Case study: Collaborative teaching and video-conferencing in Classics

The use of this e-learning approach

The video-conference enables several expertises to offer their knowledge to the students. Additionally, it allows the development of collaborative teaching across three institutions.

Context

The e-learning approach was used to support modules for three Welsh universities:
Swansea University's MA in Ancient History and Classical Culture
University of Wales Lampeter's MA in Ancient History
Cardiff University's MA in Ancient History
Despite the fact that the first scheme was to ‘have an intercollegiate University of Wales MA in Ancient History under auspices of the University of Wales Institute of Classics and Ancient History (UWICAH)’ institutions operate parallel with several modules. The modules, finally, ‘are delivered in total by video conferencing’ and the modules are taught either jointly by staff in all institutions or by a staff member in one institution (but the module is ‘taken by students in other institutions’).

Design

· Co-ordinated by David Gill in Swansea who acts as the chair of learning and teaching for UWICAH
· Representatives: Lampeter and Cardiff
· The students (from any location) attend two hours seminars and have to prepare material as for any other class.
· ‘A video-conferenced module is supported by a Blackboard site where teaching materials can be placed’.
· ‘each institution should be responsible for research methodologies’
· ‘The design of modules is monitored by the School Learning and Teaching Committee and confirmed by the Faculty’

Implement this e-learning approach

‘Video-conferencing is an integral part of the Swansea MA in Ancient History and Classical Culture’
‘There was training provided to staff and students by members of the WVN team.’
‘Modules are assessed in the normal way (by double blind marking)’
‘There is feedback from students at the end of each year as part of the module and scheme review’

Technology Used

· ‘The video-conferencing is provided by the Welsh Video Network (WVN) (http://www.wvn.ac.uk/). Swansea has several rooms (most recently in the School of Humanities). These allow for use of laptops, white boards etc which can be transmitted to other sites.’
· ‘More experienced users engage with the full range of facilities on offer; others just use it as an interactive seminar.’

Benefits

· Students can pursue modules from external resources.
· Help students with research issues
· Lectures from three institutions are better than lectures from only one institution.
· ‘colleagues from other institutions attend the seminar’
· ‘Students seem to have enjoyed the dialogue aspect of the module especially when they see staff members explaining difficult issues’
· Cost-saving benefits
· By statistical analysis students were not disadvantaged.

Disadvantages

There is the need for:
· Training staff members
· technician support
· local academic support
· booking. Sometimes it is ‘difficult to book a regular slot for a module’
· balance teaching between institutions