How Panopto is being used across LJMU | Staff guide

The staff who have engaged with Panopto have produced a number of innovative ways with which to use the tool. What follows are broad descriptions of each of these.

‘Quick videos’ on problematic or key aspects of the content

This technique is used by individuals who have identified a generic weakness of understanding by the students. This identification may have been through previous experience or from a growing number of emails requesting the same information.

The academic then makes a recording, usually at their desk, that covers the particular issue. They then make that available to either all the students or the particular ones involved. They do this either by:

• sharing it on Canvas
• emailing the link to the students

The staff who do this say that it has immediate impact in reducing student queries, but also allows time to concentrate on helping students with the more interesting aspects of the subject.

This focus on key aspects could be connected with the research around ‘Threshold Concepts’. This is where a key conceptual framework needs to be understood by the students in order to link other concepts and to take the student through a conceptual doorway to deeper understanding.

More research is needed to establish the best ways to achieve this.

Flipped Classroom

Similar to the ‘Quick Videos’, some module teams are attempting to ‘flip’ aspects of the learning in a more formalised way.

Staff are creating short introductory videos for students to watch prior to attending the class.

Some of the class time is then used for:

• more complex individual and group activities
• problem-solving

The idea is to shift face-to-face learning time towards active learning rather than passive delivery.

This is not a straightforward process and requires time and effort to plan and execute.

Staff attempting to do this are driven by a desire to find a new delivery method to improve engagement from what are seen as a new generation of students. 

Blended online tasks

This method uses short recordings as part of a formative online task with a:

• discussion board
• quiz

...to help pose a problem or explain scenarios.

A number of these (3–4) would be released during a semester.

Staff report:

• a high level of engagement
• an increase in the quality of in-class discussion
• reusability of materials each year

This method is almost the reverse of the ‘flipped classroom’ as it requires students to engage in learning activities outside of the classroom.

Both of these processes emphasise:

• the importance of active learning
• encouraging ‘time on task’ to increase engagement

Recording of guest speakers

LJMU staff have good connections with external experts who can inspire and provide experiential knowledge to students.

A number of interviewed staff mentioned:

• their use and reuse of recordings by externals
• the creation of useful banks of content to support:
• future students
• students who missed the opportunity to hear them

Recording of student presentations

Individual lecturers, programme teams, and even schools, have created processes for the recording of student presentations for assessment.

These recordings typically:

• use a single video camera to record the students
• capture PowerPoint presentations
• include students’ narration over the top

Most uses are for:

• internal moderation
• access by external examiners
• addressing student complaints

Very few have explored the use of the recordings to help students reflect and improve.

However, some exceptions:

• One programme team has developed a process involving formative assessment before final submission, where students view their own recordings.
• Another module leader uses the recordings in class to feedback to all students on group presentations.

Staff shared a number of ways they are using the system.

Presentations are:

• a widely used assessment method
• important for employment skills
• often a source of stress for students

Careful and considerate use of recordings could:

• improve student presentation skills over time
• help reduce anxiety

Supporting Referrals

Individuals and one school are using recordings to support referral students.

This is to help reduce the impact of lack of face-to-face support during the referral period.

The staff typically:

• record a video of themselves talking through the assignment

There has been little research to establish how useful these recordings are.

However, the belief is:

• students feel less isolated when completing assignments

More research is needed to find out:

• what information helps students most
• how students use the recordings

Sharing Resources

Staff who have made recordings are beginning to share these more widely.

Panopto has the potential to allow large numbers of students to benefit from a single recording.

Faculties and schools should be encouraged to:

• make use of shared resources
• develop efficiencies

For example:

A common lab technique could be recorded once and support thousands of students for years.

This would also allow staff to:

• save time from repeating the same process
• reinvest that time into more complex parts of the curriculum

However:

• individual staff may not have the level of influence to make this happen across a school or faculty.

Lecture Capture

Staff who deliver entire modules have started to:

• record all or some of their sessions
• release recordings to:
• all students
• a specific group
• those with the greatest need

This includes:

• students with legitimate reasons for non-attendance
• students from different cohorts or levels

Staff who release full sessions view it as a way to support students with minimal effort.

Staff who edit and release only excerpts use a similar idea to the ‘Quick Videos’ approach — that is, supporting:

• the most important or
• most difficult aspects of the curriculum