Using podcasts to enhance teaching - research linkages
Karen Strickland, Lecturer / Teaching Fellow, Gordon Hill, Lecturer, Colin Gray, Academic Development Adviser,
Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland
Aims of the project
The aim of the podcasts was to promote
research teaching linkages which is one of
the enhancements themes (SHEEC 2010).
Podcasting had been used successfully
within the University in other modules
and programmes as well as the Edinburgh
Napier Podcasting Project and recent
pedagogical research also suggested it
was a useful technology to promote active
engagement in learning (Vogt et al. 2010).
The aim was to provide students with
access to staff within the University who
were active researchers but had limited
contact with undergraduate nursing
students as guest speakers.
What we did
Key research active staff were invited to
be interviewed or provide a narrative
about their research studies for the
module. Most staff were very willing to
contribute to the podcasting project
therefore a series of five podcasts were
made and these were made available
through links to the podcasting host
service at appropriate times within the
module content in the virtual learning
environment (VLE). As the podcasts were
made during the delivery of the module
the links were perhaps not as well
integrated into the online content as the
team would have preferred but this is
recommendation for future delivery.
Feedback from students
"I’ve found this interview very helpful to
make it a little bit more clear to me, why
Evidence-Based Practice it’s essential as
nurses and how it is achieved."
"After listening to this podcast I have
been able to relate the subject matter to
my current studies as a third year
mental health student. Evidence based
research is the very cornerstone in
understanding, improvements in health
care to nursing practice in benefiting
people within our care”.
Clinical
practice
Podcasts by
researchers on
clinical practice
issues, linking
research theory
and practice for
student learning
Research
theory
Evaluation
The use of podcasts enhanced the
students understanding of the complex
research theory and helped to make
links between theory and clinical
practice, thus making research come to
life.
Researchers
of nursing
Recommendations
The timing of the podcasts is crucial.
Each podcast should deliver ‘just in time’
information which complements the
theory being delivered .
Podcasts are an effective way of allowing
students access to clinical researchers.
References: SHEEC, (2010) Enhancement Themes: Research-Teaching Linkages, Enhancing Graduate Attributes. Quality Assurance
Agency for Higher Education. Available at: http://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/themes/ResearchTeaching/default.asp
Vogt, M., Schaffner, B., Ribar, A., and Chavez, R., (2009) The Impact of podcasting on the learning and satisfaction of undergraduate
nursing students. Nurse Education in Practice. 10 (1) p38–42