By Lori Goldson
Released in October 2001, iPods have transformed from minuscule music mechanisms to full-force media machines. The constant revisions of iPods have relieved commuters, students and other users of portable CD and tape players after enabling the small device to carry thousands of songs and videos.
Podcasting was created in 2003, allowing consumers more flexibility than simply watching visual media and listening to music. In three short years, the podcasting phenomenon has become an essential tool for mass marketing and advertisement. In 2006, Pixar Studios director John Lasseter used the medium to promote Cars.
Aside from promotion, the revolution has altered learning experiences as well. Since its release, multiple universities across the country have adopted the new technology, including the University of Delaware.
Initiated in December 2005, the university’s podcasting system has allowed video and audio files to be transported through the internet for later listening on mobile devices and personal computers, says Media Services manager of Digital Media Operations Paul Rickards.
“The podcasting site and services was created out of need to compile media from numerous places,” he says. “It also created an effort in IT-media services to offer a podcast recording service from campus events such as guest lecturers and speakers and special events.”
While podcasting has been used for videos and television programs, the university has allowed the streaming of lectures such as the April 4, 2006, conference introducing new basketball head coach Monté Ross.
Other files that have been popular on university podcasting include 2006 Winter commencement, “Global Agenda” lectures and last spring’s 10-year anniversary celebration of Trabant University Center.
Aside from allowing students and professors to review different lectures and forums, podcasts have become popular throughout campus because of their ability to deliver media automatically to anyone who has subscribed to the university’s podcast feed, using free iTunes software.
“When new podcasts are available, your computer will download any new content that is available in the feed,” Rickards says. “This allows you to aggregate many different feeds together in one place. What was once scattered in many places is now in one place on your computer.”
According to Detroitfreepress.com, podcasting has been beneficial for elementary school students, too. In the article “Fifth Graders Learn Computing Skills through Podcasting,” Lori Higgins writes, “It’s part of a new project that has fifth graders at Quarton Elementary School in Birmingham, Mich., taking their lessons in such subjects as math, social studies, science and Spanish and creating podcasts about what they’ve learned.”
With the students’ podcasts soon to be available on iTunes, podcasting has rejuvenated learning for younger children as well as the college crowd.
Although podcasting has been helpful, it can be just as problematic as it is reliable.
Senior Perri McLoughlin says podcasting is a good idea, but tends to be a distraction for her with her online class.
“I’m usually doing laundry or something while listening, so for me it doesn’t help,” she said. “Sophomore year when I took Philosophy, I kept more up to date with it because I needed the class more, but I didn’t take notes.”
However, podcasts can be useful because of their advantage over traditional forms of online media. The university’s IT-user services has contributed a series of podcasts called “Consulting on Demand,” allowing podcast users to view and deliver a bevy of seminars, lectures, forums, meetings and training materials.
McLoughlin says she would recommend podcasting for anyone taking major courses.
“It’s good to have for people who can’t sit still or whose class doesn’t fit with their schedule,” she said. “If a person is using it, it’s easier to catch up and plan out where they want to listen.”
Since adopting podcasting, the university has developed 30 podcasting services throughout the campus, distributing events quickly after they are held.
The precise and rapid service of podcasting has received positive feedback from professors and students who use the entity.
“Many people have said they enjoy having the choice and freedom of downloading the content to their computer and their portable device, such as an iPod,” Rickards says. “It really removes the restrictions on where and how you can use media to your advantage.”
