By Charlotte Ellis (Learning Technology Media Adviser)
Using digital media within modules can provide students with a more personalised learning experience, especially if they are empowered to recap and reflect at their own pace and in their own space. Digital media can also be an inclusive experience for all students, expanding learning opportunities and maximising the potential of institutional learning environments. With this video is the preferred method of learning for many students and is an inclusive experience which supports multiple learning styles.
Creating content to use within your teaching is a great way to enhance your students’ experience. Video case studies enable students to assess and critique ‘real world’ issues in a safe environment, where there is room for error, whilst offering the opportunity to give an insight into how professionals would operate in the workplace. The key benefit of this type of video is that it gives students the chance to experience greater interactive participation, allowing students scope for discussions and debate around the issues raised in the videos.
Taking some time to create a video case study for your students can be extremely rewarding and can help provide a more authentic learning environment to bring to life the learning materials. Some academics have stated:
“The videos allowed me to bring the case studies and the assessments to life”
“is a more active way of learning and meets the needs of both visual and more reflective learners.”
“opened my eyes and mind to think about other ideas of how we can use digital platforms to enhance the student experience”
Academic staff who have already created video case studies for their students found that with the move to blended learning this year meant that these resources became invaluable. Some were even able to ‘re-badge’ the resources and use them with other year groups for teaching and even assessment. Therefore, the repurposing of materials means it has been able to benefit more students than originally intended and prove that these types of resources are useful for all and have a longevity within them. Some advice academic staff have offered others thinking about creating their own video case studies:
“create high quality videos which are designed to be reusable and sustainable in the future.”
“Building in time for students to reflect on the videos in a quiet environment”
Students also apricate these learning materials as it provides them with a link to practical situations that might not be possible until they have graduated. These videos also allow students to be able to apply their academic knowledge and understanding to their practical job.
“The videos gave us a flavour of the applied world working with real life situations”
“Liked hearing first-hand from the athletes/coaches from the applied world”
“finding the videos useful to think about a range of issues – is easier then reading a case study”
“I think they’re fab. Maybe more integration of these within all years of study and also maybe more for different aspects of the mental health sector would be good for example for sections and the de-escalation of behaviours which challenge”
“I thought they were useful tool for learning”
“Do more videos about scenarios”
Guidance on creating your own videos is available on our dedicated Create site. If you would like further support to create media resources for your course, please contact our Learning Technology Media Advisers (Charlotte Ellis – c.ellis@derby.ac.uk, Matt Gilooly – m.gilooly@derby.ac.uk) who can offer guidance or provide opportunities for you to co-create content with one of our student Digital Media Producers.