‘Apple's iTunes U is growing at an unprecedented rate and According to Apple, its online store's educations section has hit more than 300 million downloads.  Currently, more than 800 universities have iTunes U sites, and almost half of those schools, including Harvard University and Oxford University, offer content through the iTunes Store.  Apple said that users can now access "over 350,000 audio and video files" through iTunes U.’

(Don Reisinge, The Digital Home, 2010).

Having read this article I felt it would be interesting to discuss why I feel downloading of educational material has taken off in such an explosive way. For some time I’ve known the benefits of podcasting and have seen great results across a number of different industries. Podcasting is a powerful way to communicate, inform and entertain so it is no wonder the education sector has realised what a powerful tool for learning they have in their hands.

So why are downloads of educational material on the increase? Why are so many institutions turning to podcasts as part of their education strategy? Well simply because the benefits to both the students and the Institution are too good to ignore.

Education gets a promotion

There are clear benefits for the educational Institutions that have started using podcasts; they act as great promotional tool by allowing educators to reach a wider audience of learners. The utilization of podcasts as a teaching tool gives an organisation credibility by demonstrating it’s of use modern and innovative techniques. Most importantly though they enhance the learning experience for the students and therefore have a positive impact on the results achieved. Excellent academic results and happy students are clearly the greatest advertisement any educational institution could want.

Let’s look a little closer though at how the students are benefiting from podcasting, after all they are the people who are doing the downloading.

Teaching adapts to a changing world

The world we live in is changing rapidly; we have become a mobile society who has embraced the advances in technology. Our use of the internet, smart phones and social networks is increasing year on year and we have adapted our lives around these new mediums. It is only natural that traditional teaching methods needed to adapt too.

What is the real success about podcasting is that it allows teachers to reach students through a medium that is both ‘trendy’ and fits in with their lifestyles. It gives them access to rich resource that supports traditional face to face teaching methods. The lifestyles of students and society in general have changed; and technology has enabled information to become accessible anytime anywhere. Location and lifestyle is no longer a barrier to learning.

Education steps out of the classroom

Podcasting allows for on –the-go learning alongside other tasks or commitments, for example whilst travelling, exercising or even having a shower. It has allowed for learning to continue outside the traditional classroom, so learning doesn’t have to stop at the end of the college day.

Some individual’s lives however have become so hectic that they don’t have the time or the means to attend University or College, yet they still want to learn. Traditionally people would access evening courses or a long distance learning course. Podcasts now offer an alternative resource to these students. Podcasts mean that anyone can learn and people are encouraged to continue lifelong learning. This is invaluable.

Acknowledging a variety of learning styles and capabilities

The way individuals learn can be very different from one person to the next. Podcasts can help students to process information and grasp ideas, as it allows them to replay lectures and study at their own pace. Even if students attend a lecture they may not grasp ideas all at once or they may miss important notes, having a podcast of the lecture means they can go back and re listen or re watch the lecture until they have learnt the information they need to.

Podcasts are making learning easier for people with disabilities and learning difficulties too. Apples iPhone and iTouch have in built features that accommodate people with physical impairments, visual and hearing problems and different learning styles. And again the ability to learn at your own pace in your own environment is a key benefit for these individuals.

It is no surprise really that podcasts are being used successfully in the educational sector as they are enhancing the learning experience and education across the world by making educations doors open for everyone meaning it looks like there here to stay.

Let us know your thoughts on this subject, have you seen or felt the benefits of podcasting in education?  Get in touch via Twitter, Facebook  or Tumblr or email on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it