learning and assessment with social media:a case study with ‘manipulating media’ #durbbu

Learning and Assessment with Social Media:A Case Study with ‘Manipulating Media’Dr Bex Lewis, CODEC, Durham University

@drbexl@codecuk #durbbu

[http://manipulating-media.co.uk/]

Academic Skills

The core skills of critical thinking, evaluation of sources, referencing, analytic and critical writing and self directed learning... researching, writing (including structuring, references), reading, note-taking, team-work, presentations, revision, career skills, etc.

Academic Skills

academic 'excellence' soaks in

1990s, courses on academic literacy integrated into the curriculum

2000s, student supportcentres, disconnected from subject

action learning - skills taught within a constructionist framework

http://www.testa.ac.uk/

Front Loading: 6 weeks of Lectures

http://manipulating-media.co.uk/2011/10/21/points-for-discussion-

websites/

http://manipulating-media.co.uk/student-blogs-2011/

http://manipulatingmedia-

paige.blogspot.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/266033256764730/

Twitter: @manipm

Project One: The Brief

Each group will produce a short video promoting the value of going to university, in order to persuade prospective students that they should still seriously consider undertaking a degree. The video should be three minutes long. You should be as imaginative, engaging and persuasive as possible.

It is up to the group to come to a consensus about content, but you might consider social, educative and/or economic values of education or the advantages over the alternatives.

Dealing with the issue of 'Groups’

Project Manager

Researcher

Content

Production & Dissemination

http://youtu.be/kWrOPxj4aK4

Project 2: The Brief

Using PowerPoint create a narrated presentation lasting no longer than 5 minutes that answers one of the questions detailed below. Your presentation should consist of slides & a recorded narration created in PowerPoint. You should include images & animations but no video

footage in your presentation.

Your presentation should be as academically rigorous as an essay but do not overload the viewer with too much information.

The information you use should be supported by references and all your sources should be included in a bibliography on the slide at the end of your presentation.

References and bibliography must be formatted according to the requirements of the Harvard Referencing System.

Your audience are academics & students.

“Feed-Forward” Tutorials

Project 3: The Brief

Each group will produce four sample pages for a media themed magazine, these must include:

The front cover

A contents page

Two further pages of articles, at least one of which must be a review appropriate to the style and content of the magazine.

Consider: Content; genre; audience; technical aspects; delivery

Project 4: The Brief

Each group will decide on a campaign aimed at changing student behavior in some way. The campaign could be a health message, safety & wellbeing, environmental or about student engagement.

Ensure you have confirmation from tutors that your campaign is acceptable.

The campaign should be multiplatform, and appropriate to your audience. The campaign itself should be visible on or around campus for at least a week before the final deadline…

http://youtu.be/lFByUqsY_g8

https://www.facebook.com/dontwasteadaystrive

Academic Reading

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1204883

What do the students get from it?

Work goes out 'publically'

Ownership

Engagement

Using the tools they are more familiar with?

Ongoing feedback

Student Feedback

Enjoyable, engaging

‘Real-world skills’ – especially teamwork

Learnt from range of team roles, and from project to project

Criticality

Building an audience

Time-management

IT & Research Skills

Lessons Learnt

Effective

Facebook group = peer support successful

Separate team roles with clear expectations

Action learning rather than ‘sit and listen’ = higher engagement/grades

Self-motivation identified the ‘stronger students’ who went above & beyond

Developments

Early interaction online –issues with formative rather than summative?

Blogging: Earlier check-in? No progress without development?

Catching the ‘poor’ students: required self-motivation?

Uniqueness of different cohorts?

#durbbu

@drbexl@codecuk