Teaching and Learning Technology Resource

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DESCRIPTION OF INNOVATION:

A series of computer-based interactive multimedia modules designed around perceptions of self and others in a colonial context.

REASONS FOR DEVELOPMENT/INTRODUCTION OF THE INNOVATION:

To facilitate self-paced learning - particularly as the innovation relates to additional course material.

TEACHING/LEARNING AIMS:

To increase the level of the course content without students experiencing a sense of overload. Also, because it is new technology, and therefore a new process, students enjoy participating in it.

Introduce two theoretical concepts: the deconstruction of photos and text in order to analyse power relations, eg. Race, gender, and environment; site creation as a function of nationalism.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES:

Integrate the new modules into the workshop component of the two hour weekly time slot ( 1 hour for lectures, 1 hour for workshops).

Take advantage of John Kinder and Mike Fardon's work in the Faculty of Arts Multimedia Centre on building a framework for the development of multimedia. To thus produce modules with a high level of visual and audio aids (eg text and music) thus allowing for the presentation of material with maximum differentiation. For example the contrasting of French colonial photographs of 'natives' with Vietnamese woodcut prints of themselves.

To introduce students to a variety of skills and perceptions using a format that can be used with different content for higher level courses.

USE:

Is integral to the course taught but can be used either 1 to 1 or in a computer lab. See above.

STUDENT SUPPORT:

The lecturer introduces the concept; explains the technology; outlines learning aims; presents the module for the first time in a group session and follows it up in tutorials.

ASSESSMENT:

Not yet part of assessment as still being trialled.

EVALUATION:

Evaluation is formative and based on students' anwers to questions on the screen of the module. The development of the module is adapted according to student responses where significant gaps in understanding are apparent. Also attention is paid to student contributions in tutorials and increase in sophistication in dealing with concepts introduced in the modules.

EFFECTIVENESS:

Students are referring back to concepts introduced in a better way than in previous years. Students are enjoying using the new multimedia modules.

HINDRANCES TO DEVELOPING INNOVATION:

Lack of time as a result of no research assistance or teaching relief in order to obtain relevant resources for the modules. As only started in Semester II it was too late to apply for funding which was currently available in the university.

ENABLERS TO DEVELOPING INNOVATION:

Excellent support from the Faculty of Arts Multimedia Centre, and from John Kinder and  Mike Fardon. Critical to get the support of the Multimedia Centre, to participate in their course on authoring, and to have someone there who is already set up with the hardware and expertise and can give advice. Highly efficient.

COST/BENEFITS:

Absolutely worth it. It has taken a lot of start-up time, however and not much money. It has qualitatively improved student learning at a conceptual level. The theoretical approach underlying the modules is written in such a way as to make a number of them adaptable to my other upper-level units by substituting visual and other historical materials appropriate to the given country.

LESSONS LEARNT:

You need resources and therefore support in order to collect data, scan pictures etc.

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