Accessing The Impact of Digital Tools

The Impact of Digital Tools: Audio Podcasts and Video Tutorials
Accessing the Impact of Digital Tools:

Specifically Focusing on the Use of Audio Podcasts and Video Tutorials.
An Action Research Study of Students Attitudes and Performances
in an Entry Level High School Photography Course.
Anthony Young
Bowling Green State University

Abstract
This research study was to access the impact of digital tools, specifically audio podcasts
and video tutorials, in an entry level High School Photography course. The resources were
created to see how these specific digital tools affected students attitudes and performances. To
complete the study, photography 1 students in 9th period were given normal classroom instruction
and access to audio podcasts and video tutorials. Students in 11th period photography 1 were only
given classroom instruction and had no knowledge of, or access to, the podcasts and tutorials.
Students were given instruction as described and both were given a survey at the summation of
the course to determine their attitudes towards having access to the digital tools for 9th period,
and not having access to the digital tools for 11th period. A quantitative analysis of the final exam
grades of 9th period who received the treatment, and 11th period that did not, was compared and
showed little significance.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this study is to determine if audio podcasts and video tutorials effected
students confidence and performance in the classroom. The goal of this study is to determine if
students benefit from having audio podcast and tutorials to guide them outside of class. From
this study I will learn whether podcasts and tutorials add value to my classroom.
Research Questions
Q1: Is there a difference in student attitudes when they have access to audio podcasts and video
tutorials compared to just receiving typical in class instruction?

Q2: Is there a difference in performance between students when they have access to audio
podcasts, video tutorials, and regular class instruction vs. students who only receive regular class
instruction?
Variables
Variable
Technology
Operational Definition
Independent Variable (categorical) - Digital
tools used for this study are defined as Web 2.0
tools, specifically Audio Podcasts and Video
Tutorials. Students received access to these
technologies in my 9th period Photography
course, but did not have access to them in my
Student Attitudes
11th period class.

Dependent Variable (categorical) - Student
responses provided through a survey about
their attitudes when having access to audio
podcasts and video tutorials. (Not Comfortable,
Somewhat Comfortable, Comfortable, Very
Student Performance
Comfortable).
Dependent Variable (categorical) - The letter
grades (A, B, C, D, F) of 9th period
Photography who received regular classroom
instruction and access to audio podcasts and
video tutorials compared to 11th period
photography who only received normal
classroom instruction.
Literature Review

The fine arts are one of the first electives to be reduced or cut in todays educational
system. Despite their popularity in most schools their importance isnt always recognized. In
Ohio, we are required by the state to show student growth over the course of a semester or year
(ODE). One way to create a curriculum that can add value and bridge that gap with technology
is the addition of podcasting and video tutorials. According to the National Council of Teachers
of English (NCTE) We should send students the message that critical thinking extends beyond
print (Suhor, 1991). Podcasting is a method of distributing a digital media file or a series of
files over the Internet for playback on portable media players such as Ipods or personal
computers (Lazzari 2009). Podcasts were first introduced and searched for online in 2004, even
though variations of what a podcast is has been around since the 1980s.
There are benefits to podcasts and research has shown that the infusion of visual arts
(Jester 2003; Grant, Hutchinson, Hornsby & Brooke, 2008) and new technologies (Leu, Kinzer,
Coiro & Cammack, 2004) into the curriculum is increasingly important because literacy in
reading, writing, and communication is changing. This covers one of my districts Continuous
Improvement Plan (CIP): Use technology to monitor and personalize instruction to facilitate
maximum learning for every student. (G2). Many students need differentiated instruction. Audio
podcasts and video tutorials are another way for educators to fill the needs of their students. One
of the most common reasons for students to use a podcast in education was to review missed
materials, or materials not understood (Hews 2009). Students also appreciate that podcasts are
convenient and easily accessible. They also liked the flexibility of using podcasts and video
tutorials by being able to select the time, location, and pace of learning (Stephenson, Brown, &
Griffin, 2008).

Though still emerging as a pedagogical tool, podcasts are affecting teaching and learning.
(Buffington, 2010). Students appear to hold positive opinions of podcasting and other electronic
lecture technologies with previous studies suggesting that 73.1-89% of students agree or strongly
agree that electronic forms of lecture enhance learning (McKinney & Page, 2009) and 94.2%
agree or strongly agree that their other instructors should adopt some form of electronic lecture
(Cramer, 2007). I saw in my own classroom that students who had access became more
comfortable and confident in their photography. One of my main reasons for conducting this
research was to give students an added tool they could reference if they missed class or wanted
to review. When students did miss class they knew they could go and catch up by listening to the
podcast or watching the video tutorials. Another benefit was this freed up class time for me to
help other students. Instead of explaining a lesson to a student who missed class they were able
to listen to the information. If they forgot or didnt have time I could also direct them to the
podcasts and tutorials and they could catch up. It created a more confident, relaxed, and selfmotivated classroom from my past experiences.
Research Design & Sample
The target population for this study would consist of my 9th period and 11th period Photography 1
students at Olentangy Liberty High School. It is quasi experimental due to that I am unable to
match student groups exactly. They did elect to take photography, but students were randomly
assigned to 9th period and 11th period classes. The sample was 47 total students participating
ranging from 15-19 years old. The population was heavily saturated with females with 40 of the
47 participants being female. Ethnicity ratios showed there were about 20% minority
participating, while the other 80% were Caucasian. I decided to assign 9th period as the class

that would receive the podcast and video tutorial material along with normal instruction and 11th
period would just receive normal instruction only.
Student Demographics
Spring 2016
Male
Female
14.9% (n=7 )
85.1% (n=40 )
Minority
Caucasian
21.3% (n=10 )
78.7% (n=37 )
Gender
Ethnicity
Research Design
I am completing an action research study on attitudes and performance of students in my own
classroom. This is a quantitative study because I am using numerical data to measure my
students confidence as well as when I am analyzing their exam scores. I will study the data to
measure confidence and performance. The independent variable is the technology being
delivered to my 9th period class while my 11th period class will be given regular instruction only.
The dependent variables will be the students attitudes and performances. I will measure their
attitudes using a 4 point Likert Scale and I will compare their final exam grades at the end of the
semester. This design will help me to determine whether audio podcasts and video tutorials
affect student confidence and performance in the classroom. It will also help me determine if it
is worthwhile to invest my time into more digital tools for my students to use in the future.
Sampling Method, Instrumentation, and Procedures

My sampling method was convenient because I collected data from my own classroom.
Students were randomly assigned to my Photography 1 courses during 9th and 11th period. There

were 14 other sections of photography throughout the year. A large initial population was
randomly assigned between those two classes. The research was also purposeful because I can
reflect on my data collected to improve my instruction.
Both classes were given normal class room instruction, which consisted of PowerPoints,
live demonstrations, and additional help throughout the semester as needed. Period 9 was the
experimental group and was given access to my audio podcasts and video tutorials. Period 11
was the control group and was not aware of the digital tools.
Both of my classes took a survey giving me feedback on their attitudes towards using
audio podcasts and video tutorials or in the case of 11th period not having access to audio
podcasts and video tutorials. I used a 4 point Likert scale to gauge their confidence level.
Students had the response options of Not Confident, Somewhat Confident, Confident, Very
Confident to answer the questions.
To measure my two classs performance I will compare their final exam results. 9th period had
access to the digital tools, and 11th period did not. Each class was given the exact same in class
instruction. Final exams were exactly the same. The in class preparation was exactly the same.
The experiment group did have access to our study guide narrated by me in podcast form.
Results
Descriptive analysis was used to analyze data for each research question. The pie charts and bar
graph below represent the results for each group in this study. Students in 9th period were given

normal classroom instruction and had access to podcasts and video tutorials and they were given
a set of questions to access their confidence while having those digital tools. Students in 11th
period were the control group and received only normal classroom instruction. They were given
another set of questions asking their confidence level from regular instruction and what it would
be if they did have access to the digital tools. I will also analyze their final exam scores
comparing the experimental group (9th period) to the control group (11th period).
Question #1, 9th Period: My confidence level in photography having access to audio podcasts
and video tutorials along with classroom instruction was: Not Confident, Somewhat Confident,
Confident, Very Confident.
8.7
13
47.8
30.4
Not
Confident
Somewhat
Confident
Confident
Very
Confident
In this portion of the study the level of confidence was being measured. The experimental group
surveyed had 11 of the 23 students, or 47.8%, felt very confident having the access to the digital
tools. In total 18 of the 23 students felt Confident to Very Confident, or 78.2%. A combined 5

students of the 23 felt Not Confident to Somewhat Confident when having access to the digital
tools. Overall, the majority of students were confident to very confident when having access to
the digital tools.
Question #2, 9th Period: My confidence level in photography would have been the same
without audio podcasts and video tutorials: Not Confident, Somewhat Confident, Confident,
Very Confident.
8.78.7
26.1
56.5
Not
Confident
Somewhat
Confident
Confident
Very
Confident
Students in 9th period were then surveyed on their confidence level in photography if they would
not have had access to the digital tools. Only 2 students responded they would be Very
Confident in class without the digital tools. A majority of the class, 13 of 23 students or 56.5%,
responded they would feel Confident without the digital tools. A total of 8 students surveyed
stated they would feel Not Confident to Somewhat Confident if they wouldnt have had access.
Overall, the number of students who said they would feel Confident to Very Confident declined

by 13%. In Q1 to 9th period there were a larger number of students who felt Very Confident.
When asked how they would feel without access to the digital tools that Very Confident number
went down from 11 students to 2 students. While students still seemed to feel Confident there
werent as many at the Very Confident level.
Question #1, 11th Period: My confidence level in photography class with only classroom
instruction was: Not Confident, Somewhat Confident, Confident, Very Confident.
16.7 4.5
66.7
12.5
Not
Confident
Somewhat
Confident
Confident
Very
Confident
Students in 11th period were surveyed on their confidence level in photography with only the
classroom instruction they received. The majority of students, 16 of 24 or 66.7%, stated they
were Confident in their photography with the instruction they received. A total of 4 students or
16.7% stated they felt Very Confident with the classroom instruction they received. In total, 20
of the 24 students or 83.4% felt Confident to Very Confident in their photography with only
classroom instruction. Compared to 9th period this was a higher combined Confident to Very

Confident percentage with 84.4% falling in this range vs. 78% in 9th period when asked their
confidence level with having access to the digital tools. The percentage of Very Confident
students was higher in the experimental 9th period group at 11 of 23 students or 47.8% than the
11th period groups Very Confident photographers which was 4 of 24 students or 16.7%.
Questions #2, 11th Period: My confidence level in photography would have been higher if I
would have had access to audio podcasts and video tutorials: Not Confident, Somewhat
Confident, Confident, Very Confident.
4.2 4.2
29.2
62.5
Not Confident
Somewhat
Confident
Confident
Very
Confident
When surveyed about their confidence level if they would have had access to audio podcasts and
video tutorials 11th period had 15 of 24 students say this would have made them feel Very
Confident. This was an increase from the 4 of 24 or 16.7% who said they were Very Confident
in having only the classroom instruction in Q1 for 11th period. There were 2 students who stated

they would feel Not Confident to Somewhat Confident with the access to the digital tools. A
combined total of 22 of 24 students or 92% said if they would have been access it would have
made them feel Confident to Very Confident in their photography.
Final Exam Grades

94
93
92
91
90
89
93.4
90.5
Final Exam
Grades
9th Period Photography median score of 65.4 /70 points or 93.4%.

11th Period Photography median score of 63.4/70 points or 90.5%.
Results from the final exam showed 9th period photography class, the experimental group that
received normal classroom instruction and had access to the audio podcasts and video tutorials,
scored on average 93.4% with a median test score of 65.4 out of 70 points. The results of the 11th
period photography class, the control group who received only normal classroom instruction,
scored on average a 90.5% with a median test score of 63.4 out of 70 points. There was almost a

3% difference in exam scores or 2 total points difference. Students receiving the audio podcasts
and video tutorials on average received an A while students who were in the control group and
did not have access to the digital tools received an A-on average. There were no major outliers
in the scores. In neither class did any student score lower than 52 out of 70 on the exam. In 9th
period there were 3 students in the 54-56 point range. In 11th period there were 3 students in the
52-56 point range. In 9th period there were 14 students or 60.9% of students scoring in the 66-70
point range. In 11th period 11 of 24 or 45.8% scored in that same 66-70 point range. In 9th period
7 students scored a perfect 70 out of 70 points. In comparison, 11th period had 4 students score
70 out of 70 total points.
Conclusion
Q1: Is there a difference in student attitudes when they have access to audio podcasts and
video tutorials compared to just receiving typical in class instruction?
Overall, the student attitudes tested by confidence level, did show that students who had
access to audio podcasts and video tutorials were more confident than students who received
only normal classroom instruction. The experimental group had 78% of the class feeling
Confident to Very Confident because of their access to the audio podcasts and video tutorials.
While the control group had a higher number who said they felt Confident to Very Confident
with 83.4% in that range, they had only 4 in the Very Confident range compared to the
experimental group with 11 students in that Very Confident range. Its fairly safe to say that the
podcasts and video tutorials boosted students to feel Very Confident, but overall students still felt
Confident whether they had access to the digital tools or not due to classroom instruction.

When comparing students perceived feelings about how confident they would be without
the digital tools for 9th period 15 of 23 students or 65% said they would still feel Confident to
Very Confident if they did not have the digital tools that were provided. I surveyed 11th period
on how confident they would feel if they did have access to audio podcasts and video tutorials
outside of class and they responded with 22 of 24 or 92% of the students saying that having these
digital tools would make them feel more confident. They majority of the class was already at a
Confident to Very Confident level with normal classroom instruction, but their perception of
having the aide of digital tools boosted their confidence. With only normal classroom
instruction, 4 students or 16.7% felt Very Confident. If given access to the digital tools this
boosted the number of Very Confident students to 15 of 24 or 62.5% of the class.
Overall, the audio podcasts and video tutorials generated a positive response gave students more
confidence. They idea of not having these digital tools lowered their confidence. Normal
classroom instruction and not having access to digital tools still had students with high Confident
to Very Confident feelings. The perception 11th period expressed through the survey was that
access audio podcasts and video tutorials would increase their confidence significantly. Similar
research findings showed students appreciated that video podcasts were convenient and easily
accessible. They enjoyed the flexibility of using podcasts by being able to select the time,
location, and pace of learning (McCombs & Liu 2007).
Q2: Is there a difference in performance between students when they have access to audio
podcasts, video tutorials, and regular class instruction vs. students who only receive regular
class instruction?

There was a difference in performance between 9th period who received audio podcasts and video
tutorials vs. 11th period, which did not have access to these digital tools. There was a difference
in 3% on their final exams with 9th period scoring 93.4% and 11th period scoring 90.5%. The
difference between median final exam scores was 9th Period Photography scored 65.4 out of 70
points, while 11th Period Photography scored of 63.4 out of 70 points. So yes, there was a
difference, but no it was not significant. Only 2 points separated the two classs median exam
score. Students confidence level was different on whether or not they had access to the digital
tools, but their final summative exam did not show a major difference between the classes. Since
students in both the experiment and control classes received the exact same in class instruction
the overall exam scores were near identical.
Limitations
There were a few limitations as I conducted my research that causes concern of its
validity. Internally, the survey I gave my students could have been responded to in a way that my
students thought I wanted them to respond. They knew I was gathering data for my masters
project and could have easily bumped up their confidence level to a response they thought I
would want to see. I explained to them to give me their honest answers, but after that I did not
have control as to how they marked their survey.
Another limitation was the in class instruction. I model each of my photography classes
exactly alike. I taught each class with the exact same PowerPoints and demonstrations. One
item I cant account for it human error. Some classes I give information that I may have forgot

in the other class. Its usually not something monumental, but it could affect student attitudes
and achievement.
There are some external limitations to my research student concerning the validity as
well. The first external limitation would be this was a small population Only 47 students were
surveyed because that was the number of classes and students I was assigned during the second
semester while I collected data. I had no control over this as it was what was assigned to me, but
it did create a small sample size.
Another factor is the students ability to do their own research. I provided audio podcasts
that I created and video tutorials to 9th period only, but theres nothing stating that 11th period
didnt do their own research at home and look up tutorials on Google or YouTube. Its very
likely that if any students struggled with an assignment and didnt have my digital tools they
went out and researched their own.
Prior knowledge also comes into play. I have had many students who have had the
opportunity to attend a course at Columbus College of Art and Design or they have a parent with
substantial photography knowledge. These factors could lead to that student having more
confidence when entering my room and make the shock of learning something new not so
difficult.
Finally, these were my initial results on students attitudes and performances. Its the
only set of data I have to draw conclusions from and as already mentioned it is a small sample
size.
Recommendations
Additional studies need to be done in order to generalize the findings of this study
to a larger population. It would be beneficial to have photography students pre-test and post-test
in order to better analyze prior knowledge and show growth. More analysis of student needs
must be addressed in order to get a better understanding of what the students would like as
digital tools. There could be more audio podcasts and video tutorials available to the students to
address those needs. With more audio podcasts, video tutorials, and student input there could be
higher levels of confidence and achievement.
References
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Cramer, K. (2007). The Virtual Lecture Hall: Utilization, Effectiveness, and Student
Perceptions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(1), 106-115.
Hew, K. F. (2009). Use of Audio Podcast in K-12 and Higher Education: A Review of Research
Topics and Methodologies. Education Technology Research and Development. 57(3)
333-357.
Jester, J. (2003). Of Paint and Poetry: Strengthening Literacy Through Art. The Quarterly,
25(4), 32-34, 39.
Lazzari, M. (2009) Creative use of podcasting in higher education and its effect on competitive
agency, Computers and Education, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 27-34.
Leu ,D.J., Jr., Kinzer, C.K., Coiro, J. & Cammack, D. (2004). Toward a Theory of New
Literacies Emerging from the Internet and Other Information and Communication
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HREF=/newliteracies/leu.
McCombs, S., & Liu, Y. (2007). The Efficacy of Podcasting Technology in Instructional
Delivery. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 3(2), 123-134.

McKinney, D. & Page, K. (2009). Podcasts and Video Streaming: Useful Tools to facilitate
Learning of Pathophysiology in Undergraduate Nurse Education? Nurse Education in
Practice, 9, 372-376.
Ohio Department of Education Website: Ohio Department of Education 10 Things You Need to
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Stephenson, J. E., Brown, C., & Griffin, D.K. (2008). Electronic Delivery of Lectures in the
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