An Holistic Approach to Video-Enhancement of Learning, Feedback and Assessment in Computing and Information Technology

Work exploring the video-enhancement of assessment and feedback has focused primarily on the use of video-based learning materials to scaffold the learning experience, with numerous case studies highlighting the benefits of instructional tutorial videos. Recently, emerging pockets of work have begun to explore video as a medium through which to present learners with generic feedback in response to summative assessment, however integrated approaches to video-enhanced assessment and feedback with the potential to inform the development of new pedagogies currently remain under-developed in the literature. The award-winning VELOCITy strategy interweaves three strands of video-based activity to form a coordinated, holistic approach to the integration of video technologies within an overarching framework. Mayer’s Multimedia Theory of Learning and Laurillard’s Conversational Framework provide the backdrop to an integrated series of participatory action research projects in which learners engage actively and interactively with video-based activities. Initially, learning is scaffolded through engagement with instructional tutorial videos embedded within an e-portfolio system, then supported with video-based formative feedback, enabling learners to transcend threshold concepts. Concurrently, short learner-generated, video-diary entries document the development of a portfolio of work, and culminating in a self-assessment of their achievement over an academic year. This paper presents findings from research underpinning the VELOCITy strategy, exploring how asynchronous video technologies are leveraged to enhance learner engagement on an undergraduate course in the Informatics department of a UK HEI, and examines how key elements from these video-enhanced learning opportunities combine to form an integrated pedagogic strategy. Results from learner evaluations indicate that VELOCITy promotes deeper engagement with the assessment and feedback process within a blended learning community, facilitates a broad range of opportunities for reflexivity, and affords greater inclusivity for learners affected by dyslexia and/or Asperger’s Syndrome.