Blog #4: Interaction

Videos:

(A)

(B)

(C)

Above are 3 embedded Youtube videos that reflect my Interactive Learning Resource Topic: Mental Health and Gender. I chose these 3 videos for this blog post as they all display different styles of teaching. The first video (A) is ‘Gender Differences in Mental Health by Professor Jayashri Kulkarni’. This video is shown in a more traditional lecture approach – very similar to TEDTALKS. Following is a video (B) called “Mental Health and Gender (feat. Hannah Hart)” by Kati Morton. This video is shown more as a conversation and is very casual. Lastly, is a podcast (C) called “Mental Illness and Gender” by Psychology Seattle. This video is different from the previous 2 as there are no visuals, however, it still captures the important aspects needed for learning. 

This blog post will address the following prompts:

1. What kind of interaction would the video require from your students? Does it force them to respond in some way (inherent)?
2. In what way are they likely to respond to the video on their own, e.g. make notes, do an activity, think about the topic (learner-generated)?
3. How would students get feedback on the activity that you set? What medium or technology would they and/or you use for getting and giving feedback on their activity?
4. How much work for you would that activity cause? Would the work be both manageable and worthwhile? Could the activity be scaled for larger numbers of students?
5. How will you address any potential barriers for your learners in the use of this video to ensure an inclusive design?

Note: The video’s will be referred to as A,B and C. (please see above)

1. (A) This video doesn’t inherently require students to interact with the video. As this video is more of a lecture style, there are no pauses where students are asked to reflect on their own personal experiences/activities. (B) This video also doesn’t require students to inherently interact with the video. However, topics and examples mentioned are spoken in a relatable manner where students can reflect on their own lives. (C) This video does require students to inherently interact with the lesson. Although it’s a podcast, the speaker asks and waits for the audience to self answer the questions. 

2. These videos are incorporated within my pod’s interactive learning resource on Mental Health and Gender. We designed the videos as part of a summative review/forum post activity where students are required to actively watch the video and answer responses. To successfully complete this task, I recommend students to take notes, and/or rewatch as many times until they have a well-rounded understanding. Once it comes time to respond, I encourage them to also respond to their peers’ posts to gain a different perspective and engage in conversation. Discussion boards are a fantastic tool as students react to the content, share challenges, teach one another, and experiment with their ideas. These activities help develop learning but also prepares us for real-life situations when we interact/engage in conversation. 
3. The feedback for the response will be participatory. This assessment is a way for students to critically think therefore there is no right or wrong response. That said, it is a required component of the course design and students must complete responses in order to receive full marks. It is also suggested to interact with a few other peers to gain different perspectives. Feedback will be given online as the forum/discussion posts will be held within the course site. This ensures students can view others’ posts and feedback can be given back discreetly. 
4. The discussion/forum response would take up to an hour to complete. This is summed from the total time to watch the videos, respond to the question prompt, and respond to at least 1 peer. Responses do not have to be essay-long; however, they must cover all the necessary topics within the prompt and show a level of understanding. The work will be manageable as it is designed to be inclusive to varying people (English language learners, single parents, etc.). The forum posts are not worthwhile however, the videos cover a rich topic that students have lots to take away from. 
5. There are minimal barriers to be overcome with this activity. The videos are all less than 10 minutes, therefore, it meets the needs for students with busy schedules. Further, this will only be a weekly or bi-weekly activity therefore, students don’t have to spend too much time and effort on it. Incorporating videos also help students who may have trouble with audio as each video can have captions available. Videos and forum post activities also benefit and break barriers with English Language Learners as they are able to watch the videos at their own pace, review others’ posts and formulate/compile their own ideas. Video A has great visuals as well as the information is narrated and presented with a PowerPoint slide. This will be great for all learners that struggle to ‘just listen’ as there are visual cues to make connections.