Podcasting Lectures

A number of instructors at various colleges have begun podcasting their lectures.

Here is a partial list. Podcasting is "the distribution of audio or video files, such as radio programs or music videos, over the internet using RSS syndication for listening on mobile devices and personal computers." (from wikipedia)

Apple provides resources for educators who want to use podcasting.

As one might imagine, there is a range of opinions on this new use of technology.

From Mac News World:

In some cases, the tactic backfires. A podcasting professor at the University of California at Berkeley recently lamented that only about 20 of his 200 students regularly showed up for class.

Others are more optimistic. From The News & Observer:

"The general consensus here at Duke is it's going to change higher education, maybe ultimately very dramatically," said Richard Lucic, a professor of the practice of computer science at Duke University. "The basic thought is we probably don't even know all the ways it's going to change it yet."

Like any new technology, it will take time to figure out the proper usage in an educational context. To quote Duke professor, Richard Lucic: "This is still in the beta phase."