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Live, interactive web-broadcasts (i.e. labcasts) provide students with an opportunity to observe and engage in practical science demonstrations through synchronous question-and-answer widgets and text-chat via the OU’s Stadium Live platform. Recent findings indicate that labcasts in STEM modules can have a positive impact on student learning and motivation and facilitate more in-depth engagement with the wider OU science community (Bradshaw, Thomson and Velasco, 2019). This study will explore to what extent labcasts can engage the Associate Lecturer (AL) community to help support module tuition strategy and promote a sense of community across the ALs and module team. SXPS288 ‘Remote Experiments in Physics and Space’ includes a new planetary science experimental investigation, which will take place in the second half of the module. As this student investigation is novel, a discrete labcast for ALs will serve as an introduction to the project. The labcast will also provide an opportunity for ALs to learn more about the practical elements of labcasting and that of the student experience. There are ten ALs and approximately 200 students on the 19J presentation. A mixed-methods design will expand quantitative results from questionnaires with qualitative findings from focus groups. A pre-evaluation questionnaire will survey ALs on their prior experiences and expectations of the labcast event and sense of community; followed by a labcast demonstrating the experiment. Stadium data logs (i.e. the widgets and text-chat) will be collected to observe tutors’ interactions during the labcast. A post-evaluation questionnaire will collect data on participants’ perceptions of the content and delivery, perceived changes in knowledge and sense of community. Last, we will conduct two online focus groups to expand on ALs perspectives of labcasts. We will present findings from the data collected on the perceived benefits such as increased confidence, subject knowledge and the effect of l

This project is investigating the impact of web-broadcasts on learning. Web-broadcasts stream live content alongside interactive tools (widgets) to support the learning process and promote interaction between the presenters and viewers. Interaction is crucial to maximise student learning. Empirical data suggest that synchronous methods add value to student learning through real-time discussion, instantaneous feedback and connectedness with others (Martin, Parker & Deale, 2012; Giesbers, Rienties, Tempelaar & Gijselaers, 2014), and can assist in the overall social aspect of learning (Witton, 2017). However, others (Hrastinski, 2008), point to the potential lack of reflection that synchronicity has on complex concepts. Nevertheless, an agreed consensus in the field is that collaborative learning activities and participation maximise learning opportunities and are more likely linked to student success. Therefore, this project hypothesizes that participation with synchronous technologies increases engagement and therefore enhances learning. This project will investigate (i) the ways in which collaboration happens between students and presenters, (ii) the impact of synchronicity on learning tasks and (iii) the perceptions of stakeholders (i.e. students, lecturers, and production teams). Research design will include observations on teaching practice and technological logistics; surveys to measure attitudes; interaction data to analyse the target, frequency, and types of interaction; and trialing interventions to test procedures of instructional strategies. The project contributes to the field of STEM distance education. Systematic evaluation will assess the effectiveness and lead to recommendations for improving web-broadcasts. The outcomes will: inform students on meaningful practice and future learning opportunities, help lecturers understand which instructional methods are more effective and provide insights for lecturers planning new modules and those producing/direct

The challenges of not being co-located on-site can affect the student learning experience. To address this, The Open University uses interactive web broadcasts to engage students in practical demonstrations, experiments and field investigations. The approach embeds a live video-stream alongside text-chat and question-and-answer widgets to enable bi-directional communication between students and lecturers. This research is evaluating how the broadcasts are being used to support learning and enhance a sense of community. Findings will be presented on the attitudes, motivations and types of interactions between students and lecturers and discuss how such live events can deliver an alternative to on-campus events.

Despite the widespread use of synchronous technologies in online and distance learning environments, it is still challenging for distance educators to use effective pedagogical strategies and ensure the best possible interaction for undergraduate students. Within science disciplines, teaching and learning are particularly challenging due to not being co-located with actual experimental equipment in laboratory or field settings. Compared to face-to-face practical work, socio-emotional challenges can exist in distance practical work. For instance, face-to-face settings make feedback, rapport and relationship-building more readily available whereas interaction and support may be hampered, delayed, or require frequent fostering in an online or distance learning environment. Several interactive learning environments can mitigate these challenges. For example, students and lecturers can converse in real-time using webcasting technologies as a way to observe practical work and enhance cognitive and affective engagement. Team-teaching and effective communication strategies can provide pedagogical and social synergy as well as increased student interaction and engagement. This study investigates the teaching roles and communication strategies teaching teams used in interactive web broadcasts across five undergraduate practical science and technology modules at a distance-learning university. Using a qualitative approach, the study used interaction analysis methods to analyse 14 web broadcast transcripts and text-chat logs. Focus groups, semi-structured interviews and questionnaire data from the teaching teams and students were conducted to gain a fuller picture of experiences using and engaging with web broadcasts. Results show that affective communication strategies predominated the web broadcasts although the most frequent was a cognitive strategy. The use of these strategies varied depending on the role that the teaching team occupied during the web broadcasts. Triangulat

Practical work in science and technology disciplines is crucial for students’ understanding and mastery. For educators who teach those disciplines at a distance and for students who learn remotely, this endeavour may be challenging. The study presented in this thesis investigates the use of Interactive Web Broadcasts (IWBs) in five undergraduate practical science and technology modules at The Open University. The study examines the reasons for using IWBs, as well as the strategies and types of interactions that staff and students use to engage and interact with one another. The study gathered perspectives from academics (n=18); associate lecturers (n=10); technical production team (n=3); students (n=88), and an external guest expert about the purposes, strategies and motivations of participating in IWBs. The study used a qualitatively mixed-methods design. An adapted protocol of Flanders’s Interaction Analysis Categories was used to analyse the interaction patterns in the web broadcast transcripts and text-chat logs, and a discourse analysis coding scheme was applied to analyse the text-chat. Student online questionnaires were administered towards the end of the modules to capture the student perceptions of IWBs. Student interviews and staff focus groups were also conducted to gain a fuller picture of experiences of using and engaging with IWBs. Findings show that the purposes and aims of using IWBs are to facilitate student engagement, foster a sense of community, and demonstrate an authentic practice of the sciences in real-world contexts. The communicative strategies were primarily affective and met students’ interests and expectations. The IWBs mitigated feelings of isolation that are common in distance education environments. IWBs had positive impacts on professional teaching practices and fostered collegiality and collaboration among staff. The findings are relevant to other distance and traditional campus-based universities that teach practical science and te

This project is investigating the impact of web-broadcasts on learning. Web-broadcasts stream live content alongside interactive tools (widgets) to support the learning process and promote interaction between the presenters and viewers. Interaction is crucial to maximise student learning. Empirical data suggest that synchronous methods add value to student learning through real-time discussion, instantaneous feedback and connectedness with others (Martin, Parker & Deale, 2012; Giesbers, Rienties, Tempelaar & Gijselaers, 2014), and can assist in the overall social aspect of learning (Witton, 2017). However, others (Hrastinski, 2008), point to the potential lack of reflection that synchronicity has on complex concepts. Nevertheless, an agreed consensus in the field is that collaborative learning activities and participation maximise learning opportunities and are more likely linked to student success. Therefore, this project hypothesizes that participation with synchronous technologies increases engagement and therefore enhances learning. This project will investigate (i) the ways in which collaboration happens between students and presenters, (ii) the impact of synchronicity on learning tasks and (iii) the perceptions of stakeholders (i.e. students, lecturers, and production teams). Research design will include observations on teaching practice and technological logistics; surveys to measure attitudes; interaction data to analyse the target, frequency, and types of interaction; and trialing interventions to test procedures of instructional strategies. The project contributes to the field of STEM distance education. Systematic evaluation will assess the effectiveness and lead to recommendations for improving web-broadcasts. The outcomes will: inform students on meaningful practice and future learning opportunities, help lecturers understand which instructional methods are more effective and provide insights for lecturers planning new modules and those producing/direct

The challenges of not being co-located on-site can affect the student learning experience. To address this, The Open University uses interactive web broadcasts to engage students in practical demonstrations, experiments and field investigations. The approach embeds a live video-stream alongside text-chat and question-and-answer widgets to enable bi-directional communication between students and lecturers. This research is evaluating how the broadcasts are being used to support learning and enhance a sense of community. Findings will be presented on the attitudes, motivations and types of interactions between students and lecturers and discuss how such live events can deliver an alternative to on-campus events.

Live, interactive web-broadcasts (i.e. labcasts) provide students with an opportunity to observe and engage in practical science demonstrations through synchronous question-and-answer widgets and text-chat via the OU’s Stadium Live platform. Recent findings indicate that labcasts in STEM modules can have a positive impact on student learning and motivation and facilitate more in-depth engagement with the wider OU science community (Bradshaw, Thomson and Velasco, 2019). This study will explore to what extent labcasts can engage the Associate Lecturer (AL) community to help support module tuition strategy and promote a sense of community across the ALs and module team. SXPS288 ‘Remote Experiments in Physics and Space’ includes a new planetary science experimental investigation, which will take place in the second half of the module. As this student investigation is novel, a discrete labcast for ALs will serve as an introduction to the project. The labcast will also provide an opportunity for ALs to learn more about the practical elements of labcasting and that of the student experience. There are ten ALs and approximately 200 students on the 19J presentation. A mixed-methods design will expand quantitative results from questionnaires with qualitative findings from focus groups. A pre-evaluation questionnaire will survey ALs on their prior experiences and expectations of the labcast event and sense of community; followed by a labcast demonstrating the experiment. Stadium data logs (i.e. the widgets and text-chat) will be collected to observe tutors’ interactions during the labcast. A post-evaluation questionnaire will collect data on participants’ perceptions of the content and delivery, perceived changes in knowledge and sense of community. Last, we will conduct two online focus groups to expand on ALs perspectives of labcasts. We will present findings from the data collected on the perceived benefits such as increased confidence, subject knowledge and the effect of l