JISC

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The overall aim of the project was to pilot the use of Next Generation Technologies to enable students to collect and present multimedia artefacts to facilitate reflective learning.

Executive Summary

Four case studies were performed across a range of disciplines. A variety of Next Generation Technologies were used to obtain digital multimedia artefacts to facilitate reflective learning. Two studies evaluated the approach with first year undergraduate students: Medicine and Performance and Cultural Industries at the University of Leeds. Two studies evaluated the approach with postgraduate students: ICT in Education at the University of Leeds and Dietetics at Leeds Metropolitan University.

There was mixed student opinion of the value of using a digital storytelling approach for reflective learning. This appears to be related to several important aspects, including previous experience and preference for written approaches for reflection. The opportunity to be creative was identified as being important and the use of multimedia was also considered to aid the reflective process. Students used a variety of approaches to create their reflective digital story and the chosen approach appeared to be related to individual preferences. Tutors also considered that digital storytelling enhanced reflective learning, especially for students who did not have a preference for written approaches.

Increasing familiarity with the process, with the opportunity to practice the creation of a reflective digital story, and the opportunity to view a completed reflective digital story was considered to be useful. Students liked to have a clear brief and expectation of what they were expected to produce. There were student concerns about the use of reflective digital stories for summative assessment, preferring to use the approach for formative purposes only.

Technology can be a barrier that inhibits the flow of reflective activity. Students had a preference for using technologies that they were familiar with and the mobile aspects of institutionally provided technology was currently found to be time consuming and frustrating. In conclusion, the collection and presentation of digital multimedia artefacts to facilitate reflective learning offers a practical pedagogic application of Next Generation Technologies. The approach appears to engage Net Generation students in reflective learning and it also appears to stimulate deep reflection. This new approach can be a significant challenge to Higher Education institutions and educators, both in control of the learner experience but also assessment procedures.

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