Evaluating the use of lecture capture using a revealed preference approach

This article discusses the introduction of lecture capture technology on a large undergraduate module with diverse student cohorts. Literature has so far relied on surveying students to discover their use of the technology or attempted to quantify the impact of watching lecture recordings on assessment performance. Alternatively, the principal contribution of this article is an evaluation of the use of the recorded lectures using a revealed preference approach. Specifically we identify to what extent students watched lecture recordings, rather than simply claimed to watch them when asked to provide comments on the technology. Data indicates the number of distinct students who watched recordings, the frequency with which they watched recordings, the average length of viewings as well as the time of day when lectures were viewed. We monitored viewings over two academic years, identifying ‘spikes’ in the number of viewings in the days before tests, as well as regularities in the viewing patterns across the two years. We analyse the data to assess the extent to which students used the recordings, how and when they watched the recordings. We conclude that the students value lecture recordings, making more extensive use of the recordings than has been identified in the literature to date. Ultimately, lecture recordings are suggested to offer valuable support for students’ independent study

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS CURRICULA

The potential use of computers and electronic technology have created considerable interest among educators in agricultural economics. This paper provides an overview of the use of electronic technology within agricultural economics curricula; examines areas in which technological development offers promise and examines issues associated with adoption of the technology.Agricultural economics curricula, Computers, Multimedia, Technological adoption, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

The Physics of Bicycling

Faculty reflection on VCU Great Bike Race Book course. Course Description: The science of bicycling will be explored by measuring and observing key physical principles of the cyclist

Theoretical Summary Lecture for Higgs Hunting 2012

In this lecture, I review some of the perspectives on the Higgs boson discussed at the Higgs Hunting 2012 Worshop and discuss the short- and long-term aspects of Higgs physics.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, presented at Higgs Hunting 2012, LAL Orsay; figs 3 and 4 updated following version 2 of arXiv:1207.251

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