The document discusses the integration of digital video production into the curriculum of the University of Leicester to enhance student engagement in biochemistry and bioethics education. It highlights the positive and mixed student evaluations of the video project as a creative form of assessment that builds transferable skills and promotes teamwork. The document also outlines the characteristics of authentic assessment and provides recommendations for the production process and equipment used in the project.

1. Dr Chris Willmott
Dept of Biochemistry,
University of Leicester
cjrw2@le.ac.uk
Lights, Camera, Action!
Involving students in digital video production
to enhance educational engagement
Teaching & Communicating Science in the Digital Age
University of
Leicester

2. Overview
• Multimedia (esp visual media) can be integrated into
teaching in variety of ways
Use of
broadcast clips
Video
production
News
analysis

3. Context: Leicester
• University of Leicester
School of Biological Sciences
• Second Year Undergraduates
- Medical Biochemistry (n=40)
- Other Biologists (n= 240)

4. “Students should expect to be confronted by some
of the scientific, moral and ethical questions raised
by their study discipline, to consider viewpoints
other than their own, and to engage in critical
assessment and intellectual argument”
“Recognising the moral and ethical issues of
investigations and appreciating the need for ethical
standards and professional codes
of conduct”
QAA Benchmarking: Bioethics
http://tinyurl.com/ethicsmaze1

5. All students should:
“Have some understanding of ethical issues and
the impact on society of advances in the
biosciences”
Good students should:
“Be able to construct reasoned arguments to
support their position on the ethical and social
impact of advances in the
biosciences”
QAA Benchmarking: Bioethics
http://tinyurl.com/ethicsmaze1

6. Film production
• Since 2008
• Require students to produce films
• Work in teams of 4 (set by me)
• Make 3-5 min video on allocated topic
• Best films are made available more broadly via
YouTube (linked from Bioethicsbytes)

7. Film production
• Concerns that “you cannot say
anything meaningful in 5 minutes ”
not substantiated
• Rare opportunity within biology curriculum for
students to express creativity
• Genuine team activity rather than just “group work”
• Authentic Assessment – real-world relevance

8. Teamwork ≠ Groupwork
• Although “groupwork” and “teamwork” often used
interchangeably there are differences in meaning
Groupwork = Multi-person
task, but might have been
completed relatively easily
by individual
Teamwork = task would
be hard or impossible for
one person on their own

9. Authentic Assessment
• Characteristics of authenticity include:
• Real-world relevance
• Meaningful
• Challenging
• Involve students in own research
• Knowledge construction
• Opportunity for “ownership”
• Collaboration/Teamwork
• Generates product or performance
“Students as Producers”

10. Topics include
Bioethics
and Sport
Neuroimaging
Egg donation
3-parent IVF
Gene
therapy
Genetic
enhancement Transhumanism
Use of animals
in research
Xenotransplantation
Organ
tradingForensic
use of DNA
Cognitive
enhancement
Use of human
material
Pharmacogenetics
Ethical issues in
public health
Vaccination
against HPV
Egg freezing

11. Student films: Genre
Interviews
24hr News

12. Student films: Genre
Role-play

13. Student films: Genre
Animation

14. Student films: Genre
Finger puppets
VideoScribe

15. Student self-evaluation

16. Positive
• “Video project allowed us to research areas and topics
of science that were different, new, and exciting, and
also challenged us to using new equipment and
computer software”
• “The video project was interesting way of presenting
ideas on ethical issues and made sure preparation was
not last minute as with essays”
• “A positive, enjoyable experience – was something
different than writing essays etc, and allowed us some
creativity, something I miss doing the ‘sciency’ (sic)
course that we do”
Student evaluation of exercise

17. Positive
• “Enjoyable doing video project as it was quite a
novel, creative form of assessment”
• “The video project was a good learning experience”
• “Video gave good and varied experience of working
in teams”
• “Video production was different and enjoyable”
• “The bioethics video was interesting and has I feel
helped me to obtain skills I did not have before as I
had never had to make and edit a video”
• “Video project was ace”
Student evaluation of exercise

18. Mixed
• “Whilst doing it I thought it was a bit of a pain to be
honest! But by the end I was quite pleased with the
result!”
• “Fun to do and spend time on, however… the marks
allocated for this project were disproportionate to the
amount of time and effort we had put in.”
Negative
• “No more video assessment (we’re scientists not media
students)”
Student evaluation of exercise

19. • Digital video:
- Excellent way to boost engagement
- Develops transferable skills
- Produces resource for wider community
• Recommended equipment:
- HD quality cameras recording to SD card
- Tripods and external microphones
• Decide if you will accept submissions made using
GoAnimate, Videoscribe, etc
• Don’t use their own names in role-play
• Award appropriate credit – this is not an easy task
If you wish to run this activity...

20. • Digital video:
- Excellent way to boost engagement
- Develops transferable skills
- Produces resource for wider community
• Recommended equipment:
- HD quality cameras recording to SD card
- Tripods and external microphones
• Decide if you will accept submissions made using
GoAnimate, Videoscribe, etc
• Don’t use their own names in role-play
• Award appropriate credit – this is not an easy task
If you wish to run this activity...

21. Any Questions?
E-mail: cjrw2@le.ac.uk
Twitter: cjrw
Slideshare: cjrw2
Delicious: chriswillmott
Blogs: www.bioethicsbytes.wordpress.com
www.biologyonthebox.wordpress.com
www.biosciencecareers.wordpress.com
www.lefthandedbiochemist.wordpress.com
University of
Leicester