Perceptions of a Lecture Capture System and Academic Achievement among Online Graduate Students

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1 Perceptions of a Lecture Capture System and Academic Achievement among Online Graduate Students ~ Harry Legum; Chris Brittan-Powell; Brian Schmitt; Marie Wakefield; Mary Owens-Southall; Beverly O Bryant; Rhonda Jeter- Twilley, and Janet Spry Abstract This study investigated the impact of a lecture capture system upon graduate students academic achievement, across various course delivery modalities (online, hybrid, and face-to-face). A causal comparative/ex post facto research design was used to collect data from 26 face-to-face, 21 hybrid, and 15 online graduate students in a master s level research course in a mid-atlantic Historical Black University (HBCU). Modes of measurement consisted of course grade point average and quiz grades. Quantitative data were coded numerically, and analyzed using a oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA). Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with five randomly selected graduate participants to determine their perspectives on the efficaciousness of a lecture capture system (Tegrity ). Results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in academic achievement among the three groups based on course delivery format. Recommendations for future research and implications for educators are provided. Key Words: Pupil, Internet, Grades, Lecture Capture, Teaching The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 76

2 Introduction Use of technology in educationally based instructional activities is a long standing area of investigation. In its various forms, educators have sought to use technology to facilitate student access, acquirement, retention, appreciation, and integration of instructional content. While technology cannot replace quality instruction, it may be able to facilitate it in various ways. This study is part of a line of research which seeks to do just this. The purpose of this specific study was to evaluate the merits of using a lecture capture system in the educational process. In many ways, this technology differs radically from those investigated previously. For example, usage of overhead projectors does not require an instructor to have access to the internet, whereas lecture capture systems generally do. Therefore, our review of the empirical literature in this area will largely be circumscribed to investigations into this particular emerging technological phenomenon. Lecture capture has a relatively short history. The dominant educational institution in the world to use this technology, the University of Geneva in Switzerland, likely has the longest track record as well. This institution has been recording class lectures, with pre-world-wide-web technologies, since the early 1970s. Early days utilized non-digital magnetic tape technology to provide students with audio-visual recording of lectures. Students were therefore able to engage the lecture material in an asynchronous manner. During the 1980s the University modified its recording methods to fit with the standard of the time, videocassette tapes (Educause, 2008). In North America, usage of a lecture capture strategy generally was not widely utilized until the turn of the century. However, rapid changes in technology has allowed for similarly paced utilization of digital recording technology and delivery of this via the internet (McClure, 2008). The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 77

3 According to ELI (2008), lecture capture allows substantial flexibility to be integrated into the learning process. This occurs on both sides of the didactic process. For instructors, they have flexibility in when and how materials are delivered. Additionally, they may bring in materials from individuals at great physical distances. Students have the ability of when, where, and how to engage in the material. The flexibility has made this technology attractive to all sets of potential users. Among other issues, administrators expressed significant concern over the cost of adopting this technology (ELI, 2008). Depending upon the particular lecture capture solution selected by an institution, the cost of adoption may vary. However, adoption by an institution requires them typically to encumber a substantial financial amount. Therefore, the concern expressed by administrators appears reasonable. This concern was addressed by an investigation by Veeramani and Bradley (2008). In their study, the researchers surveyed potential users to ascertain their perspective on this particular emerging technology. They found that approximately two-thirds of students stated they would be willing to pay for the opportunity to use LCS in their learning process. In addition to cost, ELI (2008) has found that institutions and professors have expressed numerous other areas of concern about how lecture capture systems may impact the educational community from a physical, legal, and ethical perspective. Legal issues included the question of copyright of the material. This issue has not been fully settled. Lecturers are concerned that their course delivery material may not be maintained in a manner that respects the integrity of their creation of it, and who owns the lecture recordings has not fully been settled. Furthermore, there is question as to who should have access to this material, how long recordings should be stored, and who is able to grant authorization and control over their usage. The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 78

4 Due to the emergent nature of this technology, there is a dearth of empirical investigations which provide concrete data on the relationship of its usage to actual student performance. However, in one study, Brittan-Powell (2010) showed a consistent relationship between student usage of lecture capture systems and their grades. While this finding was consistent across two undergraduate courses and three course delivery formats (i.e., face-to-face, hybrid, fully online), it is still only one study. The dearth of empirical research in this area indicates the need for more work to be done. Method Participants Sixty-two (n = 62) masters graduate students (26 males, 36 females) who partook in the required research methods course as part of the rehabilitation counseling masters program participated in the study. We conveniently (non-random sample) selected 26 face-to-face, 21 hybrid, and 15 online graduate students from the 2006 through 2008 academic years. Their ages ranged from 25 through 57. The HBCU is an urban, residential liberal arts university/site located in Baltimore City which was founded in The university is comprised of 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students consisting of 53 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degree programs. The school, originally designated as a college, was renamed as a university in 2004 and is accredited by the Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools. Materials Academic Achievement. We used the participants quiz scores and course grade point average to measure their academic achievement. During the 15-week semester, the instructor administered three quizzes to the graduate students in the research course. The research course orients rehabilitation counseling graduate masters students to basic research concepts needed to The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 79

5 successfully prepare a research proposal. Graduate students are introduced to research designs, journal article critiques, sampling procedures, reliability and validity analyses, and various methods for data collection procedures. The scale for course grade point average ranges from 0 to 4.0, with higher numerical averages indicating greater academic achievement. Lecture Capture System. The Tegrity version 2.0 lecture capture system was used in this study. This is a software based system which permits the instructor to have control over the recording, storage, and publication of the desired lecture material. Recordings are digital in nature and include the capture of audio, visual, and a complete set of computer screen shots (which consisted predominantly of annotated PowerPoint lecture slides for this study). Students are able to retrieve the recorded lectures for later viewing through via the internet, using their user ID and password. Procedure We were first granted permission to conduct this study from our Department s Chair and Co- Chair (Department of Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling). Next, we obtained permission to conduct our study from the respective Deans of the School of Professional Studies and Graduate Studies. Subsequently, confirmation from the University s Committee on research with Human Subjects was secured. We later sent an informed consent form to the graduate students indicating the purposes of the study. Those graduate students willing to participate in this study were asked to respond by signing and dating the appropriate lines on the informed consent form. After the completion of the course, data were coded numerically using the SPSS 17.0 database, and reported in aggregate form in order to protect the participants confidentiality. Five randomly selected graduate students who took the research course either online or hybrid modes were interviewed by us to determine their perspectives of the lecture capture The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 80

6 system. The interviews were semi-structured lasting approximately 20 minutes. Although these interviews were audio taped, the interviewees identities remained confidential. Two outside people reviewed a random sample of our taped interviews to ascertain if there was similar interpretation. After the completion of the interviews, we transcribed the interviewees comments into narrative form. At the commencement of the semester, graduate students electing to take the research course either totally online or via a hybrid mode were provided a basic orientation describing how to effectively implement the respective lecture capture system. Funding for this study was attained through an internal university technology mini-grant. Results To determine whether there was a difference in academic achievement between the face-to-face, hybrid, and totally online groups, a one-way analysis of variance was conducted using the threegroup classification as the independent variable with quiz scores and course grades as the dependent variable (Wiersma, 2000). We implemented a.05 level of significance. The data analysis was predicated on a causal comparative/ex post facto research design (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2006). Graduate students mean quiz scores were computed for each course delivery format. The mean quiz score for the face-to-face students was (SD =4.59). The mean quiz score for the hybrid students was (SD =5.27), while the mean quiz score for the totally online students was (SD = 4.00). Upon completion of the research course, graduate students course grades were calculated. The mean course grade for the face-to-face students was 3.77 (SD =.43). The mean course grade The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 81

7 for the hybrid students was 3.71 (SD =.56), while the mean course grade for the totally online students was 3.87 (SD =.35). After we found that the assumption of homogeneity of variance was met (p =.685 for quizzes and p =.104 for grades), results of the one-way ANOVA revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in quiz scores between the groups based on course delivery format (F (2, 59) = 1.918, p >.05). Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference in course grades between the groups based on course delivery format (F (2, 59) =.477, p >.05). Since no statistically significant differences between the groups were found, a post hoc analysis was not necessitated (Hinkle, Wiersma, & Jurs, 1994). Qualitative Findings Interview Summary Data response sets can vary based on the criterion used for appraisal (Legum & Hoare, 2004). Quantitatively, it was revealed that although not statistically significant, academic achievement among graduate students, who integrated the lecture capture system, among their learning strategies, was marginally higher than for those who were taught via the face-to-face manner. Based on the perspectives on the efficaciousness of the lecture capture system, graduate students interviewed indicated that they believe that the lecture capture system ameliorates their performance on examinations and quizzes. Several primary themes emerged from the graduate students thoughts under girding their assertion concerning the positive impact of the lecture capture system on their academic performance. First, most of the interviewees stated, that they experienced the lecture capture system used in this study as being user-friendly and that the training for it was very manageable. Second, the lecture capture system used in this study provided the complete lecture and is a good learning reinforcement. For example, one participant stated, If I miss some important stuff in class, I can go back and listen to it on The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 82

8 Tegrity. This takes away some of the stress. Another graduate student reinforced this notion, Having Tegrity as a backup helps me to relax more and focus better in class. Third, a majority of the graduate students indicated that the lecture capture system was available 24/7 and, as a result, can be viewed as many times as needed. Although a lecture capture system is not intended to be used as a substitute for face-to-face interaction, this is especially helpful for students who, in a case of emergency, may be forced to miss class. In conclusion, the interviewees unequivocally endorsed the lecture capture system, in the short and long-term, as a key component/tool for effective student online learning. Discussion The majority of studies conducted on the efficacy and effectiveness of on-line asynchronous learning in adults have focused on traditional populations, rural and international communities. There is a growing need to better understand the role of on-line asynchronous education in urban populations and to address perceptions of technological savvy among urban professionals. The lecture capture system used in this study (Tegrity ) is integrated with our campus course management system, Blackboard. Although the advantages are highly recognized on the faculty and administrative side, current research supports its effectiveness on student learning and outcomes. However, the question remains one of student perception pertaining to distance learning (Serce, 2006). A concern articulated by students indicates the need for more interaction. Technology has imposed a major change in the workforce where collaboration and interaction are paramount. Alone, a lecture capture system does not sufficiently offer opportunities for collaboration from instructor to student or student to student. However, coupled with an appropriate course management system such as Blackboard, these concerns could be adequately addressed. It is important for students to build a sense of community and The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 83

9 collaboration during their learning and professional experiences. O Hara (2009) researched the implementation of criteria for community building in both graduate and undergraduate students. Not surprising, graduate students were found to more frequently participate in learning and socialization communities. Recommendations for Future Research/Educators This study provides an excellent baseline for collecting future data and the opportunity for correlated studies. The following recommendations are offered to strengthen the study. First, the sample selected should be random in order to better generalize the results to the population thereby minimizing the plausibility of a Type I error. Second, the number of participants should be more equable with respect to those receiving face-to-face instruction, hybrid instruction and on-line asynchronous instruction. Third, development of lecture capture competencies could be obtained by conducting a random thematic review of course syllabi among those courses using it. This data could be used to address the impact of instruction on the participants responses during the qualitative interviews. Fourth, in addition to using qualitative interviews with the research participants, it would be beneficial to administer a pre- and post-survey to obtain an indication of the participants knowledge of technology and lecture capture prior to their on-line experience using it. This would provide an indication of the impact of the participants prior knowledge on the overall results of the study. Fifth, research that examines other extraneous variables such as gender, age, and race would provide a perspective on how use of lecture capture is impacted by social differences. It may be interesting to address demographic information with respect to diversity and the reported digital divide. Obviously, participation in on-line or asynchronous instruction requires a certain degree of technological savvy. Thus, is there a major difference in technology awareness and utilization among the various graduate student populations? Sixth, a The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 84

10 comparative study between two or more universities would contribute to greater diversity of participants and perhaps, a comparison of course management systems. Similarly, future research could examine data collected from multiple HBCU s. Expanding the sample to include several HBCU s may yield more comprehensive data about the impact of students using lecture capture in these academic settings. Seventh, the relationship of the learning experience to the course content should be monitored. Perhaps, the study could explore a general course versus a professional course to determine attitudes towards the various instructional modalities. As an additional independent variable, faculty should be included in the study with respect to expectations of self, students, and expected outcomes. Eighth, a longitudinal design should be considered to analyze the long-term effects of using lecture capture. More specifically, the same cohort used in our study should be surveyed at the conclusion of their graduate experience to determine their personal reaction, learning outcomes, efficiency and effectiveness of asynchronous learning. Implications for Educators and Students Although not statistically significant, this study s qualitative data provided some evidence that lecture capture served to enhance graduate students academic performance. This has several implications for educators and students. First, instructors should take a proactive rather than a reactive approach when utilizing lecture capture as an instructional mode (i.e. attending conferences, obtaining the latest updates, publishing study results). Second, valuable input should be collected from instructors, administrators (Provost/Dean), and students regarding the efficiency and success of using lecture capture. Maximizing these resources can add to the shortand long-term use of lecture capture. Third, students who use lecture capture will become more technologically savvy thereby increasing their chances of succeeding in the world-of-work The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 85

11 (internet related vocations). Fourth, in conjunction with various course management systems, it would be noteworthy to determine how lecture capture interplays and benefits from the usage of each. For example, Web Campus is the supported course management system for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). This provides instructional support to engage learning for both face-to-face and distance learning opportunities. The implementation of this system was designed to ensure easy, unlimited accessibility and training in all facets for the most skilled and proficient to the novice and emerging in the use of technology. All faculty and graduate assistants, who are instructors of record, are provided with tools, which can be customized and continuously updated to enrich learning and address current needs. The tools include content, communication, and evaluation. Articles, relevant data, website links, power point presentations, assignments, and testing materials are among the available resources utilized on this system. Students can review instructional materials, ask questions, and track their learning progress throughout the semester. Conclusion Lecture capture systems are typically used as a component of online instruction and are designed to video-record lectures via the internet. Some key purposes of lecture capture are to effectively diversify the modes of instruction, augment graduation and retention rates, and improve student access to course lectures. Since the middle of 2005, our university has implemented lecture capture as part of its online curriculum. It is important, especially at the undergraduate and graduate levels that college educators and administrators continue to provide the online resources necessary to enhance students academic skills. We hope that this study provides the foundation for future long-term The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 86

12 investigations testing the assertion that the utilization of a lecture capture system as a key component of online learning can only serve to fortify prospective student achievement. Corresponding Author: Harry Legum at hlegum@coppin.edu The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 87

13 References Brittan-Powell, C. (2010). Manuscript submitted for publication. Burdet, B., Bontron, C., & Burgi, P.I. (2007). Lecture capture: What can be automated?. Educause Quarterly, 30(20). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from educause.edu/library/educause+quarterly/lecturecapturewhatcanbeau/ Educause. (2008). 7 things you should know about Educause. Retrieved online November 6, 2008, from Know AboutSeries/7495 ELI discovery tool: Student/faculty questionnaire. Educause Learning Initiatives. Retrieved August 30, 2008, from FacultyQuestionnaire/10538 Fraenkel, J.R., & Wallen, N.E. (2006). How to design and evaluate research in education (6 th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Hinkle, D.E., Wiersma, W., & Jurs, S.E. (1994). Applied statistics for the behavioral sciences (3 rd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Legum, H.L., & Hoare, C.H. (2004). Impact of a career intervention on at-risk middle school students career maturity levels, academic achievement, and self-esteem. Professional School Counseling, 8(2), O Hara, L.J. (2009). An investigation of the formation of learning community in webbased distance education. Retrieved February 21, 2010, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text. (Publication No. AA ). Serce, F.C. (2006). A web-based synchronous collaborative review tool: A case study of on-line graduate course. Educational Technology and Society, 9(2), Veeramani, R., Bradley, S. (2008). Insights regarding undergraduate preference for lecture capture. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from Pdf. Wiersma, W. (2000). Research methods in education: An introduction (7 th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. The AABSS Journal, 2010; 14 88