mobile-learning.blog-city.com
A theoretical basis for why lecturers should podcast
posted Friday, 3 June 2005
Context - this is rough, rough, rough, I very it as the first iterative steps to developing a coherent argument to support reserach within this area. It builds on some ideas I discussed in a previous blog - http://www.mobile-learning.blog-city.com/read/1291821.htm
I'd love comments etc.,
An underlying principle of education is to foster a deep learning approach by students. Deep learning is associated with the individual becoming "meaning orientated", where they learn the material because it interests them and they find it relevant to their life. This encourages them to be more critical of the material and the conclusions which have been drawn by their lecturer (based on http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Learning024.htm). The principle of learning being driven by interest and relevance is strongly associated with motivation, in particular, intrinsic motivation.
There are two important caveats at this stage, (from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/deepsurf.htm);
"1. Deep learning is not an attribute of the individual, but an approach that an individual may adopt, alongside other levels of learning, for instance, surface learning.
2. Research suggests that deep learning is correlated fairly closely with intrinsic motivation, however, they are not the same thing."
The following discussion links the use of podcasting with fostering a deeper learning approach in students.
The literature suggests there are four dimensions of motivation (see http://comp.uark.edu/~brooks/motivational.html);
1. Interest
2. Relevance
3. Expectancy
4. Satisfaction
"Interest refers to whether the learner's curiosity is aroused and whether that arousal is sustained over time. Relevance is the perception of the learner as to whether the instruction satisfies personal needs or goals. Expectancy refers to the learner's perceived likelihood of success and how much in control of that success the learner is. Finally, satisfaction refers to intrinsic motivations and reactions to extrinsic rewards.” http://comp.uark.edu/~brooks/motivational.html
These all have principles associated with them. For instance, studies suggest that people tend to be more interested if there are;
"1) things they already know something about or believe in, although the unexpected and unfamiliar can be intriguing within reason,
2) real people and events involving humanity as opposed to abstract or hypothetical events,
3) anecdotes and other devices in which a personal, emotional element is injected into an otherwise purely intellectual or procedural material.- http://comp.uark.edu/~brooks/motivational.html
The use of podcasting offers the opportunity for the lecture to stimulate sustainable interest in the subject matter by the student with the emphasis being placed on shifting to a more learner centred model though the engaged student influencing the direction of the discussion, as well as creating content.
The following scenarios illustrate the concept.
Scenario 1: A lecturer podcasts fortnightly journal
An appropriate structure for the fortnightly journal would be that the lecturer creates a broadcast that focuses on relating current news and events to the topic being currently taught in the course. As well as relating to those topics previously covered. To shift the emphasis from a teacher centred to learner centred a dialogue is created whereby students can submit questions on any topic they like and these are discussed in the following podcast. The approach could simply be to use a discussion board. A feedback loop would also be provided for the student interms of them being able to add their own content of the discussion.
The successful implementation will make the experience more engaging for the student. It is obviously a more interesting discussion as it is structured around current and real topics with anecdotal / emotional contribution by the lecturer.
Interestingly, the use of the student contributing questions and the appropriateness and efficiency of the formative feedback via the podcast maps to the relevance dimension.
The sustainability in terms of fostering deeper learning within the student is linked to the perceived success of the strategy by the student. Over time, as they become more engaged then their intrinsic motivation will develop.
The next scenario illustrates a different context where the appropriate use of a podcast.
Scenario 2: Students podcast their responses / thoughts to seminar questions
Many seminars / tutorial adopt a similar pattern of going through problems. An appropriate model would be that the students work collaboratively in small groups to solve sets of seminar questions or reflect on the processes involved in solving the problem. The record of their outcomes is in the form of a group podcast. These are then available to all the students in the seminar group, and used as the starting point for a group discussion. The process should also encourage students to add or adapt seminar questions, through a process of negotiation within the seminar group.
I'd love comments etc.,
An underlying principle of education is to foster a deep learning approach by students. Deep learning is associated with the individual becoming "meaning orientated", where they learn the material because it interests them and they find it relevant to their life. This encourages them to be more critical of the material and the conclusions which have been drawn by their lecturer (based on http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Learning024.htm). The principle of learning being driven by interest and relevance is strongly associated with motivation, in particular, intrinsic motivation.
There are two important caveats at this stage, (from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/deepsurf.htm);
"1. Deep learning is not an attribute of the individual, but an approach that an individual may adopt, alongside other levels of learning, for instance, surface learning.
2. Research suggests that deep learning is correlated fairly closely with intrinsic motivation, however, they are not the same thing."
The following discussion links the use of podcasting with fostering a deeper learning approach in students.
The literature suggests there are four dimensions of motivation (see http://comp.uark.edu/~brooks/motivational.html);
1. Interest
2. Relevance
3. Expectancy
4. Satisfaction
"Interest refers to whether the learner's curiosity is aroused and whether that arousal is sustained over time. Relevance is the perception of the learner as to whether the instruction satisfies personal needs or goals. Expectancy refers to the learner's perceived likelihood of success and how much in control of that success the learner is. Finally, satisfaction refers to intrinsic motivations and reactions to extrinsic rewards.” http://comp.uark.edu/~brooks/motivational.html
These all have principles associated with them. For instance, studies suggest that people tend to be more interested if there are;
"1) things they already know something about or believe in, although the unexpected and unfamiliar can be intriguing within reason,
2) real people and events involving humanity as opposed to abstract or hypothetical events,
3) anecdotes and other devices in which a personal, emotional element is injected into an otherwise purely intellectual or procedural material.- http://comp.uark.edu/~brooks/motivational.html
The use of podcasting offers the opportunity for the lecture to stimulate sustainable interest in the subject matter by the student with the emphasis being placed on shifting to a more learner centred model though the engaged student influencing the direction of the discussion, as well as creating content.
The following scenarios illustrate the concept.
Scenario 1: A lecturer podcasts fortnightly journal
An appropriate structure for the fortnightly journal would be that the lecturer creates a broadcast that focuses on relating current news and events to the topic being currently taught in the course. As well as relating to those topics previously covered. To shift the emphasis from a teacher centred to learner centred a dialogue is created whereby students can submit questions on any topic they like and these are discussed in the following podcast. The approach could simply be to use a discussion board. A feedback loop would also be provided for the student interms of them being able to add their own content of the discussion.
The successful implementation will make the experience more engaging for the student. It is obviously a more interesting discussion as it is structured around current and real topics with anecdotal / emotional contribution by the lecturer.
Interestingly, the use of the student contributing questions and the appropriateness and efficiency of the formative feedback via the podcast maps to the relevance dimension.
The sustainability in terms of fostering deeper learning within the student is linked to the perceived success of the strategy by the student. Over time, as they become more engaged then their intrinsic motivation will develop.
The next scenario illustrates a different context where the appropriate use of a podcast.
Scenario 2: Students podcast their responses / thoughts to seminar questions
Many seminars / tutorial adopt a similar pattern of going through problems. An appropriate model would be that the students work collaboratively in small groups to solve sets of seminar questions or reflect on the processes involved in solving the problem. The record of their outcomes is in the form of a group podcast. These are then available to all the students in the seminar group, and used as the starting point for a group discussion. The process should also encourage students to add or adapt seminar questions, through a process of negotiation within the seminar group.
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