A presentation from the STEM Annual Conference 2014.
The benefits of supplying students with lecture recordings either as an audio file or as a video file is debated within the literature. These discussions are however usually based on small group sizes and the teaching of non-STEM subjects. There is often also a failure to explore the students’ opinion given their status as a major stakeholder in this process.
A core final year module in an undergraduate Biomedical Science degree was given access to recorded lecture material relating to all lectures. Anonymous survey of all students together with individual interviews produced both quantitative and qualitative data which was used to determine the benefits / disadvantages of supplying this material.
Qualitative data highlights the non-homogeneous nature of the student body with a range of learning strategies being employed by them. Students reported differing levels of engagement with the recorded material and used it in widely differing ways. It was also noted by students that their initial opinion on the benefits of this material and how best to integrate it within their study was subsequently tempered by experience resulting in altered strategies.
Particularly noteworthy were those reporting that this material had a negative impact on their learning and understanding of the material. In many cases these students also reported that in hindsight they should not have used this material or engaged with it in a different manner.
The results of this work will be used to improve the process and to advise students on possible ways to gain from this material.
