IMPALA Informal Mobile Podcasting and Learning Adaptation
Student-Developed Podcasts to Discuss Ethnical Issues Surrounding Genetics
Genetics, University of Leicester
Summary
This podcast application was developed by a group of Medical School students at University of Leicester who chose to study a Genetic related module in their second year. The content of the podcasts was purely generated by students. The topics covered a range of ethnical issues surrounding Genetics. Each podcast was about 10-minute long and was recorded in forms of discussion and debates. Six student-developed podcasts were made available through VLE, so that other Medical School students can access this information.
Context
The podcasts were developed by a group of Medical School students within a module called Genetic Research Special Study module. In their second year, Medical School students have the choice of doing a special module of their interest. About 30 students chose to study this Genetics module.
The module was taught through face-to-face lectures and practicals, and was assessed through an individual essay and a group poster.
Rationale
This module has been taught through a traditional way of lectures, tutorials and practicals. Integrating podcasting into the curriculum is an attempt of bringing new element into the existing teaching practice. One of the purposes was to introduce students to this new medium and a new way of presenting information. Another purpose was to present module related information to other Medical School students, as only part of the students chose to study Genetics each year.
Ethnical issues related to Genetics were suggested as the theme for podcasts. These issues to do with how to use and access Genetic information might be useful for these Medical School students when they become doctors in the future.
A student-centred approach was chosen for developing podcasts, as students were more likely to get excited about creating their own material. A group approach was used to encourage students to share what they learned and make the whole process interactive.
Application
About 30 students from Medical School were divided into 6 groups. Each group was responsible for researching their own topic relevant to ethnical issues surrounding Genetics, and developing their own podcast. The recommended formats were discussion, debate, or interview so that each member of the group can make contribution equally. The topics students chose for their podcasts were: Designer babies, Genetic screening, Genetic testing, Diabetes-type11, DNA fingerprinting, and HAEMOPHILIA A+B.
Each podcast was about 10-minute long. The podcasts were made available within the Medical School learning environment (VLE) for other students to use.
Technology
Audacity was introduced to students as the software for recording and editing podcasts. Digital recorders and laptops were provided by the school for students to record and access Audacity.
Evaluation
The impact of podcasting on students’ learning was being captured through two focus groups with thirteen students during the middle of semester. Student interviews, lasted about an hour, were conducted using a semi-structured interview schedule developed to explore how student learning is supported by podcasts.
Staff experience of developing podcasts was gathered through a personal interview with the lecturer who developed the podcasts. Information gathered included pedagogical rationale of using podcasts, the development process, and issues encountered.
All interviews with both students and staff were recorded on a digital recorder and transcribed verbatim for analysis to identify key themes and issues. The qualitative data was analyzed using a grounded theory approach offered by Strauss and Corbin (1990). The analysis of qualitative data was facilitated by using software QSR N6.
Benefits
Broaden knowledge
Some students said that they researched and broadened their knowledge on a particular topic in Genetics through the development process.
“I thought in one way it was a way of getting us to research a particular genetic topic.”
“I guess so we research onto a certain topic and broaden our knowledge on it.”
“And of course it broadens our knowledge on whatever topic we chose as well…”
Familiar with new technologies
Some students commented that they became familiar with new technologies, e.g. software to create podcasts, multimedia techniques.
“And in another way it was a way for us to familiarise ourselves with different attributes of distribution of information, i.e. podcasting and also technology, editing software capturing it…things like that.”
“I understand how to make a podcast which was good. If you ever wanted to make one at least you know how to.”
“I mean it just made me appreciate how we can use different types of media to learn podcasts and video podcasts and the poster itself that’s another thing we’re doing. It’s like using different media to learn just makes it a bit easier. It breaks a bit of monotony just reading lecture slides. I suppose in future if we had podcasts of lectures available it would be quite nice to be able to listen to them while you’re revising for exams. It made me appreciate that you know there other forms of media available and it can help us.”
A motivational experience
Some students described their experiences of developing podcasts as motivational and interesting. They said that they enjoyed the process because they were doing something new and something different.
“I think that fact that it’s new bought more interest into the topic. More people seemed more interested in doing it ... Because they saw something we hadn’t done before then there was a bit more enthusiasm ….”
“I thought it was something different to just normal modules where you have a lecture on it, learn from it and have an exam…It’s something interactive and something that will interest people take interest from it.”
“Well I think first of all it’s very different to other modules. I think it’s something people would like to do because it’s not a normal medical module you would say, because you don’t normally associate a medical module with podcasting and things. So first of all it allows people maybe to enjoy what they are doing, and second of all it allows you to learn in a more…kind of more interactive way, which kind of helps people learn anyway too, in a certain way.”
Learn from different viewpoints
Some students commented that developing podcasts allow them to learn from different viewpoints.
“So it allows you to gain perspective rather than just picking on words that have been written down.”
“I think the whole thing was in the end we didn’t really come to too much of a conclusion in that. It is good in some ways but it’s bad in others. And the fact that there are so many ethical issues involved, no one can really make a decision. It is all a matter of opinion, and different people will have different opinions about it. So when it comes to making a conclusion, it was just the fact that there are pros and there are cons to the process. And although we may have had a static view before, after doing this podcast our views may not have changed, but it’s enlightened us into other views which were there which we hadn’t thought about.”
Take on an active/creative role
Two students commented that they took on a more active and creative role during the development process.
“I just thought it was nice that we got… because we’re always at the receiving end of listening to lectures…so we don’t get to appreciate how much effort goes onto creating something like this. So in doing this we actually got to appreciate how much organising goes into something like this.”
“Q: So always you’re on the receiving end?”
“Yeah we don’t really know how to make something interesting how to make it appealing to the audience, so it was nice to have the time to do that.”
“Just the creative aspect literally as (a student) said we’re just always sitting listening to lectures and literally all it is revising exams. We don’t have a lot of course work during our time in the first half of the degree, so it was just nice to do something creative something different, yet still relevant.”
A way of dissemination information
Some students commented that podcasts can be used as a tool to disseminate information relevant to Genetics to other students who were not taking the module.
“The purpose I think was to relay information of what this module’s all about to students who aren’t on the module itself so they can find out what we do in the module, and the ethical side…issues that we were talking about, if they find that interesting in genetics and they want to take the module up next year in their own special subject modules then they can. It’s kind of like an insight into the module and into what we do.”
“But also if they’re not doing the module it allows people from the year below to see what a gene module like compared to other modules if they did podcasting as well.”
A simple way of getting information
One of the students viewed podcasts as a simple, portable and informal way of getting information.
"I think it’s a simple way of getting information in a portable format as well, so you can have it on the move. And ten minutes worth of rather than an hour lecture. I mean this is simply put in student language, so how does a student look at the topic and a person who doesn’t do this course they can get the information in a simple and quick way and a portable way."
Keep pace with updated information
Some students believed that podcasts can help them to keep pace with updated information.
“But it’s something that you might use on your profession though. You never know it might come in handy sometime especially if you wanted to update quickly. If you’re going into hospital medicine everyone’s going to have to do research, if you stay in general practice most people in practice now will have a speciality, so whatever speciality you’re interested in your podcast if you set it to your computer to pick up all updates, you’ll pick it up obviously with regards to that speciality. So I definitely disagree, I think you will use it in a professional setting.”
“I think I’d probably use it a lot earlier than having to wait till you’ve finished medical school. It just depends if you need information and you have an area of interest. Because when we go into our clinical stages, we’re spending like two months in a speciality, so you might want to just see what podcasts are available obviously nationally, to see what type of information people are putting on and whether it’s relevant. So I think before going on to completion I would definitely try…I would definitely visit it beforehand. I’m not saying that it’s definitely going to be useful information but I would definitely have a look.”
Enhance team work
Some students highlighted the importance of working in groups to medical students. They believed that developing podcasts is another way to enhance team working skills.
“Yeah I mean, all of us from the start have been put into groups, and I think it’s a key concept in working as a doctor especially, you have to work in a team all your career I think, so that’s what the medical school are trying to get to and get us into the habit of being able to work in a team, and identify key strengths and weakness in a team and develop yourself in different roles within the team.”
Lessons Learned
Make technology available to students
In order to ensure that students have the access to the technology for creating podcasts, the department bought three digital recorders and twenty laptops for students to use.
Staff involvement
As the podcasts were generated purely by students, the quality of the content might not be accurate and good enough for other people to access. Staff involvement, e.g. checking scripts, may be necessary.
Future Work
The next step is to get students to conduct structured-interviews with staff members within the department on various issues related to Genetics.
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