“Biodiversity and Society” is an optional 3rd year UG module. It explores the importance and impact of Biodiversity on society as a whole and how this can be communicated to non-technical audiences. This poster highlights how student video production was used as a form of assessment.

6. Future development

Creativity in the science curriculum: Supporting and assessing student created videos

Reusable support resources for editing with Windows MovieMaker: http://goo.gl/hLVPj8

Downloadable marking criteria: http://goo.gl/Hs1cmf

Simon Davis, E-Learning Development Team - simon.davis@york.ac.uk Kathryn Arnold, Environment Department - kathryn.arnold@york.ac.uk

1. Assessment design A key learning outcome of this module was to ensure that students understood scientific research in this area and could disseminate it to the wider society. To assess this outcome students were tasked with creating either a popular science article or a five minute video. This required the students to read, distil and imaginatively present a range of complex scientific concepts and research outputs. The students had free rein to decide on a topic which they could then discuss with the module convener during drop-in help sessions. As part of the planning process, the student had to identify their target audience and pitch the style and content of the video or article accordingly. A challenge for the assessment design was to have comparable marking criteria for both the written article and the video.

2. Training and support • Ongoing critical reflection was embedded throughout the module • Lecture exploring impact of language and media on effective message

delivery • Online support resources including exemplars of student created videos • Hands on training session in creative and technical aspects of video

production; • Planning and defining a video project’s audience, purpose & message • Creating “compelling” video through visual storytelling • Video production essentials; sound, light, composition, setting • Video post-production essentials; editing, overdubs, export and

sharing.

3. Submission process

Upload video to Google Drive > Grant access to instructor > Submit link to assessment tool in VLE Rationale • Google handles large files better than VLE • Submissions accurately timestamped by the VLE assignment submission

tool • Video files converted for online viewing by markers • Option to batch download videos for archive. This process was highlighted in the face to face training session and guidance was provided at the point of submission on the VLE.

4. Marking A clear and comprehensive rubric outlined the marking criteria for the video project.

1.Structure and planning (10%) - defined audience, purpose and message in planning document and delivered in video. Well structured video narrative.

2.Knowledge and understanding (20%) - demonstration of subject understanding and link to broader context

3.Use of resources (10%) - creation or sourcing of video content. Uses appropriate academic sources and research. All material appropriately referenced.

4.Message communication (40%) - displays creativity and originality through non-verbal communication to present a “a strong and consistently well developed argument.”

5.Presentation (20%) - confident, well paced, uses appropriate use of recording and editing technology as well as language, imagery and graphics for target audience.

All videos were reviewed by three separate markers as video was a new form of assessment for the Environment Department.

5. Outcomes • Approximately 12% of students on the module submitted a video • All of them created engaging, creative and professional looking videos

and achieved good marks (2:1 and above) in the assessment • Requiring students to explain complex topics through accessible videos

demanded in-depth research and aided student learning • Module evaluation forms and informal feedback indicated that students

were very positive about the opportunity to produce a video for assessment, with particular focus on the transferable and employability skills developed

• Reasons for not doing a video were that film production was new to most of them and / or it was too risky and time consuming in the spring term of third year to be doing something unfamiliar.

We aim to develop the module to increase the percentage of students choosing to produce a video for their assessment as we feel this it was a positive learning experience for the students who participated this year: • Module changed from 10 credits over 1 term to 20 credits over 2 terms • Assessment set and video training delivered much earlier in module • Interim deadlines to provide students with milestones and opportunities

for formative feedback during the longer production process, removing some of the perceived “risk” for students.