Stacy Saturay
Instructor
University of Colorado Boulder
Leeds School of Business
Management and Entrepreneurship Division
UCB 419
Boulder, CO 80309
303-492-0393
saturay@colorado.edu
a. What is the central question, issue, or problem you plan to explore in your proposed work?
My primary research question is whether utilizing lecture capture technology in the classroom enhances learning and the student experience of a traditional classroom environment or encourages absenteeism and further student disengagement from the traditional classroom environment. Lecture capture is a technology where a professor’s voice and audio-visual aids are recorded during class time, and subsequently posted online for students to revisit on their own time. Many schools are implementing the use of advanced technologies like lecture capture in the classroom, and as students are experiencing the perceived benefits of such technology, they are requesting more wide-spread use of it (Smith, Salaway et al. 2009).
b. Why is your central question, issue, or problem important, to you and to others who might benefit from or build on your findings?
As stated above, students are increasingly requesting the use of advanced technological complements to their college classes. While students perceive great benefits from the implementation of advanced technologies, there is some pedagogical debate as to the added value of implementing such practices. There has been a modest amount of research done to explore the benefits and drawbacks to such pedagogical changes, which will inform my research from the onset. However, the administration of the Leeds School of Business is exploring the possibility of implementing lecture capture technology in our freshman and sophomore level Business Core classes. These classes are often taught as large mega sections, and are often a source of frustration among entering students. While my research will have great utility informing decisions regarding the future use of this technology in the Leeds School, it will also be of interest to other universities and disciplines exploring the implementation of lecture capture in their classes.
c. How do you plan to conduct your investigation? What sources of evidence do you plan to examine? What methods might you employ to gather and make sense of this evidence?
In the fall semester of 2010, I will be teaching two sections of the same class. I will conduct a comparison of the two sections, one in which lecture capture technology is used and one in which it is not. The primary method of data collection will be observation. I would be able to compare attendance rates between the two classes, as well as average grades between sections. In addition, the lecture capture technology would allow me to track individual usage, which would allow for a more sophisticated analysis of the data. By requiring users to log in to be able to view recorded materials, it is possible to see which students are using the technology, and when and how often they are viewing lectures.
In addition to the observed data, I will collect anonymous responses from students regarding their attitudes and perceptions of the usage of the technology in the classroom. Some of these questions would include open ended responses regarding students’ purposes for viewing the recorded lectures; if students think the lectures serve as a complement or a substitute for attending classroom lectures, and if they feel as though the availability of recorded lectures helped them to be more successful in the class overall.
d. How might you make your work available to others in ways that facilitate scholarly critique and review, and that contribute to thought and practice beyond the local?
The paper resulting from my research would be targeted for presentation as a teaching themed professional development workshop at the Academy of Management conference, 2011, in San Antonio, TX. Ultimately, it would be submitted for publication to the Academy of Management Learning and Education Journal, a journal dedicated to advancing the knowledge surrounding management education. However, it is important to note that this research would be attractive to many disciplines, as the use of advanced technology in the classroom clearly transcends disciplinary borders.
e. Include a literature review of the theory and effective teaching practice of the subject of your inquiry in order to locate your research in the literature preceding it.
As mentioned above, there has been a modest amount of research aimed at understanding the effects of the use of lecture capture technology on the classroom environment. Primarily, the research completed seems to demonstrate the following trends:
- Using the technology does not appear to have a significant negative impact on attendance (von Konsky, Ivins et al. 2009). In addition, students passing a course tend to utilize the technology more so than students who are struggling in or failing a course (Konsky, Ivins et al. 2009).
- Student note taking habits do seem the change with the use of lecture capture, such that students take more summary style notes to complement potential future re-viewing of lectures online. Some students reported ceasing note-taking altogether (Brotherton and Abowd 2004).
- There is some anecdotal evidence to support the notion that student engagement in the classroom has an impact on the enhancement potential of lecture capture (Konsky, Ivins et al. 2009). This finding is of particular interest to my research, and my participation in the PTLC would allow me to further investigate this finding and attempt to back it up with more quantitative analysis.
f. What is your record of innovation in teaching and/or the assessment of learning?
Participating in the President’s Teaching and Learning Collaborative would be my foray into the scholarship of teaching and learning, about which I am very excited. I have, however, been teaching for 7 years, in various capacities at CU, including teaching as an adjunct in the Leeds School of Business and for the department of Continuing Education, before becoming a full time instructor in the Management division. When teaching for the department of Continuing Education, I redesigned two courses originally developed for undergraduate students to better fit the non-traditional students represented in sections offered by Continuing Education. This opportunity allowed me to research and learn about the different needs and learning styles of students from different backgrounds, and to adapt my class and teaching style accordingly.
g. Are you able to attend the required meetings as specified in Section 5, What are the Benefits?
Yes, as of this time, I would be able to attend all scheduled meetings as outlined in the Call for Proposals.
h. Can you suggest an appropriate coach/mentor for your project? Please also provide the email address for your proposed coach/mentor.
I have not currently approached any other members of the faculty to serve as my mentor. However, should the need arise, there are several faculty members with whom I have established working relationship and who also meet the criteria for mentors, who I believe would be willing and interested in participating in the collaborative in this capacity.
i. If your project is selected, are you willing to serve as a coach in PTLC in a future year?
Absolutely, I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve as a coach in a future collaborative.
