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    Much of the information in these FAQs emerged from research into web based lecture technology (WBLT) conducted in 2007 by four Australian universities: Murdoch University, Macquarie University, Flinders University and the University of Newcastle. The study investigated staff and student experiences, captured usage patterns, and identified and explored issues and best practice.

  • Should I use Lectopia?

    • Consider the following:

      Students

      • If you have external students or many students who cannot attend, then Lectopia is recommended.
      • If you have students with disabilities, then Lectopia may be crucial to their success.
      • If you have students from non-English speaking backgrounds, then Lectopia would be useful for their understanding.

      Class size

      • Lectopia is most useful for classes where one person does most of the speaking or one person speaks at a time, because of the technical difficulty in capturing multiple student responses. Large lectures are often like this.
      • If you have a small class and plan to use the face-to-face time for discussion, then Lectopia is probably not appropriate.

      Content

      • Visual material - If understanding your lecture depends largely on following dynamic visual information (other than still slides), then Lectopia with audio only may not be appropriate. Ask Audio Visual Services about the option of Lectopia with video capability.
      • Sensitive material - If your lecture contains sensitive content that students may find disturbing to hear on their own, then Lectopia may not be appropriate.
      • Copyright materials - materials such as commercial films may not be covered for use in Lectopia, but do check the possibilities of Screenrights, http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/lectopia/copyright.html, because many commercial films are freely available through the library.

      Student expectations

      • Students increasingly expect Lectopia to be available – 75% of students surveyed indicated that they used Lectopia because they 'couldn't attend'.
      • If you choose not to use Lectopia, it is important that you let the students know that the recordings will not be available and the reasons for your decision.

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  • What can I expect when I use Lectopia?

    • Your expectations

        The WBLT research suggests that your attitude might influence the outcome of using Lectopia – if you have a positive attitude, you are more likely to have a positive experience.

        Think about the role of the lecture, how it relates to other components of the unit and how you communicate with your students. Lecturers who have changed the way they interact with their students have reported generally more positive experiences with Lectopia.

      Reframing your practice

        Expect a change in how and when you deal with students. Unit development can also be different.

      Lecturing

        You may become more conscious of what you say and how you say it. Try not to lose your spontaneity, humour and enthusiasm.

      Attendance

        You may experience a drop in student attendance. Some lecturers experience no change. The nature of your lecture and how you set expectations with your students can affect attendance. So can factors outside your control.

      Student engagement

        You can also expect a range of behaviours from your students. Some will listen every week to the whole recording, others will dip in. In any case, many students will be happy that you're meeting their needs for flexibility, and many of them will think they learn just as well using Lectopia as in face-to-face lectures.

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  • Will my students attend my lectures?

    • The WBLT research showed that 68% of the student respondents who do not attend lectures think they can learn just as well using Lectopia as attending face-to-face lectures. They can listen online to:

      • a structured experience of the unit content
      • receive a lot of information related to the subject
      • hear announcements.

      So why is it important for students to come to the lectures?
      Educational reasons may include:

      • experience first hand the enthusiasm of the teacher
      • jointly build a conceptual framework
      • participate in live discussions to achieve specific learning outcomes
      • see the visual materials or see how a process unfolds in a demonstration
      • establish a connection with the lecturer
      • be able to ask questions about this and past lectures
      • check their understanding and progress
      • ask about announcements, events and course administration
      • hear content that is sensitive and not appropriate to be listened to without the guidance of the lecturer
      • view and hear copyright material that can't be broadcast
      • develop a study routine rather than leaving everything to just before exams.

      Social advantages:

      • meet with others in your unit
      • exchange ideas and make new friendships.

      As a lecturer, it is important that you let students know what they can gain from attending and what they may miss by just listening online.

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  • Why don't students attend?

    • The WBLT survey indicated that 75% (n=384) of respondents who do not attend lectures cannot come to class owing to factors such as time-table clashes and work or family commitments. To support these students, you can use Lectopia, in combination with other technologies, to ensure that they can still participate as required to succeed in the unit.

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  • Where's the evidence that Lectopia works/ helps students to learn?

    • This depends on how you define "works". Three-quarters of students who reported they do not attend lectures said they are unable to attend. For these students, having Lectopia certainly "works" for them.

      The WBLT research acknowledged the complexity and variations between learning contexts. It therefore investigated the learning processes students employed rather than measuring specific learning outcomes.

      The results show evidence of students employing deep learning approaches with Lectopia. They used it to revisit complex concepts, to revise for exams, and to take comprehensive notes, while listening. Students generally perceived that using Lectopia made it easier to learn and helped them achieve better results. A large proportion think they can learn just as well using Lectopia as they can by attending a face-to-face class.

      Students reported that lecturers who provide a clear structure for the lecture, repeat students' answers into the microphone, and provide timely and reliable access to lecture recordings and supporting materials are recognised as most helpful to their learning.

      The research also found that Lectopia is not appropriate in some instances, e.g. when students need to participate in oral discussion; when sensitive content is being presented; and when students cannot understand the lecture without seeing the visuals (when only audio recording is offered). Use of Lectopia, therefore, should be part of a pedagogical strategy.

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  • Can I change the way I conduct my unit to account for attendance difficulties?

    • Some lecturers have trialed alternative lecturing patterns. For example, instead of having weekly lectures, some lecturers changed to having a lecture at the beginning, middle and end of semester. They use these lectures for engagement rather than information transmission, as the latter can be successfully achieved through pre-recordings or text-based materials.

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  • How do I instruct students to use this technology to benefit their learning?

      • Discuss the importance of active learning and collaborative learning. Students learn more if they are engaged and if they participate in the learning process.
      • Warn students of the workload required in the course and the dangers of falling behind on listening to lectures. They may not realise the self-discipline required to maintain focus while studying alone away from campus.
      • Provide students with a link to the Lectopia website
        http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/lectopia/.

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  • How can I tell if my students are learning if they are not attending?

    • Consider other ways of obtaining feedback about your students' learning and set some deadlines. Some examples for ongoing formative feedback are:

      Online discussions Pose questions in lectures and ask students to post responses to a discussion board
      Online quizzes and self-tests Include feedback and check where students make most mistakes
      Student wrapping topics Nominate groups of students to summarise a topic on the discussion board
      Muddiest point Ask students to post on the discussion board what they find most unclear (muddiest).

      You can respond to this feedback in a following lecture.

      Another source of feedback is in tutorials. It is useful to remind students of the importance of listening to lecture recordings before the tutorial if this is crucial for tutorial performance.

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  • Isn't this just one of those technologies that stands in the way of my teaching?

    • There is an element of self-fulfilling prophesy in this. The WBLT survey showed that staff who have positive attitudes toward Lectopia and consider it a tool for students to learn, tend to have positive experiences about its ability to support their teaching. Those with negative attitudes toward Lectopia more often find that it does not perform well in supporting their teaching.

      Learning to use a new technology always requires time, especially in regard to how to integrate it into practice. It can be problematic if it's simply slotted into existing patterns without any consideration for what it can and can't do.

      Because many students now cannot come to lectures, even when they want to, Lectopia is increasingly important. Students who can attend also find Lectopia a useful study tool.

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  • Won't this increase my workload? What can I do?

    • Your workload (and level of anxiety) may increase initially when you implement changes. However, taking time to consider the best way to achieve the desired learning outcomes may result in more sustainable teaching practice. Consider the following:

      Communication

        Some lecturers suggested their workload increases because they need to duplicate information (in lecture, discussion board, and email), and they find answering emails very time-consuming. Planning how you use tools and informing students of your way of working can help to avoid duplication.

        Conversely, some students indicated that they ask lecturers fewer questions using Lectopia because they can refer to the recordings before deciding whether they really need to ask a question. Some suggested that they clarify their questions, or ask less administrative type of questions.

        Strategies include encouraging students to listen to the recordings or asking them to use the discussion board to answer each others' questions. The key is minimising one-to-one communication, especially when you have large classes.

      Formative assessment

        Developing quizzes and self tests may initially increase your workload, but can provide you with formal evidence for your students' progress. Quizzes are reusable over semesters so it is a scalable solution.

      Check local support for yourself and your students before making your decision about how you use learning technologies.

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  • What is the best way for me to use Lectopia?

    • Retain the richness of your face-to-face lectures and don't impoverish them just because they are being recorded. Most importantly, consider the role lectures play in your unit.

      • Hands-on activities, discussions, and demonstrations may need to move to other components of the course (e.g. tutorials or pracs) as they cannot be captured using Lectopia.
      • Online tools can also provide opportunities for communication between students, rather than relying on campus-based experiences.

      Consider the following when using Lectopia:

      Lesson planning

      • Create an outline of the content to be covered and major topics to be addressed.
      • Plan how you will manage activities, play copyright materials, conduct group discussions, provide extra commentary for listeners or suggest posting reflections or questions online.
      • Summarise key points.
      • Include announcements.
      • Plan for the time allowed to avoid important points being 'cut-off' when the recording finishes – start and end on time.
      • Consider how you will use equipment and teaching aids and how their content will be transmitted.
      • Use titles and numbers on slides so you can refer to them.
      • Upload slides before the lecture and alert students to make a print out.

      Managing the technical aspects of Lectopia

      • Book your recording in time.
      • Use the staff tool to upload PowerPoint slides and provide titles and outlines for your lectures.
      • Make sure you turn on the microphone to trigger the recording.
      • Use a visualiser instead of OHP or whiteboard [where there is one] in order to capture the image/notes for students using Lectopia.
      • Practise using the technology before the lecture and use it consistently.
      • Keep recordings from previous semesters as backups. You can download your lectures and burn a CD or pay Audio Visual Services to make a CD for you.

      During the lecture

      • Speak clearly and vary your tone to convey your enthusiasm for the topics.
      • Explain references to visuals and ensure they are available for listeners.
      • Indicate slide changes when moving through slides.
      • Describe what the attendees are doing.
      • Use the microphone in a way that minimises interference with the sound quality – buttons on shirts of brisk walkers and OHP fan noise can affect the recording.
      • If possible, capture student discussion, especially for external students. Repeat students' questions or responses if necessary, or share the microphone.
      • If there are to be long pauses (eg for a class activity) alert listeners and advise them of the duration so they can advance the recording.
      • Provide listeners with the same or parallel activities to those occurring in class.
      • Avoid tripping on the microphone cord.
      • Finish 10 minutes before the end of the session to allow for change-over to the next one.

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  • Should I teach my external students and face-to-face students as one cohort? Why?

    • Murdoch's flexible unit model provides one set of unit materials for access by students in the manner they find the most appropriate for them. This assists teaching students as one cohort.

      Increasingly students perceive little difference between enrolling externally and internally. These days, internals expect the same access to technologies, structure and flexibility as externals. Equally, external students expect personal contact and interaction. Teachers have shown they can successfully integrate discussion between external and internal students on the unit discussion board, so they interact as a single cohort.

      At the same time, it is useful to keep in mind that not all good practice in the face-to-face environment can be easily replicated online. So it is worth considering alternative strategies that will accommodate all students. (Think carefully about the workload implications of your choices.)

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  • What about non-English speaking background (NESB) students or those with a disability?

    • Whether they attended the face-to-face sessions or not, the recordings provided NESB students or those with a disability with an additional learning resource which lets them revisit complex ideas and concepts at their own pace, and helps them to study for exams.

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  • What support can I get? Who can I call when there are issues?

    • Workshops Workshops showing how Lectopia and the Staff Tool are used are run at the start of semester. An email bomb is sent to announce the dates.
      Lectopia website See http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/lectopia/
      Copyright issues http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/lectopia/copyright.html
      Teaching help TLC can advise on how to integrate Lectopia with your teaching.
      Technical help Audio Visual Services assists staff who have had difficulty with bookings and recordings.
      Student help Students make enquiries to the Student Help Desk.

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  • What is the difference between Lectopia and other technologies such as video or web conferencing?

    • Lectopia records audio and sometimes visual components of a lecture, which is then made available online within 48 hours. Web-conferencing (e.g. LiveClassroom) offers real time voice, chat and visual interaction from diverse locations while the session is running. It can also archive interaction for future access.

      Your teaching context and the needs of your students will affect the decisions you make about which technologies to use.

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  • What other technologies can we use – together with Lectopia/ rather than Lectopia?

    • Lectopia should be used in conjunction with complementary tools that support student-student, student-teacher and student-content interactions (Anderson, 2004). Because Lectopia is essentially a one-way communication medium, some teachers have used other online tools.

      Two way interaction Discussion boards can fulfil this need.
         
      Formative assessment Lecturers have reported their inability to gauge student understanding when students do not attend lectures. With formative assessment tools such as online quizzes, self tests, and activities in online discussion, students' understanding can be gauged.
         
      Conferencing Web-conferencing (e.g. Elluminate, LiveClassroom, Adobe Connect) can offer students real time text, voice and visual interaction from other locations while the lecture is running.

      The best technologies to use will depend on your unit and the technology available in your area.

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