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Acknowledging the ‘forgotten’ and the ‘unknown’: The role of video podcasts for supporting field-based learning

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A library of video podcasts has been constructed for geographers and those of cognate disciplines, providing detailed information and operational demonstrations for a range of fi eld apparatus relating to matters such as soil properties, water quality and fi eld surveying. Evaluation, conducted through the use of refl ective diaries and focus groups, identifi ed that all students consulted thought the podcast reference library was a positive pedagogic development They also thought the process was capable of building confi dence in many and of particular appeal to students with a more visual approach to learning.
Planet issue 22 September 2009
Acknowledging the ‘forgotten’ and the ‘unknown’: The role
of video podcasts for supporting eld-based learning
Claire Jarvis, Jennifer Dickie
Department of Geography, University of Leicester
Abstract
A library of video podcasts has been constructed
for geographers and those of cognate disciplines,
providing detailed information and operational
demonstrations for a range of eld apparatus relating
to matters such as soil properties, water quality and
eld surveying. Evaluation, conducted through the use
of re ective diaries and focus groups, identi ed that
all students consulted thought the podcast reference
library was a positive pedagogic development They
also thought the process was capable of building
con dence in many and of particular appeal to
students with a more visual approach to learning.
Introduction
Preparation is key to successful eld experimentation
and learning (Bradbeer, 1996). Focusing on aspects of
technical preparation, we identify two situations where
students can nd themselves requiring a “crash course”
regarding particular equipment or techniques. Firstly,
Geography curricula are designed to introduce core
techniques and are ultimately designed to educate and
not train. Therefore they will never be all encompassing
in their coverage. A particular example of the
“unknown” arises during eldcourses that are designed
to encourage students to design and follow through
small research projects in situ. Further, both in the
context of enquiry-based learning as a part of project
focused eld work and as part of a taught eld course,
we also need to consider “forgotten” material. Taken
together, it is clear that innovations that improve the
way in which we support enquiry-based independent
learning concerning equipment and techniques used in
eldwork are required. In order to succeed as useful
learning tools, these innovations must be exible and
adaptive to a variety of pedagogic contexts. Given the
requirement for an inherently mobile solution, we turn
to the emerging genre of mobile-learning (m-learning)
for inspiration, focusing particularly on the podcast.
Podcasts have been used by geographers in a variety
of contexts, from providing assessment feedback
(France & Wheeler, 2007) to delivering lectures
(Winterbottom, 2007), practical materials (Mount &
Chambers, 2008) or in support of walks (Downward,
2008), and have most commonly been accessed at
a student’s explicit request via Blackboard or similar
sites. Of the literature now emerging in peer-reviewed
journals, the general suggestions are that podcasts
are particularly bene cial as a revision aid (Evans,
2008), can be effective for provoking re ective
thought (Fisher & Baird, 2006), provide a forum for
collaborative learning and student knowledge creation
(Lee et al., 2008) and are useful in highlighting
University resources (Berk et al., 2007).
In this particular paper, we explore the notion of
the podcast as a pedagogic bridging strategy that
links, and extends, technical skills support within
research-focused eldwork. Our overall focus
here is to evaluate the effectiveness of a library
of audio-visual podcasts developed in house, that
explain how to use a variety of eld equipment
and software. The work seeks to reduce frustration
in (potentially isolated) groups or individual
learners. It does not attempt to replace traditional
pedagogies, but rather augment them in a exible
manner to enable teachers to spend more time with
the students on the intellectual challenges of the
discipline as opposed to technical “troubleshooting”.
Methods
The podcast library
The podcasts provide detailed information and
operational demonstrations for a range of eld
apparatus relating to matters such as soil properties,
water quality and eld surveying. Broadly speaking,
the equipment or software treated by the podcasts
fall into three categories:
Familiar piece of equipment for which there are
year-on-year usage issues
Equipment that could not be considered core
and that is unlikely to be introduced within
classes, but is used annually in speci c
dissertations
New equipment that challenges student or staff
comfort zones. In this case the podcast is seen
as a means of supporting change
Downloads from the simple website (http://www.
geog.le.ac.uk/splint/geopods/) and Blackboard,
themed by broad subject content, have been
enabled in high and low resolution graphics formats.
61
Planet issue 22 September 2009
Secondly, the podcast library was uploaded onto a
range of mobile equipment, in a format most suited
to the particular device.
Evaluation
An ongoing programme of evaluation is being carried
out throughout the development of the approaches
and strategies reported here. Focus groups and
individual interviews, together with tailored additional
entries to student module feedback forms have
all been utilised. However, the most meaningful
feedback about student learning, in relation to this
project, has been through re ective diaries written
by our students. This paper reports the results one
year after the initial launch of the techniques library.
It incorporates the anonymised views relating to
the role of podcasts in their learning experience of
our 2nd year BSc Geography, BSc Joint Geography
Archaeology & BSc Joint Geography/Geology cohorts,
provided as one component amongst wider re ections
on experiences with mobile technology in the eld.
We also note commentary from staff who were not
involved with the development of the podcast library,
but who have subsequently made use of it within
their teaching following the initial trials.
Findings
The podcasts were initially designed for use by
students in the eld using iPods to combat either
the “forgotten” (in regard to core techniques) or
“unknown” (in regard to unusual ones) in a context
where textbooks were not available and staff not
always immediately on hand. As usage of the library
has matured however, its wider utility to both staff
and students alike has become apparent.
Student learning
Initial results at the six month trial point of the library
demonstrated the following advantages of the podcast
library as a pedagogic tool (Jarvis & Dickie, submitted):
The podcasts were supportive yet fostered
independence.
Students used the podcasts in a much wider
range of scenarios than initially envisaged, both
in regard to space and time of use.
The podcasts were a particularly powerful form
of learning media for those with predominantly
visual learning styles; The use of multi-modal
representation appears to foster more effective
learning and preparation.
More unexpectedly, the library also appears to
be used as a revision tool that students use
when writing up eld methods. The resource,
while supportive, forces students to explain
techniques using their own original text, a point
noted explicitly and favourably by students.
More recent results con rm what was previously
an emergent trend amongst student reportage,
that the use of video podcasts boosts students’
con dence in their ability to undertake the
techniques themselves. Consistently, student
comments report the use of podcasts has increased
their con dence in the eld:
Student A – “The podcast library was
exceptional in familiarising me with techniques
and building con dence before going into the
eld. I think that taking them into the eld
is a brilliant idea as they can be referred to
at any time and would prevent misuse of
equipment and inaccurate data collection.”
Student B – “The technique podcasts
have been a huge con dence builder and
I de nitely consider them a useful tool in
making these mobile technologies more
accessible to researchers”
Student C – “Reviewing the podcast library was
an essential step contributing to the success of
the eld day, although no substitute for input of
various staff members during the activities. … I
had never used any of the water quality testing
equipment before or the tinytag sensors, but
having researched their operation and setup
logistics via the podcasts, I didn’t feel so out of
my depth, especially when that information was
substantiated by staff guidance.”
Student D – “I also found the Geopods useful
for preparing myself to know how to use
equipment con dently on the eldtrip.”
Students are also clear in their reports that the
videos alone are not an adequate substitution
for active practice and that they value the two-
way interaction with their lecturers during a
demonstration but that watching a podcast rst
enabled them to grasp a subsequent demonstration
much more effectively. These points sit comfortably
with us, since the podcasts were not designed as
substitutes for face-to-face teaching per se, but as
supporting aids that were intended to allow a higher
ratio of staff time spent on deeper aspects to learning
relative to that spent teaching factual techniques.
Further, staff echo the supportive role of the
podcast library in relation to their ability to enhance
student learning in their own teaching:
Lecturer - “Without needing to worry about
the speci c operation of a piece of equipment,
far greater emphasis can be placed on
observing and questioning phenomena in
the landscape, which are clearly higher level
cognitive processes … It was also clear to
me instructing students in basic levelling
62
Planet issue 22 September 2009
techniques that those who had not viewed
the relevant podcasts were far more prone to
making mistakes and carried out the activity
slower than their peers.”
Staff perspectives
The library has also been of ongoing value to both
academic and technical staff alike. As a recent talk
by Carolyn Roberts for GEES, entitled “Someone
in the lab can help you’: student learning and the
invisible army” highlighted, materials that are able
to support the continued professional development
of laboratory technicians who play a vital role in
student learning are scarce.
Lab technician - “Having started working in
the department nearly a year and a half ago
(and with no previous Geography background
knowledge about equipment), I have found the
Podcasts very informative and have “self-taught”
myself how to use various pieces of equipment.
The Podcasts are very easy to use and I nd the
demonstration pictures very helpful … At times,
especially in my earlier days the Podcasts have
been like a lifeline and are very helpful when out
on location doing eld work.”
Given the diverse nature of geography, both technical
and academic staff come from a wide range of
academic backgrounds and may not necessarily be
familiar with all types of eld equipment. The degree
to which the podcast offers a means to encourage
staff to trial new methods or equipment in the comfort
of their own company in less pressured situations
remains to be seen, but we would highlight the library
as one tactic with which to approach a dif culty noted
by Maskell et al., (2007) in regard to the use of
mobile computing in the eld: “… the requirement for
staff and students to familiarise themselves with the
technology through training or preparation sessions”.
Conclusions
The podcast library is not designed to replace staff
demonstrations of core geographical techniques. The
ndings to date suggest that the library can potentially
act as an agent of change both to release staff to
spend more ‘quality’ time with students and to facilitate
change and updating of skills in staff and students
alike.
The wide range of contexts in which the podcasts
may be used allows learning strategies to travel to and
from the eld that supports the integration of pedagogies
between eld, practical laboratory and lecture hall.
Overall, the podcast approach to support eld techniques
appears to be a valuable contribution to geographical
teaching and learning for students and staff alike.
Acknowledgements
This work was nancially supported by the
University of Leicester Teaching Enhancement Fund
in regard to general eld methods and research
concepts, and by the SPLINT CETL in regard to GIS
and digital methodologies. Our appreciation also
goes to the students who allowed us access to their
re ective diaries and to those who contributed their
opinions via a focus group.
References
Berk, J., Olsenm, S., Atkinson, J. & Comerford,
J. (2007) Innovation in a podshell: bringing
information literacy to the world of podcasting, The
Electronic Library, 25(4), pp. 409-419.
Bradbeer, J. (1996) Problem-based learning and
eldwork: a better methods of preparation? Journal
of Geography in Higher Education,
20(1), pp. 11-18.
Downward, S. (2008) Podcasts and locations, in:
Salmon, G. and Edirisingha, P. (Ed.) Podcasting for
Learning in Universities, pp. 57-69 (Milton Keynes:
Open University Press).
Fisher, M. & Baird, D. E. (2006) Making mLearning
work: Gen Y, learning and mobile technologies, Journal
of Educational Technology Systems, 35(1), pp. 3-30.
France, D. & Wheeler, A. (2007) Re ections on
using podcasting for student feedback, Planet, 18
(June 2007), pp. 9-11.
Jarvis, C,.H., Dickie, J.A. (Submitted) The role
of podcasts in experiential eld learning. Journal of
Geography in Higher Education.
Lee, M. J. W., McLoughlin, C. & Chan, A. (2008)
Talk the talk: Learner generated podcasts as
catalysts for knowledge creation British Journal of
Educational Technology, 39(3), pp. 501-521.
Maskall, J., Stokes, A., Truscott, J. B., Bridge,
A., Magnier, K. & Calderbank, V. (2007)
Supporting eldwork using information technology,
Planet, 18 (June 2007), pp. 18-21.
Mount, N. & Chambers, C. (2008) Podcasts and
practicals, in: Salmon, G. and Edirisingha, P. (Ed.)
Podcasting for Learning in Universities, pp. 43-56
(Milton Keynes: Open University Press).
Winterbottom, S. (2007) Virtual lecturing:
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Planet,
18 (June 2007), pp. 6-8.
Claire Jarvis and Jen Dickie
chj2@le.ac.uk, jd92@le.ac.uk
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Podcasting allows audio content from one or more user-selected feeds or channels to be automatically downloaded to one's computer as it becomes available, then later transferred to a portable player for consumption at a convenient time and place. It is enjoying phenomenal growth in mainstream society, alongside other Web 2.0 technologies that enable Internet users to author and distribute rich media content quickly and easily. Instead of using the technology for the mere recording and dissemination of lectures and other instructor-centred information, the project reported on in this article focused on enabling students to create their own podcasts for distribution to their peers. The article describes how engaging in the podcasting exercise promoted collaborative knowledge building among the student-producers, as evidenced through focus-group interviewing and an analysis of the products of their shared dialogue and reflection. The findings suggest that the collaborative development of audio learning objects enabling student conceptualisations of disciplinary content to be shared with peers is a powerful way of stimulating both individual and collective learning, as well as supporting social processes of perspective-taking and negotiation of meaning that underpin knowledge creation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)
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Delivery of lectures using web technology is now an accessible and relatively straightforward option for University os Stirling (University) teaching staff. In this study, conducted with a 2nd year Environmental Science module, a series of 8 lectures were delivered via screencasts and podcasts. Feedback from the students via a questionnaire was extremely positive, with flexibility and the ability to repeat lectures cited as the main advantages. However, caution must be exercised in that this is not a mechanism for replacing face-to-face teaching, but is used to provide additional material or to free-up time for more discussion sessions or practical-based teaching.
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Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the development of a pilot program for using podcasting as a tool in the provision of information literacy in an academic library. It aims to discuss the implementation process and the issues encountered in developing a podcasting series at the Curtin University Library. Design/methodology/approach – The possibilities for using podcasts to deliver library information literacy in an academic library are discussed in reference to current literature and trends. The method for creating a podcasting series, including the equipment, software, RSS feed, legal issues and cost and staffing implications, is outlined along with the parameters used by the Curtin University Library in the development of a pilot series. Findings – The paper finds that podcasts offer libraries a new method of delivering information literacy to their clients. It is possible to create a podcasting series with minimal expense and the simple production method enables many libraries to take advantage of this new technology. The podcasting series at Curtin has proven to be popular with downloads increasing steadily over the course of the semester. There have been over 9,000 downloads of the audio files to the end of November 2006. By taking advantage of this ubiquitous technology libraries can communicate with their clientele in a new and exciting way. Originality/value – The paper outlines how to create a podcasting series for information literacy in an academic library environment, and provides recommendations for other libraries wishing to create their own podcasting series.
Submitted) The role of podcasts in experiential field learning
  • . H Jarvisc
  • A Dickiej
Jarvis, C,.H., Dickie, J.A. (Submitted) The role of podcasts in experiential fi eld learning. Journal of Geography in Higher Education.
Podcasts and practicals
  • N Mount
  • C Chambers
Mount, N. & Chambers, C. (2008) Podcasts and practicals, in: Salmon, G. and Edirisingha, P. (Ed.) Podcasting for Learning in Universities, pp. 43-56 (Milton Keynes: Open University Press).
Podcasts and locations
  • S Downward
Downward, S. (2008) Podcasts and locations, in: Salmon, G. and Edirisingha, P. (Ed.) Podcasting for Learning in Universities, pp. 57-69 (Milton Keynes: Open University Press).