Podcasts4learning Curriculumguide 1

Running Head: PODCASTS4LEARNING CURRICULUM GUIDE 1
Podcasts4Learning: Curriculum Guide

Alexis Handford, Lynn Hickey, and Katie Cox
ETEC 510 65A
UBC
March 30, 2018

PODCASTS4LEARNING CURRICULUM GUIDE 2
Table of Contents
Purpose and goals ............................................................................................................. 3
User guide ........................................................................................................................... 4
Instructor as mentor and modeller .......................................................................................... 10
Design space..................................................................................................................... 11
SECTIONS Model ......................................................................................................................... 12
Attributes of an effective learning environment ..................................................................... 13
Assessment model ........................................................................................................... 18

Engagement ................................................................................................................................ 18
Satisfaction .................................................................................................................................. 19
Peer assessment ......................................................................................................................... 19
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 19
References ........................................................................................................................ 21
APPENDIX .......................................................................................................................... 26
Purpose and goals

The purpose of this podcasting learning hub is to provide a space where
instructional designers, trainers, and adult learners can learn more about podcasting as a
tool for education. It also offers a space to engage and contribute to the conversation
about podcasting in corporate learning settings in a constructivist manner.
The goals of this podcasts learning hub are to ensure all learners progressing
through the hub:
• experience the value of podcasts as a learning and development

tool.
• gain the procedural knowledge and skills to build-your-own
podcasts, and then share them with a network of peers.
• learn to integrate podcasts effectively into learning and
development designs for enhancing adult learning.
• contribute to building a growing resource of relevant podcasts
which support a variety of teaching/learning situations.
• contribute to building an online learning community by
participating in the reflection forum.
The goal of this learning hub is to encourage active learner engagement,
so, for a learner to be considered “successful” in the learning hub, they will have
to have uploaded at least one podcast and be engaged in the discussion forum by
responding to at least two other participants. You can read more about this
assessment in the assessment model section of this guide.
These goals and the purpose (or mission) are positioned within the ‘Welcome’
section of the website. Since, as Malcolm Knowles proposed, adult learners need to know
why they should learn something before they learn it (Knowles, Holton III, & Swanson,
2015), these elements engage learner interest and motivate learners to continue navigating
the website to learn more. Additionally, they prepare the learner for the learning to be
situated in the corporate learning environment, that is, one that is meaningful and relevant
for an adult learner and a learning and development professional.
The Appendix in this guide outlines the rationale for learning about podcasts as a
tool for education in corporate learning. It provides summaries of how corporate learning
and the competencies of learning and development professionals have evolved over the
last decade. Moreover, it illustrates how podcasting is the right educational tool to address
changes in corporate learning, and provides guidance about how to use podcasts in order
to enable effective and transformative learning in the workplace. This content helps to
further explain how the learning hub was developed and how it could be successful in
corporate learning. Key aspects of the content are provided in the podcasts prepared by
the podcasts4learning website designers, particularly in the “Podcasts In Corporate
Learning” episode.
User guide
In this section you will find instructions on how to navigate the learning hub and
provide guidance for your learners on how to complete the activities and effectively utilize
the hub’s resources.
When you introduce your learners to the hub, let them know about the Twitter site.
They can use this site to engage in discussion while listening to the podcasts available on
the site and have their say about the podcasts’ content. This will get them collaborating and
engaged with other learners from the start.
You can access the learning hub at the following web address:
https://podcasts4learning.wixsite.com/podcasts
The image above is the homepage of the learning hub. The site was designed to be
navigated from left to right using the top menu bar tabs. However, there are shortcut
buttons within our site to help learners in guiding their own learning. Learners should also
know they have the freedom to navigate the site in a way that suits their needs. However,
they should understand that before creating their own podcasts and posting in the forum,
they should go through the first three sections, Welcome, About podcasts, and Creating
your own podcasts.
Under the “About Podcast” you will find two subcategories: Understanding and
applying the theory, and Podcasts4learning.
Understanding and applying the theory is one of the first pages that learners should
visit to help them better understand the significance of audio learning and how podcasting
can be an effective learning tool in constructivist, corporate learning environments.
Podcasts4learning is the page where learners can go to listen to the
Podcasts4learning podcasts where the hosts, Alexis Handford, Katie Cox, and Lynn Hickey
discuss all things podcasting, including the benefits and challenges of podcasting,
podcasting in corporate environments, etc. Accessibility was an important design

consideration for the learning hub. All podcasts on the site have closed captions available
(using YouTube) and all video tutorials have closed captions.
There are three pages under “Creating your own podcasts,” Content and Listener
Engagement, Determining software and hardware, and Creating your podcasts
Content and Listener Engagement is where learners can learn more about
developing content for their own podcasts, as well as find tips to enhance learner
engagement
Determining software and hardware is where learners can go to learn some basics
about software and equipment to get started in making their own podcasts and the
hardware and software are broken down by budget to help different learners with their
podcasting needs.
Creating your podcasts is where learners can go to view mini tutorials on how to
execute some of the tasks in creating a podcast as well as learn about some of the software
tools.
Once learners have reviewed the resources in the first three sections of the learning
hub, they should be instructed to go to the Forum, where they can engage in discourse
about podcasting. Some of the forum topics include: information on corporate
environments, podcasts and mobility, and growing your listening audience. Learners can
sign up for the forum through Facebook and get started in the discussion right away.
Learners can also post their podcasts that they are working on to the forum to get peer
and instructor feedback. You should advise learners that they should upload at least one
podcast to the forum and engage in discussion in order to be considered active in the
learning hub.
It’s important that learners are given the chance to have their say in the learning
experiences they have taken part in. Once they’ve reviewed the learning hub’s resources,
and taken part in the discussion forum, encourage them to head over to the Feedback
section where there is a link to a Twitter page and the Survey page.
The Twitter page links to the course Twitter account where learners can engage in
the larger conversation about podcasting.
The Survey page is where learners can evaluate the course and provide qualitative
feedback. This feedback will be used to continuously evaluate the learning hub site and will
help the hosts know when updates to the site’s learning resources are needed.
Instructor as mentor and modeller

The learning hub is created as a constructivist learning tool. Constructivist learning
takes into account the individuality of building knowledge. In constructivist learning
environments, people take in information and reflect, construct, and scaffold their
understanding (Baviskar et al., 2009). As the instructors, you are intended to act as a guide
and mentor to help learners navigate through the learning space and help answer
questions as they build their own understanding. In many ways, this learning hub is
intended to self-teach, so it’s important that as the instructor or lead on this initiative that
you involve yourself within the hub’s interaction to help keep track of potential issues or
learner frustrations. This curriculum guide is to help you better understand the learning
space and where to find key information to help better advise learners. Your key roles
include:
• Helping learners navigate the site

• Encouraging engagement with the site resources and in the discussion forum by:
o Prompting effective critical analysis in the forum
o Modelling respectful interaction for successful community building
o Monitoring Twitter activity
• Answering questions learners may have when creating their podcasts
• Ensuring all learning hub participants in your group upload at least one podcast to
the forum and engage in discussion in the forum
Design space
The learning hub was designed as it was in order to help scaffold learning. Learner
autonomy was at the forefront of all design decisions so that learners have control in how
they choose to engage. This was done because adult learners are more self-directed
(Knowles et al., 2012, as cited in Speed et al., 2015) and they bring a lot of unique
experiences and knowledge into their learning to reflect on and share with other learners.
So this learning hub supports individualized experiences, while also encouraging discourse
for further knowledge building.
Each page of the learning hub builds on the previous pages to teach learners
progressively more about podcasting, in order to scaffold learning (but learners are still
free to explore the hub as they see fit). As well, the learning hub is designed to encourage
active engagement (an element of constructivist learning), because without active
involvement, there is a lack of empowerment (Goolnik, 2006, p. 12), especially in adult
education. By encouraging “Learning by Making” (Brown, 2009), in supporting learners in

exploring podcasting in ways they feel comfortable, and giving them the option to record
and share their podcasts as part of the learning process, active learning can thrive.
SECTIONS Model
The SECTIONS model (Bates and Poole, 2003) helps to explain and validate the
design choices within this learning hub and curriculum guide. The model acts as a guide to
assess the selection of learning technology tools; it gives an overview look at students, ease
of use, costs, teaching functions, interaction, organizational issues, networking, and
security/privacy.
Students: The target learners are corporate workers who work in learning and
development. This learning hub was designed to be used on-the-go to accommodate their
busy schedules.
Ease of use: The learning hub was designed to offer an easy user experience. Learners can
use the dropdown menu to navigate to various sections of the site and they can also use
the various buttons to move between different parts of the site. The buttons have been
designed to all look the same to help with usability and improve user experience.
Costs: The learning hub was designed with open-source resources and applications,
making the training cost for learners free. However, adjustments and upgrades could be
made to streamline the curriculum further if there are future budgetary allotments.
Teaching functions and media selection: Technology was selected for the learning hub that
are simple to learn. In addition, tutorials are provided within the learning hub to help train
instructors and students on how to generate their own podcasts.
Interaction: The learning hub engages verbal (podcast) interaction, as well as discussion
interactions through the use of the forum, in addition to social media interactions (Twitter).
Furthermore, the learning hub encourages mobile interaction through mobile capability
and encouragement in using mobile project tools.
Organizational issues: At this stage, organizational issues can not be addressed. They will
need to be addressed once a target organization is identified.
Networking: Networking is encouraged within this learning hub, through the open-source
nature of the learning, as well as the use of Twitter. It’s important with a digital, social tool
such as podcasts that networking is enabled and encouraged.
Security and privacy: Similarly to Organizational Issues, security and privacy will need to be
addressed to meet the potential organization’s needs. A budget will need to be considered
in ensuring adequate security.
Attributes of an effective learning environment

According to the National Research Council (1999), there are four attributes of an
effective learning environment; that of being learner-centred, knowledge-centred,

community-centred, and assessment-centered. The podcasting learning hub is designed to
fulfill the requirements of these four attributes.
Learner-centred context
The National Research Council proposed that a learner-centred context “includes
awareness of the unique cognitive structures and understandings that the learners bring to
the learning context” (as cited in Anderson, 2004, p. 35). The podcasting learning hub was
designed intentionally to support the diverse learning needs and preferences of its adult
learners, for example:
• The learning hub design affords flexible learning. The learning content is provided in
a variety of formats, in order to give adult learners options and control in what or
how they learn. Learners can choose to read the theoretical reasoning supporting
podcasting as an educational tool, or they can listen to the various podcasts in
which the reasoning is woven throughout. Additionally, the video tutorials with
audio narration, are used to demonstrate the steps needed for creating podcasts.
All of the podcasts have the option available for viewing closed captions.
• The forum enables adult learners to share their wealth of knowledge and
experience, thereby recognizing their value. Additionally, this design feature enables
learners to assess their personal learning needs, and to determine their level of
ongoing interaction; that is, the extent to which they will engage and collaborate
with their peers and with you in order to deepen their learning.
• Regardless of learners’ pre-existing knowledge, understanding, and skill, the
learning hub provides the foundational information needed to understand how

podcasts are an effective educational tool and how they can be effectively designed,
developed, and used for learning purposes. Depending on personal need, learners
can review the textual content and replay the digital learning objects as many times
as needed to reinforce concepts.
• The learning isn’t meant to plateau for any learner, as all are encouraged to strive
for higher levels of learning when they interact and collaborate with their peers and
with you in the forum. In this educational space, learners are offered different types
and levels of knowledge-building opportunities. These opportunities provide the
potential for transformational learning; however, the learner ultimately makes the
choice. Valuable contextualized and situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Lave,
1996; as cited in Veletsianos, 2011) is supported when learners engage in creating,
sharing, and critiquing podcasts that are personally relevant and meaningful.
Learning through reflection is supported when learners engage in thinking critically
about their own experiences related to podcast use and creation. This reflective
practice facilitates meaningful and personalized learning (Veletsianos, 2011). As a
whole, the learning hub is designed for deep-learning engagement, whereby
learners have “sustained interactions with transformative content and activities”
(Veletsianos, 2011, p. 44). Based on this engagement, there is a strong potential for
learners to attempt to implement what they have learned in their personal and
professional lives.
Knowledge-centred context:
A knowledge-centred context embodies a grounding in a particular knowledge
domain, which is framed by its own epistemology, language, and disciplinary thought
context (Anderson, 2004). The learning hub is designed to effectively immerse the learner
in the discipline of podcasting as an educational tool for corporate learning. Functional,
aesthetic, and pedagogical elements are employed effectively to provide the motivation,
interaction, and engagement needed for learners to develop a knowledge and
understanding of the discipline, and then to actively construct new knowledge. Essentially,
instructionist, constructivist, and constructionist (Brennan & Resnick, 2013) learning
theories inform the design of the learning hub.
Only relevant textual content is provided, and it is organized to effectively highlight
key concepts. The instructional podcasts and video tutorials allow learners to experience
the discourse and knowledge structures underpinning discipline thinking. Recognizing that
knowledge is distributed, and that the educator is not the sole source of discipline
knowledge (Veletsianos, 2011), further exposure to discourse and thinking is provided in
the forum and through Twitter. Moreover, actively engaging in the knowledge-building
opportunities provided, increases the potential for learners to deepen their discipline
knowledge. Finally, the opportunities for reflection that the learning hub affords could help
learners develop expert-level discipline thinking, from which new knowledge structures
could be developed (Anderson, 2004).

Community-centred context:
A community-centred context includes the social-participatory component of
learning. The underlying learning theory informing the design of the learning hub is that of
social constructivism. The forum, specifically, encourages the interaction and collaboration
needed to create new knowledge. The potential for an effective online community is
strengthened by an environment comprised of the three interconnected core elements of a
community of inquiry model for learning (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000). These
elements are social presence (interaction with peers), cognitive presence (interaction with
content), and teaching presence (interaction with instructors). The combined effect of these
presences and the purposeful and disciplined interactions that they foster enables
collaborative engagement within the learning community, and increases the potential for
discourse, critical reflection, and deep understanding (Vaughan, Cleveland-Innes, &
Garrison, 2013).
Assessment-centred context:
The National Research Council (1999) suggested that effective learning
environments necessitate assessment, and that how formative and summative
assessments are used impacts that effectiveness. For both assessment types, the
predominant purpose should be to “motivate, inform, and provide feedback to both
learners and teachers” (as cited in Anderson, 2004, p. 38).
The podcasting forum has been designed to facilitate the exchange of feedback
between learners who are actively participating in the online learning community, and for
whom experience levels could range from novice to expert. Although each learner is
encouraged to provide formative feedback, those with the greatest experience may, at
least initially, feel most comfortable to “diagnose misunderstandings and provide
constructive feedback and guidance to ensure continued progress” (Vaughan, Cleveland-
Innes, & Garrison, 2013, p. 33).
Since formative feedback helps to establish and sustain social presence, it’s
necessary for developing a community of inquiry. Therefore, your involvement in the
forum, and in providing feedback and reinforcement, is critical. You can assess how well
learners are collaborating and model effective communication patterns and methods. Over
time, your attention will help to build a community in which learners feel they belong and
feel comfortable with engaging in open discourse. This trust and group cohesion will
sustain the community and will facilitate deep learning.
Assessment model
Engagement
Use the learning hub community to track engagement and your learners’ success
with podcast creation and uploading. A measure of success would be a learner
participating in the discussion forum while also successfully uploading an original podcast
that they authored and recorded. The discussion forum also offers a place for learners to
provide follow-up feedback regarding whether they have adopted the use of podcasts in
their own instructional design.

Satisfaction
Have all learners in your group take the learner satisfaction survey in the learning
hub that asks learners based on a score from 1 to 10 how likely they are to recommend the
learning hub to a colleague. This is similar to a Net Promoter Score survey which has been
found to be a good indicator of member (or learner) engagement and useful for keeping in
touch with member needs (Santhebennur, 2013). The survey also offers a chance for
learners to leave qualitative feedback and further help you determine whether proposed
Objectives have been achieved.
Peer assessment
Finally, incorporate formative assessment by having learners assess their peers’
work. From a practical standpoint, this removes some of the administration burden from
the hub designers and facilitators. Not only that, but it also incorporates constructivist
principles like collaboration, Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, and knowledge
building by having learners think critically about their peers’ work (and still allows for
learners to receive feedback and formative assessment on their own work). The aim is for
this style of collaboration to contribute to the continuous knowledge-building community.
Conclusion
Through podcast creation and the learning hub interactions, you, the instructor, can
help contribute further to the research and use of podcasts in learning, specifically within
corporate environments. While podcasting is not new, the learning hub and this curriculum
guide will hopefully help to display its potential benefits to learners and in turn increase
podcast use in corporate learning, as well as help to reinvent the creative possibilities of
audio media.
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APPENDIX
Don’t know about podcasting or corporate learning? Check out this section to
learn more!
Why Learning About Podcasts As A Tool For Education Is Important
According to Naughton (2014), the Learning and Development (L&D) field has transformed
substantially over the last decade in response to four key factors:
• Economic uncertainty and volatility
• Advances in digital, mobile, and social technology
• Increased globalization
• Demographic shifts in the workforce
The Evolution of Corporate Learning

These key drivers of corporate change have influenced the following trends in corporate
learning, and their respective learning adaptations:
Table 1-1. Corporate Learning Trends and Adaptations
Corporate Learning Trends: Description of Corporate Learning Adaptations
Impacts of globalization and
networked mobilities
Diversity as asset Providing accessible, inclusive, and equitable

instructional design and training delivery:
(Homan, Van Knippenberg, Van valuing differences associated with age, gender, race,
Kleef, & De Dreu, 2007) geographic location, learning needs and preferences,
etc.
Acknowledging the cultural forces which shape

knowledge/education, and conversely how education
embodies social and cultural design in shaping our
collective futures.
Culture as primary content Fostering global citizenship (Davies, Evans, & Reid,
2005):
tolerance, openness, respect for diversity,
intercultural understanding - in order to
communicate and effectively work with diverse
populations.
Climate of rapid change and Practising rapid design;

flexibility Providing continuous learning;
Providing learning that affords efficiency and

flexibility (of time, space and personal preference):
on-demand, mobile, informal, social (van’t Hooft,
2008).
Knowledge/Information as asset Providing new ways to manage information, share

knowledge, and create knowledge;
Providing ways to capture knowledge for

sustainability.
Multi-skilled workforce Broadening of capabilities and diversification of skills

at an individual employee level.
Teamwork and increased Contributing to a participatory culture change

importance of collaborative work (Jenkins, Purushotma, Weigel, Clinton, & Robison,
skills 2009);
Proliferation of communication Fostering multi-literacies and participatory

channels and related multi-(media) competencies. Providing a variety of opportunities for
literacies people to come together to collaborate, learn, and
build knowledge;
Hybrid forms of communication
Enabling social and cultural design to impact
workplace futures.
The Evolution of the Learning and Development (L&D) Professional

L&D professionals play a critical role in developing the workforce, and thereby, contribute
to organizational capability and optimal overall results for organizations.
To cultivate the adaptations occurring in corporate learning environments, the

competencies of instructional designers and trainers need to be expanded (Naughton,
2014).
In their efforts to design effective learning solutions, through their creation of effective
podcasts, and/or their successful integration of podcasts, these practitioners have an
opportunity to work on mastering various competencies.
These are the competencies L&D practitioners develop by using podcasting as a tool for
learning:
• Stay up-to-date on new and emerging technologies and align the appropriate
technology to a specific learning opportunity or challenge;
• Extend their role from deliverer of training to: facilitator of learning, curator of
content, manager of information, and builder of learning communities;
• Employ mobile and social technology to foster a culture of connectivity and
collaboration;
• Design learning to be an ongoing process that engages learners in a variety of ways
over time (not a discrete event), through formal and informal channels;
• Leverage the learning preferences of new generations entering the workforce and
capture the knowledge of those leaving it;
• Meet the L&D needs of an increasingly global workforce and contribute to talent
development where the organization most needs it; and
• Align learning activities to organizational business strategies and goals, and
demonstrate their return-on-investment.
How Podcasting Is The Right Educational Tool to Address Changes In Corporate Learning
1) In a global knowledge economy, and with the globalization of workplaces, organizations
need to enable their diverse and geographically dispersed workforces to learn from and
with each other.
a) Podcast learning is social. Podcasts are a Web 2.0 application, and as such, are an
ideal communication tool for learning (Kamel Boulos, & Wheeler, 2007; Kidd, 2012).
They facilitate “active participation, connectivity, collaboration and sharing of
knowledge and ideas among users” (McLoughlin & Lee, 2007, p. 665). Their audio
format makes the delivery method and the content more personal or intimate
(Power, 1990).
i) Any employee can share or create a podcast in order to build relationships and
share information, knowledge and ideas across a network of distributed
individuals; and
ii) Podcasts can help teams collaborating on projects create ideas, concepts and
knowledge.
2) With increased globalization and demographic shifts in the workforce, successful

organizations recognize the value of diversity (Homan, Van Knippenberg, Van Kleef, &
De Dreu, 2007). These organizations provide accessible, inclusive, and equitable
corporate learning opportunities.
a) The delivery method of podcasts is equitable. Information, ideas, and concepts are
presented to all employees, wherever they are located, and at the same time.
b) The podcast medium resonates with younger mobile workers with respect to their
expectations regarding new ways for information to be received, and their
expectations for mobility, portability, connectivity, accessibility, and reusability (Kidd,
2012; Salmon & Nie, 2008). However, their ease of use, along with their many other
affordances, also appeal to a multi-generational workforce.
c) Podcasts are easily accessed. There is no specific time limit for access; once
distributed, they remain available and are accessible on demand. The automatic
way they are distributed (downloaded via a subscribed podcast feed) as soon as
they become available, ensures their accessibility.
d) Podcasts enable learning that is flexible (in terms of time, space, and learning needs
and preferences). This flexibility affords learner control, which supports one of the
principles of adult learning - that of appealing to a learner’s self-concept (Knowles et
al, 2015). Adults are internally motivated and self-directed. They have a concept of
self and do not like others imposing their will on them.
i) Podcast learning is on-demand, mobile, and portable. Learners can choose to

listen to them when and where they want, and on a device of their choosing.
ii) Podcasts are reusable. Learners can replay the audio files multiple times as
needed (for understanding).
iii) Podcasts are versatile. They can be produced in diverse formats or styles. The
three basic formats are monologue, interview, and narrative.
iv) Podcasts can support self-directed employee learning pathways.
3) In a climate of rapid change, organizations must learn quickly and make smart
decisions. Employees need a constant flow of information and learning solutions just to
keep up. Podcasts enable learning efficiency and effectiveness.
a) Podcasts can be designed and developed relatively easily and rapidly. This efficient
production allows media-rich content to reach people who need it in a more timely
manner.
b) Podcasts can be reused or repurposed (which also makes them cost-effective). As

such, they are considered to be reusable learning objects, or Digital Audio Learning
Objects (DALOs) (Middleton & McCarter, 2005).
c) Podcasts enable continuous and ongoing learning. They lend themselves naturally
to micro-learning or ‘bite-sized’ learning – which means small learning steps are
supported with small chunks of learning content of easily digestible information.
This is an effective method which increases knowledge retention and application
(Semingson, Crosslin, & Dellinger, 2015).
4) In a climate of economic uncertainty and volatility, organizations aim to implement

more frugal learning opportunities and tools.
a) Podcast production is relatively inexpensive and can save significant amounts of

money on employee training costs:
i) only minimal investment required to begin podcasting;
ii) relatively easy to create without high-priced equipment; and
iii) anyone can learn how to design/develop a podcast (no special knowledge or
skills required)
b) Podcasts enable educators to reach a large number of learners at extremely low

costs:
i) Podcasting eliminates the costs associated with place-based corporate training.
ii) Podcasting is less costly than developing e-learning (no expensive software
needed; much less time needed to design and produce)
c) Podcasts are easily archived and updated.
Podcasts for Learning: A Deeper Look
Podcasts enable effective and even transformative learning (Bryant & Bates, 2015; Chan,
Lee, & McLoughlin, 2006; Kidd, 2012; Lee, McLoughlin, & Chan, 2008; Ng’ambi, & Lombe,
2012; Pegrum, Bartle, & Longnecker, 2015; Popova & Edirisingha, 2010;).
Podcasts can be used in both informal and formal learning environments.

1) Informal learning includes podcasts that:
a) Support personalized learning or self-directed learning pathways; or
b) Are informational or concept-based, and could be archived according to topic
2) Formal learning environments are enhanced through the effective integration and
creation of podcasts.
a) Podcasts enhance different modes of delivery, for example:

i) fully online;
ii) blended (and its sub-set, flipped); and
iii) face-to-face.
b) Within these different delivery modes, podcasts can fulfill a range of educational
purposes. Table 1-2 illustrates the different ways podcasts can be used and their
corresponding learning outcomes, as informed by research.
Table 1-2. Podcast Uses for Corporate Learning as Informed by Research

Podcast Type Content Type Support for Learning Learning Outcomes
(examples)
Lesson-based Traditional in- Repetition, revision, Re-listening allows

person lesson, or enhancement of internal learners to go
online lesson dialogue; through concrete
Motivation moments, take more
extensive notes and
this supports
summative
assessment
performance.
Feedback on Instructor’s Self-reflection; Feedback is more

Assignments formative Critical thinking personalised,
feedback on understandable, and
activity and/or encourages deeper
conceptions; engagement with the
Suggestions on feedback
activity; information.
Guidelines on
Clarity of instruction
assignments or
through the medium of
assessment.
voice
Supplementary / Summaries of Sharing of experience; Revision of topics and

Complementary key concepts; Learning new concepts; key concepts for
Learning Terminology; Accessing peer’s improved
Materials Interviews (with knowledge; Confronting understanding;
learners or points of view; Stimulating Facilitates in-class
experts); reflection note-taking; Access to
Discussion peer’s tacit
groups on knowledge;
assessment; Clarifies instructor
Formative expectations.
feedback
Practical or Linking or integrating Situates Learning:

fieldwork concepts and practice; sense of engagement
summaries, Linking information and place; learning in
guidelines between learning spaces; context.
Providing context;
Theoretical, logistical or
site-specific preparation
Preparatory Additional Addressing misconceptions Enhanced

materials materials understanding of
explaining conceptually difficult
difficult concepts, material.
and used before
a main learning
activity
Primer podcast Priming epistemic thinking; Increased motivation

with epistemic Organizing concepts; and engagement;
questions Structuring content better understanding
of topics; deeper
learning and
reflection stimulated.
Creative activities Learner- Motivation; Self-reflection; Evidence of

/ Learner- generated Collaboration, Learning in knowledge building,
generated informal and from action particularly
podcasts discussion on progressive problem
issues related to solving; Development
a topic of “epistemic agency”;
Idea generation;
Collective problem
solving
Learner- Collaborative development Improved

generated enables learners’ collaborative skills
interview-type conceptualisations of and communication.
group podcast content to be shared with
peers; Stimulates both
individual and collective
learning; Supports social
processes of perspective-
taking and negotiation of
meaning that underpin
knowledge creation
Adapted from: Popova, A., & Edirisingha, P. (2010). How can podcasts support engaging students in
learning activities? Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 5034-5038.

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Podcasts4Learning: Curriculum Guide

ETEC 510 65A

March 30, 2018

Assessment model ........................................................................................................... 18

Purpose and goals

about podcasting in corporate learning settings in a constructivist manner.

• experience the value of podcasts as a learning and development

The goal of this learning hub is to encourage active learner engagement,

assessment in the assessment model section of this guide.

for an adult learner and a learning and development professional.

the podcasts4learning website designers, particularly in the “Podcasts In Corporate

the hub’s resources.

engaged with other learners from the start.

your own podcasts.

applying the theory, and Podcasts4learning.

can be an effective learning tool in constructivist, corporate learning environments.

Podcasts4learning is the page where learners can go to listen to the

podcasting in corporate environments, etc. Accessibility was an important design

(using YouTube) and all video tutorials have closed captions.

Engagement, Determining software and hardware, and Creating your podcasts

about podcasting. Some of the forum topics include: information on corporate

the larger conversation about podcasting.

Instructor as mentor and modeller

takes into account the individuality of building knowledge. In constructivist learning

• Helping learners navigate the site

o Prompting effective critical analysis in the forum

o Modelling respectful interaction for successful community building

o Monitoring Twitter activity

• Answering questions learners may have when creating their podcasts

the forum and engage in discussion in the forum

for further knowledge building.

active engagement (an element of constructivist learning), because without active

involvement, there is a lack of empowerment (Goolnik, 2006, p. 12), especially in adult

education. By encouraging “Learning by Making” (Brown, 2009), in supporting learners in

of use, costs, teaching functions, interaction, organizational issues, networking, and

instructors and students on how to generate their own podcasts.

and encouragement in using mobile project tools.

need to be addressed once a target organization is identified.

such as podcasts that networking is enabled and encouraged.

in ensuring adequate security.

Attributes of an effective learning environment

effective learning environment; that of being learner-centred, knowledge-centred,

community-centred, and assessment-centered. The podcasting learning hub is designed to

fulfill the requirements of these four attributes.

learners, for example:

podcasting as an educational tool, or they can listen to the various podcasts in

• Regardless of learners’ pre-existing knowledge, understanding, and skill, the

learning hub provides the foundational information needed to understand how

as needed to reinforce concepts.

and levels of knowledge-building opportunities. These opportunities provide the

1996; as cited in Veletsianos, 2011) is supported when learners engage in creating,

Learning through reflection is supported when learners engage in thinking critically

practice facilitates meaningful and personalized learning (Veletsianos, 2011). As a

whole, the learning hub is designed for deep-learning engagement, whereby

learners have “sustained interactions with transformative content and activities”

in the discipline of podcasting as an educational tool for corporate learning. Functional,

interaction, and engagement needed for learners to develop a knowledge and

instructionist, constructivist, and constructionist (Brennan & Resnick, 2013) learning

theories inform the design of the learning hub.

Only relevant textual content is provided, and it is organized to effectively highlight

knowledge (Veletsianos, 2011), further exposure to discourse and thinking is provided in

could be developed (Anderson, 2004).