PODCASTING IN AN EIGHTH-GRADE AMERICAN HISTORY CLASS Patrick D. Davis, B.A., M.A., M.Ed Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS December 2011 APPROVED: Mary Harris, Major Professor Cathleen Norris, Minor Professor Ron Wilhelm, Committee Member Nancy Nelson, Chair of the Department of Teacher Education and Administration Jerry Thomas, Dean of the College of Education James D. Meernik, Acting Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Davis, Patrick D. Podcasting in an Eighth-Grade American History Class. Doctor of Education (Curriculum Instruction), December 2011, 211 pp., 15 tables, references, 43 titles. The purpose of this study was to see how students used podcasts in an eighth-grade American history unit and the value they placed on them as an educational tool. The 6-week study was conducted in a suburban middle school in a district that is part of a large metropolitan area in Texas. Participants included 29 students and 2 eighth-grade teachers. The research questions were the following: (1) How do students use podcasts in an eighth-grade American history class? (2) How do students perceive the impact of the podcasts on their overall learning of the subject material? and (3) Do the podcasts motivate the students to study? Quantitative data were collected through a Likert-scaled student survey and logs kept by students. Qualitative data were collected through an open-ended portion of the student survey, student focus group discussion, and a faculty interview. The treatment tools were audio podcasts in the form of vocabulary-quiz reviews, historical vignettes, lectures, and a unit test review—all on the topic of the American Revolution. The data indicated that the students primarily used their computers at home to listen to the podcasts as they prepared for quizzes and/or the unit test. The students believed that the podcasts had a positive impact upon their grade, were a positive educational tool, and helped them to better understand the material at hand. The students also wanted to see an expansion of podcast usage in other subjects. The students claimed that it motivated them to study and the participating teachers agreed that it motivated the students to study in a non-traditional manner. Data illustrated a need for further research regarding podcasting’s impact on grades and performance at the K-12 level, student podcast construction, podcast delivery modes, and podcast use with special education and ELL students. Copyright 2011 by Patrick D. Davis ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writing of this dissertation affords me the opportunity to thank Dr. Mary Harris, whose guidance, encouragement, and support made this endeavor possible. Thanks to Dr. Cathleen Norris for helping me to focus more on handheld portable electronic devices and their use in education. Thanks to Dr. Wilhelm, who helped to clarify the methodology used in this study and for his steadfast editorial skills. I would be remiss if I did not also thank the support staff associated with these professors, Destinie Noles and Cindy Trussell, who provided help with all of the paperwork associated with this dissertation and in securing appointments with the necessary personnel. I am also grateful to Renee Godi, colleague and friend who was always there when needed. I am grateful for the support my family has given me over the years in my pursuit of this degree. To my wife, Erin, thank you for your encouragement and love because this dissertation would not have been possible without both. To my mother, Joyce Davis, and my late father, Hubbard Davis, Jr.: you instilled in me the value of an education and being a lifelong learner. To my recently deceased Aunt Jody: your tough and loving spirit helped to carry me through some difficult times when I wanted to quit. To Betty Taylor, my mother-in-law: you never stopped encouraging me, even to the very end. To my children, Austin and Abbey let this be an example to never quit. Life and education are not a race; rather, they are a long journey to be enjoyed one step at a time. Dad can now go out to play! iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1. PODCASTING IN AN EIGHTH-GRADE AMERICAN HISTORY CLASS ........1 Background ..........................................................................................................................1 Ubiquity of Technology ...........................................................................................1 Technology Sources .................................................................................................2 Podcasting 101 .........................................................................................................4 Podcasting in the Classroom ................................................................................................5 The Research Problem .........................................................................................................7 Purpose .................................................................................................................................7 Research Questions ..............................................................................................................7 Significance..........................................................................................................................8 Methodology ........................................................................................................................8 Definition of Terms............................................................................................................11 Working Assumptions .......................................................................................................11 Limitations .........................................................................................................................12 Overview of Presentations .................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................................................15 Overview ............................................................................................................................15 Nature of Material Reviewed .............................................................................................17 Podcast Users and Uses .........................................................................................17 iv Findings and Recommendations ............................................................................18 Use of Podcasts in Higher Education.................................................................................19 Documentary Accounts ..........................................................................................19 Action Research .....................................................................................................23 State of the Field Commentary, 2007-2009 ...........................................................24 Descriptive Studies ................................................................................................26 Experimental Studies .............................................................................................37 K-12 Podcast Applications ................................................................................................41 Podcasting in K-12 Settings ...................................................................................41 Possible Reasons for Paucity of K-12 Studies .......................................................42 Action Research .....................................................................................................43 Experimental Studies .............................................................................................43 Summary ............................................................................................................................45 CHAPTER 3. METHOD ...............................................................................................................47 Purpose ...............................................................................................................................47 Research Questions ............................................................................................................47 Setting ................................................................................................................................48 Freedom Independent School District’s Curriculum .............................................48 Study Setting and Population .................................................................................49 Student Participants ...............................................................................................50 Data Collection Techniques ...............................................................................................51 Student Podcast Journals........................................................................................51 Student Survey .......................................................................................................53 v Student Focus Group..............................................................................................56