I don't believe that audio by itself is better than images (or videos) paired with either audio or reading. I'm a big believer in the dual-encoding theory of memory and learning. If a student is listening to the audio of a lecture or lesson they are most likely creating some pretty weak (and/or strange!) associations with whatever it is they are seeing at the time. I can see that their good compatibility, widespread availability, relatively shallow learning curve, and easy distribution make them an attractive element to add to a course or lesson. I would be wary of delivering the primary content of a course with an audio-only podcast. With that, I'm picturing some kind of crazy correspondence (or distance learning) course using the same basic technology that existed in the 1930's, radio. So, as far as instruction goes, a good use of podcasts would be as a supplement to a lecture or topic. Some kind of "bonus feature" that a class can listen to for more information (or for the answer to next exam's bonus question!). A better use of podcasts (IMHO) would be to use them as a tool to demonstrate knowledge acquisition, by making the students create their own. With a little instruction, some free software, and a microphone, a student can demonstrate a good deal of knowledge about a subject in a novel and fun way.
Just my two cents, folks!
No comments:
Post a Comment