Student-Generated Podcasting for Enhancing EFL Student-Teachers' Oral Performance and Lowering their Oral Communication Apprehension

Abstract
The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of student-generated podcasts on EFL student teachers' oral performance and oral communication apprehension. The group of the study included 25 EFL student teachers at the Faculty of Education, Fayoum University. Throughout the training program, participants were given the chance to produce their own podcasts, edit and publish them on a podcast hosting website. The application used for recording, editing and publishing students' podcasts was anchor; because it is the easiest and most famous podcasting app. Also, it is easy to publish podcasts directly from this app. The training program lasted for ten weeks, during this period the treatment group was given practice in how to produce and publish a podcast, and they created and published their self-generated podcasts.  Data was collected through an oral performance test and an oral communication apprehension scale. The results of the study showed that the treatment group witnessed a clear development in their oral performance and a lowered level of oral communication apprehension after participating in the podcasting project. This emphasizes the effectiveness of the student-generated podcasting project in enhancing the study group's oral performance and lowering their oral communication apprehension level. Based on the study results, some recommendations and suggestions for further research were introduced.