Article # 2
Integrating Video Content into Humanities Teaching : a case study
Title :
Integrating Video Content into Humanities Teaching : a case study
Authors :
Jordan Kistler School of Humanities , Keele University
Jonathon Shears School of Humanities , Keele University
DOI :
Introduction
Screencasts and other video content offer an innovative means of improving communication between tutors and students and addressing student concerns about limited contact hours , which can be particularly pressing in English Literature . Our students ’ comments make it clear they require further guidance and support , despite extensive feedback provided on written work and guidance provided in module handbooks . This likely results from the nature of the subject which foregrounds self-reflective learning and has fewer contact hours than science subjects . In the most recent NSS , 76 % of Keele English students felt that ‘ the criteria used in marking have been clear in advance ’ and 81 % felt they had ‘ received sufficient advice and guidance ’ ( unistats . ac . uk ). These percentages are much lower than other areas on the NSS ( such as the 90 % of Keele ’ s English students who said ‘ staff have made the subject interesting ’, or the 100 % who felt ‘ my course has provided me with opportunities to explore ideas or concepts in depth ’). The impact of this communication gap between staff and students is felt more widely ; only 57 % of students responding to the most recent NSS said they ‘ feel part of a community of staff and students ’.
This paper examines the use of video technology to supplement three areas of student learning : seminar preparation , assessment guidance , and assessment feedback . We prepared three informational videos to supplement a second-year English Literature module in order to explore the impact of this technology on student achievement , student feedback , and staff time and resources , to determine whether screencasts offer a feasible solution to the students ’ perception of a communication gap between students and tutors in the English programme .
Background
Researchers have investigated the use of screencasts primarily outside of the Humanities , including in mathematics ( Lloyd & Robertson , 2012 ; Robinson , Loch & Croft , 2015 ) and the sciences ( Cox , 2006 ; Winterbottom , 2007 ). Within the Humanities , screencasts have been investigated as a feedback tool ( Anson , et al , 2016 ; Vincelette & Bostic , 2013 ; Ali , 2016 ) and a reference tool within the library sciences ( Ergood , Padron , & Reber , 2012 ; Carr & Ly , 2009 ; Oud , 2009 ), but not as a supplement to class
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