Students and staff collaborate on accessible learning

A collaboration between second year students and Dr Cameron Gardner is working to bring transparent and accessible videos to core modules in the School of Music.

Second year students Chris Davis and Johanna Williams are working with Dr Gardner to produce a series of videos which, it is hoped, will supplement the teaching of two second year modules, Music Sounded Out and Formal Functions.

The aim of the videos is to enhance the learning of students on these modules, and provide clear and accessible content, with a particular focus on the needs of students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia.

The project will produce eleven videos, as well as interactive learning resources such as pop quizzes, which will be digitally delivered to students in class and available online for self-learning.

The content of the videos will be varied and will include module introductions; visual demonstrations of musical skills; accessible explanations of musical terms and labels; and guidelines on giving presentations and how students can make the most of feedback available to them from staff.

Chris Davies, a second year student, will film and edit all eleven videos, as well as developing the pop quizzes. Johanna Williams, also in her second year, is producing written guidelines and an explanatory video on presentation skills, along with assisting Dr Gardner with scripts for the videos, and gathering resources for use in the videos.

Chris Davies said: “I’m having a great time working with Dr Gardner and Johanna, and hope that the student/lecturer collaboration has positive outcomes, with a selection of technology-based learning resources being accessible to all module takers.”

Dr Gardner said of the project: “In the present climate where communicating visually through a recorded film is becoming a primary tool for student learning, and is particularly relevant to the multiple disciplines and skills required for music, the project hopes to provide a significant contribution to the current teaching provision. For students with a disability and those from abroad with English as a second language, it provides an appealing means to communicate.”

The project has been funded by Cardiff University Education Innovation Programme (CUSEIP). CUSEIP projects, part of the Centre for Education Innovation, typically run for between 6 and 8 weeks over the summer and are available to students enrolled at Cardiff University.