Evaluation of methods of volume production of vodcasts of presentations

This paper describes traditional methods of production of videos of lecture presentations and argues that these are suitable only for a limited number of presentations due to the high cost of capture and post-production. The concept of making every presentation of every class available as a podcast is discussed, and methods of utilising low-cost technologies and applications to allow this to be achieved are compared. Experiences of pilot schemes utilising a variety of devices and commercial, freeware and self-written production methods will be presented, with comment on the usability of each approach at both capture and production stages

Investigating the potential for new media and new technologies in design and technology undergraduate education

Investigating Potential for New Media & New Technologies in Design & Technology Undergraduate Education This research explores potential for New Media and New Technology (NM & NT) in the Design School at Loughborough University. Using action research to investigate potential, this research develops a new way of managing inquiry based on Susman and Evered s five cycles of action research (Susman and Evered, 1978). In particular, it extends the double- helix metaphor (Dick, 2000) for action research. This new way of conducting action research looks at educational and IT- based aspects; in particular, developing strategies, guidelines and materials for implementing video podcasting (Vodcasting) and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) into Design School undergraduate modules. In looking at potential, the research involved 6 lecturer s interviews and thematic analysis. Findings suggest that limitations to the current uses of NM & NT related to lecturers lack of skills in NM & NT and scepticism about what the benefits might be. Some recognised potential for NM & NT to manage module administration. One lecturer wanted to stop students using dubious sources from the Internet for assessment on a Sustainable Design module. This led to using RSS to resolve this problem in a mobile learning scenario. In this research, 98 D and T students were surveyed to identify current uses of mobile technology. Results suggested that students would like module content streamed to their mobile device. Lecturers too could see benefits for NM & NT, if they stopped lecturers from having to repeat themselves to students. This led to using Vodcasting to resolve this problem in a mobile learning scenario. Video observational data was collected from 6 students using RSS to perform mobile learning tasks for a Sustainable Design module. The findings suggested that the technology at the time of study was not quite up to the task, although some NM & NT learning resources relating to Sustainable Design were found by students using RSS. Similarly, video observation data was collected from 4 students using Vodcasts to design electronic circuits. Findings showed more technological competence with this technology and students suggested future modules where this type of NM & NT would have further educational potential. Through exploring potential, this research develops new strategies, guidelines and materials for design and technology educators. This research reveals the educational benefits of Vodcasting and RSS in labs and workshops, and concludes that there is potential for NM & NT in D and T education

Towards an interactive mobile lecturing model a higher-level engagement for enhancing learning

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.The use of mobile devices has grown in recent years and has overtaken the proliferation of desktop computers with their dual affordances of small size and easy connectivity in diverse fields. The usage of these devices has not been widespread in higher education. Mobile technology is a new and promising area of research in higher education. The affordance of mobile technologies has prompted their adoption as a means of enhancing face-to-face (f2f) learning. In this thesis, mobile lecturing is presented as a means of achieving mobile learning. The availability of mobile devices has positively enabled the mobile lecturing process. F2f lectures are recorded and distributed as lecture vodcasts using mobile devices. The vodcasts are generated through Opencast Matterhorn and YouTube. Currently, there are few descriptive models of mobile lecturing that can be used to enhance learning in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This thesis has several contributions: first I propose a “MOBLEC” theoretical model of mobile lecturing; mobile lecturing represents a new paradigm in mobile learning which enhances students’ engagement with lecture vodcasts to foster deep learning. The second contribution of this thesis is a mobile lecturing tool, MOBILect. MOBILect is developed in HTML5 for cross-platform solution across most mobile devices. This tool enables students to use mobile devices to actively interact with lecture vodcasts and with peers using the vodcast. Finally, I use different case studies to evaluate the MOBLEC model to explore the effectiveness of mobile lecturing in enhancing learning in HEIs. The MOBLEC model is proposed to define mobile lecturing: it describes mobile lecturing as a process resulting from the convergence of mobile technologies, learning engagements and learning interactions. The case studies are evaluative, relying on a group of students to evaluate the MOBLEC by accessing MOBILect. Empirical data was acquired through triangulation method involving focus group discussions, open-ended questions and interviews. All the questions were based on the MOBLEC model. The result of the studies provided positive indicators as to the usefulness and effectiveness of mobile lecturing in engaging students to enhance and foster deep learning. Mobile lecturing, through augmenting and accessing lecture vodcasts on students’ mobile devices anywhere and at any time, with an affordance to comment and respond to comments, has potential for empowering students who might be struggling to understand f2f sessions and the aggregated comments become a valuable educational resource. The thesis also outlines areas for future research work

Grounded Technology Integration: Instructional Planning Using Curriculum-Based Activity Type Taxonomies

Technological pedagogical content knowledge (tpck or tpack) – the highly practical professional educational knowledge that enables and supports technology integration – is comprised of teachers’ concurrent and interdependent curriculum content, general pedagogy, and technological understanding. Teachers’ planning – which expresses teachers’ professional knowledge (including tpack) in pragmatic ways -- is situated, contextually sensitive, routinized, and activity-based. To assist with technology integration, therefore, we suggest using what is understood from research about teachers’ knowledge and instructional planning to form an approach to curriculum-based technology integration that is predicated upon teachers combining technologically supported learning activity types selected from content-keyed activity type taxonomies. In this article, we describe this approach to curriculum-based technology integration, illustrating it with overviews of and examples from six curriculum-based learning activity types taxonomies that have been developed to date. We invite our readers to vet and use these materials, which are available on the activity types Wiki (http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/)

IMPACT OF PODCASTING ON LEARNING OUTCOMES IN ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING STUDENTS

The dawn of the Information Age has provided rapid advances in technology that have improved lives and produced better tools for caring for each other. Nursing has begun to employ many of these new technologies and nurses are at the forefront of deciding how these innovations might best help patients. New technologies have made their way into schools of nursing and students are benefitting from improved learning experiences. Nursing faculty are leading the way in providing new learning opportunities to students through a multitude of technological advances. One of these advances is podcasting. Podcasting provides students the ability to listen, watch, download and manipulate content in ways that best serve their learning needs. The purpose of this program of study was to examine how technology impacts nursing practice and education. A state-of-the-science paper explored the use of wearable technology as well as provided guidance into how nurses can develop more of these devices. This data ignited a desire to learn about how technology, specifically podcasting, is used in nursing education through the experiences of faculty as well as students. Results from this analysis led to a quasi-experimental research study delving into the use of podcasting for Associate Degree Nursing students. While the results did not reveal a statistically significant improvement in outcomes, a close analysis of the data suggests that further research is warranted to determine if the use of podcasting as a learning supplement may benefit future generations of nursing students

Podcasts in higher education : students’ and lecturers’ perspectives

This paper reports the use of podcasts in blended-learning at the University of Minho, in Portugal. Six lecturers created their own podcasts with different purposes in order to support their undergraduate and graduate courses and their students’ (n=318) learning. The reported study belongs to a broader project about the impact of podcasts in blended-learning and it reports data from two semesters. Results give evidence of students’ acceptance regarding podcasts although they do not yet make use of the advantages of media and mobile technologies. The lecturers considered podcasts worthwhile for teaching and for students to learn, but they are time-consuming and there is no institutional recognition. In spite of this, they intend to continue using podcasts in their courses.Universidade do Minho. Centro de Investigação em Educação (CIEd)Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PTDC/CED/70751/200