Use of rich-media resources by engineering undergraduates

ABSTRACT

The ability to develop and distribute digital teaching resources in higher education has developed rapidly over the last decade but research into how students use such resources has received limited attention. This study uses questionnaire results, Internet analytic data and semi-structured interviews to examine the use of three types of rich-media teaching resources – lecture podcasts, key-concept videos and tutorial solution videos – by engineering undergraduates. It is found that students value all three types of resource, especially for revision and as a supplement to lectures. Students find short, focused resources more useful than longer ones. Non-native English speakers and those with disabilities derive particular benefits from the resources. The effect of rich-media resources on lecture attendance is found to be small, and two-way.

KEYWORDS:

• E-learning
• civil engineering
• blended learning
• podcasts
• video resources

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the help and advice of Stuart Phillipson of University of Manchester IT services for help with obtaining data on lecture capture use.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr Martin Gillie is Reader in Structural Engineering with teaching interests in large-class blended learning and design teaching. His research focus is the behaviour of structures in fire conditions.

Ms Ranim Dahli is an undergraduate at the University of Manchester studying Civil Engineering. During the summer of 2015, she worked as an intern on the work described in this paper.

Dr Fiona C Saunders is Senior Lecturer in Project Management. Following a successful 17-year career in manufacturing management, project management and consultancy, she joined the University of Manchester in 2008. Her teaching interests centre on project finance for major infrastructure projects, planning and resource management and operations management.

Professor Andrew Gibson is Head of the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering. He gained international recognition for the application of multi-physics finite element techniques to high power, nonlinear, nonreciprocal ferrite components. He has teaching interests in blended-learning and large-class teaching.

ORCID

Martin Gillie http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0871-7861

Fiona C Saunders http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1644-2511

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge the support of the Centre for Higher Education Research, Innovation and Learning (CHERIL) at the University of Manchester for funding this research.