本研究主要經由台灣大學生對於使用podcasts作為英語聽力練習的態度及回應，進一步探討podcasts這種新興的學習工具是否適合運用於英語為第二語言的聽力訓練，以及podcasts能否成為英語為第二語言的聽力課程的補充教材。參與本研究的對象為60位就讀台灣淡江大學的大一生，他們來自於同個科系也同樣為英語為第二語言的學習者。而本研究中實行的podcast練習即為此班學生英語聽力課程的補充教材。每週學生必須利用課外時間收聽指定的podcasts，接著在課堂上針對每週的podcasts有不同型式的課堂活動或練習。本研究主要利用問卷調查法及訪談分析學生對於使用podcasts練習英聽的態度，此外，老師的課堂觀察和記錄用來進一步分析podcasts作為聽力課程補充教材的可能性。
    研究結果發現，整體而言學生對於使用podcasts練習英聽抱持著正向態度。學生們相信podcasts對於英語聽力學習是有助益的，同時也進一步列舉出運用podcasts的優點。此外，學生對於使用podcasts不同面向的觀感也一一分析於本研究當中。根據老師的課堂觀察和感想，podcasts被認為是便利且豐富的教材來源，適合運用於英語為第二語言學習的聽力課程中。然而老師提出podcasts運用上的難處或注意事項也在本研究中逐一探討。
    本研究的結果顯現出在英語為第二語言學習的環境中使用podcasts作為個人英語聽力練習的實用性，以及運用podcasts作為英語聽力課程補充教材的可行性。本研究最後也提出了進一步課堂運用和研究的建議。

This study aims to investigate the use of podcasts in college freshmen’s listening practice. A podcast project was conducted with sixty college freshmen in an English Drill course for a period of 17 weeks for the purpose of assessing the feasibility of using podcasts as source materials for listening. Participants were assigned podcasts listening task on a weekly basis as part of the course requirements to improve listening comprehension. The task was reinforced in the classroom through exercises and learning sheets to monitor and facilitate learning. A questionnaire survey and oral interviews were conducted at the end of the project to collect data concerning the technical aspects of podcast use, learners’ reflections on this learning experience, and the efficacy of podcasts as a viable source material.   
     The results found that the participants’ attitudes were positive towards podcast use and a majority had strong faith in the helpfulness of podcasts in listening practice. Advantageous features of podcasts were further proposed by the participants.  From the instructor’s observations and reflections, podcasts were excellent source materials for listening practice when carefully planned. Problems and concerns were discussed for effective use of technology to enhance instruction.
     The findings highlight the potential of podcast as a useful learning tool for individual practice and a viable source material for classroom teachers.  Further classroom implications and suggestions for research were also proposed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................................i
CHINESE ABSTRACT.................................................................................................ii
ENGLISH ABSTRACT................................................................................................iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................iv
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES...............................................................................vii

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION	.....1
1.1	 BACKGROUND	.....1
1.2	 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM	.....3
1.3	 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY	.....4
1.4	 RESEARCH QUESTIONS	  .....4

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW	.....5
2.1	 LISTENING COMPREHENSION LEARNING	.....5
2.1.1	Overview of Listening Comprehension Research	.....5
2.1.2	Listening Comprehension in Second or Foreign Language Acquisition	.....6
2.1.3	Suggestions for Listening Instructions in ESL/EFL Contexts	.....10
2.1.4	The Situation of Listening Learning and Teaching in Taiwan	.....11
2.2	 PODCASTS/PODCASTING	.....13
2.2.1	The Growth and Use of Podcasts/Podcasting	.....14
2.2.2	Podcasts/Podcasting in Education	.....15
2.2.3	Podcasts/Podcasting in Language Learning and Teaching	.....17

CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY	.....20
3.1	 PARTICIPANTS	.....20
3.2	 MATERIALS	.....23
3.2.1	ESL Pod (http://www.eslpod.com/website/)	.....23
3.2.2	Questionnaire	.....24
3.3	 PROCEDURE	.....26
3.3.1	Orientation	.....27
3.3.2	Podcast Listening Period	.....27
3.3.3	Evaluation	.....28
3.4	 DATA ANALYSIS	.....29

CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS	.....31
4.1	 EFL LEARNERS’ MODES OF PODCAST USE	.....31
4.1.1	Participants’ Listening Frequencies during the Podcast Project	.....31
4.1.2	Participants’ Reasons for Not Listening to Podcasts	.....32
4.1.3	How Much Time Participants Spent on Podcast Listening	.....34
4.1.4	When and Where Participants Listened to Podcasts	.....35
4.1.5	How Participants Listened to Podcasts	.....36
4.1.6	What Participants Did While Listening to Podcasts	.....38
4.2	 EFL LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS PODCAST LISTENING EXPERIENCES	.....39
4.2.1	Participants’ Background Knowledge about Podcasts	.....40
4.2.2	Participants’ Overall Attitudes towards the Podcast Project	.....41
4.2.3	Participants’ Satisfaction with User-Friendly Operations of Podcasts	.....44
4.2.4	Participants’ Listening Comprehension of Podcasts	.....45
4.2.5	Helpfulness of Podcasts to English Learning	.....48
4.2.6	Participants’ Satisfaction with Motivating Effects of Podcasts	.....50
4.2.7	Participants’ Attitudes towards Weekly-Scheduled Feature of Podcast Learning	.....52
4.2.8	Participants’ Willingness to Use Podcasts in the Future	.....53
4.2.9	Participants’ Satisfaction with Podcasts as Listening Course Supplements	.....54
4.2.10	Comparison of Participants’ Attitude Categories towards Podcasts	......57
4.3	 RESEARCHER’S OBSERVATION ON SUPPLEMENTING THE ENGLISH LISTENING COURSE WITH PODCASTS	.....60
4.3.1	Participants’ Reactions to the Podcast Project	.....61
4.3.2	Problems Concerning the Implementation of the Podcast Project	......64

CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION	.....69
5.1	 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY	.....69
5.1.1	Research Question #1	.....70
5.1.2	Research Question #2	.....72
5.1.3	Research Question #3	.....74
5.2	 PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS	.....76
5.3	 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY	.....80
5.4	 SUGGESTIONS FOR RESEARCH	.....81

REFERENCES	.....83

APPENDIX A	.....89
APPENDIX B	.....95
APPENDIX C	.....96
APPENDIX D	.....98
APPENDIX E	.....99




LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

Figure 1  Participants’ English Scores on GSAT	.....21
Figure 2  Participants’ Levels of GEPT	.....21
Figure 3  Participants’ Satisfaction with Their English Listening Ability	.....22
Figure 4  Participants’ Willingness to Improve English Listening Ability	.....23
Figure 5  Participants’ Podcast Listening Frequencies	.....32
Figure 6  Participants’ Reasons for Not Listening to Podcasts	.....34
Figure 7  Listening Frequencies per Podcast Episode	.....35
Figure 8  When and Where Participants Listened to Podcasts	.....36
Figure 9  How Participants Listened to Podcasts	.....37
Figure 10  Participants’ Reasons for Not Downloading Podcasts to MP3 Players for Listening	.....38
Figure 11  What the Participants Did While Listening to Podcasts	.....39
Figure 12  Participants’ Knowledge of Podcasts Before the Project	.....40
Figure 13  The Podcast Categories Participants Have Listened to	.....41
Figure 14  Participants’ Satisfaction Scores of Podcast Project	.....43
Figure 15  Participants’ Satisfaction Scores of User-Friendly Operations of  Podcasts .....45
Figure 16  Participants’ Listening Comprehension of Podcasts	.....47
Figure 17  Helpfulness of Podcasts to English Learning	.....50
Figure 18  Participants’ Satisfaction Scores of Motivating Effects of Podcasts	.....51
Figure 19  Participants’ Attitudes towards Weekly-Scheduled Feature of Podcast Learning	.....53
Figure 20  Participants’ Willingness to Use Podcasts in the Future	.....54
Figure 21  Participants’ Satisfaction Scores of Podcasts as Listening Course Supplements	.....57
Figure 22  Comparison of the 7 Categories of Participants’ Attitudes towards Podcasts	.....57
Figure 23  Average Scores of All Items about Participants’ Attitudes towards the Podcast Project	.....60


Table 1  Participants’ Satisfaction Scores of the 17 Likert Scale Items	.....42
Table 2  Participants’ Satisfaction Scores of the 7 Attitude Categories	.....58

Aguilar, F. R. (2007). Top of the pods: In search of a podcasting “pedagogy” for language learning. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 20(5), 471-492.
Berne, J. E. (1998). Examining the relationship between L2 listening research, pedagogical theory, and practice. Foreign Language Annals, 31, 169-190.
Brett, P. (1995). Multimedia for listening comprehension: The design of a multimedia-based resource for developing listening skills. System, 23(1), 77-85.
Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by Principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Buck, G. (2001). Assessing listening. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Byrnes, H. (1984). The role of listening comprehension: A theoretical base. Foreign Language Annals, 17, 317-329.
Campbell, G. (2005). There’s something in the air: podcasting in education. EDUCAUSE Review, 40(6), 33-46.
Chapelle, C. A. (2001). Computer applications in second language acquisition: Foundations for teaching, testing, and research. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Chiang, C. S. & Dunkel, P. (1992). The effect of speech modification, prior knowledge and listening proficiency on EFL lecture learning. TESOL Quarterly, 26, 345-374.
Chinnery, G. M. (2006). Emerging technologies: Going to the MALL. Language Learning & Technology, 10(1), 9-16.
Dale, C. (2007). Strategies for using podcasting to support student learning. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 6(1), 49-57.
Dunkel, P. A. (1986). Developing listening fluency in L2: Theoretical principles and pedagogical considerations. Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 99-106.
EMarketer (2008). Podcast usage still skews young. Retrieved September 10, 2008 from http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1006510&src= article_head_sitesearch
Feyten, C. M. (1991). The power of listening ability: An overlooked dimension in language acquisition. Modern Language Journal, 75(2), 173-180.
Fox, A. (2008). Using podcasts in the EFL classroom. TESL-EJ, 11(4).
Griffiths, R. (1990). Speech rate and nonnative speaker comprehension: A preliminary study in the time-benefit analysis. Language Learning, 40, 311-336.
Kelch, K. (1985). Modified input as an aid to comprehension. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 7, 81-89.
Lin, L. Y. (2002). The effects of feature films upon learners’ motivation, listening and speaking skills: The learner-centered approach. Retrieved June 26, 2009 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1a/93/13.pdf
Lu, J. A. (2007). Podcasting: A fresh solution for old problems. Wireless Ready Symposium E-Proceedings, 2, 83-95.
Lund, R. J. (1991). A comparison of second language listening and reading comprehension. Modern Language Journal, 75(2), 196-204.
McQuillan, J. (2006). iPod in education: The potential for language acquisition. Retrieved September 20, 2008 from 
http://e2t2.binghamton.edu/pdfs/iPod_Lang_Acquisition_whitepaper.pdf
McQuillan, J. & Tse, L. (2006). ESL Pod. Retrieved September 10, 2008 from http://www.eslpod.com/website/index_new.html
Ministry of Education (MOE), Republic of China (2008). Education in Taiwan 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2009 from 
http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=9895&ctNode=814&mp=2
Morale, C. & Moses, J. S. (2006). Podcasting: Recording, managing, and delivering the classroom experience. Retrieved September 3, 2008 from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/DEC0604.pdf
Morley, J. (2001). Aural comprehension instruction: Principles and practices. In M. C. Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as second or foreign language (pp. 69-85). Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
Murphy, J. M. (1985). Investigation into the listening strategies of ESL college students. Dissertation Abstracts International, 46(9), 2677A, 1986.
O’Bryan, A. & Hegelheimer, V. (2007). Integrating CALL into the classroom: the role of podcasting in an ESL listening strategies course. ReCALL, 19(2), 162-180.
O’Malley, J. M., Chamot, A. & Kiipper, L. (1989). Listening comprehension strategies in second language acquisition. Applied Linguistics, 10, 18-437.
Osada, N. (2004). Listening comprehension research: A brief review of the past thirty years. Dialogue, 3, 53-66.
Pew Internet & American Life Project (2008). Podcasting downloading 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2008 from http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/261/report_display.asp
Pica, T., Young, R. & Doughty, C. (1987). The impact of interaction on comprehension. TESOL Quarterly, 21, 737-758.
Purdue University (2006). Boilercast. Retrieved September 10, 2008 from http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/BoilerCast/
Rader, K. E. (1990). The effects of three different levels of word rate on the listening comprehension of third quarter university Spanish students. Unpublished Dissertation, Ohio State University.
Richards, J. C. (1985). The context of language teaching. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Rivers, W. (1966). Listening comprehension. Modern Language Journal, 50, 196-204.
Rubin, J. (1994). A review of second language listening comprehension research. Modern Language Journal, 78(2), 199-221.
Sharples, M. (2000). The design of personal mobile technologies for lifelong learning. Computers & Education, 34, 177-193.
Sharples, M. (2001). Disruptive device: Mobile technology for conversational learning. International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Lifelong Learning, 12(5), 504-520.
Shih, Y. H. (2002). Improving nation’s English skills no easy task. Retrieved June 20, 2009 from http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2002/05/27/137785/wiki
Stanley, G. (2006). Podcasting: Audio on the Internet comes of age. TESL-EJ, 9(4).
Thorne, S. & Payne, J. (2005). Evolutionary trajectories, Internet-mediated expressions, and language education. CALICO, 22(3), 371-397.
Tynan, B. & Colbarn, S. (2006). Podcasting, student learning and expectations. Retrieved September 2, 2008 from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/sydney06/proceeding/pdf_papers/p132.pdf
University of Leicester (2006). IMPALA. Retrieved January 17, 2009 from http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/impala
University of Leicester (2006). IMPALA research instruments. Retrieved January 17, 
2009 from http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/impala/documents/impala-research-instruments
Voss, B. (1979). Hesitation phenomena as sources of perceptual errors for non-native speakers. Language and Speech, 22, 129-144.
Williams, B. (2007). Educator’s podcast guide. Oregon: International Society for Technology in Education.
Young, D. J. (2007). iPods, MP3 players and podcasts for FL learning: Current practices and future considerations. The NECTFL Review, 60, 39-48.