Within the past five years podcasting as a vehicle for information delivery has become a topic of considerable research both in and out of all fields of education. As technologies like podcasting take hold, the ramifications of its potential on the field of instructional design needs examination and testing, and therefore this study examined the impact of podcasting on the retention of cognitive based knowledge. Within a mixed methods design, this research study examined the results of a podcast-based lesson in an introductory course in communications media. A group of 84 participants were randomly split into two groups and presented content via one of two delivery modes: podcast or traditional lecture format. After the initial content was given, a quiz was administered to test for degrees of knowledge retention. Data analysis included results from t tests as well as triangulation from qualitative data. Research findings indicated that there was no statistically significant difference (p<.05) in knowledge retention for either the podcasting or lecture groups. Post-quiz, a survey was administered to further gauge the methods which the students' employed to prepare for the quiz. The podcast groups indicated that the podcast was the most used resource in both sets of data. Twenty-eight out of 35 (80%) responded that they used the podcast in Lesson 1and 22 out of 34 (65%) responded that they used the podcast in Lesson 2. A subsequent mid-term exam, which included specific items from the podcast/lecture segment, was coded to gain further insight into specifics of knowledge retention. The results comparing the student's knowledge retention with lessons derived from delivery mode, podcasting or lecture showed that there was no significant difference in knowledge retention. The post-quiz qualitative survey data provided specific insight and reflections which indicate that students find satisfaction in the ability to review utilizing podcast technology. Therefore, it is concluded that podcasting is a viable instructional design tool due to its implied motivational impact on student's willingness to study content presented in a variety of formats. The findings indicate that podcasting is a useful tool in course design and assists in the instructional design process.