Study-Space SocMedHE16
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1) The Study-Space App was designed by students at the University of Bath as an internal social media platform to supplement the virtual learning environment (VLE) by facilitating communication and peer support among students. 2) An initial pilot of the app involved pharmacy students and found it was useful for asking and answering questions to support learning outside of lectures. Students posted anonymously and participated actively. 3) Based on the pilot's success, the app was expanded with additional features and trials across more university programs and year groups. While engagement varies, academics find it can effectively facilitate student learning when used proactively.
Study-Space SocMedHE16
- 1. The Study-Space App Keith Brown | Julie Letchford | Albert Bolhuis
- 2. Study Space Designed by students, for students Student Co-Design using Agile
- 3. 1. Some students perceive their main-stream social media as ‘personal’ and do not want to use it for ‘work’. 2. Impact on digital identity of users. Main-stream social media data hosted on external databases & not private Barriers • A ‘work’ app – private to the uni • Data is internally hosted on uni servers • Anonymous A way forward Mainstream Social Media
- 4. Overview • Additional resource to supplement VLE • Internal Social Media type App • Privacy • Anonymous postings - most students have chosen to post anonymously • Ethos: Student-Driven Development
- 5. Trial from mid-February to mid-May 2016 • One programme unit – Applied Pharmaceutical Microbiology • 2nd Year Mpharm Students • Access limited to student cohort and 2 academics • Students can post, vote, answer questions and competitions • Academics can post, vote, make questions and competitions The first pilot ran mid-February to mid-May 2016 with a cohort of around 140 pharmacy students 60% of students
- 6. Timeline • Posts • Anonymous Posts • Up/Down Vote
- 8. Question
- 10. Results from pilot • A convenient way to engage with students outside of lectures • Enables staff to monitor how well students have understood taught material • Easy to use • Minimal workload Importantly, students are not only asking, but also answering questions that have been posted, and the app thus facilitates a lively peer support community for the unit. Academic View Dr Albert Bolhuis Unit Convenor
- 11. Results from pilot •90% find the app easy to use •85% found the app useful to support learning •100% posted anonymously •85% thought that the app is a good way for students to help each other •95% thought that the app facilitated a community of students and academics working together n = 24 Student Evaluation
- 12. What were the most useful things about the app in terms of your learning? • Both students and lecturers could post in the same place • when lecturers posted some important notes • When people asked a question the answers helped my knowledge and I could also try to answer questions which helped me to learn more • Getting answers from students AND staff. • Aided my revision • Lecturers' responses • Was able to ask questions and get help from other students. Lecturers could intervene if peers were wrong. • The chance to talk to other students in an informal way. Sometimes it feels inappropriate to email the lecturer so having a means of consulting peers instead is very useful • The lecturers answering any unanswered questions • A causal way to communicate and share ideas with the lecturers and other students; rather than writing an email asking about some simple questions • You could ask any question and in most cases it would be answered. It was useful in this way but also I'm quite shy so probably wouldn't have the confidence to ask the lecturers myself in case it was a stupid question, so this enabled me to get answers fast and without any worries • It consolidated my knowledge by me helping other people • It was useful to gain lecturer feedback on some of the questions • very quick Q and A system; feedback from both academics and students n=24 Student Evaluation
- 13. The Current Status Version 2 included additional features suggested by students. Trials across the university: • 25 channels • 11 programme units • 2 SSLC cohorts • 500 students • Some channels are more successful than others • It works provided the academic is proactive and makes it work!
- 14. One Channel per Programme Unit Standard Setup Currently 11 Units
- 15. Every clan has a channel: Clan Agostini Clan Castiglione Clan De Santis Clan Ferretti Clan I figli del Vesuvio Clan Insigne Clan Paes à Clan Spietati Multiple Channels per Unit Organised Crime & Democracy in Italy Used by all students in this unit Role Play
- 16. Multiple Channels per Unit Organised Crime & Democracy in Italy “I have been looking for technology that can facilitate experiential learning, and the Study-Space app delivered in this respect. It added to the active learning of my role play unit by allowing us to vote instantly and have a continuous news thread. But, it did more than that it allowed me to communicate to my students and them to communicate to me and between themselves. It has added a new and exciting dimension to my teaching, Study Space became a key part of my teaching interface.” Dr Felia Allum Unit Convenor
- 17. One Channel per Year Group Staff Student Liasion Committees: • Pharmacy Year One • Pharmacology Year One
- 18. Future • Funding for 5 projects with students as Co-Designers: • SSLC App with students as Co-designers: • 3 Students involved: • Toby - Programmer • Coding in Javascript, Angular, Cordova • Harry and Harris - Analysts • Developing specification with • Academics Reps • SU VP Education • Senior staff
- 19. Top Features Requested • Push Notifications: • Notifications when a lecturer makes any type of post, or replies to a student post. • Configurable by the user • Insert Images into posts • Embed Study-Space in VLE: VLELTI
- 20. Social Learning Networks (SLN) Social Media designed for education Study-Space is a SLN, other examples include: Piazza | Learnium | Edmodo | Spiral In this model the SLN is an internal service similar to the VLE Another related area are Enterprise Social Networks (ESN): Yammer | Slack VLE SLN Student Records Time- table Wiki Lecture Capture
- 21. the students “If you make it easy enough, we will use it”
- 22. Keith Brown The University of Bath The Study-Space App @KeithBrownBath blogs.bath.ac.uk/keithbrown keith.brown@bath.ac.uk