McKinney, D., Dyck, Jennifer L., & Luber, Elise S. (2009). iTunes University and the classroom: Can podcasts replace professors?  Computers & Education, 52 (3).  617-623.

Link:  iTunes University and the classroom: Can podcasts replace Profess...

This article details a project designed to evaluate the implications of using podcasts in higher education.  McKinney, Dyck, and Luber (2009) base their study upon the premise that comprehensive note-taking is important to learning course content and compare the quality of notes taken in two groups of students in which one attends in-class lectures and the other is provided with the same lecture recorded as a podcast (audio with PowerPoint slides).  The authors conclude that the learning achieved from the podcasts group is superior to that of the students attending traditional lectures.

McKinney et al. (2009) summarize the limited research available on the influence of computer-based resources like podcasting on learning:
•    The Evans (2008) study concentrates on student attitudes and illustrates a preference amongst students to use podcast lectures for revision and do so on their computers and not on mobile devices (p. 618);
•    The work of Stephenson, Brown, and Griffin (2008) indicates a preference amongst students for classroom-based courses over those available using the computer.  Students report liking the flexibility of the computer-based materials, but only as an adjunct to the classroom course.  Furthermore, this research found no learning advantage to utilizing either mode for delivery, which is commonly referred to as a no significant difference finding  (p. 618); and
•    Cramer, Collins, Snider, and Fawcett (2007) is one of the few research papers that report an improvement in learning with students using recorded lectures (PowerPoint slides with audio) available through the computer for revision (p. 618).  The Cramer et al. (2007) findings most closely echo those of McKinney et al. (2009).

The contradictions found in this research literature seems to be the impetus of this project.  The authors attempt to focus on studying the effects of an explicitly mobile experience on learning.  The authors note that they want to find out how the podcast lecture can substitute for missing an in-class lecture.

McKinney et al. (2009) describe their research methodology for this project as “a non-equivalent group, post-test only quasi-experimental design” (p. 619).  The authors use two groups of students taking an introductory psychology course.  Prior to the start of the project they assessed the students’ academic abilities (GPA and SAT scores), checked for mp3 player ownership (a requirement of the podcast group), and asked about the students’ experience with podcasts (which was limited to 3 people), in an attempt to make sure the two groups were relatively similar.  As an incentive participating students were offered credit in any of one of their psychology courses and the student scoring the highest on the exam in each group received a $15 iTunes card.  As a result, 32 students in the in-class group and 34 students in the podcasts group completed the project.

The results reveal that, when compared to the in-class lecture students, the podcast group was able to take more comprehensive notes, which led to a better knowledge of the material and a better performance on the exam.  McKinney et al. (2009) conclude that there is a “significant advantage” to having the lecture in a podcast format, but they do not suggest that this can replace the benefit of having a professor or attending in-class lectures (p. 662).  The advantage of mobile devices is that, unlike the in-class lecture students, the podcast students can pause, rewind, and replay the lecture.  As a result, the podcast students are able to conduct a better study review and take better notes.  Finally, McKinney et al. (2009) believe there is a need for further research to explore the benefits of using podcast in other curriculum areas.

There are some important issues to consider regarding the type of learning being assessed in this study.  Based on the course selection (an introductory course in psychology) and the exam format (multiple choice, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks), the students are only required to achieve a rudimentary understanding of the content.  Although entirely appropriate for this type of course, it would be interesting to see how effective podcast learning is in other curriculum areas (as suggested by the authors).  It would also be worth studying how podcasts influences student learning with curriculum that requires students to utilize more complex learning skills.

The project effectively uses the podcast format of audio synced with PowerPoint slides.  This allows the podcast to be played on mp3 players with small video screens and replicates the in-class lecture thereby minimizing any discrepancies in content between the two groups.  It also allows the lecture podcast to utilize “chapter markers” to match the slides to the audio, which podcast students find useful when studying (p. 620-21).     

Despite illustrating the effective use of podcasting, I wonder how a third group with access to both in-class lectures and the podcasts would perform in comparison to the other student groupings.  It may reveal more about the role of this technology in supporting student multimedia learning.

The research paper is a valuable study supporting the use of podcast in education.  The provocative title of the article is contrary to the authors’ assertion that podcast technology cannot replace instructors in the classroom.  The study is more about the use of improving student learning using podcasts.  I believe it would be valuable to complete a similar study that adds the use of screencasts and vidcasts to the podcasting formula for improving education.  Technology like the iTouch and iPhone are examples of the improvements in the capabilities of mobile devices that promise even greater abilities to include a combination of audio and video in distance learning.