Abstract:

Self-learning is defined in academic world as a process where the student takes the initiative in the development of material resources to achieve a proper evaluation of learning outcomes. Self-learning shows a series of advantages: development of strong problem-solving and side-skills, stress-free learning, more meaningful learning experience as it is led by curiosity. Although multitude of self-learning approaches has been tested in the last years, the preparation of multimedia material in laboratory subjects has attracted the attention of the academic community. Multimedia materials, such as videos, are a pedagogical tool that allows students to acquire greater critical thinking. Moreover, the use of videos in flipped teaching methodology has been extended to experimental subjects since these videos provide information about sample preparation, the use of the instruments and other basic operations in the laboratory, which help the students to understand the analytical process before starting the experimental practice in the laboratory. In this sense, the creation of own self-recorded videos can enhance the learning process since they could be used as attractive supplementary materials to the traditional and instructional videos, and thus improving self-learning and teaching process.

Self-recorded videos can be performed by using prepared scenarios or can be recorded in live sessions. In the latter option, recording can be done from different points of views, such as traditional or third-person-view (TPV) or point-of-view (POV). In this latter case, the use of GoPro cameras and/or other smart devices have been recently described to carry out “first person” or POV recordings and, which could be used in flipped teaching methodology. The use of POV videos is an interesting alternative to traditional or TPV videos. The main advantage of POV versus TPV videos is to allow the students to see their own experimental work from a real position. However, the device used, its placement and the sound conditions are important parameters that should be controlled to obtain high-quality self-recorded videos in both cases. The use of devices as smartphones instead of GoPro cameras could be a good alternative since these systems are widely available. The position selected to record POV videos is essential to obtain a good view of what the student is performing along the experimental practice. Although upper-head position is the most adopted way used to record POV videos, the chest-position is also an interesting alternative to be explored. Regarding sound conditions, it is complicated to include the sound during video recording, consequently, it is better to incorporate in video editing step.

Therefore, the effectiveness of self-recording chest-position POV versus the TPV videos has been evaluated in this work as a self-learning tool in the “Analytical Chemistry Laboratory II” imparted in the 3rd year of Chemistry Degree at the University of Valencia (Spain). For this purpose, students were organized in pairs to record different laboratory experiments under the two different methodologies (POV and TPV). Afterwards, they edited the video, and share it with the teacher and the rest of students of the lab group. Finally, the students evaluated the video methodology by doing a satisfaction survey using Socrative tool. The resulting data were used to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of POV and TPV recording experiences in student’s self-learning.

Keywords:

Point-of-view, third-person-view, self-learning, self-recording.