Podcast as a learning media in higher education

The expansion of online courses in higher education requires that students are able to manage their own learning and independent study activities, in other words, self-regulated learning. Previous research suggests that the endeavor of self-regulated learning can be a key factor in the students' level of activity in higher education and thereby their level of learning. This paper examines how podcasting can be a supplement to the ordinary online classes to increase self-regulated learning, which is an important part of student's everyday studies. The paper is divided into two main sections; the first part is a discussion of the learning aspects of how the use of podcast in online courses can support students with a vocational background in relation to develop their self-regulated learning skills. The second part is a suggestion for a podcast-learning-design based on the activity theory (AT).
Previous research suggests the most common use of podcasting in higher education is limited to teachers distributing recordings of lectures or student-generated podcast as different forms of evaluation. This study argues that teacher-generated podcasts where teachers discuss a certain subject in relation to practice and by visiting, interviewing and including relevant companies can support the students to reflection and understanding of a (new/unfamiliar) subject in relation to practice. The paper concludes that podcasting can stimulate self-regulated learning and provides suggestions for future research and practice of using podcasting in higher education, focusing on students with a vocational background studying online courses.