York College has been using podcasting since the Fall of 2006, with several instructors leading the way. The most consistent way that podcasting is used on campus is as recordings of live lectures. In the Rich Media Podcasting project, two specific elements will be added to our current platform: Visuals and Interactivity. There are many avenues for incorporating visuals (video, screencasting, Powerpoint, Camtasia Studio) and interactivity (discussion boards, blogs, quizzes) and the goal here is to have different faculty testing various possibilities. The overarching aims are to:
The following assumptions are embedded in the design of our initiative:
With these goals and assumptions in mind, each faculty member will incorporate a new visual and/or interactivity component into their podcasting. The hope is that as a team several new tools and software such as screencasts, videocasts, blogs, wikis, and Lesson Builder will be tested and compared such that by the end of the year, a best practice model can be recommended. Several special initiatives will focus on researching the impact on student learning, including the impact for ESL/ELL learners.