school of engineering & technology uh learning & teaching conference 2010 “ use of video...

School of Engineering & Technology

UH Learning & Teaching Conference 2010

“Use of video to enhance learning opportunities for

engineering students”

David Germany


Video – A time-tablers Guardian Video – A time-tablers Guardian Angel!Angel!

AADE Cable 2 ProjectAADE Cable 2 Project

Video to support lab workVideo to support lab work Video to provide academic feedbackVideo to provide academic feedback Video to promote student supportVideo to promote student support Video to provide flexible learning Video to provide flexible learning


Laboratory experiments - a vital Laboratory experiments - a vital part of Engineering Educationpart of Engineering Education

Academic View - Highly MotivationalAcademic View - Highly Motivational Student View – Improves EmployabilityStudent View – Improves Employability Institutional View – Expensive “Use it or lose it”!Institutional View – Expensive “Use it or lose it”!

Task: Cable 2 goal “Increase the use of Labs Task: Cable 2 goal “Increase the use of Labs without increasing demand on staff time.”without increasing demand on staff time.”

Solution: Use video methods to prepare, instruct Solution: Use video methods to prepare, instruct and provide feedback to students. and provide feedback to students.


Pre lab videos – “Year 1 Fluids”Pre lab videos – “Year 1 Fluids”

An introductory video shown in a An introductory video shown in a lecturelecture

After lecture the video made After lecture the video made available through StudyNetavailable through StudyNet

Students conduct experiment in Students conduct experiment in small groups on an open access basis small groups on an open access basis using an additional instruction sheet using an additional instruction sheet (i.e. no academic present!)(i.e. no academic present!)

Health & Safety over seen by Health & Safety over seen by technical officers.technical officers.

Courtesy of Dr Liz Byrne


Pre lab videos – Year 4 “Engine Build Pre lab videos – Year 4 “Engine Build Assignment”Assignment”

5 short videos to introduce a lab 5 short videos to introduce a lab assignment to automotive studentsassignment to automotive students

The group task is to dismantle a The group task is to dismantle a high performance engine, re-build high performance engine, re-build the engine and test its performance.the engine and test its performance.

Videos available over the internet Videos available over the internet for students to watch in their own for students to watch in their own time prior to attending a lab time prior to attending a lab session.session.

Courtesy of Jeff Peters


Staff benefits:Staff benefits:• only give introduction once only give introduction once

rather than repeating for each rather than repeating for each group. (Note: large cohort split group. (Note: large cohort split into 12 groups)into 12 groups)

• Confidence that all health and Confidence that all health and safety warnings have been given.safety warnings have been given.

• Significant reduction in queries Significant reduction in queries from students.from students.




Student benefits:Student benefits:• Easier to understand what is to be Easier to understand what is to be

done by watching rather than done by watching rather than reading instructions.reading instructions.

• Fine detail can be seen, not always Fine detail can be seen, not always possible in a live demonstration.possible in a live demonstration.

• Videos can be watched repeatedly, Videos can be watched repeatedly, even after the experiment to aid even after the experiment to aid preparation of the assessment preparation of the assessment report. report.




Video in an open access laboratory – Video in an open access laboratory – Year 1 Material Lab InstructionYear 1 Material Lab Instruction

School policy is to use open School policy is to use open access labs where possible.access labs where possible.

This video is available on a This video is available on a computer next to the Tensile computer next to the Tensile Test equipment.Test equipment.

Students can stop and start Students can stop and start the video as they wish and the video as they wish and replay when necessary.replay when necessary.

Allows 300 year 1 students in Allows 300 year 1 students in groups of up to three to groups of up to three to complete the experiment complete the experiment within a four week period.within a four week period.

Courtesy of Brian Wibberley



Benefits to staff:Benefits to staff:• Staff contact time Staff contact time

significantly reducedsignificantly reduced• No need for extended No need for extended

laboratory rotas.laboratory rotas.• Improved timing of lecture Improved timing of lecture

content with experiment. content with experiment. • Reduced repair and Reduced repair and

maintenance for maintenance for technicians due to technicians due to improved student improved student understanding of understanding of instructions.instructions.




Benefits to students:Benefits to students:• Flexibility in timetable.Flexibility in timetable.• Opportunity to repeat Opportunity to repeat

experiment if mistakes are experiment if mistakes are made.made.

• Improved clarity of Improved clarity of instructions = improved instructions = improved self confidence.self confidence.

• Improved understanding Improved understanding encourages independent encourages independent learning.learning.



Assignment Feedback – Year 2 Assignment Feedback – Year 2 Controller Design Controller Design

This video was developed This video was developed using Camtasia - excellent for using Camtasia - excellent for demonstrating software demonstrating software applicationsapplications

The video shows what should The video shows what should have happened and explains have happened and explains some of the common some of the common mistakes.mistakes.

Note the audio commentary Note the audio commentary was particularly important in was particularly important in this video.this video.


Benefits to staff:Benefits to staff:• Much easier to show Much easier to show

students what they should students what they should have done than explain in have done than explain in words.words.

• If a large cohort, it is If a large cohort, it is quicker to produce a video quicker to produce a video than write comments on than write comments on each script.each script.



Benefits to students:Benefits to students:• Feedback is more detailed.Feedback is more detailed.• Feedback covers all parts Feedback covers all parts

of the experiment, not just of the experiment, not just the parts the student the parts the student attempted.attempted.

• Video can be replayed, Video can be replayed, whilst live feedback can whilst live feedback can only be experienced once, only be experienced once, hence a valuable revision hence a valuable revision aid. aid.



2008/9 Student Lab Questionnaire2008/9 Student Lab Questionnaire All students had watched at All students had watched at

least one videoleast one video Half had watched 3 or more Half had watched 3 or more

videos more than once.videos more than once. All students consider videos All students consider videos

helpful (85% very helpful).helpful (85% very helpful). Some students reported Some students reported

difficulty watching videos difficulty watching videos off campus.off campus.

All students felt video could All students felt video could be used to support all lab be used to support all lab work in one form or work in one form or another.another.


Video for Student SupportVideo for Student Support

No timetabled No timetabled period when all period when all year 4 students year 4 students are together.are together.

Lecture time too Lecture time too precious for non-precious for non-academic materialacademic material

RepeatabilityRepeatabilityCourtesy of Zahra Carnochan


Other uses for videoOther uses for video

Recording Visiting Professors lecturesRecording Visiting Professors lectures

Courtesy of Prof Richard Folkson



Recording Visiting Professors lecturesRecording Visiting Professors lectures Recording student presentationsRecording student presentations

Courtesy of



Recording Visiting Professors lecturesRecording Visiting Professors lectures Recording student presentationsRecording student presentations Students producing videos as part of the Students producing videos as part of the

assessmentassessment Recording lectures/seminarsRecording lectures/seminars


Tips for staff wishing to use videoTips for staff wishing to use video

Keep video clips shortKeep video clips short Do not worry about producing a perfect videoDo not worry about producing a perfect video First video may take several attempts but you will get First video may take several attempts but you will get

quicker.quicker. Recommend using Camtasia for editing video’s Recommend using Camtasia for editing video’s

particularly with PowerPoint.particularly with PowerPoint. For UH staff – post videos on the StudyNet Video For UH staff – post videos on the StudyNet Video

Portal as: Portal as: • Only students will have accessOnly students will have access• University retains copyrightUniversity retains copyright• Video streaming means students do not need to download the Video streaming means students do not need to download the

whole video before watchingwhole video before watching

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