Abstract:

The incorporation of Spain into the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has required a thorough change in the university education system. For example, teachers have had to strive to develop activities that encourage independent, active and collaborative learning. To adapt to this new concept of teaching, e-learning and b-learning strategies through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) are some of the most used practices.

The b-learning methodology, which combines face-to-face and distance activities, has been implemented in two subjects (“General and Organic Chemistry” and “Agricultural Chemistry and Analysis") taught in the Agricultural Engineering Degree at the Technical University of Madrid.
Before the implementation of the new degrees, laboratory classes were only performed on-campus because no multimedia material was available. In order to give the students the necessary supporting materials that favor the autonomous acquisition of knowledge and skills as well as increase their motivation and improve their performance, a total of 11 laboratory practical classes have been recorded in 10 minute videos comprising of different sections (basic principles, reagents, materials and equipment, the use of computer applications, etc.).

Teachers have evaluated the effectiveness of this method as a learning tool as well as its acceptance by students. Students, via the Moodle platform for each subject, must watch the video and fill-out a multiple-choice questionnaire before being able to carry out the class in the laboratory. Once in the laboratory, the teacher will assess the students’ performance and the results obtained and then, as a final step, feedback is provided by the students regarding the usefulness of the video and questionnaires.

The students’ results show that the activity allows them to increase their sense of ownership of their learning and their motivation and improve their knowledge of laboratory techniques and theoretical and practical principles. Feedback from the students shows that more than 80% believe that the videos enhance the understanding of each practical lesson; their duration is appropriate and the multiple-choice questions are useful for self-assessment of their learning.

Keywords:

Videos, motivation, autonomous learning.