Abstract
This paper reports on a case study into the contribution of podcasting to the curriculum transformation of two distance-taught master’s programmes. Both programmes attract work-based Occupational Psychology practitioners, most of whom are in full-time employment. Challenges faced by the course team included adding flexibility to the curricula, increasing learner engagement (both with learning materials and feedback) and reducing learner isolation. As part of a coordinated enhancement effort, which included changes to curriculum design and delivery, 59 podcasts were introduced into the curriculum over a 12-month period. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from students and staff throughout the study. Action research ensured a regular flow of relevant evidence informing each stage of the renewal process. Evidence suggested that the students’ learning experiences improved as a result of four key benefits associated with the integration of podcasting in learning design: personalisation; an additional and different format for providing clear and engaging guidance, support and feedback; increased flexibility and mobility within the curricula; and ‘design once, deliver many times’ with minimum adaptation. Keywords: action research; curriculum design; curriculum delivery; curriculum renewal; occupational psychology; institutional transformation; learning design; podcasting DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.492849
Highlights
This paper reports on a study of the contribution of podcasting to curriculum transformation at the University of Leicester, UK
Consultation with students before the incorporation of podcasts showed that, typical for distance learning courses, they perceived a need for more personalisation in the curricula
This paper has reported on the contribution of podcasting to curriculum transformation in two Occupational Psychology (OP) programmes at the University of Leicester
Summary
This paper reports on a study of the contribution of podcasting to curriculum transformation at the University of Leicester, UK. We discuss the challenges of delivering distance learning courses faced by the Occupational Psychology (OP) team and how these were addressed by a range of coordinated curriculum design and delivery measures. Within those measures, we focus on the contribution of podcasting to the transformation of the OP curricula. In the light of earlier research, we evaluate the potential of podcasting in distance education. The distribution technology used for a podcast is what distinguishes it from other forms of digital audio or video files on the Internet. Users can subscribe to podcasts via an RSS feed, so that when new podcasts are released they are downloaded automatically onto a user’s computer or mobile device such as an iPod or MP3 player (Beldarrain 2006; EDUCAUSE 2005; Gribbins 2007)
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