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

• 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

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

3. Methods

• produced a series of short (6 x 15-20 minute; three per ecosystem) video podcasts

Deserts Rain forests

• 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

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

Perceived value as learning & teaching resource

89% rated 4 or 5

Overall utility of podcasts as a L&T resource

‘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’

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’

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

7. Model of good practice

• 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