Academic staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning in the UK HEIs

This paper reports on a study on staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that took place in November 2011. Data for this study were gathered via an online survey emailed to the Heads of e-Learning Forum (HeLF) which is a network comprised of one senior member of staff per UK institution leading the enhancement of learning and teaching through the use of technology. Prior to the survey, desk-based research on some universities’ publicly available websites gathered similar information about staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning. The online survey received 27 responses, approaching a quarter of all UK HEIs subscribed to the Heads of e-Learning forum list (118 is the total number). Both pre-1992 (16 in number) and post-1992 Universities (11 in number) were represented in the survey and findings indicate the way this sample UK HEIs are approaching staff development in the area of TEL. The survey’s main research question was ‘what provision do UK HEIs make for academic staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning’. Twelve questions, both closed and open-ended, were devised in order to gather enough information about how staff development needs in the area of technology enhanced learning are addressed by different UK institutions. Following the justification of the adopted research methodology, the findings from the online survey are analyzed and discussed and conclusions are drawn

Building cognitive bridges in mathematics: Exploring the role of screencasting in scaffolding flexible learning and engagement

Conceptual learning in mathematics can be made more accessible with mathscasts, which are dynamic, digitally recorded playbacks of worked examples and mathematical problem-solving on a computer screen, accompanied by audio narration. Mathscasts aim to enable students to develop deeper understanding of key foundational concepts in order to equip them to undertake degrees in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Previous research has indicated the success of maths screencasts to provide explanations of complex concepts and reinforcement of concepts previously learnt. The project presented here extends current research by demonstrating the value of visual, interactive screencasts for learning of mathematics, and investigates students’ perceptions. A survey of student use of screencasts identifies learners’ usage patterns, the significance of offering mathematics support via mathscasts in flexible mode, and students’ integration of mathscasts into their study strategies. The results show positive implications for the integration of multimodal learning resources in STEM environments

Using Students’ Screencasts as Alternative to Written Submissions

In this paper, we report our experiences on using student produced screencasts as a medium for students to explain and provide overview of their solution to advanced design and programming exercises. In our context, the screencasts have replaced written reports as submissions, and we report both on students' perception on work effort and effectiveness of screencasts as well as teaching assistants' experiences in assessing and marking the screencasts. Our main conclusions are that screencasted submissions is an important tool in the teacher's toolbox for some categories of learning tasks, but there are a number of best practices to follow to gain the full benefits of the approach

Pause, Point, Rewind: The Use of Screen Capture Software for Media Analysis

Screen capture software enables people to create simple informal commentaries about any media texts that can be displayed on a computer screen. One 13-year-old student enrolled in a media literacy enrichment program was observed and documented completing ten spontaneous analyses of commercials using screen capture software. A detailed analysis of both the student's voiceovers and interactive visual engagement with the commercials, including pausing and rewinding video and pointing out details with the mouse pointer, revealed a modest strengthening of critical thinking skills over time. These findings suggest that screen capture analysis exercises completed regularly with a set of open-ended critical questions may have value to educators as a diagnostic, analytical and assessment tool for students at many developmental levels.Screen capture software enables people to create simple informal commentaries about any media texts that can be displayed on a computer screen. One 13-year-old student enrolled in a media literacy enrichment program was observed and documented completing ten spontaneous analyses of commercials using screen capture software. A detailed analysis of both the student's voiceovers and interactive visual engagement with the commercials, including pausing and rewinding video and pointing out details with the mouse pointer, revealed a modest strengthening of critical thinking skills over time. These findings suggest that screen capture analysis exercises completed regularly with a set of open-ended critical questions may have value to educators as a diagnostic, analytical and assessment tool for students at many developmental levels

Screencast as a technology enhanced teaching tool at an open distance learning university in South Africa

The incorporation of information and communications technology into every sphere of life can neither be denied nor remain unnoticed. Be it for education, government, corporate or social purposes, information and communications technology usage has become a norm in the twenty-first century. In academia, which is the focus of this study, the University of South Africa offers screencasts as a technology-enhanced teaching tool in the College of Accounting Sciences. These screencasts form part of an e-learning initiative to improve the success rate among their students in the Certificate in the Theory of Accounting programme. This phenomenological, qualitative research study employs a case study as a research design tool, employing the community of inquiry framework. Ten lecturer-participants were interviewed in this study. The aim was to determine how screencasts can be used as a technology-enhanced teaching tool at an open distance-learning university in South Africa. Accordingly, this study used semi-structured interviews and document analysis to collect the data. The research data were studied, analysed, explored and validated. The study’s findings proved the validity and the practicability of this research. The findings indicate that screencasting at the university is in its beginning phase and that lecturers make use of the learning management system (myUnisa) to upload screencasts. Although making the screencasts is time consuming, lecturers report on the positive feedback received from students concerning the screencasts, but there is no way to track how many students use them. It is important to note that the lecturers experience challenges, as the MyUnisa system is often ineffective. Furthermore, some lecturers are techno-phobes, resulting in those that are technologically informed being overloaded. This study recommends the use of other effective software, screencast training, proper investment in information and communications technology infrastructure and affordable data access for students to stakeholders such as UNISA.Curriculum and Instructional StudiesM. Ed. (Curriculum Studies

Students’ perceptions towards instructor-developed screencasts as a stand-alone method of instruction on WhatsApp in an introductory statistics course during COVID-19

E-learning and access to internet facilities remain a problem for many students in South Africa. The purpose of this article is to assess students’ perceptions of the use of WhatsApp as an online learning technology together with instructor-developed screencasts as a stand-alone method of instruction in an introductory statistics course during the COVID-19 pandemic at a South African university. The responses to an open-ended questionnaire showed that students preferred WhatsApp over the university’s student learning platform. Although it is advocated to use screencasts to supplement traditional lectures, the findings of this research revealed that instructor-developed screencasts have the potential to be used as a stand-alone method of instruction for the teaching and learning of introductory statistics. Participants’ responses also revealed that, apart from the electronic connection they had on WhatsApp, they valued the emotional connection as well. The sharing, support, love, as well as cooperation among the lecturer and students emphasised the importance of ubuntu in educational settings. Furthermore, the results revealed that the attitude and support of a lecturer play a crucial role in providing an online atmosphere where students feel safe and comfortable, especially during the pandemic period

Randomized Controlled Study of a Remote Flipped Classroom Neuro-otology Curriculum

CONTEXT: Medical Education can be delivered in the traditional classroom or via novel technology including an online classroom. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that learning in an online classroom would result in similar outcomes as learning in the traditional classroom when using a flipped classroom pedagogy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. A total of 274 subjects enrolled in a Neuro-otology training program for non-Neuro-otologists of 25 h held over a 3-day period. Subjects were randomized into a control group attending a traditional classroom and a trial group of equal numbers participating in an online synchronous Internet streaming classroom using the Adobe Connect e-learning platform. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomized into a control group attending a traditional classroom and a treatment group of equal numbers participating in an online synchronous Internet streaming classroom. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pre- and post-multiple choice examinations of VOR, Movement, Head Turns, Head Tremor, Neurodegeneration, Inferior Olivary Complex, Collateral Projections, Eye Movement Training, Visual Saccades, Head Saccades, Visual Impairment, Walking Speed, Neuroprotection, Autophagy, Hyperkinetic Movement, Eye and Head Stability, Oscilllatory Head Movements, Gaze Stability, Leaky Neural Integrator, Cervical Dystonia, INC and Head Tilts, Visual Pursuits, Optokinetic Stimulation, and Vestibular Rehabilitation. METHODS: All candidates took a pretest examination of the subject material. The 2-9 h and 1-8 h sessions over three consecutive days were given live in the classroom and synchronously in the online classroom using the Adobe Connect e-learning platform. Subjects randomized to the online classroom attended the lectures in a location of their choice and viewed the sessions live on the Internet. A posttest examination was given to all candidates after completion of the course. Two sample unpaired t tests with equal variances were calculated for all pretests and posttests for all groups including gender differences. RESULTS: All 274 subjects demonstrated statistically significant learning by comparison of their pre- and posttest scores. There were no statistically significant differences in the test scores between the two groups of 137 subjects each (0.8%, 95% CI 85.45917-86.67952; P = 0.9195). A total of 101 males in the traditional classroom arm had statistically significant lower scores than 72 females (0.8%, 95% CI 84.65716-86.53096; P = 0.0377) but not in the online arm (0.8%, 95% CI 85.46172-87.23135; P = 0.2176) with a moderate effect size (Cohen\u27s d = -0.407). CONCLUSION: The use of a synchronous online classroom in neuro-otology clinical training has demonstrated similar outcomes to the traditional classroom. The online classroom is a low cost and effective complement to medical specialty training in Neuro-Otology. The significant difference in outcomes between males and females who attended the traditional classroom suggests that women may do better than males in this learning environment, although the effect size is moderate. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03079349

Can Post-Lecture CAD Screencasts Reduce Cognitive Load and Foster Self-directed Learning in First Year Interior Design?

This paper discusses a case study which explores the provision of post-lecture Computer Aided Design (CAD) screencasts, for supporting classroom teaching, for first year students on the BA Honours in Interior Design & Furniture at the Dublin Institute of Technology. When students choose to study interior design they have a perception that the course will be primarily creative and artistic in nature. Art and design students tend to lean towards divergent thinking tasks and have a propensity of not being aware of new learning challenges such as technical drawing, model making, construction studies and AutoCAD, which all require convergent thinking skills. The high workload in first year and the requirement for students to be self-directed in their learning, adds to their challenges. The screencast tutorials aimed to help students to overcome these challenges when learning AutoCAD and facilitate convergent thinking skills. Seventeen students took part in the applied research project, nine first years and eight second years completed a questionnaire, with four of the first years and two second years, from the cohorts, also participated in focus group interviews. The focus of the data collection was on the student learning experience in first year, design thinking styles, and multimedia learning – with specific attention given to the AutoCAD screencasts, aligned with Mayer‟s cognitive learning theory of multimedia learning. 1 Findings suggest that the screencast tutorials do help to reduce cognitive load and aid self-directed learning with these students, mainly because they can be used as a revision tool when required by students, ahead of module assignments. Findings showed that students do find technical tasks more challenging in first year, including AutoCAD. Managing workload and becoming a self-directed learner were also difficult for first year students. The two cohorts were compared and findings showed that second year students had developed a more convergent thinking style, with a realization of the need for designers to be both divergent and convergent thinkers in equal measures. While there are limitations to the findings, due to the small scale nature of the study, they recommend that the screencasts are a benefit to students as a revision aid, and to teachers as an alternative or complement to classroom teaching, at third level