Screencasts in Media Studies Dr Paul Reilly Department of Media and Communication 18 April 2015

Internationalisation and Department of Media and Communication: Predominantly South-East Asian postgraduate cohort (approx. 90% of intake from 2011-12- present) Students report difficulties keeping up with lectures in real-time and completing written assignments (especially in Semester 1) ELTU support students who often struggle with English language skills Could Department use digital media to provide resources for these students?

Screencasts in Media Studies: Research Questions RQ1: To what extent did international students believe that the provision of screencasts had enhanced their learning experiences? RQ2: What impact, if any, did the use of screencasts have upon the teaching practice of lecturers? RQ3: How did lecturers and students believe that screencasts could be used more effectively to support the teaching of media and communication studies?

Example of Screenr Homepage:

Research Design: Four academics from Department trained on how to create screencasts in bespoke workshop in February 2013 Screencasts created for six modules (3 PGT & 3 UG) in Semester 2 (2012-13) and Semester 1 (2013-14) Five focus groups held between July 2013 and June 2014 – two postgraduate, two undergraduate and one lecturer.

Words most frequently used by postgraduate focus group participants

PGT students prefer supplemental screencasts to watching recorded lectures Participants reported that screencasts had enhanced their learning experiences through the ability to stop, pause, and replay content from their classes. None expressed a preference for full lecture capture to - optimum length of a screencast should be 10- 20 minutes They felt that their English language proficiency, and in particular their listening skills, had been enhanced through the repeated viewing of such content. Suggest adding subtitles to screencasts to allow students to see exactly what lecturers are saying in narration

Words most frequently used by undergraduate focus group participants

UG students use screencasts strategically for revision purposes and for their assignments Both instructional and supplemental screencasts appeared to have enhanced the learning experiences of these participants. Some support for use of screencasts to facilitate lecture flipping but concerns that full lecture capture might increase truancy Some evidence to suggest screencasts were being used to facilitate strategic/surface learning

Words most frequently used by participants during lecturer focus group

Screencasts enhanced the learning and teaching experiences of lecturers too Creating screencasts ‘less daunting than expected’ Lecturers believe that recording screencasts had a positive impact on their pedagogy e.g. focus on their delivery Empowerment of screencasts contrasted with top- down imposition of lecture capture Receive positive feedback from international students – support more widespread use in HE

For more on the project, see: www.screencastsinmediastudies.wordpress.com :