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The effectiveness of podcasts in sport management education
Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education 25 (2019) 100211
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Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jhlste
The effectiveness of podcasts in sport management education Carter Rockhill∗, Donna Pastore, Duncan Johnston
T
The Ohio State University, USA
A R T IC LE I N F O
ABS TRA CT
Keywords: Higher education Learning styles Podcasts Effectiveness Mobile and electronic learning
Online and mobile learning resources are becoming more important in higher education as students expect more flexibility and diversity in the educational tools and resources they can access. One of these online resources is educational podcasts. Podcasts offer educators and students a unique way to convey and learn about new information related to an academic subject. Educational podcasts can be classified under different learning styles, strategies, and pedagogies, such as e-learning or hybrid learning, Constructivism, the scaffolding technique, supplemental tools, and cooperative learning. Past literature demonstrates a demand for educational podcasts from both educators and students. The purpose of this study was to perform an exploratory analysis on the use of podcasts in higher education, and to determine the effectiveness of these podcasts on enhancing student learning in a Sport Management Event and Facilities Management class. The research questions we were looking to answer are: Did the podcasts affect student learning? Did the podcasts influence student motivation? And finally, how useful were the podcasts? The results showed that the participants in this study had an overall positive learning experience from listening to the podcasts, and that students fell in between being unmotivated and moderately motivated to listen to the podcasts. The student population, overall, reported being in favor of using the podcasts. The findings from this study help reinforce previous findings about the usefulness and positive learning outcomes from the use of podcasts but highlight the need for instructors to find ways of improving student motivation to use podcasts.
1. Introduction As society transitions further into the 21st century, technology and higher education continue to assimilate. With this assimilation, online and mobile learning tools, which utilize electronic and hybrid learning philosophies, are becoming more popular in institutions of higher education (Merhi, 2015). One such educational tool which is being utilized by the institutions whom have embraced online education are educational podcasts. These educational podcasts can serve a variety of purposes, such as being the primary deliverer of course content, serving as supplemental tools that support lecture or book content, or podcasts which discuss connecting theory to practice. Using podcasts helps universities serve students who might have difficulties attending courses in person (Merhi, 2015). The use of technology has allowed students to have better access and control over when they wish to engage with course content because of their convenient and flexible nature (Kvavik & Caruso, 2005; Smith, Salaway, & Caruso, 2009). Educational podcasts are being used in a variety of settings, and there are many ways in which podcasts can be used in education. In most instances, podcasts are being used as a supplemental tool, in which they highlight important aspects of a topic (Abate, 2013). Utilizing podcasts as a supplemental tool has also been referred to as the “scaffolding technique” because of the support they can provide in discussing fundamentals of the course, discussing and preparing in-class activities, or preparation for other unique class ∗
Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (C. Rockhill).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2019.100211 Received 4 February 2019; Received in revised form 29 July 2019; Accepted 6 September 2019 1473-8376/ © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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work such as laboratory work (Powell & Mason, 2013). In other settings, the podcasts have totally replaced either traditional lectures or textbook chapters and serve as the primary deliverer of course content (Back et al., 2016). Finally, podcasts have also served the purpose of bridging the gap between theory and practice in some disciplines by having the podcasts contain interviews with practitioners in a particular field of study (Lee & Wicks, 2010). Podcasts, in an educational setting, are defined as audio or audio/video files that students can download or stream and utilize to learn and reinforce material at their own pace (Prakash, Muthuraman, & Anand, 2017). Educational podcasts offer a breath of fresh air from traditional lectures and traditional means of education because they help students who may have different learning preferences, they can be used by students and educators who wish to have more modern and accessible technology in a classroom, and they allow students to multi-task by listening to them in such settings as the gym while they exercise, or in the car while they drive (Prakash et al., 2017). Because podcasts can address issues associated with traditional education, such as its inflexibility, it should be no surprise that there is a demand for podcasts and mobile learning technologies from students (Adkins, 2011). Thus, it is critical to better understand how to utilize podcasts in a higher education setting to achieve the best possible student learning outcomes. With technology becoming more affordable there is increased access to online and mobile learning, which has increased the stress on educators to effectively adapt to the technology which is now available to students (Van Hooft, 2008). Most importantly, podcasts have already been used in various educational settings and have been shown to help improve student learning outcomes. The purpose of this study is to perform an exploratory analysis on podcasts which are used both as a supplemental tool and as a tool for connecting theory to practice in a graduate-level Sport Management Event and Facilities Management course. This study was looking to explore how motivated students were to listen to the podcasts, and the effectiveness of these podcasts on enhancing student learning.
2. Review of literature 2.1. Podcast usage Podcasts have been used in a variety of academic settings and disciplines to help students reinforce lecture content, as well as introduce procedures for such tasks as in-class activities or laboratory assignments which students will perform (Abate, 2013; Chin, Helman, & Chan, 2017; Ng'ambi & Lombe, 2012; Powell & Mason, 2013). These podcasts are used as a one-way channel of communication between the educators and the students, and serve as supplemental tools (Brookes, 2010). In these types of situations, the podcasts have been shown to help students with retention of content, as students who listen to educational podcasts on a subject have been shown to perform better on posttest assessment, and to better cognitively process course information than a group who received a traditional lecture (Kennedy et al., 2016). The use of podcasts in educational settings has typically been classified under the constructivist theory (Msonde & Van Aalst, 2017; Ng'ambi & Lombe, 2012). Constructivist teaching methods typically utilize active, social, and creative features as a means for creating knowledge through experience (Perkins, 1999). The constructivist paradigm also calls for the internalization of knowledge and skills through the use of technology, which can help with reflection and individual-self-paced learning (Mayes & de Freitas, 2004). While there is an increase in demand for podcasts in higher education, there is still limited amounts of research on the topic and how effective different types of podcasts are in educational settings. Most of the previous research focuses on students using podcasts as a supplemental tool which help reinforce core course content (Gachago, Livingston, & Ivala, 2016; McNeill, Diao, & Gosper, 2011; Taylor, 2010). Very little research has been performed on podcasts that are used to help connect students with practitioners in their field, or on podcasts that are the primary delivery of content in a course. One such study on educational podcasts in the tourism industry, an industry that can be argued is similar to event management in the sport industry, demonstrated that these podcasts were used to help students make connections with professionals from the industry by having them create the podcasts and interview the practitioners (Lee & Wicks, 2010). This type of cooperative learning helps students connect with practitioners, which benefits stakeholders in both the classroom and workplace (Jones & Quick, 2007). Even though these podcasts are created by the students, they are similar in content to the podcasts used in the present study. Research in sport management has indicated that there are several barriers for research collaborations between the U.S. sport industry and academia (Zaharia & Kaburakis, 2016). With many scholars and professional organizations calling for collaboration (Zaharia & Kaburakis, 2016), a focus on utilizing modern teaching methods may help to bridge that gap. Thus, further research into sport management podcasts that utilize practitioners as the interview subjects, may help with bridging the gap between practitioners and academia. Studies that have focused on podcasts as the primary delivery of course content have mixed results. In some instances, students who used podcasts to replace textbook chapters, had preferred the podcasts prior to taking course quizzes and assessments, but then switched their preference back to textbook chapters after taking the quizzes (Daniel & Woody, 2010). Other studies have shown that students who utilized podcasts in replacement of traditional course lectures or textbooks acquired more knowledge because of the ability to listen to the podcasts in segments, which reduced cognitive overload (Abate, 2013; Back et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2016; Sweller, Ayers, & Kalyuga, 2011; Talbert, 2014). Understanding what motivates students to use these podcasts, and what learning outcomes are the result of the podcasts, as this study will do, can help to advance this cause.
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2.2. Effectiveness, motivation, and learning outcomes Regarding the overall effectiveness, students who use educational podcasts have shown increased interest in learning course content (Huntsberger & Stavitsky, 2007; Schlairet, 2010). However, other studies contend that podcasts simply help students with reinforcement of facts but does not provide thorough understanding of complex processes (Hill, Nelson, France, & Woodland, 2012). In these past studies, effectiveness has been measured through various scales and assessments asking students what new knowledge they have taken away from the podcasts, as well as how it improved their grades and academic performance. Other studies have contended any idea that podcasts simply reinforce facts and show that students with no previous knowledge on a topic can utilize podcasts to learn new information as well (Kennedy et al., 2016). Overall, podcasts have been shown to increase student interest in studying the material, reinforcement of key facts, and improvement of posttest results. The most successful podcasts were shorter in duration, about 30 min or less, and focused on reinforcing content that was more difficult for the students to understand (Chin et al., 2017; Gachago et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2016). Educators must be careful when creating podcasts, as students tend to not only prefer the podcasts that are shorter in length, but also prefer moderate use of technology in general (Mirriahi & Alonzo, 2015). Thus, it is better to not overexpose students to podcast and technology use. Past measurements of student motivation to use podcasts were influenced by the perceived enjoyment, image, usefulness, ease of use, selfefficacy, and the relative advantage that they would gain from using the podcasts (Merhi, 2015). The present study utilized a survey which focuses on a variety of motivating factors for the students, particularly their motivation to listen to the podcasts, how the podcasts increased their interest in the course, and whether the podcasts lead them to perform further research in the topics discussed in the podcasts. This study, an exploratory analysis, looked to build on the findings from the previous literature by analyzing the effectiveness of podcasts, the learning outcomes from listening to the podcasts, and the motivation of students to use podcasts in a graduate level sport management course. An exploratory analysis is the most appropriate framework considering the relatively limited amount of podcast assessment in higher education, particularly with the podcasts used in this study. This study looked to address three different research questions: Did the podcasts affect student learning? Did the podcasts influence student motivation? And how useful were the podcasts? The podcasts used in this study were unique to the graduate level event and facility management course and were used as a supplemental tool that also sought to bridge the gap between theory and practice as they discussed topics and issues in event and facility management with professionals in the industry. 3. Method 3.1. Participants The sample selected for this study included graduate students (n=20) enrolled in an event and facilities management course at a large Midwestern institution. A purposive sampling method was used. Of the 20 graduate students invited to participate in the study, a total of 16 for an 80% response rate. In terms of gender, eight of the participants were male and eight females. Additionally, 12 determined themselves as White/Caucasian and 4 Black/African American. Regarding age, the range of the participants was between 22 years old and 36 years old with the mean age at approximately 24.69 years old(see Table 1). 3.2. Procedures A two-step process was utilized for the creation of the survey used in this study. First, the questions were developed by the authors after an extensive review of the literature. Second, a panel of experts, consisting of five faculty with expertise in both sport management and survey development, reviewed the questions for content validity. Based on the review of literature and the input from the panel of experts, a total of 33 questions were kept. The survey contained four parts which included: podcasts and student learning, podcasts and student motivation, usefulness of the podcasts, and the usefulness of each specific podcast topic. In addition, the survey included nine open-ended questions and demographic information. All these measures and questions were used in the final survey given to the students. In part 1 of the survey, podcasts and student learning, the participants were asked to rank their agreement or disagreement with 12 questions (Table 2). These questions were measured using a six-point scale ranging from 1 representing “strongly disagree” to 6 representing “strongly agree.” This six-point scale is utilized in parts 1–3. A stem is used in each section and completed with each Table 1 Demographic information (n = 16).
Gender Male Female Race Black/African American White/Caucasian
n
%
Cumulative %
8.00 8.00
50.00 50.00
50.00 100.00
4.00 12.00
25.00 75.00
25.00 100.00
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Table 2 Learning statements (n = 16). Statement Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall,
Overall M
the the the the the the the the the the the the
podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts
helped me understand issues in event management. helped me understand issues in facility management. introduced me to new knowledge. helped me learn new material. aided me in understanding the material. supported the use of course material. provided introductory information about a topic. provided background information about a topic. provided new information, not originally provided in the reading assignments or lectures. made the topic more relatable to me personally. provided more opportunity to learn. added more value to the material from class.
4.13 4.00 4.19 4.00 4.06 4.31 4.25 4.44 4.44 4.69 4.56 4.44
different question (i.e. “Overall, the podcasts helped me understand issues in event management”). Part 2, podcasts and student motivation included seven items (Table 3). Part 3, usefulness of the podcasts, consisted of eight items (Table 4), and part 4, usefulness of specific podcast topics, simply asked students to rank each of the usefulness of each of the specific podcast topics (Table 5). In part 4, rather than “strongly disagree” or “strongly agree”, the Likert scale ranged from 1 to 6 and stated “not useful” at one, and “highly useful” as the highest score at six. The six different podcast topics included: decision making, event staffing, facility scheduling, inclement weather, swim meet, and a national weight-lifting competition held by a local sports commission. The instructor of the graduate event/facility management course recorded these six podcasts and called them “ask the experts” podcasts. Everyone, who recorded a podcast signed a release form for presentation. Each podcast presents an event/facility management scenario. The scenario is described by an expert, who then poses questions for students answer. 3.3. Data collection and analysis The study received IRB approval. Paper copies of the survey were handed out in class sometime during the last three weeks of the semester. To avoid any conflict of interests, a colleague who was not teaching the course agreed to administer the surveys toward the end of a class. The data was reviewed and analyzed after final grades for the course were posted, to avoid any possible bias. Data was analyzed using the 25th version of SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze general trends from the survey data, and to look at potential correlations among the questions asked in the survey. The overall mean scores of each response for all students were utilized in the analysis. 4. Results 4.1. Quantitative survey data For Part I of the Likert scale survey, statements pertaining to podcasts and student learning, the mean statistic for the responses ranged from M = 4.00 to M = 4.69, which is closer to “Strongly Agree” than “Strongly Disagree” on our scale (Table 2). The two highest average scores were “Overall, the podcasts made the topic more relatable to me personally” (M = 4.69) and “Overall, the podcasts provided more opportunity to learn” (M = 4.56). Three statements had M = 4.44. Those three statements were, “Overall, the podcasts provided background information about a topic” “Overall, the podcasts provided new information, not originally provided in the reading assignments or lectures” and “Overall, the podcasts added more value to the material from class.” Part II of the Survey included a series of statements pertaining to podcasts and student motivation to listen to the podcasts as a class assignment and to perform further research into the event and facility management topics which were discussed. The mean statistic for the motivation statements ranged from 2.06 to 3.62, which in terms of the scale is closer to “strongly disagree” and being neutral (Table 3). The lowest rated statement was, “Information from the podcasts led me to perform further personal research in a Table 3 Motivation statements (n = 16). Statement
Overall M
I was motivated to listen to the podcasts. The podcasts improved my grade in the class. The podcasts enhanced my motivation to participate more in in-class discussions. The podcasts increased my interest in the course. Information from the podcasts, led me to perform further personal research in a topic. I enjoyed listening to the podcasts. Listening to the podcasts were a hassle.
3.13 3.25 2.69 3.13 2.06 3.63 3.00
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Table 4 Usefulness statements (n = 16). Statement Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall,
the the the the the the the the
Overall M podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts
were more effective than textbooks. were more effective than notes. were more effective than assignments. allowed flexibility to study at different times. allowed flexibility to study at different places. individually were well organized. were a good length. were easy to access.
4.44 3.69 3.69 3.81 4.06 4.25 4.75 4.94
Table 5 Usefulness by podcast topic (n = 16). Statement
Overall M
Decision Making Event Staffing Facility Scheduling Inclement Weather National Weight-Lifting Competition Swim Meet
3.31 3.06 3.69 3.63 4.13 3.94
topic” (M = 2.06). The highest rated statement was “I enjoyed listening to the podcasts” (M = 3.63). All the statements were ranked in the lower half of the Likert scale, closer to strongly disagree rather than strongly agree. Part III of the survey included the statements pertaining to the usefulness of the podcasts (Table 4). The mean statistic for the usefulness statements ranged from 3.69 to 4.94, which on the scale is closer to being neutral and strongly agreeing. The lowest rated statements were, “Overall, the podcasts were more effective than notes” (M = 3.69) and, “Overall, the podcasts were more effective than assignments” (M = 3.69). The highest rated statement was, “Overall, the podcasts were easy to access” (M = 4.94). Statistical analysis was used for Part IV, which focused on the six specific podcast topics: decision making, event staffing, facility scheduling, inclement weather, a national weight-lifting competition held by a local sports commission, and a swim meet (Table 5). The specific topics were measured to see if students found any utility value to the specific topics discussed. Rather than using the words “strongly disagree” and “strongly agree” at each end of the scale, the words “not useful” and “highly useful” were used instead. It was still on a 1–6 Likert scale, with “not useful” representing 1, and “highly useful” representing 6. The most popular podcast was the podcast discussing a national weight-lifting competition held by the local sports commission (M = 4.13). The least popular podcast was the one discussing event staffing (M = 3.06).
5. Discussion This study, exploratory in nature, analyzed podcasts which featured discussions with sport practitioners in event and facility management in an attempt to determine the effectiveness of these podcast topics on enhancing student learning in a Sport Management Event and Facilities Management class. The overall results of this study pertaining to student learning were positive. However, the student population was on the lower to moderate end of the Likert scale regarding their motivation to listen to the podcasts, though they found the podcasts to be moderate to highly-useful.
5.1. Learning When reviewing the statistical findings, the participants in this study had an overall positive learning experience from listening to the podcasts. There were two statements which were particularly high in the learning section. Those statements include, “Overall, the podcasts made the topic more relatable to me personally (M = 4.69),” and “Overall, the podcasts provided more opportunity to learn (M = 4.56).” These findings are interesting, considering that the students for the assignment had the opportunity to choose multiple podcasts to listen to from the available list. Regardless of how motivated the students might have been to do the assignment, they tended to agree with the idea that these podcasts made the topic more relatable for them personally. It is likely that the students felt this way because either there was a topic which had utility value for them (i.e. they were interested in pursuing a career related to one of the topics), or the topics discussed made the students recognize how the core course content related to practice in the field. This also likely explains the second highest rated statement, “Overall, the podcasts provided more opportunity to learn,” because the podcasts provided that relatability to practical application. Students could use this information from the practitioners to build on the theories and ideas which were already discussed in class.
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5.2. Motivation Overall, the students were either un-motivated or moderately motivated to listen to the podcasts. The highest score on the motivation scale was, “I enjoyed listening to the podcasts (M = 3.63).” This score is slightly above the neutral position on the scale. Students may have rated this score higher simply because they preferred the podcast assignment over the regular class assignments. The lowest scored statement on the motivation scale was, “Information from the podcasts, led me to perform further personal research in a topic (M = 2.06),” which is very close to “strongly disagree” on the scale. What this indicates is that the podcast assignments didn't motivate students to pursue further inquiry into the particular topics discussed in each podcast. The students may have enjoyed doing the podcast assignment over any other class activity, but the assignment didn't actually do anything to enhance their motivation to learn the course content or expand their knowledge in these topics beyond the scope of the course. Another interestingly low score came with the statement, “The podcasts enhanced my motivation to participate more in in-class discussions (M = 2.69),” which is closer to “strongly disagree” on the scale. Considering the higher scores that were obtained in the learning section, compared to the lower scores in the motivation section, these podcasts may have done a good job in increasing learning outcomes, as discussed in the review of literature (Kennedy et al., 2016), but they didn't motivate the students to extend their knowledge beyond the basic content discussed in the course, and they didn't increase the students motivation to complete an out-ofclass assignment. 5.3. Usefulness Overall, the student population reported being in favor of using the podcasts in general. The usefulness of podcasts provided the two highest mean scores reported from the students between the four areas of study. Those two statements were, “Overall, the podcasts were easy to access (M = 4.94),” and “Overall, the podcasts were a good length (M = 4.75).” These scores, which are closest to the highest score of six and “strongly agree”, match what would be expected based on the previous studies that were included in the review of literature. A lot of the previous studies (Chin et al., 2017; Gachago et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2016; Kvavik & Caruso, 2005; Mirriahi & Alonzo, 2015; Prakash et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2009) highlighted the importance of podcasts being easy to access and also having podcasts which had a respectable length. Another higher score from this section was associated with the statement, “Overall, the podcasts were more effective than textbooks (M = 4.44).” This is also very interesting considering what was discussed in the literature review, with podcasts in some instances totally replacing textbook chapters. The podcasts in this study did not replace textbook chapters, but this statement could demonstrate overall student sentiment when discussing podcasts in comparison to the traditional course material. 5.4. Podcast topics The students indicated that the weight lifting competition podcast was most useful to them (M = 4.13) with the swim meet podcast placing second (M = 3.94), which means these podcasts were closer to the highest score of six, indicating they were “highly useful.” It is interesting that the students indicated the two podcasts dealing with specific events as being most useful to them, though we cannot determine the reason as to why these two podcasts were the most useful to them. The weight-lifting competition podcasts was likely the most useful because of the fact that it is a very highly-publicized national event which attracts a lot of attention and big-name individuals who come to the area for the event. It cannot be assumed, but because of the nature of a national event and the importance of an event such as this one, students were likely the most interested and motivated to listen to this particular podcasts and learn more information about it. The current study provided insight into podcast effectiveness on student learning, motivation, and usefulness. Holistically, it can be confirmed that the podcasts aided the students’ learning though they were disinterested or not motivated to listen to the podcasts. The podcasts allowed the students to listen in their own environment, on-the-go, or on their own time, indicating that the podcasts were useful to the students in this study. 6. Conclusion and implications The findings from this study help reinforce previous findings (Abate, 2013; Back et al., 2016; Huntsberger & Stavitsky, 2007; Kennedy et al., 2016; Merhi, 2015; Schlairet, 2010; Sweller et al., 2011; Talbert, 2014) about the usefulness and positive learning outcomes from the use of podcasts. Even though students were not as highly motivated to use the podcasts, they did find utility in the podcasts, and showed high learning outcomes. This study reinforces the findings of previous literature that show how podcasts are a good tool that can help students learn new information in a convenient manner in the current “on-the-go” society. They are best used if they are easy to access for the students and if they are also kept to a shorter length in duration. However, this study also demonstrates the importance of making podcasts a tool which students are motivated to use. In the present study, students did not indicate high amounts of motivation to use the podcasts and they were also un-motivated to pursue further research or learning on these topics as a result of the podcasts. A potential reason for this, originally addressed in the review of literature, is the nature of how the podcasts were produced. Perkins (1999) discussed the active nature in Constructivist pedagogy. The podcasts used in this study could have better utilized a Constructivist approach by having the students be responsible for creating the podcasts. This method may increase student motivation to create their podcast and listen to the podcasts their peers created as well. Considering that the nature of these podcasts was 6
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to serve as a supplemental tool and to help bridge the gap between academic theory and practice, having the students create the podcasts may also allow the students to establish a positive, professional relationship directly with the sport practitioners whom they are interviewing for the podcasts. It will give them the freedom to pick a topic or practitioner area which they are interested in, which could potentially increase their motivation. Another alternative to increasing motivation for the podcasts used in this study, would have been to make the podcasts focus on reinforcing core course content, rather than making them about additional content related to practice. This may have increased student motivation, because if the content used in the podcasts was directly related to the content that would have been on the final exam, student motivation to use the podcasts may have increased. Previous studies (Abate, 2013; Brookes, 2010; Chin et al., 2017; Kennedy et al., 2016; Merhi, 2015; Ng'ambi & Lombe, 2012; Powell & Mason, 2013) demonstrated the effectiveness of podcasts in preparing students for class discussions and assessments. This could help the students to move on to more complex analysis of the topic while in the classroom or simply reinforce the important information that they need to learn from the course, thus enhancing their motivation to use the podcasts to properly prepare for the course assessments and learn from the content in the podcasts. 6.1. Limitations and future research A limitation to this study is the small sample size (n=16) in the survey responses. A larger sample size of sport management graduate students will be useful in demonstrating the sentiment of the overall student population toward podcast usage. Another limitation is a lack of a quantitative assessment to prove the positive learning outcomes from using the podcasts. Students selfassessed their learning outcomes in our study utilizing Likert scale statements. Future studies should utilize pre and post-test evaluations to prove effective learning outcomes related to podcast usage. Another future study may want to consider researching podcasts which focus on podcasts more aligned with core course content that will be included on final exams and assessments, to examine if student motivation increased. Appendix A. Supplementary data Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2019.100211. References Abate, K. S. (2013). The effect of podcast lectures on nursing students' knowledge retention and application. Nursing Education Perspectives, 3(34), 182–185. Adkins, S. S. (2011). The worldwide market for mobile learning products and services: 2010-2015 forecast and analysis. 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Efficacy of podcasting: Use in undergraduate and graduate programs in a college of nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 49(9), 529–533. Smith, S., Salaway, G., & Caruso, J. (2009). The ECAR study of undergraduate students and information technology. EDUCAUSE. Viewed 9 May 2019 http://net.educause.edu/ir/ library/pdf/ers0906/rs/ERS0906w.pdf. Sweller, J., Ayers, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2011). Cognitive load theory. New York, NY: Springer. Talbert, R. (2014). Inverting the linear algebra classroom. Primus: Probl. Res. Issues Math. Undergrad. Stud. 24(5), 361–374. Taylor, C. (2010). Preluding m-learning…ethnographic observations on diversity in mobile technology use. In D. Gronn, & G. Romeo (Eds.). ACEC2010: Digital diversity. Conference proceedings of the Australian computers in education conference, melbourne 6-9 april. Council for computers in education (ACEC), carlton, VIC. Van Hooft, M. (2008). Mobile, wireless, connected information clouds and learning. Emerg. Technol. Learn, 3, 30–46. Zaharia, N., & Kaburakis, A. (2016). Bridging the gap: U.S. Sport managers on barriers to industry-academia research collaboration. Journal of Sport Management, 30, 248–264.
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Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jhlste
The effectiveness of podcasts in sport management education Carter Rockhill∗, Donna Pastore, Duncan Johnston
T
The Ohio State University, USA
A R T IC LE I N F O
ABS TRA CT
Keywords: Higher education Learning styles Podcasts Effectiveness Mobile and electronic learning
Online and mobile learning resources are becoming more important in higher education as students expect more flexibility and diversity in the educational tools and resources they can access. One of these online resources is educational podcasts. Podcasts offer educators and students a unique way to convey and learn about new information related to an academic subject. Educational podcasts can be classified under different learning styles, strategies, and pedagogies, such as e-learning or hybrid learning, Constructivism, the scaffolding technique, supplemental tools, and cooperative learning. Past literature demonstrates a demand for educational podcasts from both educators and students. The purpose of this study was to perform an exploratory analysis on the use of podcasts in higher education, and to determine the effectiveness of these podcasts on enhancing student learning in a Sport Management Event and Facilities Management class. The research questions we were looking to answer are: Did the podcasts affect student learning? Did the podcasts influence student motivation? And finally, how useful were the podcasts? The results showed that the participants in this study had an overall positive learning experience from listening to the podcasts, and that students fell in between being unmotivated and moderately motivated to listen to the podcasts. The student population, overall, reported being in favor of using the podcasts. The findings from this study help reinforce previous findings about the usefulness and positive learning outcomes from the use of podcasts but highlight the need for instructors to find ways of improving student motivation to use podcasts.
1. Introduction As society transitions further into the 21st century, technology and higher education continue to assimilate. With this assimilation, online and mobile learning tools, which utilize electronic and hybrid learning philosophies, are becoming more popular in institutions of higher education (Merhi, 2015). One such educational tool which is being utilized by the institutions whom have embraced online education are educational podcasts. These educational podcasts can serve a variety of purposes, such as being the primary deliverer of course content, serving as supplemental tools that support lecture or book content, or podcasts which discuss connecting theory to practice. Using podcasts helps universities serve students who might have difficulties attending courses in person (Merhi, 2015). The use of technology has allowed students to have better access and control over when they wish to engage with course content because of their convenient and flexible nature (Kvavik & Caruso, 2005; Smith, Salaway, & Caruso, 2009). Educational podcasts are being used in a variety of settings, and there are many ways in which podcasts can be used in education. In most instances, podcasts are being used as a supplemental tool, in which they highlight important aspects of a topic (Abate, 2013). Utilizing podcasts as a supplemental tool has also been referred to as the “scaffolding technique” because of the support they can provide in discussing fundamentals of the course, discussing and preparing in-class activities, or preparation for other unique class ∗
Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (C. Rockhill).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2019.100211 Received 4 February 2019; Received in revised form 29 July 2019; Accepted 6 September 2019 1473-8376/ © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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work such as laboratory work (Powell & Mason, 2013). In other settings, the podcasts have totally replaced either traditional lectures or textbook chapters and serve as the primary deliverer of course content (Back et al., 2016). Finally, podcasts have also served the purpose of bridging the gap between theory and practice in some disciplines by having the podcasts contain interviews with practitioners in a particular field of study (Lee & Wicks, 2010). Podcasts, in an educational setting, are defined as audio or audio/video files that students can download or stream and utilize to learn and reinforce material at their own pace (Prakash, Muthuraman, & Anand, 2017). Educational podcasts offer a breath of fresh air from traditional lectures and traditional means of education because they help students who may have different learning preferences, they can be used by students and educators who wish to have more modern and accessible technology in a classroom, and they allow students to multi-task by listening to them in such settings as the gym while they exercise, or in the car while they drive (Prakash et al., 2017). Because podcasts can address issues associated with traditional education, such as its inflexibility, it should be no surprise that there is a demand for podcasts and mobile learning technologies from students (Adkins, 2011). Thus, it is critical to better understand how to utilize podcasts in a higher education setting to achieve the best possible student learning outcomes. With technology becoming more affordable there is increased access to online and mobile learning, which has increased the stress on educators to effectively adapt to the technology which is now available to students (Van Hooft, 2008). Most importantly, podcasts have already been used in various educational settings and have been shown to help improve student learning outcomes. The purpose of this study is to perform an exploratory analysis on podcasts which are used both as a supplemental tool and as a tool for connecting theory to practice in a graduate-level Sport Management Event and Facilities Management course. This study was looking to explore how motivated students were to listen to the podcasts, and the effectiveness of these podcasts on enhancing student learning.
2. Review of literature 2.1. Podcast usage Podcasts have been used in a variety of academic settings and disciplines to help students reinforce lecture content, as well as introduce procedures for such tasks as in-class activities or laboratory assignments which students will perform (Abate, 2013; Chin, Helman, & Chan, 2017; Ng'ambi & Lombe, 2012; Powell & Mason, 2013). These podcasts are used as a one-way channel of communication between the educators and the students, and serve as supplemental tools (Brookes, 2010). In these types of situations, the podcasts have been shown to help students with retention of content, as students who listen to educational podcasts on a subject have been shown to perform better on posttest assessment, and to better cognitively process course information than a group who received a traditional lecture (Kennedy et al., 2016). The use of podcasts in educational settings has typically been classified under the constructivist theory (Msonde & Van Aalst, 2017; Ng'ambi & Lombe, 2012). Constructivist teaching methods typically utilize active, social, and creative features as a means for creating knowledge through experience (Perkins, 1999). The constructivist paradigm also calls for the internalization of knowledge and skills through the use of technology, which can help with reflection and individual-self-paced learning (Mayes & de Freitas, 2004). While there is an increase in demand for podcasts in higher education, there is still limited amounts of research on the topic and how effective different types of podcasts are in educational settings. Most of the previous research focuses on students using podcasts as a supplemental tool which help reinforce core course content (Gachago, Livingston, & Ivala, 2016; McNeill, Diao, & Gosper, 2011; Taylor, 2010). Very little research has been performed on podcasts that are used to help connect students with practitioners in their field, or on podcasts that are the primary delivery of content in a course. One such study on educational podcasts in the tourism industry, an industry that can be argued is similar to event management in the sport industry, demonstrated that these podcasts were used to help students make connections with professionals from the industry by having them create the podcasts and interview the practitioners (Lee & Wicks, 2010). This type of cooperative learning helps students connect with practitioners, which benefits stakeholders in both the classroom and workplace (Jones & Quick, 2007). Even though these podcasts are created by the students, they are similar in content to the podcasts used in the present study. Research in sport management has indicated that there are several barriers for research collaborations between the U.S. sport industry and academia (Zaharia & Kaburakis, 2016). With many scholars and professional organizations calling for collaboration (Zaharia & Kaburakis, 2016), a focus on utilizing modern teaching methods may help to bridge that gap. Thus, further research into sport management podcasts that utilize practitioners as the interview subjects, may help with bridging the gap between practitioners and academia. Studies that have focused on podcasts as the primary delivery of course content have mixed results. In some instances, students who used podcasts to replace textbook chapters, had preferred the podcasts prior to taking course quizzes and assessments, but then switched their preference back to textbook chapters after taking the quizzes (Daniel & Woody, 2010). Other studies have shown that students who utilized podcasts in replacement of traditional course lectures or textbooks acquired more knowledge because of the ability to listen to the podcasts in segments, which reduced cognitive overload (Abate, 2013; Back et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2016; Sweller, Ayers, & Kalyuga, 2011; Talbert, 2014). Understanding what motivates students to use these podcasts, and what learning outcomes are the result of the podcasts, as this study will do, can help to advance this cause.
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2.2. Effectiveness, motivation, and learning outcomes Regarding the overall effectiveness, students who use educational podcasts have shown increased interest in learning course content (Huntsberger & Stavitsky, 2007; Schlairet, 2010). However, other studies contend that podcasts simply help students with reinforcement of facts but does not provide thorough understanding of complex processes (Hill, Nelson, France, & Woodland, 2012). In these past studies, effectiveness has been measured through various scales and assessments asking students what new knowledge they have taken away from the podcasts, as well as how it improved their grades and academic performance. Other studies have contended any idea that podcasts simply reinforce facts and show that students with no previous knowledge on a topic can utilize podcasts to learn new information as well (Kennedy et al., 2016). Overall, podcasts have been shown to increase student interest in studying the material, reinforcement of key facts, and improvement of posttest results. The most successful podcasts were shorter in duration, about 30 min or less, and focused on reinforcing content that was more difficult for the students to understand (Chin et al., 2017; Gachago et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2016). Educators must be careful when creating podcasts, as students tend to not only prefer the podcasts that are shorter in length, but also prefer moderate use of technology in general (Mirriahi & Alonzo, 2015). Thus, it is better to not overexpose students to podcast and technology use. Past measurements of student motivation to use podcasts were influenced by the perceived enjoyment, image, usefulness, ease of use, selfefficacy, and the relative advantage that they would gain from using the podcasts (Merhi, 2015). The present study utilized a survey which focuses on a variety of motivating factors for the students, particularly their motivation to listen to the podcasts, how the podcasts increased their interest in the course, and whether the podcasts lead them to perform further research in the topics discussed in the podcasts. This study, an exploratory analysis, looked to build on the findings from the previous literature by analyzing the effectiveness of podcasts, the learning outcomes from listening to the podcasts, and the motivation of students to use podcasts in a graduate level sport management course. An exploratory analysis is the most appropriate framework considering the relatively limited amount of podcast assessment in higher education, particularly with the podcasts used in this study. This study looked to address three different research questions: Did the podcasts affect student learning? Did the podcasts influence student motivation? And how useful were the podcasts? The podcasts used in this study were unique to the graduate level event and facility management course and were used as a supplemental tool that also sought to bridge the gap between theory and practice as they discussed topics and issues in event and facility management with professionals in the industry. 3. Method 3.1. Participants The sample selected for this study included graduate students (n=20) enrolled in an event and facilities management course at a large Midwestern institution. A purposive sampling method was used. Of the 20 graduate students invited to participate in the study, a total of 16 for an 80% response rate. In terms of gender, eight of the participants were male and eight females. Additionally, 12 determined themselves as White/Caucasian and 4 Black/African American. Regarding age, the range of the participants was between 22 years old and 36 years old with the mean age at approximately 24.69 years old(see Table 1). 3.2. Procedures A two-step process was utilized for the creation of the survey used in this study. First, the questions were developed by the authors after an extensive review of the literature. Second, a panel of experts, consisting of five faculty with expertise in both sport management and survey development, reviewed the questions for content validity. Based on the review of literature and the input from the panel of experts, a total of 33 questions were kept. The survey contained four parts which included: podcasts and student learning, podcasts and student motivation, usefulness of the podcasts, and the usefulness of each specific podcast topic. In addition, the survey included nine open-ended questions and demographic information. All these measures and questions were used in the final survey given to the students. In part 1 of the survey, podcasts and student learning, the participants were asked to rank their agreement or disagreement with 12 questions (Table 2). These questions were measured using a six-point scale ranging from 1 representing “strongly disagree” to 6 representing “strongly agree.” This six-point scale is utilized in parts 1–3. A stem is used in each section and completed with each Table 1 Demographic information (n = 16).
Gender Male Female Race Black/African American White/Caucasian
n
%
Cumulative %
8.00 8.00
50.00 50.00
50.00 100.00
4.00 12.00
25.00 75.00
25.00 100.00
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Table 2 Learning statements (n = 16). Statement Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall,
Overall M
the the the the the the the the the the the the
podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts
helped me understand issues in event management. helped me understand issues in facility management. introduced me to new knowledge. helped me learn new material. aided me in understanding the material. supported the use of course material. provided introductory information about a topic. provided background information about a topic. provided new information, not originally provided in the reading assignments or lectures. made the topic more relatable to me personally. provided more opportunity to learn. added more value to the material from class.
4.13 4.00 4.19 4.00 4.06 4.31 4.25 4.44 4.44 4.69 4.56 4.44
different question (i.e. “Overall, the podcasts helped me understand issues in event management”). Part 2, podcasts and student motivation included seven items (Table 3). Part 3, usefulness of the podcasts, consisted of eight items (Table 4), and part 4, usefulness of specific podcast topics, simply asked students to rank each of the usefulness of each of the specific podcast topics (Table 5). In part 4, rather than “strongly disagree” or “strongly agree”, the Likert scale ranged from 1 to 6 and stated “not useful” at one, and “highly useful” as the highest score at six. The six different podcast topics included: decision making, event staffing, facility scheduling, inclement weather, swim meet, and a national weight-lifting competition held by a local sports commission. The instructor of the graduate event/facility management course recorded these six podcasts and called them “ask the experts” podcasts. Everyone, who recorded a podcast signed a release form for presentation. Each podcast presents an event/facility management scenario. The scenario is described by an expert, who then poses questions for students answer. 3.3. Data collection and analysis The study received IRB approval. Paper copies of the survey were handed out in class sometime during the last three weeks of the semester. To avoid any conflict of interests, a colleague who was not teaching the course agreed to administer the surveys toward the end of a class. The data was reviewed and analyzed after final grades for the course were posted, to avoid any possible bias. Data was analyzed using the 25th version of SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze general trends from the survey data, and to look at potential correlations among the questions asked in the survey. The overall mean scores of each response for all students were utilized in the analysis. 4. Results 4.1. Quantitative survey data For Part I of the Likert scale survey, statements pertaining to podcasts and student learning, the mean statistic for the responses ranged from M = 4.00 to M = 4.69, which is closer to “Strongly Agree” than “Strongly Disagree” on our scale (Table 2). The two highest average scores were “Overall, the podcasts made the topic more relatable to me personally” (M = 4.69) and “Overall, the podcasts provided more opportunity to learn” (M = 4.56). Three statements had M = 4.44. Those three statements were, “Overall, the podcasts provided background information about a topic” “Overall, the podcasts provided new information, not originally provided in the reading assignments or lectures” and “Overall, the podcasts added more value to the material from class.” Part II of the Survey included a series of statements pertaining to podcasts and student motivation to listen to the podcasts as a class assignment and to perform further research into the event and facility management topics which were discussed. The mean statistic for the motivation statements ranged from 2.06 to 3.62, which in terms of the scale is closer to “strongly disagree” and being neutral (Table 3). The lowest rated statement was, “Information from the podcasts led me to perform further personal research in a Table 3 Motivation statements (n = 16). Statement
Overall M
I was motivated to listen to the podcasts. The podcasts improved my grade in the class. The podcasts enhanced my motivation to participate more in in-class discussions. The podcasts increased my interest in the course. Information from the podcasts, led me to perform further personal research in a topic. I enjoyed listening to the podcasts. Listening to the podcasts were a hassle.
3.13 3.25 2.69 3.13 2.06 3.63 3.00
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Table 4 Usefulness statements (n = 16). Statement Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall, Overall,
the the the the the the the the
Overall M podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts podcasts
were more effective than textbooks. were more effective than notes. were more effective than assignments. allowed flexibility to study at different times. allowed flexibility to study at different places. individually were well organized. were a good length. were easy to access.
4.44 3.69 3.69 3.81 4.06 4.25 4.75 4.94
Table 5 Usefulness by podcast topic (n = 16). Statement
Overall M
Decision Making Event Staffing Facility Scheduling Inclement Weather National Weight-Lifting Competition Swim Meet
3.31 3.06 3.69 3.63 4.13 3.94
topic” (M = 2.06). The highest rated statement was “I enjoyed listening to the podcasts” (M = 3.63). All the statements were ranked in the lower half of the Likert scale, closer to strongly disagree rather than strongly agree. Part III of the survey included the statements pertaining to the usefulness of the podcasts (Table 4). The mean statistic for the usefulness statements ranged from 3.69 to 4.94, which on the scale is closer to being neutral and strongly agreeing. The lowest rated statements were, “Overall, the podcasts were more effective than notes” (M = 3.69) and, “Overall, the podcasts were more effective than assignments” (M = 3.69). The highest rated statement was, “Overall, the podcasts were easy to access” (M = 4.94). Statistical analysis was used for Part IV, which focused on the six specific podcast topics: decision making, event staffing, facility scheduling, inclement weather, a national weight-lifting competition held by a local sports commission, and a swim meet (Table 5). The specific topics were measured to see if students found any utility value to the specific topics discussed. Rather than using the words “strongly disagree” and “strongly agree” at each end of the scale, the words “not useful” and “highly useful” were used instead. It was still on a 1–6 Likert scale, with “not useful” representing 1, and “highly useful” representing 6. The most popular podcast was the podcast discussing a national weight-lifting competition held by the local sports commission (M = 4.13). The least popular podcast was the one discussing event staffing (M = 3.06).
5. Discussion This study, exploratory in nature, analyzed podcasts which featured discussions with sport practitioners in event and facility management in an attempt to determine the effectiveness of these podcast topics on enhancing student learning in a Sport Management Event and Facilities Management class. The overall results of this study pertaining to student learning were positive. However, the student population was on the lower to moderate end of the Likert scale regarding their motivation to listen to the podcasts, though they found the podcasts to be moderate to highly-useful.
5.1. Learning When reviewing the statistical findings, the participants in this study had an overall positive learning experience from listening to the podcasts. There were two statements which were particularly high in the learning section. Those statements include, “Overall, the podcasts made the topic more relatable to me personally (M = 4.69),” and “Overall, the podcasts provided more opportunity to learn (M = 4.56).” These findings are interesting, considering that the students for the assignment had the opportunity to choose multiple podcasts to listen to from the available list. Regardless of how motivated the students might have been to do the assignment, they tended to agree with the idea that these podcasts made the topic more relatable for them personally. It is likely that the students felt this way because either there was a topic which had utility value for them (i.e. they were interested in pursuing a career related to one of the topics), or the topics discussed made the students recognize how the core course content related to practice in the field. This also likely explains the second highest rated statement, “Overall, the podcasts provided more opportunity to learn,” because the podcasts provided that relatability to practical application. Students could use this information from the practitioners to build on the theories and ideas which were already discussed in class.
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5.2. Motivation Overall, the students were either un-motivated or moderately motivated to listen to the podcasts. The highest score on the motivation scale was, “I enjoyed listening to the podcasts (M = 3.63).” This score is slightly above the neutral position on the scale. Students may have rated this score higher simply because they preferred the podcast assignment over the regular class assignments. The lowest scored statement on the motivation scale was, “Information from the podcasts, led me to perform further personal research in a topic (M = 2.06),” which is very close to “strongly disagree” on the scale. What this indicates is that the podcast assignments didn't motivate students to pursue further inquiry into the particular topics discussed in each podcast. The students may have enjoyed doing the podcast assignment over any other class activity, but the assignment didn't actually do anything to enhance their motivation to learn the course content or expand their knowledge in these topics beyond the scope of the course. Another interestingly low score came with the statement, “The podcasts enhanced my motivation to participate more in in-class discussions (M = 2.69),” which is closer to “strongly disagree” on the scale. Considering the higher scores that were obtained in the learning section, compared to the lower scores in the motivation section, these podcasts may have done a good job in increasing learning outcomes, as discussed in the review of literature (Kennedy et al., 2016), but they didn't motivate the students to extend their knowledge beyond the basic content discussed in the course, and they didn't increase the students motivation to complete an out-ofclass assignment. 5.3. Usefulness Overall, the student population reported being in favor of using the podcasts in general. The usefulness of podcasts provided the two highest mean scores reported from the students between the four areas of study. Those two statements were, “Overall, the podcasts were easy to access (M = 4.94),” and “Overall, the podcasts were a good length (M = 4.75).” These scores, which are closest to the highest score of six and “strongly agree”, match what would be expected based on the previous studies that were included in the review of literature. A lot of the previous studies (Chin et al., 2017; Gachago et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2016; Kvavik & Caruso, 2005; Mirriahi & Alonzo, 2015; Prakash et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2009) highlighted the importance of podcasts being easy to access and also having podcasts which had a respectable length. Another higher score from this section was associated with the statement, “Overall, the podcasts were more effective than textbooks (M = 4.44).” This is also very interesting considering what was discussed in the literature review, with podcasts in some instances totally replacing textbook chapters. The podcasts in this study did not replace textbook chapters, but this statement could demonstrate overall student sentiment when discussing podcasts in comparison to the traditional course material. 5.4. Podcast topics The students indicated that the weight lifting competition podcast was most useful to them (M = 4.13) with the swim meet podcast placing second (M = 3.94), which means these podcasts were closer to the highest score of six, indicating they were “highly useful.” It is interesting that the students indicated the two podcasts dealing with specific events as being most useful to them, though we cannot determine the reason as to why these two podcasts were the most useful to them. The weight-lifting competition podcasts was likely the most useful because of the fact that it is a very highly-publicized national event which attracts a lot of attention and big-name individuals who come to the area for the event. It cannot be assumed, but because of the nature of a national event and the importance of an event such as this one, students were likely the most interested and motivated to listen to this particular podcasts and learn more information about it. The current study provided insight into podcast effectiveness on student learning, motivation, and usefulness. Holistically, it can be confirmed that the podcasts aided the students’ learning though they were disinterested or not motivated to listen to the podcasts. The podcasts allowed the students to listen in their own environment, on-the-go, or on their own time, indicating that the podcasts were useful to the students in this study. 6. Conclusion and implications The findings from this study help reinforce previous findings (Abate, 2013; Back et al., 2016; Huntsberger & Stavitsky, 2007; Kennedy et al., 2016; Merhi, 2015; Schlairet, 2010; Sweller et al., 2011; Talbert, 2014) about the usefulness and positive learning outcomes from the use of podcasts. Even though students were not as highly motivated to use the podcasts, they did find utility in the podcasts, and showed high learning outcomes. This study reinforces the findings of previous literature that show how podcasts are a good tool that can help students learn new information in a convenient manner in the current “on-the-go” society. They are best used if they are easy to access for the students and if they are also kept to a shorter length in duration. However, this study also demonstrates the importance of making podcasts a tool which students are motivated to use. In the present study, students did not indicate high amounts of motivation to use the podcasts and they were also un-motivated to pursue further research or learning on these topics as a result of the podcasts. A potential reason for this, originally addressed in the review of literature, is the nature of how the podcasts were produced. Perkins (1999) discussed the active nature in Constructivist pedagogy. The podcasts used in this study could have better utilized a Constructivist approach by having the students be responsible for creating the podcasts. This method may increase student motivation to create their podcast and listen to the podcasts their peers created as well. Considering that the nature of these podcasts was 6
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to serve as a supplemental tool and to help bridge the gap between academic theory and practice, having the students create the podcasts may also allow the students to establish a positive, professional relationship directly with the sport practitioners whom they are interviewing for the podcasts. It will give them the freedom to pick a topic or practitioner area which they are interested in, which could potentially increase their motivation. Another alternative to increasing motivation for the podcasts used in this study, would have been to make the podcasts focus on reinforcing core course content, rather than making them about additional content related to practice. This may have increased student motivation, because if the content used in the podcasts was directly related to the content that would have been on the final exam, student motivation to use the podcasts may have increased. Previous studies (Abate, 2013; Brookes, 2010; Chin et al., 2017; Kennedy et al., 2016; Merhi, 2015; Ng'ambi & Lombe, 2012; Powell & Mason, 2013) demonstrated the effectiveness of podcasts in preparing students for class discussions and assessments. This could help the students to move on to more complex analysis of the topic while in the classroom or simply reinforce the important information that they need to learn from the course, thus enhancing their motivation to use the podcasts to properly prepare for the course assessments and learn from the content in the podcasts. 6.1. Limitations and future research A limitation to this study is the small sample size (n=16) in the survey responses. A larger sample size of sport management graduate students will be useful in demonstrating the sentiment of the overall student population toward podcast usage. Another limitation is a lack of a quantitative assessment to prove the positive learning outcomes from using the podcasts. Students selfassessed their learning outcomes in our study utilizing Likert scale statements. Future studies should utilize pre and post-test evaluations to prove effective learning outcomes related to podcast usage. Another future study may want to consider researching podcasts which focus on podcasts more aligned with core course content that will be included on final exams and assessments, to examine if student motivation increased. Appendix A. Supplementary data Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2019.100211. References Abate, K. S. (2013). The effect of podcast lectures on nursing students' knowledge retention and application. Nursing Education Perspectives, 3(34), 182–185. Adkins, S. S. (2011). The worldwide market for mobile learning products and services: 2010-2015 forecast and analysis. 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