Learning Materials
Scran Learning Materials
Case Study
1. Author details
| Name: | Dr Sharon J. Arbuthnot |
| Job title: | Lecturer in Celtic |
| Institution: | University of Aberdeen |
About the author:
Has taught at various undergraduate and postgraduate levels over the past 6 years. Courses have ranged from the language and literature of medieval Ireland to modern Scottish Gaelic. Research centres on medieval Irish compiled texts and the compilatory process. Subsidiary interest in 18th-century erotic poetry.
Previously produced teaching packs on contemporary Irish literature for the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. These contained extracts from texts and critics’ quotes, and were accompanied by video clips and direction to web resources. Developed teaching exercises based around computer-mediated Irish language learning resource, Galmac.
Advanced IT skills in Word and PowerPoint.
2. The materials
Interactive, multimedia CDRom, incorporating text, video and sound, for use either as a classroom PowerPoint presentation or standalone learning resource.
Created to support second-year undergraduate HE courses in 17th and 18th Century Scottish Gaelic poetry (for native Gaelic speakers) and Honours option in same (for ab initio learners). Classroom-based teaching supported by a VLE.
Why did you want to create these materials?
- Desire to enhance students’ in-class experience and open up the aural dimensions of the songs.
- Response to students’ demand for more use of audio-visual teaching aids as evidenced in course evaluation forms.
- Opportunity for personal development.
How will your materials benefit learners?
Should enhance memorability and individualize and contextualize poets in students’ minds. Generally, the in-class experience should become more stimulating and learners should be better able to tackle questions of literary technique having HEARD rather than merely READ songs.
How will they improve on previous methods of teaching this topic?
In the past these courses have been exclusively text-based, and students, struggling with complex vocabulary, have rarely appreciated metre, rhyme, alliteration, etc. Also, from my own experience I know that students regard these courses as rather ‘dry’ and feel far removed from the word of the 17th/18th-century poets.
3. Creating the materials
What tools did you use?
PowerPoint, CD burning software, graphics packages, multimedia packages.
What additional support did you need in creating the materials?
The information architecture was created in association with Allan Scott (e-Business Lecturer, The Robert Gordon University). Colleagues were consulted on overall design and suitability for level and learning outcomes. Previously attended University of Aberdeen IT courses on PowerPoint.
What are the main skills required in creating materials like this?
- subject knowledge
- understanding of usability and information architecture issues
- experience of software packages
Describe any difficulties you experienced and how you went about addressing them.
There were no particular difficulties due to the level of support I had at the outset.
What would you do differently next time?
Areas for improvement will probably become obvious only after the resource has been used in the classroom.
What hints and tips would you offer to a colleague planning to create a similar resource?
- Planning is essential. I found the storyboard particularly useful.
- Don’t clutter pages.
- Neither the time nor the level of IT skills required should be underestimated.
