Podcast Allowing Students to Download Professors' Lectures

The iPOD has the ability to play songs, videos, store photos and now allow students to download lectures. With students always on the go, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and College of Education and Human Services Professional Development Department (CEHS) are helping students make their classes portable.

Starting last year in September, CTL offered the availability for professors to connect with students outside the classroom through the use of the iPOD.

"The goal is to become mobile," said Bryan Beverly, Sr. Digital Technology Analyst/Project Manager of Distance Learning/Multimedia Production for the CTL, who is one of the staff members making the download to the iPOD possible on campus. "Students can listen to the course content without being tied down to a computer."

So far only Dr. Will Mosier EDD, PA-C of the Teacher Education Department and Marguerite Veres a graduate student in Education Leadership are the two faculty members known to be taking part in what's called the Podcast at Wright State.

"Eventually, I would hope that this would serve as a refresher for students and also as an aid for those who had to miss the face-to-face class," said Veres.

Still only in its beginning stages, students and professors are probably wondering how the download works. The first step is for the professors to educate themselves in a six week course called EDT678-98: Transforming Learning through Technology.

The course is currently available. After taking the course, professors are then to record their lecture and then upload it onto iTunes for students to download as a Podcast, which is free.

Knowing that this is available, are students willing to add lectures to their play list?

"I think that's a great idea," said Pat Reilly, a senior English major, "Definitely another good way to reach out to students."

"I think it would be very handy if you miss class. You wouldn't have to get the teacher to write out the notes," said freshman Erica Brackens who is an intending nursing major.

Some students like Reilly are all for downloading the lectures to the iPOD, but there are some who are not ready for the new way of learning on the go, "I don't think we'd use it, Although it depends on the lecture." said Leah Craig, a freshman English major.

Craig is not the only one who isn't so sure about the iPOD being a tool used in education.

"I don't see the iPOD as an instrument to download lectures but more of a tool for music," said Dave Baxter, a communications professor, "But I wouldn't mind students using it to help them study and prepare for exams."

Though the Podcast is only in the beginning stages on campus, Beverly and other staff/faculty involved are striving to make it available campus wide. Starting soon Wright State students will be able to access their classes through iPOD.