Improving the Podcast as a Lecture Content Delivery Method

Abstract

The most common method of instruction in largeenrollment courses is lecturing. In recent years, a growing trend is to instruct lecture classes by podcasting course content. ICS 101, a beginning computer science course, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa utilizes podcasting as a mode of lecture content delivery. The method used to podcast evolved during the course from a traditional podcast to an enhanced podcast. Therefore, the researchers explored the two modes of podcasting and found that there is little statistical difference between the two. However, having visual aids, whether through an enhanced podcast or including a PDF with a traditional podcast, improves students’ perception of podcasting and lecture content. The researchers recommend focusing on the pedagogy behind the instruction as opposed to the addition of new features due to the minor gain in achievement.