Abstract:

Micro-credentialing combined with Blockchain, MOOCs and free online course provide sufficient motivation for Higher Education to critically evaluate its long term role in educating the next generation. The potential ‘unbundling’ of Higher Education, a changing student population and the continual technological developments puts pressure on universities to blend, flip and video classes as part of an evolving didactic as education lurches from the age old tradition of the "Sage on the stage" to the "Guide on the side". Teaching spaces, expectations regarding student approaches to learning, and teaching methods are impacted. Teachers used to 'sending' knowledge during traditional lectures to halls filled with students, find themselves appearing in front of green screens, segmenting their classes into short video chunks, and required to develop interactive learning sessions. Are these the right choices to follow, based on what empirical evidence and how can we ensure that this process is positive for all involved?.

Within the context of a Hogheschool in The Netherlands, research was conducted over seven semesters of a third year tourism course. The traditional course lectures on theory were pre-recorded in a series of forty short studio web lectures (4-6 minute videos with slides/audio). Transferring theory into a digital format enabled students to view content in advance. However, initial viewing figures remained low. After interviews with students, the curriculum was adjusted to constructively align the theory content with the learning goals and assessment.

Over a series of seven course iterations (from 2013 to 2016) the course evolved and the online content was deployed in the learning process in a deeply embedded blended learning approach. This 'reverse engineering' of the digital content freed up contact time for active learning sessions, workshops, peer review and collaborative learning in which theory studied online is related to cases.

Over the last three semesters, questionnaires completed by students (N=84) have generated data regarding their perspective on this form of learning. The positive response from students regarding having lesson theory available in video format online, needs to be balanced with the realities students face in finding adequate time to prepare for class in a focused learning space. And any measurable results in the impact on student exam results need to be examined.

In addition to the student perspective, the lecturer on the course developed a deeper understanding of the issues of flipping and blending course content. In a Master Thesis, the lecturer researched support needs of faculty in transitioning from face-to-face teaching, to teaching into the lens of a video camera. A series of training workshops were developed and run, in which 'video teaching' skills were practiced by recording short video web lecture in a studio. Since 2014, half the department have now followed this training resulting in development of staff and increased experience of this format.

A new curriculum is being developed and this research informs the development of the on line content and interactive learning sessions. Continual evaluation of the new didactic will support the challenging and engaging education for all involved.

Keywords:

Video, web lecture, curriculum, microcredential, flipped classroom, blended learning, constructive alignment, video teaching.