Why Many Profs Don't Podcast Lectures

Elmer Masters asks, in a comment to my post below on Steve Bainbridge's business associations class, why more law professors are not podcasting (or vid-casting) lectures.

Here are some thoughts as to why. Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying podcasting is a bad idea. I'm simply exploring why many professors do not do it.

First, the benefits may not be obvious. After all, most students do attend the lectures, few students likely have the time or inclination to replay them online.

Second, will podcasting just encourage absenteeism? There may be little reason to attend lecture if one can simply get it off the web while still wearing pajamas (and surfing on a laptop in bed wirelessly).

Third, posting a lecture may hamper class discussion. Perhaps a controversial discussion about sexual crimes, or abortion, or limits on free speech, or limits on freedom of contract might become somewhat stilted if a student realizes that his or her statements are being recorded for posterity. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton may be grateful that we don't have audiotapes of all their in class comments while they attended law school. Most likely that such a recording would demonstrate yet again their formidable talents, but yet, public scrutiny of law school classroom dialog seems unwarranted.

Fourth, professors may worry that their teaching style or content may be second guessed by others.

These are just some preliminary thoughts. Are there other reasons? Are any of these reasons compelling? Are any of these concerns obviously misplaced? For my own part, I think arguments #2 and 3 are serious.

Anupam Chander