Learn how to create podcasts from your iPhone

A book co-written by four University of Leicester staff members has been transformed into one of the first iPhone applications with a direct University of Leicester origin.

Originally published in 2008, How to Create Podcasts for Education, a guide on podcasting, has been adapted for the iPod and iPhone platforms by KiwiTech – a mobile app company which develops state-of-the-art mobile app technologies and provides mobile app development services with an emphasis on publishing.

The iTunes application provides instantaneous access to a podcasting guide written by practitioners in the field, who were the first researchers to examine educational applications of podcasting: Gilly Salmon, Professor of eLearning and Learning Technologies; Paltiha Edirisingha, lecturer in eLearning at the Beyond Distance Research Alliance; Matthew Mobbs, Learning Technologist for the Student Support and Development Services; Richard Mobbs, Learning Technologist, all from the University of Leicester and Chris Dennett, Lecturer in Mobile Computing from the University of Wolverhampton.

Split into two halves, the application outlines the technology and research involved in podcasting for education and as well as describing the process involved in creating a podcast.

Lead author, Professor Gilly Salmon said:

“Podcasting for education offers a low cost, high value option for engagement of students at all levels of their learning and most importantly using mobile flexible technologies that many students already use for entertainment and communication. It’s a win: win situation. We are delighted that this forward-looking publisher has enabled the book to be available in this new and accessible format and hope that many more university teachers will discover it and benefit their learners.”

Co-author Matthew Mobbs commented:

“Contact time is precious, academia needs to start considering whether it could be used more dynamically, for example to quiz students to ensure they are establishing the knowledge and deliver learning in other ways, such as podcasting, which would produce learning materials to be viewed at any time, making learning more accessible to different learning styles.

“Publishing this book as an application provides a more dynamic guide than the printed text as hyperlinks can be accessed instantly as opposed to appearing as a reference on paper. It is a more environmentally friendly way of releasing a book which will enable you to have your own mobile personalised learning environment.

Originally published by Open University Press, a division of McGraw-Hill, this move to electronic publishing establishes OUP amongst the first of the academic publishers to develop content for the iPhone with a total of five ebook apps now available via iTunes, enabling quick and easy access to the content of the books, which could signal a sign of things to come, when discussing the future of educational resources, Matthew Mobbs said:

“In an ideal world, all education would be open and accessible with very little barriers to access. Lots more books will be available as ebooks and applications to reduce the problem of libraries only having one copy of each publication, igniting a move towards open education resources.”

The How to Create Podcasts for Education application is available to download from the iTunes App store for £2.99, half the recommended retail price for the printed copy. Even if you do not have an iPhone, you can access the Application through iTunes which will download the application to run on your desktop.

The University of Leicester has just signed a contract with iTunesU and will soon have a branded presence. Colleagues from Beyond Distance are preparing open resources for iTunes with partners throughout the University.

To view the app on iTunes, click here