Since universities (as is often the case with new technologies) seem to be on the leading edge of integrating podcasting and vodcasting capabilities into their courses, I wanted to spend this final week looking at some of the ways in which universities are using vodcasting and at some of the corresponding issues that are being debated about its implementation.
Peter Meng, a Technical Business Analyst at the University of Missouri, has written a white paper which addresses the many benefits of podcasting and vodcasting and how these capabilities are being used by the school. This is a long paper and there are many details we do not need to cover for this discussion, so I would only like for you to read from the “Pedagogical Implications” section on page 9 through the conclusion on page 11. I found some of the questions raised about podcasting/vodcasting issues to be quite interesting. “How does podcasting or VODcasting challenge the current “talking head” model of classroom lectures? If all lectures are available via video and audio, do students need to go to class? How often? How do we keep them in class?” Also, “Who owns the content, the school, the instructor, the user? Can this be used outside of the university community? How is it protected or secured to the owner or subscriber?”
How do you feel about these questions and others listed in this white paper?
Meng, P. (2005). Podcasting and vodcasting: A white paper. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from University of Missouri, IAT Services: http://edmarketing.apple.com/adcinstitute/wp-content/Missouri_Podcasting_White_Paper.pdf
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2 comments:
Elise,
I agree that this paper raises some interesting philosophical questions. In response to the question regarding How pod/vod casting challenges the current “talking head” model of classroom lectures, I would say that I don't think in most cases pod/vod casting will give "real" teaching a run for its money... primarily because it is not interactive/responsive enough.
Certainly, it is possible that pod/vod casting will be a replacement for the type of lecture in which the professor does not interact with the students (here I'm picturing a prof. lecturing to a lecture hall of at least several hundred students). But the fact is that already on many campuses these types of lectures have been videotaped and available for students to view at their leisure. However, in most classrooms (especially upperlevel), teaching is much more dynamic than that ... it may involve the professor acting as facilitator, as discussion leader or it may involve student-led activities (presentations of semester projects, student-led discussion). At this point in pod/vod casting's evolution it does not seem to me that teaching (in this broader context) could be replaced by pod/vod casting.
So, essentially, I see pod/vod casting as a tool that teachers might use to disseminate some information to students -- but not as a replacement for the teachers themselves.
Thanks for your post, Natalie. I think you make a good point about pod/vodcasting possibly replacing the lecture-hall type of instruction. This type of instruction is not very interactive anyway and could be provided to students more efficiently if the presentation were made once, recorded, and then distributed. In this way pod/vodcasts of this nature could supplement a smaller, more hands-on type of class. I'm picturing an undergrad Biology class where the lectures are presented as pod/vodcasts and the accompanying lab is the more interactive, hands-on portion.
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