Abstract:

In Estonia, podcasts are mostly offered by radio and newspapers, and the use of podcasts in Estonian higher education is rare and unstudied.
The university uses various digital learning tools and the learning management system Moodle to provide students with blended learning and support their studying; therefore, it is keen to research podcast possibilities as a new digital learning tool.
This study aimed to discover the possibilities, willingness, and technical requirements of using podcasts in education.
The mixed method was used to fulfill the goal. Two quantitative surveys were conducted using questionnaires developed for this study; one questionnaire for students and another for teachers. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts such as an educational technologist, an experienced lecturer-podcast user, and the IT department manager.
Based on the analysis of the interviews and the surveys, the authors state that the willingness of students and teachers to integrate podcasts into the learning process was high (81% for students and 55% for lecturers). Using podcasts in education helps students acquire new knowledge and skills. The study revealed six suitable methods of use of podcasts in the learning process, also four main advantages and two disadvantages for students and lecturers.
As a result, the authors make several proposals to the university for using podcasts, such as opening a media channel for sharing podcasts, creating podcasts, and appointing one person to develop podcasts.

Keywords:

Podcast, higher education, technology-enhanced learning.