Abstract
Lecture capture is widely used within higher education as a means of recording lecture material for online student viewing. However, there is some uncertainty around whether this is a uniformly positive development for students. The current study examines the impact of lecture capture introduction and usage in a compulsory second year research methods module in a undergraduate BSc degree. Data collected from a matched cohort before (N = 161) and after (N = 160) lecture capture introduction showed that attendance substantially dropped in three matched lectures after capture became available. Attendance, which predicts higher attainment (controlling for students’ previous grade and gender), mediates a negative relationship between lecture capture availability and attainment. Lecture capture viewing shows no significant relationship with attainment whilst factoring in lecture attendance; capture viewing also fails to compensate for the impact that low attendance has on attainment. Thus, the net effect of lecture capture introduction on the cohort is generally negative; the study serves as a useful example (that can be communicated students) of the pitfalls of an over-reliance on lecture capture as a replacement for lecture attendance.
Highlights
The last decade has witnessed growth in the use of lecture capture within higher education (Walker et al 2014; Henderson 2014)
Despite its increasing use in higher education or popularity among students, research findings on the impact that lecture capture has on student engagement and attainment are very mixed, as are opinions relating to its utility
This perspective clearly opposes others upon which the benefits of lecture capture are largely based, namely that if students use it, lecture capture allows students who have not attended lectures to catch up with those who have. This seems to be an important issue that requires attention when considering the potential merits of lecture capture. To test these different perspectives, we examine the following hypothesis: Hypothesis 5: The relationship between lecture attendance and attainment is moderated by greater use of lecture capture, such that the deficit in student attainment associated with low attendance is compensated for by a greater use of lecture capture
Summary
The last decade has witnessed growth in the use of lecture capture within higher education (Walker et al 2014; Henderson 2014). Despite its increasing use in higher education or popularity among students, research findings on the impact that lecture capture has on student engagement and attainment are very mixed, as are opinions relating to its utility (with students subscribing to lecture capture benefits to a greater degree than teaching staff, Danielson et al 2014). This study examines the impact of lecture capture during its introduction on a BSc degree by comparing attendance and performance in the year before versus after lecture capture introduction. The study is unique in that it examines two different aspects of the introduction of lecture capture on student engagement and attainment: the effects of lecture capture availability to students and the effects of students’ usage of lecture capture. The study is unique in combining these elements and helps us better understand the potential impact of lecture capture
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