The Benefits of Video in the Classroom: PSYC 3350 at KPU
This blog post was originally posted by Dr. Gordon Cobb on his blog found here: https://wordpress.kpu.ca/drcobb/
At KPU I am always looking to positively enhance the student experience by incorporating new and emerging technologies, innovative pedagogies, and experiential learning methods into my curricula and daily classroom activities. In many of my past video-enhanced curricula, I found using video as a learning medium was a great way to provide a focus for students to not only actively engage with class content but to also be engaged by the process of learning through the use of video production technology.
In the fall of 2018 I was lucky enough to meet Dr. Jocelyn Lymburner, a celebrated member of faculty in the Psychology department at KPU. We were introduced by our fabulous Dean of Arts Dr. Diane Purvey. Jocelyn had expressed a curiosity to Diane about the possibility of incorporating video production into an existing third year psychopathology course. Instead of using the typical term paper format, Jocelyn instead wanted to move in a new direction, using video production to achieve learning outcomes despite the fact that she had no prior video production experience. It was Jocelyn’s hope that students would produce a series of short films demonstrating their applied knowledge of psychopathology within the context of a collaborative video production – and there was also the added benefit of included exposure to 21st Century digital literacy skills which fulfills aspects of KPU’s VISION 2023.
Jocelyn and I were thrilled with the outcome of PSYC 3350, and we had an incredible time working together with this cohort of energetic, dynamic and creative students. In fact, Jocelyn and I were so impressed with the final films that we presented the pedagogical outcomes of this class at two conferences – the KPU 2019 Teaching and Learning Symposium and the 2019 Dalhousie University Teaching and Learning Conference in Halifax.
So what can you expect to find in this blog post and how might it be useful to you and your students? This blog post contains a collections of materials relating to my own experience within Jocelyn’s PSYC 3550 class. There are PowerPoint slides from the above listed conferences, behind-the-scenes images & video from various points in the course, vlog-style videos of me reflecting on various aspects of the course and its design, and links to the final videos for you to watch and share. I have also included many of the online resources I developed and used in conjunction with this class. These active hyperlinks are free for you to use if you would like to incorporate video within your own classroom activities and curricula. There are also links for further reading and exploration at the end of the post.
Influenced and inspired by KPU’s Vision 2023, Dr. Jocelyn Lymburner and I set the following goals for this curriculum:
*Enhance the experience of our students
*Enrich the experience for both Jocelyn and myself
*Expand innovation in teaching, learning and curriculum
*Create opportunities for both the students and instructors to engage in active and experiential learning
*Provide a range of learning activities to advance the existing classroom experience through a technology-enhanced learning environment
*Facilitate learner exposure to educational technologies in order to develop 21st Century literacies and skills
*Facilitate the development of authentic relationships between students through purposeful collaboration
*Facilitate the development of healthy connections to peer groups and community through the development of interactive workshops facilitated by the students
*To empower students by challenging them to examine critically their beliefs, values, and existing knowledge about psychology with the goal of developing an appreciation for multiple perspectives, and a sense of critical consciousness and agency.
*To include a reflective component to assignment, providing further opportunities for classroom activities to be insightful, impactful and transformational
INTRODUCTION
This introductory video explains how I became involved in this project with Dr. Jocelyn Lymburner in the Psychology Department and KPU.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The video below is a montage of the five films created in this course. You will find links to the full length videos here and near the end of this blog.
PSYC 3350 – COURSE DESCRIPTION
Here are links to the online resources I created for each of the stages listed above:
The Language of Video Production
Final Cut Pro Demonstration Part 1 Video
Final Cut Pro Demonstration Part 2 Video
The short video below explores PSYC 3350 and the various stages involved in conceiving and completing the five short films.
The video below is a brief explanation of my role in PSYC 3350 and the course curriculum.
THE FIVE VIDEOS
On the image of the five videos below, you can click on the hotspots to watch the full versions of each film. There are also hotspot links on the descriptions for “Two Guys Enter a Bar” and “More Than a Diagnosis” that will link you to introductory descriptions of these films provided by students involved in these two groups. This footage was captured at the KPU Symposium 2019.
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE STUDENTS
THE MOST COMMON QUESTION ASKED…
The most common question we were asked at both conferences was about the relationship between the psychology and video components in the course. Which took president? Did one aspect take over? I answer this question in the video below:
THE SCREENING
WHAT’S NEXT?
Dr. Jocelyn Lymburner and I have big plans for the five videos created by our incredible students. Jocelyn is exploring the possibility of hosting one or more films on the KPU Counselling website. The film “Monster and Me” was featured on Sanjha TV, a local South Asian tv show, and we are planning to submit a number of the films to the “Art With Impact” film competition online. Jocelyn is also planning to extend the life of the workshops created in this course by hosting annual anti-stigma workshops at KPU and the students from this group with help with its facilitation. How exciting to see the students applying the knowledge and experiences gained in this class to their real-world lives.
Final Thoughts for this Blog…
This case study has provided me with an opportunity to show how our students were able to gain a greater insight into psychopathology by providing a personal and real-world experience for our students that resulted in a much greater emotional impact than just writing term papers alone. Using video as the predetermined “packaging” for the student’s academic explorations was a great way to stimulate interest in the various topics covered in class. This approach to studying psychology encouraged student autonomy and agency and instilled a deep and meaningful sense of ownership of the videos produced.
Introducing video production into PSYC 3350 also proved to be inspiring and engaging for many of the students. Willmot et al (2012) found strong evidence supporting the idea that the use of video production can inspire and engage students when incorporated into student-centred learning activities through:
- increased student motivation
- enhanced learning experience
- higher marks
- development potential for deeper learning of the subject development potential for deeper learning of the subject development potential for deeper learning of the subject
- development of learner autonomy
- enhanced team working and communication skills
- a source of evidence relating to skills for interviews
- learning resources for future cohorts to use
- opportunities for staff development (CPD). (p.3)
Jocelyn and I found evidence of many of the above stated points in the videos produced by the five groups in this class. Jocelyn and I plan to work together again in the Spring 2020 PSYC 3350 class but this time with less contact time on my part. I have been developing video production resources for faculty to use that Jocelyn will incorporate into her curriculum that will reduce the required amount of contact time and will require students to take more ownership over their learning. Perhaps I will create a followup blog post comparing the two approaches – stay tuned! In the mean time, don’t be afraid to incorporate new technology into your classroom. Take a risk, look for resources, experiment with your students – make them part of the adventure! Even if your first attempt is not successful, you will inevitably gain new insights and skills that will prepare you to work with the digital natives that continue to fill seats in our classes. And don’t forget that you can always connect with the Educational Consultants in the Teaching and Learning Commons at KPU if you need support or assistance.
Further Reading and Exploration
The pedagogical benefits of video in the classroom: http://www.uq.edu.au/teach/video-teach-learn/ped-benefits.html
Effective Educational Videos: Principles and Guidelines for Maximizing Student Learning from Video Content: https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.16-03-0125
Smartphone Filming: http://edmedia.tlc.sfu.ca/production-filming/
Gordon received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School for the Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University and his Masters of Music in Composition for New Media from the London College of Music in the UK. In 2015, Gordon completed a PhD in Arts Education at Simon Fraser University where his research explored multimodal composing practices, new musical literacies, and transformative music engagement in music video production with urban youth. His work as a music composer and sound designer has been showcased in numerous public venues, including two Olympic Games commissions (Torino 2006 and Vancouver 2010), the VanDusen Botanical Gardens Festival of Lights, the New York City Ballet, and the Cedar Lake Ensemble, New York; and on television with The Knowledge Network, and the National Film Board of Canada where he was the recipient of a 2013 Leo Award nomination. Dr. Cobb is a part of the music faculty at Kwantlen Polytechnic University where he teaches music technology and music video production. He is also a senior instructor at the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, where for the past 14 years he has taught piano, musical theatre, music technology, and music video production. Gordon has implemented numerous innovative music programs at the Arts Umbrella, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Vancouver Biennale, and Cobb House Studio.
