Podcast-mediated language learning: levels

of podcast integration and developing

vocabulary knowledge

Mahboubeh Gholami1 and Mojtaba Mohammadi2

Abstract. Podcasting is being exploited incrementally by teachers as a tool

for presenting educational content and encouraging language learning outside
traditional classrooms. This paper reports on an investigation of three levels
of podcast integration sustaining on the Iranian learner’s lexical knowledge
learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The learners were divided into
three groups with high, low, and no integration of podcast into their syllabus.
Data were collected from vocabulary pre- and post-tests administered to the
sample: 90 intermediate students between 20 and 30 years old. The findings of
the study indicated that there were statistically significant differences between
groups with podcast integration and the one with no integration regarding
their lexical knowledge in the way that the former outperformed the latter. The
findings revealed that the improvement of the students in the high integration
group is more than in the low integration group. On administering an attitude
survey before and after the project, we found that they unanimously preferred
podcasts as an interesting pedagogical tool.

Keywords: podcast, English vocabulary, integration, attitude.

1. English Language Teaching Department, Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Roudehen Branch,
Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran; [email protected]
2. English Language Teaching Department, Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Roudehen Branch,
Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran; [email protected]; [email protected]

How to cite this article: Gholami, M., & Mohammadi, M. (2015). Podcast-mediated language learning: levels of
podcast integration and developing vocabulary knowledge. In F. Helm, L. Bradley, M. Guarda, & S. Thouësny (Eds),
Critical CALL – Proceedings of the 2015 EUROCALL Conference, Padova, Italy (pp. 210-214). Dublin: Research-
publishing.net. http://dx.doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2015.000335

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 Podcast-mediated language learning: levels of podcast integration...

1. Introduction

Before technology expansion, teachers used to teach vocabularies through methods

such as translation, synonym and antonym, memorization, picture exploitation, and
definition. But, with the emergence of computer-assisted language learning, there
has been a growing interest to integrate technology in the process of language
learning.

Podcasts offer “language learners with samples of real language and authentic
materials (Thorne & Payne, 2005). [They can be used] as a supplement to their
textbook materials (Stanley, 2007)” (Hasan & Hoon, 2013, p. 129). Hasan and
Hoon (2013, p. 129) further point out that Warschauer and Healey (1998)
underlined the integration of podcasts as providing language learners with real,
meaningful, authentic situations. This has also been theoretically supported by the
socio-cognitive view of language learning which emphasizes real language use in
a meaningful, authentic context.

Podcasting is being exploited incrementally by teachers for presenting educational

content and encouraging language learning outside traditional classrooms. As
mentioned by Hasan and Hoon (2013),

“[r]esearch studies on podcasting have already acknowledged its potentiality

and have documented much evidence that podcasts can greatly help develop
learners’ language skills, especially in developing learners’ speaking and
listening skills (e.g. Ashton-Hay & Brookes, 2011; O’Bryan & Hegelheimer,
2007)” (p. 128).

The results of the study by Evans (2008) indicated

“that students believe that podcasts are more effective revision tools than their
textbooks and they are more efficient than their own notes in helping them to
learn. They also indicate that they are more receptive to the learning material
in the form of a podcast than a traditional lecture or textbook” (p. 491).

Tan, Lim, and Goh (2013) also showed that the use of podcasts as a learning
tool was beneficial and podcast-based learning can be implemented as one of the
creative ways to teach or learn a foreign language. Ducate and Lomicka (2009),
however, concluded that students’ pronunciation through making podcasts did not
significantly improve with regards to accentedness or comprehensibility, although
the attitudes changed toward pronunciation over the semester.

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Mahboubeh Gholami and Mojtaba Mohammadi

The major purpose of the study is to find out the impact of three levels of podcast
integration on sustaining the Iranian EFL learner’s vocabulary knowledge. The
learners’ attitude toward weekly podcast-based tasks was also investigated.

2. Method

2.1. Participants

To accomplish the purpose of the present research, 120 students who were taking
English classes at Shokouh English language institute in Tehran were selected. The
age of the participants ranged from 20 to 30 years. After analyzing the data from
the proficiency test, 90 participants were equally divided into three groups of 30
students. Simple random sampling was used to put the students in three groups
with high, low, and no integration of podcasts into their syllabus.

2.2. Procedure

In order to conduct the research and to fulfill the purpose of the study, the following
steps were taken. The Nelson language proficiency test was administered to the
subjects to find out the homogeneity of the students regarding their English
language proficiency. After data analysis, 60 participants whose scores were at the
modified percentile level were selected as two experimental groups and 30 as a
control group.

In the high integration group with 30 participants, learners were required to listen
to audio files from online podcasts and were expected to do some podcast-based
tasks such as recording a dialogue or monologue content using new vocabulary
items from the podcast files which were introduced and taught by the teacher.
Learners were first required to make their own recorded audio files using the new
words. Then, they were supposed to listen to podcasts created by other learners
regularly and leave comments for them. On the other hand, the learners of the low
integration experimental group were allowed to have access to podcast audio files
and listen to them if they wanted. But they were not required to do the recording
task or to comment on the podcast audio files.

The third group with 30 learners was considered as the control group (no integration
group). In the no integration group, learners only listened to files in the classroom
as their listening comprehension task. Their listening process did not deviate from
the conventional listening process; that is, they only had access to podcast files as
a CD package.

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 Podcast-mediated language learning: levels of podcast integration...

An achievement vocabulary test was designed by the researchers for pre-test and
post-test. It consisted of 50 multiple choice items to measure their vocabulary
knowledge and was administered before and after the treatment sessions in all
three groups.

In both high and low integration groups, an attitude survey was also administered at
the beginning and end of the semester in order to find how much students’ attitude
toward the use of podcast in class changed.

3. Discussion

The main concern of this study was to investigate whether or not the podcast
integration had any significant positive effects on EFL learner’s vocabulary
knowledge. To assure and determine any significant change in the vocabulary
knowledge of our subjects, after receiving the treatments, the performance results
of each group were analyzed applying one way ANOVA.

The results of the analysis reveal that podcast integration significantly improved
the learners' knowledge of vocabulary. Besides, the attitudes of the students
toward the use of podcast in class turned out to be more positive. The findings
are consistent with Rosell-Aguilar (2007), who stated that podcasts as one of
the helpful means of language learning in the class should be encouraged since
bringing podcasts and social media into language learning courses can lift
learning to a whole new level.

Moreover, the results of this paper concerning the manipulation of podcast in

increasing the personal abilities of the language learners is in accordance with
the findings of Onsrud (2009), who acknowledged that the exploitation of
podcasting as a delivery tool compared to the traditional in-class presentation
establishes a learner-centered environment which encourages an active real-life
communication.

4. Conclusions

The results revealed a significant increase in the performance of subjects in the

integration of podcasting. It is believed that learners who had more contact with
mobile learning through podcasting were more motivated to learn the language.
The improvements can also be partly due to the fact that students are more attracted
by the glamour of the online atmosphere. Also, it suggests that technologies of this
type can provide opportunities for the learners to learn at their own pace.

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Mahboubeh Gholami and Mojtaba Mohammadi

References

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Ducate, L., & Lomicka, L. (2009). Podcasting: an effective tool for honing language student's
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Evans, E. (2008). The effectiveness of m-learning in the form of podcast revision lectures in higher
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Hasan, M., & Hoon, T. B. (2013). Podcast applications in language learning: a review of recent
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