Student-authored podcasting in the EFL Classroom

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Student-authored podcasting in the EFL Classroom

• - A reflection on the need for overt
  consideration of the pedagogical and social
  purposes of integrating student-authored
  podcasting in the EFL syllabus

Kristen Sullivan (Shimonoseki City
University) kris_at_shimonoseki-cu.ac.jp http//www.s
himonoseki-cu.ac.jp/sullivan UNTELE2007, 29th
March 2007
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What is a podcast?

• A hybrid of ipod and broadcasting
• Online audio (and video) content marked by the
  incorporation of RSS feeding allowing users to
  subscribe to podcasts and have them automatically
  downloaded to their PCs and mp3 players.
• Is this distinction necessary for educational
  podcasting?

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Pedagogical Possibilities of Podcasting - Why
Podcasting in EFL?

• Listening
• Listening skills
• authentic texts World Englishes, various
  dialects, natural speed
• educational podcasts
• Content cultural understanding, real time
  information, autonomy-building
• Production
• Oral skills
• Cross-cultural awareness and understanding
  through podcast exchanges

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Podcast Production stages where
learning/practice can potentially occur

• planning/ recording editing broadcasting
  listening responding/
• rehearsal feedback

updating
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Message of this Presentation

• Introducing technology into the classroom doesnt
  automatically equal an increase in motivation.
• We need to make pedagogical considerations the
  focus behind the decision to use podcasting in
  EFL situations (integrate podcasting into the
  syllabus).
• These pedagogical decisions should shape the
  types of activities, frequency of recordings and
  broadcastings, group formations, etc, that we
  use.
• Be fully aware of the (social/pedagogical) needs
  of the particular student group in question and
  be willing to adapt to these needs as identified
  throughout the life of the project.

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The Project (1)- Motivation behind the original
class

• Case Study 1 (October 2005 February 2006)
• Purpose To address issues of off-taskness and
  lack of (extended) use of the target language in
  class.
• Reasoning
• Hypothesized that podcasting and group project
  work may be exploited to develop motivation
  amongst students (? on-taskness ? increased use
  of the target language)
• Project work authentic purposeful use of the
  target language
• Podcasting new, fun and interesting medium
• Structure of the project long term, fixed group
  project culminating at the end of the semester.

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The Project (1)- A Success?
Creative, original, authentic All reported
the experience to be rewarding and
enjoyable BUT No significant increase in use of
the target language More instances of being
off-task Change in language skills? In class
preparation a waste of time? No major
feedback on their spoken English during the
semester No major exchange at a class level
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The Project (1)- Student Voices

• Class level interaction
• Inter-group collaboration
• (commented on by most students)
• Too much Japanese when preparing
• Less in-class preparation time
• More non-podcast related activities
• (commented on by a few students)

Social Needs
Pedagogical Needs
Matched my observations and reflections on the
class
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Teacher reflections on the project/Goals for
Project 2

• Pedagogical activities
• Increase chances of feedback increase number of
  podcast recordings and broadcastings
• Increase access to the recording technology
• Multiple, unfixed group formations
• Goals for Class 2
• ? Use digital recording as a way to develop
  students consciousness of their spoken language
  and spoken communication
• capture spoken language allowing for
  review
• provides a defined task concentration,
  continued speaking
• ? Use podcasting as the vehicle for this
• the cycle of podcasting is pedagogically
  beneficial
• meaningful and authentic

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The Project (2)- Student Voices

• Consciousness raising of spoken speech and
  pronunciation
• Listening to own voice
• Group work
• Efficient Time

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Lessons learnt

• ? Using the technology in ways which will truly
  address the students language needs short-term
  projects, numerous chances for feedback, focus on
  the message/interlanguage improvement over final
  product slickness.
• ? Giving students as much access to the
  technology as possible.
• ? Adequate time for preparation and recording
• ? Appropriate group formations
• ? Identify and adapt to other factors as they are
  identified throughout the life of the project.
  

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References

• Debski, R. (2000) Exploring the Recreation of a
  CALL Innovation Computer Assisted Language
  Learning 13(4-5), pp. 307-332
• Kaplan-Leiserson, E. (2005, June). Trend
  Podcasting in Academic and Corporate Learning.
  Learning Circuits. Retrieved 28 February 2007,
  from http//www.learningcircuits.org/2005/jun2005/
  0506_trends
• McCarty, Steve (2005) Spoken Internet to go
  popularization through Podcasting JALT CALL
  Journal 11(2) pp.67-74
• Rost, Michael. (2007) Commentary Im only
  trying to help A role for interventions in
  teaching listening Language Learning
  Technology 11(1) 102-108 http//llt.msu.edu/vol11
  num1/rost
• Rost, Michael. New Technologies in Language
  Education Opportunities for Professional Growth
  www.longman.com/ae/multimedia/pdf/MikeRost.PDF.p
  df
• Thorne, Steven L. and J. Scott Payne. (2005)
  Evolutionary Trajectories, Internet-mediated
  Expression, and Language Education. CALICO
  Journal 22(3) pp. 371-397
• Warschauer, Mark. (1996) Computer-assisted
  language learning An introduction. In, S. Fotos
  (Ed.) Multimedia Language Teaching (pp. 3-20).
  Tokyo LogosInternational.