Abstract:

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) allow computer users to interact without any limitations on time and place. One of these new technologies is podcast, whereby recorded audio or video material can be downloaded and stored for later use or played directly online through what is called “streaming”. Podcast is increasingly being used in language education, usually as a way of conveniently accessing, for example, authentic radio broadcasts for use in the classroom. However, teachers have also begun to experiment with having students generate their own audio or audiovisual materials and then have their classmates download them in the form of podcast. Since this sort of student-generated podcast is still in a development phase, so far, little research has been carried out on this application of technology, especially regarding its use in the language classroom. A general consensus on its effectiveness is therefore still missing. The proposed study explores how student-generated podcast fosters both traditional and technology-enabled collaboration among students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), as measured through the perceptions of students and teachers. Students aged 14 and 15 at a public Catalan secondary school were given group assignments involving the creation of a podcast and were thus required to work together in person and online to accomplish the task. Once completed, participating students were asked to complete a questionnaire, and the researcher complemented this information by means of interviewing their supervising teachers, thus obtaining both qualitative and quantitative data. The results reveal that the activity of creating audio podcast in groups motivate students to engage in collaborative learning, and this activity supports language learning as well as digital literacy and self- confidence. Many respondents indicated that student-generated podcast and the other Web 2.0 tools offer a variety of opportunities to learn a foreign language in an easy and enjoyable way. The majority of the students agree that creating podcast is helpful for language learning as it fosters collaboration and enriches the learning process. Compared to pen and paper based projects, student-generated podcast is more appealing and attractive for the students who are digital natives.

Keywords:

Student-Generated Podcast, English as a Foreign Language, and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning