Videowikis for improved problem-based collaborative learning: Engaging information systems science students

Abstract

The contemporary era of social media and web 2.0 has enabled a bottom-up on-line collaborative approach with easy content creation and subsequent knowledge sharing. The technically literate students of today and the changes in pedagogy towards a user-centred approach, where learners engage in the learning process by constructing new ideas and concepts based on their current or past knowledge facilitate the use of social media in learning environments. This paper describes the combination of a wiki and screen capture videos as a complementary addition to conventional lectures in an information management and information systems development course. The basis for our approach was collaborative problem-based learning with concrete problems defined by students. In order to activate students they were asked to identify unclear concepts or issues from four not well-defined or clarified lecture themes. The students worked in small groups. After the groups selected the theme which was most unclear to them they created presentations associated with these issues. Our intention was to facilitate collaborative learning by using the principles of the Jigsaw method. The results from the experiment showed that videowiki-based coursework affects both external and internal motivation equally in most cases. This reflects that from the perspective of constructivism the videowiki-based assignment is equally effective compared to learning without this setting. However, the development of knowledge concerning different course themes was positive in groups of students who completed this videowiki assignment.