Filmmaking with biology undergraduates: combining digital technology with authentic assessment to develop students’ skillset and capabilities for life after graduation

Abstract

The use of technology in Higher Education teaching is now commonplace and can have multiple benefits for learners; however, the benefits of learner-generated digital media (LGDM) are understudied. Using a combination of pre- and post-workshop questionnaires and student critical reflections, we evaluated the impact of an assessed week-long filmmaking unit on preparing students for life after university. Quantitative results show a boost in student confidence in the areas of academic skills, teamwork, communication, and digital capabilities. We categorise our qualitative data in six main themes: self-confidence; emotional awareness; connecting and communicating; self-regulated learning; students as researchers; and authentic learning. Our findings suggest that students independently recognise the authenticity of team-based LGDM projects, understanding how it will prepare them for life after university. We discuss the value team-based filmmaking projects can have in developing student skills and competencies (both digital and human) and relate this to recent literature on authentic assessment and technology enhanced learning.

Keywords:

• Digital
• skill development
• collaboration
• student reflection
• communication

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Sammy King Fai Hui, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

SUBJECTS:

• Biology
• Group Communication
• Mass Communication
• Higher Education
• Educational Technology
• Filmmaking and Postproduction

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to personally thank Dr Jane Pritchard for her guidance during the grant application phase and Alice Flannery, an undergraduate student partner, who helped create the online filmmaking guide.

Ethical statement

Ethical approval was gained for this project via the University of Bristol Faculty of Life Sciences and Science Research Ethics Committee (reference ID: 66521) in April 2018.

Authors’ contributions

Emily Bell had the original idea for this project; Andy Wakefield drafted the manuscript; all three authors contributed equally to study design, data collection and analysis.

Disclosure statement

There are no declarations of competing interest with regards to this project.

Additional information

Funding

The authors thanks the funders of this projects, the Bristol Institute for Learning and Teaching (BILT).

Notes on contributors

A. Wakefield

Andy Wakefield is an education-focused academic and Digital Champion at the University of Bristol. His research interests involve authentic learning and assessment, applied ecology, science communication, and sustainability.

R. R. Murray

Rose Murray is an educational-focused academic at the University of Bristol. Her pedagogic research interests lie in the areas of inclusive assessment and feedback and student support in higher education. She is also interested in sustainability with regards to food production and the education thereof.

E. Bell

Emily Bell is an educational-focused academic at the University of Bristol. Her pedagogic research interests lie in the areas of transitions throughout higher education and integrating wellbeing and resilience throughout curriculums. Alongside her educational interests, Emily also continues her social insect-based biological research.