Background and introduction to podcasting

In January and February 2005, the Pew Internet and American Life Project conducted a survey of iPod/MP3-player users and found that one in five ‘age 18 and older’ own an iPod or MP3 player (Pew Internet, 2006).

More recently, eMarketer estimated that the total US podcast audience reached 18.5 million in 2007. That audience will increase by 251% to 65 million by 2012. Of those listeners, 25 million will be ‘active’ users who tune in to podcasts at least once a week (eMarketer, 2008). An Australian academic study that measured undergraduate use and ownership of emerging technologies found that in 2007 more than 70% of under - graduates owned iPod or MP3 players, up from 40% in 2005 (Oliver and Goerke, 2007).

A podcast is defined in the New Oxford American Dictionary as ‘a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program – is typically made available on the web for downloading to a personal audio player’. Podcasting was the 2005 Word of the Year, according to the dictionary editors (McKean, 2005). Podcasts are digital files that can be downloaded and listened to whenever and wherever one wants (Barsky, 2006). Originally, podcasting referred to an audio file that was automatically delivered directly to the listener's device using the XML-based format RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and a feed reader. Rather than the listener having to remember to check for new audio files or tune in to a broadcast on schedule, the feed-reader software would automatically check for and download any new audio to the listener's device. Recently, podcasting has become synonymous with any audio or video file that listeners download and play on a digital player (Worcester and Barker, 2006).

Podcasts in university education

The portable audio device is no longer simply a medium for music or video entertainment; it now conveys a lot of educational material. Podcasting usage in education is increasing. With the potential to change the teaching and learning experience significantly, it can facilitate organization and delivery of information tailored to users’ individual preferences and learning styles (Harris and Park, 2008).

Podcasts are asynchronous and allow for infinite review and reinforcement of the skills presented. Long files can be broken into smaller, more digestible chunks than typical instructional sessions in academia (Griffey, 2007).