Using Videos to Explain Problem Examples

This article may be helpful to faculty members in the areas of mathematics and science who are considering utilizing video podcasts as support materials to help students work through problem sets for their class. Please note that although the journal article mentioned below is free to access, you will need to establish a username and password on the journal site to do so.

In the article “Developing a Framework for Creating Effective Instructional Video Podcasts” R. H. Kay studied the development and use of videos to share “worked examples” online with students. Worked examples are “instructional devices that provide an expert’s problem solution for a learner to study” (Atkinson, Derry, Renkl, & Wortham, 2014, p. 181).  Kay then used these findings to develop a framework organized into four main categories:

  • Establishing Context
  • Creating Effective Explanations
  • Minimizing Cognitive Load
  • Engaging Students

as well as 16 subcategories which can be viewed via the article link above. Please see page 24.

I want to do this! Who can help?

Contact Heather (hstafford@middlebury.edu) or Joe (jantonio@middlebury.edu) to get started!

Sources:

Atkinson, R. K., Derry, S. J., Renkl, A., & Wortham, D. (2000). Learning from Examples: Instructional Principles from the Worked Examples Research. Review of Educational Research, 70(2), 181–214. doi:10.3102/00346543070002181

Kay, R. H. (2014). Developing a Framework for Creating Effective Instructional Video Podcasts. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 9(1), pp. 22–30.

 

Middlebury Trailrunner Blog – Jeff Byers

middlebury-mapleWhat: Middlebury Trailrunner Blog

Who: Jeff Byers, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Technologies used: Hardware: GPS watch, digital camera.  Software:  Google Earth, WordPress, Garmin software (allows seamless connection to Google Earth). When posting an altitude profile, Jeff does a screen shot off of the Garmin software and pastes it into MS Word.  Then he uses a shareware program called “Doc to Jpeg Converter” and crops it with Microsoft Office Picture Manager. Continue reading “Middlebury Trailrunner Blog – Jeff Byers”

Capturing Video from Google Earth Pro for Visualization of Landscape Development – Chris Fastie, Visiting Research Scholar

Technology Used: Google Earth Pro, GPS, digital video camera, Adobe Premiere Pro
Course: Environmental Studies 1011 – Reading Nature’s Winter Landscape
Number of students: 15

Photo by Carrie Macfarlane
Text by  Chris Fastie and Carrie Macfarlane

For ten years, Chris Fastie, Visiting Research Scholar in the Department of Biology, had been laboring to map the geomorphology of a four-mile stretch of Upper Plains Road in Salisbury, Vermont. As time allowed, he would venture out to survey the landscape, and sketch his findings on aerial photos. Last summer, he used a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver to map some newly discovered kame terraces, installed Google Earth Pro on his computer and learned that there was finally an effective way to share his findings with others. When he received a request to lecture for a Winter Term course at Middlebury, technology and opportunity had merged to give new impetus to the mapping project. Continue reading “Capturing Video from Google Earth Pro for Visualization of Landscape Development – Chris Fastie, Visiting Research Scholar”

Creating maps for a historical geography course

Anne Knowles’ poster session featured two atlases that had been created by students in her GEOG0219 course on the Historical Geography of North America.  The titles of the atlases are Historical Atlas of New England and Atlas of Industrial America and each student in her class was responsible for creating a map, essay and bibliography for the atlas on a theme approved by her.  Students found and used historical maps and created overlays that added new layers of information to the original maps.  Using technology was not the goal of the course, but it presented an opportunity for students to use GIS, create an original map and to develop skills in thinking geographically to show changes over time.  The feedback that Anne received from students was that their projects were the best and most satisfying assignment they ever had.

Copies of the atlases may be found in Special Collections, Armstrong Oversize and Stacks Oversize and may be loaned to other libraries through InterLibrary Loan.