Using Podcast in Language Learning - Research Proposal Example

Using podcast in language learning Using podcast in language learning Summary The mall technology article deals with the study of integrating podcasts into the school curriculum of the higher education institutions and secondary schools. The article is written by three authors from the foreign literatures and Languages department at Old Dominion University. The context of the article is based on the NEH study of podcast integration into the Old Dominion University curriculum. However, the participants to the study include all the University’s faculty members supported by University Faculty Innovator Grant and the “national Endowment for the Humanities.” In addition, the Old Dominion University students are also involved as participants because the integration of podcasts into the curriculum brings noteworthy impacts in their learning. NEH study involves some procedures which include the use of post-test design, data collection through survey and interview techniques, survey data analysis through use of SPSS, and calculation of the frequency per centiles and counts to obtain results (Rosell-Aguilar 2007, p. 481). Findings Abdous, Facer and Camarena found that most of the students, who participated in the study, used their personal computers to access Podcasts created for their courses. Approximately 77% used their MP3 player and iPod to access Podcasts. However, 94% of the students used personal computers for academic work, while 31% used iPod or MP3 players for listening to course materials, and 16% for academic work. It seems that personal computers were highly used by students because they could do a lot of things apart from accessing academic work. Indeed, a student could listen and watch Podcasts as well as doing other personal activities. On the other hand, iPods and MP3 player, could only be used for listening purposes hence holding a small percent of usage (Mathison & Billing 2012, p. 498). Students were reluctant to use podcasts with 35% saying that they never downloaded podcasts for their studies because they found no value in it. 40% said that they downloaded the podcasts less frequently because they did not have time for downloading it. However, 11% of the students did not use podcasts because they lacked the knowledge of how the Podcasts were being downloaded. However, it seems that all students perceived downloading of podcasts as a difficult task. This made them less confident and committed to using podcast in their language courses. In that case, there is a need to inform the faculty and students on how podcast technology is used (Schmidt 2008, p. 190). In class training should be adopted to educate students on how to download, subscribe, and save podcasts. The findings on the frequent use of podcasts in language courses shows that those students who enrolled in classes with podcasts integrated in the course curriculum, used the podcasts more frequently. Conversely, there was less use of podcasts by students involved in classes where podcasts were only used as a supplement tool. Students in classes with podcasts integrated into the curriculum were more eager to learn how to download and use podcasts while those in PSM classes revealed reluctance in the use of podcasts. This shows that in PIC classes there was more commitment for both the students and the faculty in handling Podcast technology. The faculty made more efforts in the integration of podcasts into the classroom activities and instructional practices. This motivated students to take most of their time learning how to use podcast technology than those in PSM classes. Therefore, if the faculty took time to carefully plan for a more instructional use of podcasts, all students including those in PSM classes would value the use of Podcast technology (Hew 2009, p. 341). Findings on the impacts of podcast use on study and learning habits show that most students considered podcasts to have a positive impacts on their study habits. Students in PIC classes reported that Podcasts made completing assignments, learning course material, and acquiring instructor feedback much easier. These findings, therefore, implies that podcast technology is effective in facilitating evaluation and completion of assignments for all foreign language classes (King et al 2010, p. 181). The findings on the impacts of podcasts use in acquiring language skills show that it generally assisted students in improving their language skills. It was found that podcast technology mostly improved different student’s skills such as aural and oral language skills, and vocabulary knowledge. Comparing students enrolled in PSM classes to those in PIC class, the latter rated Podcast technology as the best tool in improving aural and oral skills, building vocabulary, and developing knowledge on grammatical rules. This implies that podcast technology is capable of promoting the acquisition of a wide range of different language skills. However, instructors need to adapt and use podcasts for various instructional purposes (Hew 2009, p. 349). Summary The article on “podcast applications in language learning” is written by Hasan Masudul and Hoon B. Tan. The two authors are faculty of modern communication and languages at Putra University in Malaysia. The context of the article deals with the study of podcasts’ impact on various language skills and showing how podcasts may contribute to the learning of English skills. The participants involved in the study include students, stakeholders, researchers, and teachers involved in the adoption of podcast innovative technology for teaching and language learning. However, the procedure in the study involved the performance of electronic searches to obtain 60 articles from online databases. 40 articles among the 60 articles were discarded based on the fact that they were non empirical and only 4 among the chosen 20 articles were reviewed. The review was followed by a grounded approach method for analysing each of the four articles that were chosen ((King et al 2010, p. 191). Findings Podcasts can provide teachers with opportunities for facilitating language learning. It challenges traditional learning and teaching methods. However, there is a popular utilization of mobile technology in ESL context in many higher secondary and secondary institutions. Hawke conducted a study on how an “independent listening pilot course” integrated with podcasts would affect the scientific English listening skills of the scientific students. The findings were that podcasts, as supplementary materials, assisted scientific students to pay more attention on the content provided by the podcasts. Indeed, students in the experimental group who utilized podcast outperformed those who were in a control group. It also encouraged them to have a bottom-up and top-down perspectives in listening to the podcasts. This implies that podcasts fostered positive attitudes towards the scientific students in utilizing podcasts for listening purposes during experimental exercises (Mathison & Billing 2012, p. 428). Istanto also conducted a study on how podcasts affected the listening skills of students learning Indonesian foreign language. The findings were that podcast application led to improvement of student’s grammar knowledge, listening skills, and cultural knowledge of the target community. This shows that podcast technology has a huge potential to improve the listening skills of many students. Ducate and Lomicka conducted a study investigating the impacts of Podcasts on developing student’s pronunciation. According to the findings, student’s pronunciation failed to improve in terms of comprehensibility because of the course time limits. However, there was an increase in student’s attitudes towards learning the English language after utilizing the podcast materials. On the similar context, knight investigated the impacts of podcasts on the phonetic exercises. He found out that the students involved in the study, took Podcasts as effective tools for creating their phonetics. This shows that they enjoyed operating the podcasts and recognized the improvement of their confidence in handling the technology (Rosell-Aguilar 2007, p. 491). The findings on the study conducted by various researches about the effects of podcast on vocabulary learning shows that the learning was made more easier by integrating it with podcast programs. Borgia’s study reveals that student’s vocabulary learning was greatly reinforced by the podcast technology. Similarly, Putman and Kingsley’s findings supported that podcast technology, as a learning tool, could greatly assist students to develop good vocabulary. Students involved in Putman and Kingsley’s study responded that the use of Podcast technology motivated them to learn science vocabulary. Indeed, integration of podcast technology into language learning has the potential to develop learners’ language skills in listening, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Podcast foster self paced learning and provide slow learners with a foundation for remediation (Schmidt 2008, p. 187). The results obtained from various studies conducted on attitudes and perceptions towards Podcast technology are based on the assumption that positive attitude mostly influence language learning. Podcast technology has the potential to develop both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation among students. According to the respondents in Anusiene and Kavaliauskiene’s study, 76% of them registered a positive attitude towards the utilizing of podcasts in good listening skills. King and Kim conducted a case study on three ESOL teacher candidates. The findings show that they all had a positive response, attitude, actions, and perceptions towards the use of podcasts in a core assignment (Mckay & Brass 2011, p. 140). Use of podcasts reduces the anxiety of students and develops a sense of belonging to a particular learning community. Furthermore, Podcasts provide students with a great personal and authentic experience to learning various English language skills. However, implementation of podcast technology into any learning and teaching environment depends on the level of engagement and commitment of related groups such as students, teachers, stockholders, and material and curriculum designers. References Hew, F.K., 2009, ‘Use of Audio Podcast in K-12 and Higher Education: A Review of Research Topics and Methodologies’ Educational Technology Research and Development vol. 57, no. 3, pp. 333-357 King, S., Sawyer, T., Stupans, I., & Scutter, S., 2010, ‘How do student use podcasts to support learning?’ Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 180-191 Mckay, K., & Brass, K., 2011, ‘Casualised technology and Labour in the teaching of Cultural Studies’ Cultural Studies Review, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 140-64 Rosell-Aguilar, Fernado. 2007, ‘Top of the Pods-In search of a podcasting “pedagogy” for language learning’ Computer Assisted Language Learning, vol. 20, no. 5, pp. 471-492. Schmidt, J., 2008, ‘Podcasting as a Learning Tool: German Language and Culture Every Day’ Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 186-194. Mathison, C., & Billings, S.E., 2012, ‘I Get to Use an iPod in School? Using Technology-Based Advance Organizers to Support the Academic Success of English Learners’ Journal of Science Education and Technology vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 494-503 Read More