Impact+of+podcasting

__Group Members : Saif, Mehrab and Refa'at__

//__**Topic: What is the impact of podcasting?**__//

**Contents :**

 * 1) Impact of podcasting on education
 * 2) Best-practice examples: what are they being used for and how?
 * 3) How has podcasting benefited students? Give examples from educational practice across all levels of education.
 * 4) Impact on podcasting on the media
 * 5) How is the face of media changing? How the information is different when presented as a podcast?
 * 6) Is podcasting replacing and/or supplementing radio or TV?

"Podcasting and vodcasting, and their pending derivatives, are not fads. They are very real and very practical distribution technologies. The ability to time-shift content versus traditional broadcast distribution models expands student teaching and learning opportunities significantly. The supporting technologies are relatively inexpensive and surprisingly easy to use - in fact easy enough to use that faculty and students will begin to actively produce and distribute content through this medium by summer semester 2005. They will intensify the need for a centralized content management and monetization infrastructure, as well as an education support architecture to assist faculty in the integration of these technologies that will be demanded by the incoming class of students. But in this challenge is also the opportunity to provide all new classes of services for on-campus, distance and lifelong learners. In fact the greatest opportunities for these technologies are in the ways they will be used that have not been imagined yet. The portable and on-demand nature of podcasting and vodcasting make them technologies worth pursuing, implementing and supporting." As these new digital content distribution technologies become increasingly mainstream, a multitude of potential applications will become apparent and, in many instances, will be hugely disruptive to existing learning infrastructures.
 * 1.** The general media has recognized that podcasting is taking off in education. The use of podcasting has greatly influenced the educational institutions.


 * 2.** Latest Trend in Education --> A United Kingdom university is introducing the use of education-based MP3 audio files into its program to help modernize education. " The concept is based on the idea that people learn best when they want to learn. So at the University of Leicester, the podcasting makes lessons available to students at all times", said Richard Mobbs, head of learning technology at the school. The teaching and learning process is very complicated, said Hobbs, but we know that we learn best of all when we want to learn and that requires having easy access to the learning materials.


 * 3.** Preliminary interviews showed that most students approved the concept of podcasting and used it as a studying tool. It's different, said one student. " Not so serious like sitting down with pen and paper. I don't miss anything on the podcasts".


 * 5.** The exponential rate of technological change that has transformed media and communication structures globally is reflected in the degree of attention paid to the convergent media nexus by the international community. With the rapid growth of new media technology including the Internet, interactive television networks, and multimedia information services, many proponents emphasize their potential to increase interactive mass media, entertainment, commerce, and education. Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet using either the RSS or Atom syndication formats, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. The term podcast, like radio, can mean both the content and the method of delivery.


 * 6.** Since listeners can enjoy podcasts anywhere, podcasting is quickly replacing radio as the most cost-effective way to transmit music and ideas. While broadcasting allowed news an information to reach audiences without regular access to college campuses, limited frequency spectrum and commercial interests prevented radio and television from achieving their true potential. Riding on the wave of cheap equipment and unlimited bandwidth, podcasts offer an inexpensive and effortless way to connect with niche audiences. Without the frequent interruption of radio and television broadcasts, podcasts offer audiences both quality and variety. While broadcasters have to view success in terms of the number of audience members reached, podcasters can set their own metrics. An educational podcaster can create content for a limited, but influential, audience too small for a conventional broadcaster to be concerned with. Instead of worrying about paying for expensive transmitters and complying with copious government regulations, podcasters only have to worry about creating compelling programming.

Now, with MP3 players available for less than $50 and municipalities offering free broadband internet access at libraries and through city-wide wireless networks, nearly everyone can enjoy a stream of information, art, culture, and entertainment from their favorite podcasts.

Commuters can listen to podcasts in their cars or on mass transit systems. Students use podcasts of university lectures to complete their own notes. Businesses can podcast key meetings and conferences.

http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2005/04/16/podcasting_and_vodcasting_in_higher.htm http://www.hear2.com/2005/11/the_impact_of_p.html http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=52164
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