Iranian university students´ readiness for using podcasting: A comparison between English and non-English majors

The purpose of this study was to assess Iranian students´ readiness to use podcasting in higher education considering their major of study. One hundred and twenty university students (60 English students and 60 non-English majors) completed the podcasting readiness questionnaire that measured their readiness through three sub-scales: access, familiarity, and experience. The results revealed that both groups had satisfactory access to podcasting technology in terms of ownership and function/capabilities of their portable devices. The degree of familiarity of both groups was high and almost at the same level. When both groups were compared with regard to their habits of using podcasts for academic and non-academic purposes, no difference was found between them; however, when they were compared with regard to habits of using podcasts just for academic purposes a significant difference was observed in favor of English majors. With regard to experience, it was found that English majors had more experience with podcasting and they were more eager to use podcasts for their education.