THE MOBILE AUDIO-PODCAST CONSUMPTION AND LISTENING COMPREHENSION SKILLS IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between mobile audio-podcast utilization and listening comprehension among 30 pre-service English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers from a private university in East Jakarta. Data was collected through a 10-item Likert scale questionnaire assessing podcast utilization frequency and perceived benefits, complemented by participants' final test scores from their "Academic Listening and Speaking" course. While the quantitative analysis revealed a weak positive correlation (r=0.20), indicating no statistically significant relationship between mobile audio-podcast use and listening comprehension improvement, participants consistently perceived podcasts as helpful, interesting, and enjoyable for practicing their listening skills. These findings suggest that despite the lack of a strong direct statistical link to measured comprehension gains in this correlational design, mobile audio-podcasts hold significant motivational value and user-friendliness. They can effectively foster learner's autonomy and provide authentic English exposure, making them valuable supplementary tools for pre-service teacher education programs, though further experimental research is recommended to explore their specific impact on listening skill development.