TEACHERS AND LEARNERS PERCEPTION TOWARDS THE USE OF PODCASTS FOR LEARNING ENGLISH AT THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL IN BANGLADESH: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY.

Abstract

From ancient to modern time, the materials of teaching and learning have been changing with different innovations and scientific revolutions. The use of podcasts or digital audio files as a material of EFL teaching and learning, although a relatively recent phenomenon has now been marked with somewhat a very enthusiastic attitude by its stakeholders. Podcasts have been made and used by teachers and students in many technologically advanced countries across the globe. The present study aims at exploring the EFL learners" and teachers" perception towards the use of podcasting as well as its possibilities and challenges as a material of teaching and learning English at the undergraduate level in Bangladesh. The study has been conducted based on data collected from ten EFL teachers and fifty EFL students randomly selected from one public and one private university of Bangladesh. The research follows a case study approach though it employs both qualitative and quantitative approach by using questionnaires that include only close-ended questions. The data have been analyzed by employing descriptive methods as well as the statistical packages. The analysis of the data reveals the perception of using educational podcasts at the undergraduate level in Bangladesh in teaching EFL. The findings of the study reveals that the perception of EFL students and teachers of undergraduate level about the effectiveness and utility of using educational podcasts in Bangladesh is positive and they are ready to accept the use of podcast enthusiastically. Finally, as a result of the findings, some recommendations in terms of future studies have been conversed in order to ensure the effective use of educational podcasting as a complementary tool to the conventional teaching of EFL at the undergraduate level in Bangladesh. Int. J. Adv. Res. 7(8), 505-516 506 Introduction:-Background of the Study With the catchphrase of "Digital Bangladesh" and with a view to materializing "Vision 2021", the Government of Bangladesh is marching forward rapidly with the process of digitalization in all possible aspects of infrastructure and governance. "The nation now, with over 120 million mobile subscribers and 43 million internet subscribers, enjoys the fruits of digitization in numerous areas of activities." (Rahman, 2015). The sector of education, specially the higher education sector, is no exception from this streaming of digitalization. Different features of internet and technology have been extensively used in many government and non-government undergraduate educational institutes. English Language Teaching (ELT) is not beyond the reach of being manipulated by technology and the use of technology is evidently experienced in this field. Digitalization has taken over the traditional scenario of teaching and learning the English language, and a comparatively new approach of digital teaching is podcasting.