Video: a fairy godmother in adult education?
‘[T]he term 'video' cannot possibly condense the narrative,
Grant Barclay, www.grant-barclay.co.uk
Abstract
Video may support participation in a discourse community not only as a presentation tool or a
means to disseminate final products for review or assessment, but as a facilitating technology, an
'early step' towards other engagement. This paper reports a simple use of video to capture early
contributions to a subject which is described in a text by a number of members of a faith
community. Conversations responding to self-selected open questions were video recorded and
collected clips distributed as a resource to help prepare for group discussion. A range of potentially
useful and problematic features of using video to support participation was found, suggesting that
video may play a range of roles toward increasing participation among learners by developing
identities of participation, offering rehearsal opportunities, supporting peripheral participation, and
offering vicarious learning opportunities of observing talk within a subject domain in a familiar
manner.
Introduction
Elements of the ‘Cinderella’ story (also known as Cendrillon, Aschenputtel or
Cenicienta) may be seen as metaphors for uses of video to support learning.
Attending the ball, in the tale, results from much preparation and is a location for
demonstrating certain skills. Video is a means of transmitting the end result of much
preparation both by academic staff producing bespoke video material and students
producing final reports for assessment.
Cinderella’s household role fulfilling necessary domestic chores in the story is
essential though perhaps little noticed. Video-recording lectures to permit access by
students at convenient times or places may similarly fulfil a helpful service, whose
production may be un-noticed through familiarity.
The principal metaphor considered in this paper is the process initiated by fairy
godmother by which Cinderella can attend the ball. Participation is the focus, for
Cinderella’s lack of necessary resources preludes this until the fairy godmother makes
it possible for her to take part. What role may video play in supporting participating
in learning activities with others, particularly ones in which they might otherwise be
hesitant to become involved?
An additional issue is that Cinderella’s participation was still limited and ended at
midnight, albeit with one fragile artefact remaining, a glass slipper fitting only
Cinderella’s foot. Is video a similarly fragile resource with limited use, or does it have
a wider fit? The issues of participation and fit are explored in this paper after the
diverse nature of video is described.
The diversity of video
Video is a diverse medium within and beyond educational purposes:
documentary and descriptive range of moving images and sound. Video
is specifically produced to support education but it is produced for
many other reasons as well and we have only just begun to explore the
educational possibilities of the medium.’ (Shephard, 2003, p.296)
Video is already widely used as a means of expressing and communicating
considered views on a subject formed after considerable reflection, one example
being the recording of lectures:
‘As a result, the production of video lectures is becoming more and
more important, as video is one of the most powerful media to
present information and students find video materials very compelling.’
(Furini, 2009, p.77, emphasis added)
Another example is where learners present their views which include video format,
perhaps in producing reports for assessment (Farren, 2008, p.61). These are
examples of video used as a presentation or transmission tool, though video is not
limited to these. Considered presentations may be distinguished from informal,
ephemeral conversations captured on video, for example through video-
conferencing facilitiesor consumer web-based applications:
‘The rapid expansion of public video sites such as YouTube
(www.youtube.com) or MetaCafe (www.metacafe.com) have lead to a
renaissance of homeproduced video as a popular creative medium for
entertainment and even education.’
(Bijnens, Vanbuel, Verstegen & Young, 2006, p.6)
A greater range of possible educational uses for video are becoming apparent.
Watching video of whatever type may be considered more passive than conversing
with someone physically present, most obviously because there is no possibility of
direct interchange. How, then, may video encourage participation?
Video to encourage participation
Video may be used not merely as a presentation tool but as a communication
resource by learners who, in considering a subject or issue, share early thoughts
rather than final views in a video-recorded conversation which is made available to
other learners. This conversation may be supported by providing initial information
and views in a printed text together with video clips of other learners’ early
thoughts. How would text and clips like this influence forming and articulating one’s
early view and support reflection on the subject?
Vicarious learning theory (Mayes, Dineen, McKendree & Lee, 2002) argues that
watching others attempting to learn, or overhearing learners’ dialogue through
which concepts are articulated and shared, may support observers’ learning.
Observational spiritual learning suggests that individuals develop perspectives on faith
by looking to others’ examples (Oman and Thoresen, 2003a, 2003b). Bandura (2003,
p.171) supports the contention that spiritual modelling is influential in faith
development.
Communities of practice understands learning as:
‘...chang[ing] who we are by changing our ability to participate, to
belong, to negotiate meaning. And this ability is configured socially with
respect to practices, communities, and economies of meaning where it
shapes our identities.’ (Wenger, 1998, p.226)
Learning may be understood to change learners both cognitively in terms of
reflections on a subject and socially in relation to others. Subject knowledge and
skills, both necessary for participation may be developed along with increasing
understanding of the practices in which one engages in participating, together with
awareness of one’s developing ability and right to engage in community activities. This
view suggests experience and participation are components of learning, not
independent but interacting upon each other.
Figure 1 Production process for resource
The investigation
Fifteen church-goers volunteered to consider an issue and were supplied with a
previously published text and fifteen open questions designed to support them
describing their views about the text and issues it raised, as well as video-clips of
other people offering their views. A church congregation is a setting in which
participants expect to learn (Barclay, 2006) and in which a range of media is currently
used including books, audio CDs, websites, magazines and lecture-type presentations.
Christian faith encourages individual theological reflection (Astley, 2002a) and the
sharing of views (Astley, 2002b), though the personal nature of the subject may
inhibit such discussion in a Scottish Presbyterian culture. Reflection on the text and
wider issue was encouraged as participants responded to one or more of the open
questions in a video-recorded conversation with the researcher. Edited video-clip
contributions produced with Pinnacle Studio (Avid Technology, 2004) were
incorporated into the resources available to subsequent contributors in a process
indicated in Figure 1.
Discourse was encouraged in a later face-to-face group discussion, for which a
resource containing the text and all video-clips was distributed in advance. Informants
later described in research conversations and a short written questionnaire how the
the resources and their contributions influenced their later participation in a
discussion group. Phenomenographic analysis of transcripts permitted a range of
experiences of interactions among the four elements of reading the text, articulating a
view, watching video-clips and discussing in a group to be classified. All written
responses from questionnaires are shown in Figure 2 and were obtained after Figure 2 Relations among elements in resource
informants had reflected on their experiences in research conversations. They are
presented as a summary of experiencing the four activities mentioned above.
Reading the text was reported as helpful in providing something to base one’s
thought on as well as providing the author’s perspective and providing information.
The presence of a text meant the issue had to be addressed which some found
challenging. One informant felt the text, extending in this case to 1,200 words, was
too long to concentrate on.
Watching video-clips of others was reported as helpful because of the new
perspectives which were made available, broadening possible ways of considering the
subject and challenging existing views: others’ varied views supported individual
cognitive reflection. Watching peers’ articulations was intriguing, demonstrated that a
potentially daunting activity was achievable and illustrated the ‘ordinariness’ of
contributions, encouraging articulation of views perceived too mundane to be
valuable:
The ability to stop or view videos again gave space to consider the subject, a feature
it shared with the text which could be re-read. However, seeing familiar faces on-
screen supported a sense of presence (Knudsen, 2004, p.6) or companionship
reported as cognitively supportive, something not provided by the text. The sole
criticism of video was that watching oneself was initially unusual and unpleasant.
Articulating a view in video-recorded conversation was reported as helpful in
encouraging contributors to realise they had a valid contribution to make and helping
form that contribution which needed to be understood by contributors before its
articulation. Most church-goers’ discussions are in discourse and using video
permitted these to be captured in a familiar medium. Seeking written answers would
have been a more unusual request. Although appearing in a video-clip appeared
daunting, some described the experience as helpful, even easier than in a group
setting, and that having one’s views listened to was positive. The sole negative
comment related to perceptions about appearance on video.
Participating in a discussion encouraged confidence to view oneself as an active
member of the community as well as supporting reflection on the issue through
hearing other people’s views. One noted benefit of the discussion was being able to
develop early contributions in video-clips. Social aspects of group discussions were
also valued and the sole negative comment was of perceiving being judged for
contributions made.
Discussion
Lane (2007) notes that video frequently involves passive watching, an educational
limitation. This investigation made use of video both to encourage articulations of
early thoughts and to capture these for the benefit of the group. Achieved using
modest available technology though requiring considerable time input by the resource
producer, video was found to be useful to support articulation and listening leading
to cognitive, social and affective benefits. Initially considered a learning resource,
video became an integral part of the instructional design. However, watching video
was initially experienced as a peripheral activity, compared with the community’s
core activity of discussing in group discussion. The facility to observe before
contributing and then contribute through a conversation among two (in the video-
recorded conversation) prior to speaking in a larger, ‘live’ group, may be seen as a
form of peripheral participation focusing on greater participation (Lave & Wenger,
1991, p.29).
Cognitive reflection, that is working at greater thoughtfulness (Dewey, 1913, p.58),
was encouraged through a demand for some articulation in the video-recorded
conversation, removing the possibility of never articulating one’s views. It also meant
that prior to the discussion all participants had rehearsed articulating their views
whilst aware that these were amenable to alteration and development. This
articulation was not merely an unrealistic rehearsal but was necessary to produce a
video-clip to help others consider the subject. This requirement to speak about
aspects of the text meant it had to be read and considered, described by one
informant as a useful ‘gentle push’. Having been thus pushed, confidence to
contribute in the face to face group appeared to be encouraged.
Anxiety associated with anticipating the conversation task was lessened through the
possibility of editing the video, rendering poorer articulations invisible to others.
Additionally, the initial articulation was in a small one-to-one conversation and not a
performance to a group. Encouragement was further provided by watching peers’
similar activity in video-clips. Zozzou, Van Mele, Vodouhe and Wanvoeke (2009)
found that training videos in which fellow women rice farmers demonstrated
preparation techniques resulted in greater uptake of the technique than training
workshops, suggesting that observing peers’ activities may encourage participation.
Using video encouraged social learning including an identity of participation among
contributors. This supported some to perceive their right to belong to this
community, or that that they had valuable contributions, or that offering them was a
contribution supporting others to reflect on the issue.
An appropriate fit?
The text and video clips were produced using Pageplus (Serif, 2004) in a multimedia
resource as a PDF file with hyperlinks to video files all of which were stored and
distributed on CD-ROM. Nevertheless a number of enthusiastic participants had no
access to computers nor necessary computer skills. This necessitated producing the
material in a second form, namely printed sheets and a DVD-disc playable on a
domestic DVD player. This proved adequate to enable participation by those
without computer facilities.
No investigation was conducted to determine whether other possible contributors
were discouraged by the thought of appearing in video, an initially daunting prospect
nonetheless reported as useful once completed. No comparison was made between
contributing initially on video or in a small group, though there were indications that
the small-scale conversation, the ability to repeat the contribution on video and the
open questions provided helpful initial support to articulate views which could then
be developed in a ‘live’ small group setting.
Using a text with open questions appeared to provide a ‘shoehorn’ to ease people
into into the task of articulating views in a video-recorded conversation. It also
provided common information about the issue, presented an argument and offered
ideas from which one could differ in a format which was accessible and familiar
though which some nevertheless found demanding.
Conclusions
Educational video may be considered a ‘polished product presenting final views’
though in fact video enables a range of uses. Whilst used widely by those who are
expert in a subject or have come to some knowledgeable position to present
information, there is potential for it to be used productively earlier in the learning
process as investigated here.
Informal ephemeral video now more widely used captures a different mode of
articulation than written material, more commensurate with actual practice in this
setting. It permits otherwise fleeting comments to be captured, stored and viewed
more widely and was found to encourage greater participation both because it
revealed others’ contributions as proximate achievable models and because the
variety of views presented stimulated individual reflection.
Finally video-clips were persistent and available on demand, simultaneously similar to Others Learn In Steeples, C. and Jones, C. (Eds) Networked Learning: Perspectives
and different from Cinderella’s slipper. Informal video capturing early thoughts may
be one tool to encourage broader participation, though resource implications for its
use, similar to those faced by the prince’s in the tale, need to be considered carefully. Further Education. Pedagogy, Culture & Society 15(3) pp.291-301.
Nevertheless the widespread adoption of informal video and its ever-broadening
acceptance offers some potential for its fairy-godmother like role, for a number of
reasons outlined here, in supporting participation in communal reflection on issues
and hence providing opportunities for learning.
Note
This paper was first presented at DIVERSE 2009 Conference, Aberystwyth University, Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: learning meaning and identity.
UK.
Contact
Grant Barclay, St Kentigern’s Parish Church, Kilmarnock, UK.
Website: www.grant-barclay.co.uk. Email: grant.barclay@tiscali.co.uk
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