Podcasting use in a Junior High Social Studies Class: A Research Study of Impact of Podcasting on Student Performance
Abstract: This research study was initiated to determine the effectiveness of podcasting in an eighth grade Junior High Social Studies classroom. Forty students were randomly assigned into an experimental (N=20) and a control group (N=20). All students received standard instruction taught by the same Social Studies teacher. Those in the experimental group received additional Podcasts three times a week for 8 weeks to review content taught in class, while students in the control group spent the same amount of time reviewing notes or rereading what was taught in class by themselves. Afterwards, students in both groups completed one test on the content area. Data analysis suggested that students who received podcasts scored significantly higher than students in the control group on the test.