Slides from a presentation given at Lights, Camera, Learning: Teaching with the moving image - a conference held at Birkbeck, University of London in November 2018. The event marked the 70th anniversary of the setting up of the organisation known now as Learning on Screen (http://bufvc.ac.uk)

1. As Seen OnTV: Using broadcast
media in university teaching
Dr Chris Willmott
Dept of Molecular & Cell Biology
University of Leicester, UK
cjrw2@le.ac.uk
Lights, Camera, Learning:Teaching with the Moving Image

2. • Potential for use of broadcast media in teaching
(and why some colleagues are resistant)
• Examples from my practice
• The [Subject]OnTheBox project
• Broader reflections on setting up online repositories
for education
Overview

3. • We can (and should) be integrating more
multimedia into our teaching
Use of
broadcast clips
Video
production
News
analysis
Central premise

4. • We can (and should) be integrating more
multimedia into our teaching
Use of
broadcast clips
Central premise
… Especially using BoB

5. • In addition to YouTube, there are dedicated services
specifically for education
e.g. BoB
The Rise of Streaming Services

6. • “On demand” service, archive of TV and radio
broadcasts from over 65 UK (& International)
channels
• Already contains over 2 million records, growing daily
• Available for subscribing institutions
• Currently user must be in UK
(issues re overseas DL)
BoB

7. Reasons include:
• Content not sufficiently “academic”
• Worries that technology might fail
• Insufficient time in curriculum
• Concerns about copyright
• Lack of vision for potential uses
• Uncertain what is available and/or where to find it
Academic Reluctance to Use Media

8. Horizon: Pill poppers
https://tinyurl.com/GSKrobot
Example (1): Documentary clips

9. Die Another Day
http://tinyurl.com/BondGeneTherapy1
http://tinyurl.com/BondGeneTherapy2
Example (2): Scene setting

10. Brainiac Science Abuse: The Smell of Fear
http://tinyurl.com/SmellOfFear1
http://tinyurl.com/SmellOfFear2
Example (3): Discussion

11. • Students watch short clip describing an experiment to
investigate whether you can smell if someone is afraid
• Having watched the clip, they discuss:
- what was good about the design of the expt?
- what was wrong with the experiment?
http://tinyurl.com/terrorface1
Example (3): Discussion

12. • students then asked to work with those sitting near
them to design a better experiment looking into
whether it is possible to smell fear
http://tinyurl.com/armpitsniffing1
Example (3):A better version

13. Prehn-Kristensen et al (2009), PLoS ONE 4(6): e5987
http://tinyurl.com/anxietypaper
A more scientific approach

14. The Cell (2): The Chemistry of Life
http://tinyurl.com/ChemOfLifeEp2
Example (4):A full programme

15. • Difficult to fit full episode into lecture slot
• Not best use of F2F time?
• BoB raises potential for requiring students to watch
programme before lecture or tutorial
- Flipped classroom
- Viewing lists as well as reading lists
Example (4): Context and use

16. • Recommendations for TV (and radio) footage that
can used for enriching teaching & learning
• Programme tips equally valid without BoB, just
harder to get hold of
• Sharing best practice
- metadata & keywords
- describe usage
• A collaborative project
- students as producers
- different institutions
[Subject]OnTheBox Project

17. • Biologyonthebox.wordpress.com
• Started September 2014
• Post of various styles
Biology on the Box

18. Other disciplines starting to develop similar sites
Astrophysicsonthebox.wordpress.com
Englishonthebox.wordpress.com
Historyonthebox.wordpress.com
Other [Subject]OnTheBox sites

19. • Reflecting on experience with [Subject]OnTheBox
project and other education blogs led to checklist
for anyone considering setting up & running shared
educational resource
Broader Reflections on Developing
Online Educational Resources

20. What is the purpose of site?
1

21. 2
Who are anticipated audience?

22. 3
Who will be authoring posts?

23. 4
Why would they contribute?

24. 5
Where will it be housed?

25. 6
Who will curate the site?

26. • Recommendation regarding educational blogging
also on the #ALTC blog https://bit.ly/2pJDAG2
See also
• Longer workshop on use of BoB available on
Slideshare https://bit.ly/2FeLXPK

27. Acknowledgements
• University of Leicester Teaching Enhancement Fund
• University of Leicester Graduate Gateway Fund
• Thanks to authors & curators of sites

28. E-mail: cjrw2@le.ac.uk
Twitter: cjrw
Slideshare: cjrw2
Blogs: www.bioethicsbytes.wordpress.com
www.biologyonthebox.wordpress.com
www.biosciencecareers.wordpress.com
www.lefthandedbiochemist.wordpress.com
Any questions?