Meg Colasante

Video annotation for collaborative connections to learning: case studies from an Australian higher education context

This chapter introduces an emerging innovative technology known as MAT (Media Annotation Tool). MAT is an online tool that allows students to annotate video, thus improving student engagement and reflection. This chapter outlines the history of the development of this tool and provides analysis of data provided from a range of course integrations. From idea inception the goal was to render video active and collaborative for learning rather than traditional passive learning. In the multiple-case study it was found that students reported higher engagement/satisfaction with MAT in cases where there was learner-to-learner collaboration, teacher feedback and assessment linkage. This chapter focuses on the undergraduate cases of the study, from the disciplines of teacher education, medical radiation and chiropractic, and also references a postgraduate case from the discipline of law. The data from these cases points to the success of MAT as dependent on two key factors: learning design and the technical effectiveness of the MAT technology.

A Curriculum Model to Promote (Chiropractic) Clinical Thinking with Video-Case Annotation

A progressive agenda for curriculum change in a chiropractic course in a Melbourne university involved case-based materials and online video annotation. The overall learning objective was to promote clinical thinking earlier in the undergraduate chiropractic students, which did not substantively occur until clinical placement in year 4 of the study programme. Initially the traditional lecture-centred learning mode was infused with paper-based case studies, which then evolved to video-cases and, most recently, to interactive video annotation aided by the introduction of a media annotation tool (MAT). This tool positioned the case videos into an active environment requiring small group and scaffolding activities to stimulate clinical thinking in the second year of the programme. Lectures continued, but became integrative with MAT activities and ultimately responsive to student work in MAT. The resultant integrative curriculum model unfolded over two distinct but interlinked learning cycles over the semester. As part of a larger multiple-case study, data was collected via surveys, combined observation and interview sessions, and post-subject learning artefact analysis. Student feedback was largely positive, with qualifiers such as need for both further articulation of the process and more cases. The teachers also responded positively and are currently integrating further video-cases using MAT into the same subject plus within additional subjects.