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Planet issue 22 September 2009
Acknowledging the ‘forgotten’ and the ‘unknown’: The role
of video podcasts for supporting fi 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 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.
Introduction
Preparation is key to successful fi eld experimentation
and learning (Bradbeer, 1996). Focusing on aspects of
technical preparation, we identify two situations where
students can fi 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 fi 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 fi eld work and as part of a taught fi 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
fi eldwork are required. In order to succeed as useful
learning tools, these innovations must be fl 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 benefi cial as a revision aid (Evans,
2008), can be effective for provoking refl 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 fi 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 fi 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 fl 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 fi eld
apparatus relating to matters such as soil properties,
water quality and fi 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 specifi 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 refl 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 refl ections
on experiences with mobile technology in the fi 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 fi 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 fi 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 confi rm what was previously
an emergent trend amongst student reportage,
that the use of video podcasts boosts students’
confi dence in their ability to undertake the
techniques themselves. Consistently, student
comments report the use of podcasts has increased
their confi dence in the fi eld:
Student A – “The podcast library was
exceptional in familiarising me with techniques
and building confi dence before going into the
fi eld. I think that taking them into the fi 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 confi dence builder and
I defi 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 fi 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 confi dently on the fi 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 fi 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 specifi 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 fi 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 fi 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 fi 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 diffi culty noted
by Maskell et al., (2007) in regard to the use of
mobile computing in the fi 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
fi 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 fi eld that supports the integration of pedagogies
between fi eld, practical laboratory and lecture hall.
Overall, the podcast approach to support fi eld techniques
appears to be a valuable contribution to geographical
teaching and learning for students and staff alike.
Acknowledgements
This work was fi nancially supported by the
University of Leicester Teaching Enhancement Fund
in regard to general fi 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
refl 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
fi 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:
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Fisher, M. & Baird, D. E. (2006) Making mLearning
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France, D. & Wheeler, A. (2007) Refl ections on
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Jarvis, C,.H., Dickie, J.A. (Submitted) The role
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18 (June 2007), pp. 6-8.
Claire Jarvis and Jen Dickie
chj2@le.ac.uk, jd92@le.ac.uk
63