In this week’s blog post, I will be critiquing the Alzheimers Society YouTube on “What is Alzheimer’s disease”. I will be discussing how the video fits interaction and technological design principles, and suggesting ways to improve engagement. Please see the following link to the video below!
Alzheimers Society. (2017). What is Alzheimer’s disease? Retrieved from YouTube.
What activity could you suggest that they do after they have watched the video (designed)? What type of knowledge or skill would that activity help develop? What medium or technology would students use to do the activity?
After watching this video I suggest students should take a test addressing the various key points discussed in this video. This is because the content covered in this video covers the philological effects and treatment options of Alzheimer’s disease. This would be information that students would take notes on while watching. Since it is hard to demonstrate within a role-play or interactive activity (as are dealing with physiological brain alterations) a test would best ensure students have an adequate understanding of the material addressed.
Coming from a science background, most assessments on learning comprehension were tests. In some cases, sometimes I found tests to be a bit redundant and repetitive- especially when they are all one question type. To help keep the assessment more dynamic for students, I would like to include a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, true or false, and fill-in-the-blank. This will help to ensure students are engaged throughout the process.
A test would help students develop their critical thinking and active recall skills. This is because- the student will have to manipulate and apply their knowledge to the answers available to come to the correct conclusion. Additionally, students must actively recall/remember the information studied and apply it to the answers available.
I suggest this test be taken online on Google Forms.
How would students get feedback on the activity that you set? What medium or technology would they and/or you use for getting and giving feedback on their activity?
The online quiz I suggested for the video above will be taken via Google Forms. Students will get feedback on their answers as Google Forms allows users to view the question they got correct/ incorrect after the quiz has been submitted. I always found instant feedback helpful as a student, because you could review your mistakes right there and then. Rather than coming back to it, a few days/ weeks later when the knowledge is less fresh in your head. Also, Google Forms has the option for students to re-take and view their answers after submitting. This allows them to review their mistakes and see the topics they are struggling with- and rewatch the video/ask questions to help better their understanding of the material and do better next attempt.
How much work for you would that activity cause? Would the work be both manageable and worthwhile? Could the activity be scaled for larger numbers of students?
This activity would not cause that much work as a teacher. The most time-consuming portion would be developing questions that accurately test and apply the knowledge gained from the video. This is because as a teacher it is important to gauge the material and learning outcome from an activity to ensure students are meeting the learning desired requirements. I have used Google Forms in the past. It is a very user-friendly and simple platform- entering the material into the site itself would not be that much work.
This activity could reach a large scale of students. Only the YouTube video and quiz link are needed for students to complete the task.
How could the video have been designed to generate more or better activity from viewers or students?
The video moves the completed topic very quickly. So giving an overview brief summary of the key points and topics covered will aid students. As a student, I find this helpful as it prepares me for the important to come and ensures I have not missed any key ideas. Additionally, having time stamps for each topic covered- would help students easily rewatch the points they missed or need more clarification on. Rather than scrolling and trying to find the exact second they missed- which can be quite frustrating.
Next, the subtitles have a few mistakes. This makes it difficult for those who are hearing impaired or working in loud environments to follow the video along. Fixing these little mistakes would greatly improve the experience for non-audio users.
Hi Nina,
Your post offers a methodical way to incorporate the Alzheimer’s Society video into an interactive educational activity. You have provided a sensible recommendation about using a Google Form for quizzes, which guarantees quick feedback and encourages active recall and critical thinking. It is a good idea to include a variety of question types because it accommodates various learning styles. Furthermore, your recommendations for enhancing the video’s layout such as adding summaries and precise subtitles are insightful and demonstrate a strong dedication to accessibility and inclusiveness. In general, your post emphasizes how to improve student engagement and knowledge using a well-balanced combination of pedagogical strategies and technology resources.