Strength through collaboration?

This paper explores and evaluates the use of Blackboard Collaborate Ultra as an alternative to physical lectures. Initial pilot study results showed that not only did “attendance” improve when the sessions were delivered in this fashion, but engagement with the material improved as well. This paper is based both on that pilot study and a full project (to be completed in March 2017), which assesses the qualitative impact of the change of delivery mode on levels of student satisfaction, as well as quantitative impact on metrics such as achievement, retention and progression. The pedagogic rationale behind the project and the paper is the notion that lectures to large cohorts are often "broadcast" lectures rather than interactive, and that interactivity boosts both retention of knowledge and levels of understanding. The module which forms the basis of the study is a 2nd year designated (non-compulsory) module on the LLB programme, which is also offered to students studying Criminology. The module has around 100 students enrolled and the project will demonstrate the feasibility of this type of delivery for larger cohorts. There has been work on the benefits of recording live lectures as a resource for students to access at a later stage (Tarrant, 2013; Williams et al, 2014), and also of online lectures (Kinash et al, 2015) and this paper links into both threads by assessing the impact of recorded, interactive, online delivery.