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From Researched to Researcher: Empowering Students to become Co-Producers of
Networked Knowledge
Dr Jennifer HillUniversity of the West of England, Bristol
University Learning and Teaching FellowNational Teaching Fellow
UWE Internal Knowledge Exchange for Work-based Learning
Launch Event, 9 September 2011
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• a University L&T Fellowship and an HEA small grant funded a project aimed at investigating:
1) undergraduate student perceptions of the learning utility of video podcasts, with particular reference to their understanding of exotic ecosystems (Level 5 optional module)
2) empowering undergraduate students to become active agents in the research process, progressing them from their usual position in pedagogic research as objects of study
1. Research background
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2. Objectives
1) Examine student engagement with podcast technology
2) Assess perceived and actual value of podcasts as a learning, revision and assessment resource
3) Develop a generic model of good practice for deploying podcast technology
4) Empower students to become active participants in and disseminators of research, informing a knowledge network linked to innovative use of technology in student learning
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3. Methods
• produced a series of short (6 x 15-20 minute; three per ecosystem) video podcasts
Deserts Rain forests
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• podcasts made accessible via university VLE: on-line or to download to mobile technology
• assessed 2008/09 and 2009/10
......... led to ..........
• a small group of students from the project becoming co-producers and co-disseminators of knowledge
• informed an international geography knowledge network; the Royal Geographical Society at their Annual International Conference in 2010
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Student engagement with podcasts
• students watched the podcasts numerous times, largely within a week of lectures and/or during revision
• engagement largely at home, split almost equally between accessing VLE remotely and laptop/i-pod download:
- convenient + flexible- could self-pace, make notes, concentrate
‘I chose to watch it on my laptop at home … so that I could start and stop when I needed to. I could also make a good series of notes from
them’
‘i-pod is a good, convenient way to watch them. Useful on train journeys’
4. Results
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Perceived value as learning & teaching resource
89% rated 4 or 5
Overall utility of podcasts as a L&T resource
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‘It was good being able to refer to the information unlimited times whenever I wanted’
‘Not all the locations will be accessible, so good to see them via podcasts. Puts information into
context’
‘They are visual and so you can associate some subjects with a picture’
‘Visually being able to look at plants and species helped me to link together all my learning’
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How can the use of podcasts be improved?
• students noted integrating flexible technology into scheduled sessions to allow interaction and feedback
‘Could be used as part of … a seminar with group discussion’
‘Have questions on them ... so its more interactive ... maybe have feedback in seminars’
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• insignificant differences in performance (p=0.05)
• similar strengths and weaknesses before and after podcast adoption
• might be linked to dominant learning style of students:
- 69% assimilators and convergers- 31% divergers and accommodators
Actual student learning: assessment results
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• student involvement in the research process, co-producing knowledge with staff, is an innovative practice both within the University and across the wider HE community
• the project directly supported the University vision of creating a ‘learning community, actively engaged with global society and based on values of … critical engagement and self-awareness’
• the RGS conference allowed students to jointly synthesize, interpret/evaluate and present information, practising higher order skills of deep learning
5. Student empowerment via research
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• students attended the entire conference, engaging with a broad spectrum of academics and crossing the threshold into an academic community of practice at an early stage in their careers:
‘Coming here makes you feel part of a wider community. I definitely feel more confident now. It’s been an inspiring
experience’ (Vicky Blackler, Graduate 2010)
• students currently writing a paper with me for publication in the GEES Subject Centre journal Planet
• this will communicate their experiences to a national audience and reinforce their position as geography researchers
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6. Discussion
• students engaged with podcasts creating flexible spaces / times of learning
• a diversity of students were empowered to elect when, where and how to use the technology, based on individual learning styles
• engagement with the technology blurred social and academic territories
• but, need to progress students from superficial acquisition of facts to deeper understanding and application
• encourage diverging and accommodating learning styles
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7. Model of good practice
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• the model for podcast integration highlights the broader utility of developing skills of flexible independent enquiry and critical reflection (the latter alone and in groups)
• the allied development of students as researchers highlights the utility of networking and presentation skills (increasing confidence)
• all are important skills for undergraduates to cope with the world of work or are transferable to the post-qualified/post-graduate communities who will be undertaking work-based learning modules in the future
8. Developing skills for the workplace