{"id":2947,"date":"2013-10-23T09:30:57","date_gmt":"2013-10-23T09:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/learningedge\/?p=2947"},"modified":"2013-10-22T13:42:16","modified_gmt":"2013-10-22T13:42:16","slug":"how-blackboard-blogs-put-a-wow-factor-into-an-epidemiology-lecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/learningedge\/2013\/10\/23\/how-blackboard-blogs-put-a-wow-factor-into-an-epidemiology-lecture\/","title":{"rendered":"How Blackboard Blogs put a \u201cWow\u201d factor into an epidemiology lecture \u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

… creating a student generated resource that is used during the session and as a reference.<\/span><\/h1>\n

Laura Taylor, Senior Lecturer and Senior SOLSTICE Fellow within the Faculty of Health and\u00a0Social\u00a0Care\u00a0describes how she has used Blackboard Blogs to transform a set of statistics into an engaging learning activity for students AND, almost as a \u2018by product\u2019 created a student-generated resource for reference.<\/i><\/p>\n


\nQ: Can you set the scene for us please?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“In the 2nd\u00a0year nursing programme we have a module called \u2018Principles and practice in health and well-being in adult nursing\u2019 where students are introduced to Public Health \u2013 the first time they will have studied this topic in depth.<\/p>\n

Generally this has been a large cohort of around 110 students\u00a0 \u2013 so group work can prove to be rather difficult \u2013 especially taking feedback from 20 or more groups.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong>So \u2013 for the \u2018Globalization and Health Needs\u2019 session we decided to capitalise on the technologies that were available \u2013 using Blackboard\u2019s Blogs to record each group’s work.\u00a0 Students do a small scoping exercise in self-selected groups choosing an area such as a country and then researching the demographics and some of the health trends that are specific to that country.\u00a0 The activity immediately gives the students some insights into the differences to the UK as they have already looked at the UK Community Health Profiles.<\/p>\n

The crux of group work and getting students to actively participate is feedback \u2013 you can get them to do something but the feedback is crucial to ensure active engagement.\u00a0 So we get the students to record their findings on a Blackboard blog.\u00a0 We could have used other technologies such as a discussion board, but the students seem to like blogs \u2013 perhaps there may have been some novelty value with the blogs as many were blogging for the first time.\u00a0 Blogs are incredibly easy to use on Blackboard.\u00a0 As well as recording their own work, they can see, comment and contribute to other groups work.\u00a0 I tend to sit in the classroom, with Blackboard live so each time there\u2019s a blog post it comes up instantly on the big screen.\u00a0 The students find seeing their work build up on the big screen incredibly exciting – when they return to the classroom they look up at the screen and say:<\/p>\n

\u201cWow, did we do all that?\u00a0 Isn’t that great!\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: Can you compare your approach with more traditional methods?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Not really \u2013 we didn’t do much on Globalization and Health previously because a \u2018lecture\u2019 presenting statistics wouldn’t work.\u00a0 Also, group work with such a large cohort would be difficult too \u2013 consider the logistics of flip chart paper from 20 or so groups.\u00a0 Moreover, there\u2019s no record of what the group’s produced so the impact of the activity\u00a0 is rather limited.<\/p>\n

Having work recorded electronically means we can quickly flip between groups to feedback to most groups AND have the bonus of all the work being recorded for reference.<\/p>\n

Q: Can you tell us about the logistics \u2013 how you organise the cohort for the session?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We start in a classroom \u2013 all 100 or so students \u2013 and I introduce them to the Globalization topic for around 40 minutes.\u00a0 Then we ask them to select an area to study, get into groups, and then go off for an hour or sometimes longer to create their blog entry (these instructions are reinforced on Blackboard).\u00a0 When they come back everything is up on the board; there\u2019s no gathering of pieces of paper or sticking them up or people arguing \u2026 all the work is neatly filed.\u00a0 As they come back to the room they get the \u2018Wow\u2019 factor \u2013 the whole group can see at a glance what they’ve done.\u00a0 Then we ask for volunteers (avoiding putting people \u2018on the spot\u2019) to present their groups work \u2013 if no one volunteers we ask for permission to open the blog.\u00a0 This activity generates a lovely community spirit \u2013 they want to share this information that they’ve found.\u00a0 They\u2019re not disclosing anything \u2013 just stating information \u2013 we want them to use and share the data.<\/p>\n

A typical blog post contains an overview of the health profile, the demographics, the GDP, population size, infant mortality rate etc., all with references and links.<\/p>\n

Allowing 5 mins for each presentation we get through all the groups.<\/p>\n

Q: What happens if there are significant discrepancies reported by students?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We discuss it and use it as a teaching point.\u00a0 All the sources of the data are on the blogs so we can go an explore where the different data has come from.<\/p>\n

Q: What advice would you give to staff considering using blogs in this way?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Go for it!\u00a0 Make the instructions simple with a step by step guide.\u00a0 Link the activity to the assessment process. And give them a choice \u2013 as I’ve done here with the students selecting the area to study and groups.<\/p>\n

Q: What would you change?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Nothing \u2013 I’ve run this three times now and I really wouldn’t change a thing \u2013 the students are very engaged and the staff enjoy the session as well.<\/p>\n

Q: What are the main benefits of this approach?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPicking out three points, I\u2019d suggest:<\/p>\n