In comparison to instructional videos, the role of audio-only instructional content in online learning has received scant attention. When audio-only content is discussed, the research often centers on the use of audio feedback or student-created podcasts, rather than instructor-created instructional audio. Additionally, few studies have compared learning outcomes from recorded video lectures versus from audio alone, except within the context of specific disciplines, such as second language acquisition (Berner & Adams, 2004).
Some educators might be leery of using audio-only content due to Richard Mayer’s (2009) seminal multimedia principle, which posits that learning is more effective from both pictures and words than from words alone. However, this principle assumes that there is relevant visual content to be conveyed, such as images, models, or graphs. In the absence of visual materials, audio-only content provides the following benefits for students and instructors:
- The use of audio circumvents subjective evaluations of video quality which could impact student learning or satisfaction, such as slide design, image quality, and speaker appearance.
- Audio is generally less time-consuming and costly to create than videos. Without needing to attend to visual design or their appearance, instructors can more freely read a script or notes; pause and restart the recording; and produce content more quickly. Post-production of audio is also more efficient than post-production of videos.
- Audio files are smaller than video files, requiring less bandwidth and server space and allowing students to more easily stream or download the materials.
- Students can listen to audio while performing other tasks, such as exercising, cleaning, parenting, or commuting. This introduces greater flexibility for adult learners who have competing responsibilities.
- Instructors introduce valuable social presence through the use of audio. Considering it a more ‘personal’ medium, students can have an increased sense of closeness to an instructor when listening to audio compared to reading text or viewing a video (Bates, 2009).
- Audio introduces an additional means of engagement and representation, accommodating a wide range of learners (CAST, 2018).
Employ the following strategies to maximize the value of audio-only content in your course:
Provide a transcript. To meet accessibility requirements and allow flexibility for students, a text version of the audio must be provided. If you do not have access to captioning software, you can simply provide the script that you created to record your audio. Creating a script not only affords this benefit, but also helps ensure that your audio is clear, concise, and aligned with your learning goals.
Align and adapt the audio to a learning objective. As Makina (2020) affirmed, “The choice and use of the technology should closely align with the pedagogical intent of the learning and teaching transaction” (p. 32). Rather than approach your course with the intent of creating audio, consider audio as a means for students to gain knowledge that will help them achieve a particular learning goal. Then adjust the content accordingly. For example, when aligned to higher-order objectives, the audio should model critical analysis. When addressing lower-order objectives, the audio might simply describe the target subject matter.
Use audio to complement materials and activities. Audio should not be a substitute for the traditional classroom lecture, which has long been shown to have limited impact on student learning and engagement. Audio segments should be kept short and concise where possible and be interspersed with other activities and media types. Audio can be used creatively, for example, to interview colleagues, model a thought process, or provide an interpretation of a text.
Pay special attention to sound quality and delivery. Poor sound quality, typically caused by background noise interference, can be extremely distracting. Don’t play music or other sounds while speaking, and insofar as possible, ensure that your environment is free of potential disruptions. Additionally, without the visual cues afforded by body language and facial expressions, vocal inflection is important to convey appropriate emotion and energy (Stetz & Bauman, 2013).
Create audio as an addition to visual-only content. Leveraging the multimedia principle (Mayer, 2009), consider providing audio to accompany complex visual content and aid in student understanding or analysis. Students will process meaning of visual content more effectively through auditory channels, so you might record a description or analysis of a chart, model, formula, etc.
Create audio as an alternative to written content. If you can invest the time, creating audio as a secondary modality can accommodate a variety of learning preferences and circumstances. For example, if you have a long section of written content that you don’t anticipate needing to update frequently, consider providing a narrated version as well. While students could choose to use a screen reader to have a similar experience, research suggests that students learn better from a personalized, human voice (Clark & Mayer, 2016).
References
Bates, A.W. (2019). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for teaching and learning. Pressbooks.
Berner, E.S., & Adams, B. (2004). Added value of video compared to audio lectures for distance learning. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 73, 189–193.
CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines.
Clark, R.C. & Mayer, R.E. (2016). e-Learning and the science of instruction. Wiley.
Makina, A. (2020). Developing a framework for managing the quality use of podcasts in open distance and e-learning environments. Open Praxis, 12(1), 67–81.
Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Steele, J.P., Robertson, S.N., & Mandernach, B.J. (2018). Beyond content: The value of instructor-student connections in the online classroom. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 18(4), 130–150.
Stetz, T.A. & Bauman, A.A. (2013). Reasons to rethink the use of audio and video lectures in online courses. Higher Learning Research Communications, 3(4).