1. Podcasts, Vodcasts, Blogs and Feeds: Podcasts, Vodcasts, Blogs and Feeds: Making best use of the modern technological menagerie Roger McDermott School of Computing The Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, UK rm@comp.rgu.ac.uk Gordon Eccleston School of Computing The Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, UK ge@comp.rgu.ac.uk

2. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 2 Plan of Workshop  14.10 – 14.15: Welcome and Introduction  14.15 – 14.35: Description of RGU Computing Experience  Blogs  Podcasts/Vodcasts  14.35 – 14.55:Small Group Discussion  14.55 – 15.10:Plenary Discussion and Conclusion

3. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 3  Students were required to keep a personal blog detailing their learning journey throughout the year.  Formed part of an e-portfolio of work which would accompany the student throughout their course of study,  Formed the basis of further metacognitive activities in later years,  Tried to encourage a conversational approach to reflection on different types of narrative.  The project sought to develop framework for critical analysis and reflection  Activities also formed basis of the School’s PDP strategy aimed at enhancing employability. Personal Reflective Blog

4. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 4 The Theory…  Students can articulate a personal learning narrative that is provisional but still locally coherent.  Promote interaction with feedback and commentary from colleagues and tutors.  Integrate personal reflective activity with social character of blogging  Can be used to enhance both autonomous and collaborative aspects of learning. Why Use Reflective Learning Blogs?

5. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 5  Choices to be made:  Internal vs External Hosting  Minimal vs Full-Blown implementation  Staff-led vs Student-led  Compulsory vs Voluntary  Assessed vs Non-assessed  Formal vs Informal Learning Implementation

6. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 6 The Student Blogging Environment

7. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 7 The Student Blogging Environment

8. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 8 The Student Blogging Environment

9. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 9  Blogs posts are often spontaneous and informal. This can work in opposition to the production of material which is useful for recording achievement.  At the same time, the imposition of too rigid a pedagogical structure can stifle those factors which promote the formation of social learning networks. Some Issues

10. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 10 John Gray Award 2007-08  Video Podcasting  a means of engaging the students and providing remediation  The goal of this project was to enhance the Student Learning Experience through the use of video podcasts, via the Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle)

11. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 11 Target Audience  The project was directed at the Foundation Year students in the School of Computing  2 main types of video podcasts were envisaged  Student led  Staff production

12. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 12 Student vodcast  The intention was the students would:  give weekly feedback on their learning experience  showcase their achievements.  It was envisaged that this would help develop their team skills and give them a chance to reflect on their learning experience.

13. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 13 Lecturer vodcast  The aim of the lecturer production was to provide remediation and further enhancements of course material based on the issues raised by the students  It mainly consisted of showing how to use the features of the software (Netbeans, BlueJ and Visual Basic.Net)

14. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 14 Vodcasting equipment  Hardware  Video camera  Tripod

15. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 15 Vodcasting equipment 2  usb microphone  Laptop

16. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 16 Vodcasting equipment 3  Ipod touch and archos 605 (mp4 players)

17. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 17 Vodcasting equipment 4  Software  Apple Mac iMovie 08  Apple iWork 08 (Keynote)  Apple GaragebandGarageband  Final Cut Studio Express 3.5 (not really used)

18. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 18 Why Vodcasting  “the use of ICT outside the classroom by students and the impact of these activities on their learning  the capacity of iPods, that synchronise audiovisuals with an integrated learning content management system, to enhance student engagement  using iPods and vodcasting within an integrated learning content management system to embed innovative teaching practice.”  Source: iPods and Vodcasting for Learning at Heathmont College by Cecilie Murray

19. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 19 How to create a vodcast  Method 1  Use Garageband to insert pictures/powerpoints and add a voice over  then convert to the appropriate format  Method 2  Take a video  Edit it  Then convert to the appropriate format

20. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 20 Vodcast links  University of Missouri  Paper on podcasting Paper on podcasting  Health and Medicine Health and Medicine  New approach to teaching Chemistry New approach to teaching Chemistry

21. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 21 Vodcast links 2  Apple and Netter’s Anatomy Flashcards Apple and Netter’s Anatomy Flashcards  National Institute of Health Vodcasts National Institute of Health Vodcasts  University of Ulster - conference topics University of Ulster - conference topics  Ipod to help students study Ipod to help students study  Medical students to get ipods Medical students to get ipods

22. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 22 The next steps?  iTunes U  Dedicated vodcast server (already being put in place for the School of Computing)  Cross-faculty projects  Supplying all students with their own ipod/mp4 player with preloaded videos/ebooks/audio

23. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 23 Lessons learnt  Taking videos is much easier if you have a camera person  Editing videos takes some time and a lot of practice at using the software  Converting existing Powerpoints (using Keynote) and adding sound in Garageband is a quick and easy way to create a “movie”

24. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 24 Lessons learnt 2  Students tend to use their mp3/4 players for their own personal use  Most of the students just viewed the “videos” on their pc  There are different formats for the various mp3/4 players (screen resolution, file format)  New generation phones may become the new format

25. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 25 Finally  There are some other pieces of software that can make the process a lot easier  e.g. screen capture software and a script reader  A dedicated computer for video use would also be beneficial

26. Enhancement Themes Conference 2009 26 Questions for Discussion  Do you think the use of Social Software/Web2.0 technologies in a Higher Educational setting is worthwhile or is it a case of just jumping on another bandwagon?  Can you think of a teaching scenario in which one of these new technologies could be used?  What would be the benefits (to whom) and what would be the disadvantages?  What changes to the curriculum, if any, would be required to make the implementation successful?  What other factors would need to be in place?  Have you any experiences/expertise in this area that you would like to share with colleagues?