Abstract
Digital media assignments are a widely used method of assessing student learning in higher education. Despite their common use, the literature on digital media assignments has many gaps regarding theoretical frameworks to guide their design, implementation and evaluation. This research paper focuses on student attitudes towards the use of mobile technology and digital media assignments in undergraduate STEM education. The study used a set of novel theoretical frameworks to identify training needs in digital media production, development of assessment weightings, marking rubrics and student training and resources. Longitudinal data were captured over a period of 4 years (n = 1724) using a mixed-methods approach. Validated questionnaires measured student attitudes to digital media support and attitudes to technology, understanding of the assignment, knowledge construction and digital media for learning and career development. Open-ended questions helped gather suggestions from students for improving the assessment task. Questionnaire data were analysed by using descriptive statistics and qualitative data with thematic analysis. The results suggested that students enjoyed group work, found learning with digital media to be engaging and developed critical thinking and digital media skills. In conclusion, STEM students had a positive learning experience repurposing mobile technology as pedagogical devices that present knowledge by using a multi-modal approach mediated by digital media.
Highlights
Students as co-creators of knowledge is an emerging theme in higher education (Gros and López 2016)
Digital media skills are important for my career I will apply digital media skills in my future career Having digital media skills is an advantage for my career Digital media skills are needed regardless of the career you are in Student attitudes to digital media assignments
The quantitative and qualitative data from the current study showed that students had positive attitudes to digital media assignments and digital media for learning and their future careers, providing an answer to the research question: What is the student attitude towards digital media assignments for learning in STEM disciplines?
Summary
Students as co-creators of knowledge is an emerging theme in higher education (Gros and López 2016). The concept involves engaging students in their learning process by having them contribute using digital media to the design of learning activities, to the development of marking rubrics and to the creation of content, enabling their agency as 21st-century learners (Browne et al 2017; Gros and López 2016). The concept of digital natives has been discussed previously and is Technology (ALT), a UK-based professional and scholarly society and membership organisation.
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