Do podcasts and screencasts enable or hinder independent learning

Bespoke podcasts and screencasts were introduced to initial teacher training students to offer flexible support for specific assignments and aspects of classroom practice. However, tutors were concerned that these resources offered prescriptive guidance rather than encouraging more critical engagement. Feedback on the resources, collected from students using a variety of data collection methods, is analysed and discussed with reference to the findings from relevant research to clarify whether student responses to the resources reflect tutor concerns. Some students valued the bespoke nature of the tutor-designed online resources; for some, engagement with the online resources led to further critical engagement with their learning. The need to collect more diverse student responses is discussed, with a practical suggestion for improving the reliability of the study’s findings. The study is relevant to course designers interested in exploring strategies, in particular the use of technology, to deepen student engagement.

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