STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE USE OF PODCAST TO IMPROVE LISTENING SKILLS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

Listening skills play the most significant role in helping language learners acquire the aspect that will help them to understand information. This research investigates the perceptions of students on the use of podcasts as a tool to improve listening skills. Using the mixed method, this study identifies and analyzes the perceptions of the final-year students of the English Language and Education Department of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang in the use of podcasts to improve their listening skills. The findings of the study indicate positive and negative indicators of the student’s perceptions in the process of using podcasts among the students and point out the beneficial aspects of the podcasts as fun learning media, helpful, providing updated information, helping to obtain new vocabulary, and motivating and challenging. As well as the positive perceptions, students also showed some negative indicators of perceptions such as the unattractive topic that led to demotivation, not being beginner-friendly, and the contents of the topic that are often unsuitable for learning settings. The result of the study can be concluded that besides the challenges, podcasts appear as alternative media that is interesting and effective in improving students’ listening skills that are relevant in the modern era.