1. Tales from the Cardioverse: A study exploring the experience of learning with online Entertainment-Education
Ros Brownlow

2. Aims
To consider
how we encourage students to actively participate in online learning
how we can support students to collaborate online
Illustrated by
Example of an approach used in practice
Presentation of some key findings from primary research data

3. Context of Module & Study
Module developed using entertainment-education pedagogy
Module is an online distance learning undergraduate module in coronary heart disease prevention
The study explores the experiences of nurses learning about heart disease prevention through online entertainment-education

4. Rationale & theoretical position
Entertainment-education
Purposeful
Story based
Stereotypes
Melodrama
Learning contextualized & vicarious
Key authors: Sabido, Singhal & Rogers
Aim
To entertain & engage
To educate
To promote change at individual & social level

5. Module using entertainment-education pedagogy
What did we do? The module
Each character has a series of episodes over a 3 week period
Course activities & interactions based on character stories.

6. The study: Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
How people understand their experience
Seeks to examine idiographic as well as common aspects of experience
How did we explore it?

7. Data Collection & Analysis Tools
Semi-structured Interviews
Face-to-face & telephone
Topic guide
Interview Plus Technique
Learning artefacts
Generic
Individual
Analytic approach
Smith & Osborn (2003) 7 step process for IPA

8. The Experience of Learning online with Entertainment-education (Brownlow 2013)
The Noema of Learning through Entertainment- Education
Parasocial Learning
Interactive Social Learning
Monophonic Learning
The Noesis of Online Learning
Virtual Mask
Virtual Vulnerability

9. Parasocial Learning (Brownlow 2013)
Authentic character
Identification
Internalization
Parasocial Relationship
Emotional Challenge
Empathy
Aversion
Reflection on Practice
Individual
Change
Social

10. Meet Deidre: a parasocial stimulus
Me?  Oh, I feel fine.  Well, same as always, same as usual, really.  I can’t feel I should feel any different.  I mean, what should I expect?  I’m 62, I’m getting on.  I can’t expect things to be like they were 20 years ago.  I’m certainly not fit anymore, certainly not since my heart gave way, anyway.  Oh, they say I’m fine but, oh, I dunno, I just feel really, really different, I’m so tired all the time.  Everything’s such an effort – the housework, the shopping, everything.  But then, it doesn’t matter, does it, because no-one comes round anymore, not even my children...

11. Interactive Social Learning (Brownlow 2013)
Social Relationships
Actions to meet social needs
Foundation for learning relationships
Emotional support for learning
Reduced isolation
Increased motivation to study
Information through interaction
Accessing experience of others
Sharing ideas
Seeking feedback
Blend between real & virtual practice
Stimulus:
Parasocial relationships
Outcome: Learning co-operatively

12. Monophonic Learning (Brownlow 2013)
Unilateral approach
Don’t interact with others
Don’t use course discussion tools
Don’t make real-world/virtual-world links
Limited parasocial interaction 
Tasks
Tests
Physiology
Circumstances 
Social interaction
Discussion
Patient centred
Preferences

13. The Noesis of the Online Learning Environment
These themes provide insight into how the online environment is experienced by students and help to interpret how the online environment impacts on student behaviour.
Two key themes emerged that relate to the way students experience the online environment
Virtual Mask
Virtual Vulnerability

14. Virtual Mask (Brownlow 2013)
Anonymity of online environment
Protection
Liberation
Facilitates interactive social learning
Engage readily
Not exposed to judgement of others
Own adverse reactions hidden

15. Virtual Vulnerability (Brownlow 2013)
Virtual Vulnerability occurs when a student feels exposed or inhibited in the online environment.
Caused by 3 key factors
lack of anonymity in the online environment
the absence of non-verbal reassurance in the online environment
the sense of permanence associated with posting written comments in comparison to making verbal ones.

16. Conclusions: Entertainment-Education
Entertainment-education can be used to
engage students & promote active participation through emotional prompts
facilitate parasocial learning & expressions of change at individual & social level
Stimulate interactive social learning & student co-operation

17. Conclusions: Online environment
Virtual mask – the anonymity of the OLLE promotes interactive social learning by providing protection & liberation
Virtual vulnerability – students maybe reluctant to participate if this anonymity is lost.

18. Implications
Challenge to educators to provide authentic feeling (melo)drama to stimulate & engage students so parasocial learning can take place
Challenge to provide comfortable online social spaces for students so interactive social learning can occur
Challenge to blended learning of the Virtual Mask/Virtual vulnerability conundrum

19. ros.brownlow@york.ac.uk 01904 321398
Thank-you