MALL Technology: Use of AcademicPodcasting in the Foreign LanguageClassroom

Integrating Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) technology (personal multimediaplayers, cell phones, and handheld devices) into the foreign language curriculum isbecoming commonplace in many secondary and higher education institutions. Currentresearch has identified both pedagogically sound applications and important benefits tostudents. In this paper, we present the results of an initial study which compares theacademic benefits of integrating podcasts into the curriculum against using them as asupplemental/review tool. The study’s findings indicate that when instructors use podcastsfor multiple instructional purposes (e.g., to critique student projects and exams, for studentvideo presentations, for student paired interviews, to complete specific assignments, dictations,in roundtable discussions, or for guest lectures), students are more likely to use thistechnology and to report academic benefits. While the study is limited by small samplesizes and by some within-group variation in instructional techniques, the study providesinitial evidence that podcast technology has the potential to provide greater benefits ifit is used more than simply as a tool for reviewing. The study’s positive findings indicatethat additional research to examine the effects of specific instructional uses of podcasttechnology is merited