Student-created media in the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems

Student-created Media

Duncan McHugh &Morgan ReidThe Learning Centre

LFS Community MeetingMay 6th, 2008

Putting Digital Tools into Students' Hands

I) Podcasting AGRO 461 Andrew Riseman

II) BloggingAGRO 315, David Fraser

III) Digital StorytellingAGSC 496, Cathleen Nichols

Learning Centre Pilots

･ Mostly re-purposing lectures ･ Useful, not very dynamic

Academic podcasting

･ Cross-campus collaboration

The PEPI Group

･ Engaging their research in a new way ･ Improving their

communication skills ･ Expressing

themselves using digital tools ･ Spreading their

message to a broader audience

Agroecology students

･ What makes a story

Journalism seminars

Kathryn GretzingerAlfred Hermida

･ How to get good recording ･ The use of audio

recorders ･ Basic audio editing ･ Copyright awareness

Technology workshops

･ Audacity

Tools

･ M-Audio 24/96 microtrack recorders

Tools

･ M-Audio 24/96 microtrack recorders ･ iPod Nanos & XtremeMac MicroMedia mics

Tools

･ The learning curve (and willingness) to learn new technology, esp. in

the face of heavy courseloads ･ Establishing and

maintaining resources ･ Creating a rubric for

evaluation

Student expectations

What were the results?

“Creating a podcast that tells a story is entirely different from writing a report. Creating a podcast is, dare I say it, fun! Learning about how to hunt a story is like learning to hunt for a mysterious animal, adept at hiding, but powerless against a friendly interviewer with well-timed, well thought-out, open-ended questions. The search for a story takes the project creator out of their windowless dorm room or stuffy apartment, and away from their computer (for the time being). Podcast story hunting takes the author character hunting, forcing them to contact people they may not otherwise meet, interacting with them one-on-one, building a rapport, and learning to ask the right questions to delve deeper into what their character might have to say. Interviewing this character forces the podcast author to become a listener.”

- AGRO 461 student

･ Heritage Apple Orchard ･ Landed Learning Project

Student podcasts

･ Another technology fad or a maturing tool?

Blogs for teaching and learning(5-7 minutes)

･ (What are blogs?) and Why use them?

…blogs…

…blogs...

･ Dr. David Fraser’s Animal Welfare course (AGRO 315)

In the Faculty's popular third-year Animal Welfare course (AGRO 315) each student researches an original term paper (topics range from Avian Influenza to thoroughbred racing) and presents their findings to the class.

One example: Arielle McKeown (Animal Welfare, 3rd year)http://blogs.landfood.ubc.ca/horsewelfare

･ A local example:

…blogs.

"The class enjoyed this form of communication, and the students acquired a skill that will serve them well in the future.”

Dr. David Fraser

･ Part of AGSC 496 ･ Two students ･ Self-reflection using all

manner of digital media

Digital Storytelling

･ Audacity ･ Photoshop ･ iMovie ･ Microphones ･ Cameras & camcorders ･ Multimedia Lab in the

Learning Centre

Digital Storytelling Tools

･ Learning curve for technology ･ Strain on students ･ Evaluation rubric ･ Copyright concerns ･ Workflow

Challenges

Sophia’s story

Questions?

Thanks!

Morgan Reidmorgan.reid@ubc.ca

Duncan McHugh duncan.mchugh@ubc.ca