title: Audio podcasts in practical courses in biochemistry - cost-efficient e-learning in a well-proven format from radio broadcasting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Audio podcasts are an e-learning format that may help to motivate students to deal with the contents of medical education more intensely. We adopted a well-proven format from radio broadcasting, the radio documentary, to direct the listeners' attention to information about practical courses in biochemistry over a period of 20 minutes at most. Information, original sounds, and a specific atmosphere allow listeners to perceive the contents intensely.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to organise the production of the podcast as cost-efficient and least time-consuming as possible, a student, a teacher, a clinician, and a technical assistant compile the core themes of their respective text blocks in an editorial conference first. After that, the speakers can elaborate on and record their blocks independently. Coordination is widely handled by the student. At two points of time, the podcasts were evaluated by the medical students by means of a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With little cost and time expenses, eight podcasts were produced. They have been used by the students extensively and have also been evaluated very positively by non-student listeners. For long-term usage, a regular reference to the podcast offer is required in the courses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Involving students, successful podcasts can be produced to support classroom teaching with little expenses and contribute to the external presentation of the medical faculty.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Center for Experimental Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Working Group on Selection Procedures, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Münch-Harrach
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kothe
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hampe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000193:education*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000191:economics*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D011845:Radio; D013337:Students, Medical; D057211:Webcasts as Topic / Q000191:economics*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: elearning; podcast; practical course biochemistry; radio documentary; radio feature