1 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) UNTELE2007, 29 th March 2007

2 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?

3 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

4 Podcast Production: stages where learning/practice can potentially occur planning/ recording editing broadcasting listening responding/ rehearsalfeedback updating

5 Message of this Presentation  Introducing technology into the classroom doesn ’ t 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.

6 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.

7 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

8 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

9 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

10 The Project (2) - Student Voices  Consciousness raising of spoken speech and pronunciation  Listening to own voice  Group work  Efficient Time

11 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.

12 References  Debski, R. (2000) “ Exploring the Recreation of a CALL Innovation ” Computer Assisted Language Learning 13(4-5), pp  Kaplan-Leiserson, E. (2005, June). Trend: Podcasting in Academic and Corporate Learning. Learning Circuits. Retrieved 28 February 2007, from  McCarty, Steve (2005) “ Spoken Internet to go: popularization through Podcasting ” JALT CALL Journal 11(2) pp  Rost, Michael. (2007) “ Commentary: I ’ m only trying to help: A role for interventions in teaching listening ” Language Learning & Technology 11(1):  Rost, Michael. “ New Technologies in Language Education: Opportunities for Professional Growth ” :  Thorne, Steven L. and J. Scott Payne. (2005) “ Evolutionary Trajectories, Internet-mediated Expression, and Language Education. ” CALICO Journal 22(3) pp  Warschauer, Mark. (1996) Computer-assisted language learning: An introduction. In, S. Fotos (Ed.) Multimedia Language Teaching (pp. 3-20). Tokyo: LogosInternational.