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Enhancing Student Interactions in Online Learning: A Case of Using YouTube in a Distance Learning Module in a Higher Education Institution in Uganda

Received: 19 April 2020    Accepted: 14 May 2020    Published: 15 June 2020
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Abstract

One of the challenges facing higher education institutions in general and Uganda in particular, is the widening gulf between increased use of technology for teaching and learning and achieving meaningful learning outcomes, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we report on one use of technology where a teacher’s integration of YouTube videos in teaching increased students’ levels of interaction with the content of the video, with peers and with the instructor (teacher). Guided by the sequential mixed-method design, a series of online learning activities were designed and matched with a carefully selected YouTube video. The activity was piloted and refined for use on purposefully selected teaching staff. The staff watched the videos that were uploaded on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and responded to online learning tasks at individual and group levels. The VLE served as a knowledge sharing space for reflections. The paper concludes that lesson design was critical in enriching the VLE with carefully selected YouTube videos. Our key recommendations are: focus on the learning outcomes, design for the desired interactions, build into the task reflections, and decide whether to pre-select YouTube videos for students or to allow students to find appropriate YouTube videos; use reflections and knowledge sharing spaces. Further work has built reflective questions in the video which allows student to pause and reflect.

Published in Higher Education Research (Volume 5, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.her.20200504.11
Page(s) 103-116
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Digital Taxonomy, Distance Learning, Higher Education, Interactive Learning, Student Pedagogical Support, Virtual Learning Environment, YouTube

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Proscovia Namubiru Ssentamu, Dick Ng’ambi, Emily Bagarukayo, Rehema Baguma, Harriet Mutambo Nabushawo, et al. (2020). Enhancing Student Interactions in Online Learning: A Case of Using YouTube in a Distance Learning Module in a Higher Education Institution in Uganda. Higher Education Research, 5(4), 103-116. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20200504.11

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    ACS Style

    Proscovia Namubiru Ssentamu; Dick Ng’ambi; Emily Bagarukayo; Rehema Baguma; Harriet Mutambo Nabushawo, et al. Enhancing Student Interactions in Online Learning: A Case of Using YouTube in a Distance Learning Module in a Higher Education Institution in Uganda. High. Educ. Res. 2020, 5(4), 103-116. doi: 10.11648/j.her.20200504.11

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    AMA Style

    Proscovia Namubiru Ssentamu, Dick Ng’ambi, Emily Bagarukayo, Rehema Baguma, Harriet Mutambo Nabushawo, et al. Enhancing Student Interactions in Online Learning: A Case of Using YouTube in a Distance Learning Module in a Higher Education Institution in Uganda. High Educ Res. 2020;5(4):103-116. doi: 10.11648/j.her.20200504.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.her.20200504.11,
      author = {Proscovia Namubiru Ssentamu and Dick Ng’ambi and Emily Bagarukayo and Rehema Baguma and Harriet Mutambo Nabushawo and Christine Nalubowa},
      title = {Enhancing Student Interactions in Online Learning: A Case of Using YouTube in a Distance Learning Module in a Higher Education Institution in Uganda},
      journal = {Higher Education Research},
      volume = {5},
      number = {4},
      pages = {103-116},
      doi = {10.11648/j.her.20200504.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20200504.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.her.20200504.11},
      abstract = {One of the challenges facing higher education institutions in general and Uganda in particular, is the widening gulf between increased use of technology for teaching and learning and achieving meaningful learning outcomes, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we report on one use of technology where a teacher’s integration of YouTube videos in teaching increased students’ levels of interaction with the content of the video, with peers and with the instructor (teacher). Guided by the sequential mixed-method design, a series of online learning activities were designed and matched with a carefully selected YouTube video. The activity was piloted and refined for use on purposefully selected teaching staff. The staff watched the videos that were uploaded on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and responded to online learning tasks at individual and group levels. The VLE served as a knowledge sharing space for reflections. The paper concludes that lesson design was critical in enriching the VLE with carefully selected YouTube videos. Our key recommendations are: focus on the learning outcomes, design for the desired interactions, build into the task reflections, and decide whether to pre-select YouTube videos for students or to allow students to find appropriate YouTube videos; use reflections and knowledge sharing spaces. Further work has built reflective questions in the video which allows student to pause and reflect.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    AB  - One of the challenges facing higher education institutions in general and Uganda in particular, is the widening gulf between increased use of technology for teaching and learning and achieving meaningful learning outcomes, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we report on one use of technology where a teacher’s integration of YouTube videos in teaching increased students’ levels of interaction with the content of the video, with peers and with the instructor (teacher). Guided by the sequential mixed-method design, a series of online learning activities were designed and matched with a carefully selected YouTube video. The activity was piloted and refined for use on purposefully selected teaching staff. The staff watched the videos that were uploaded on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and responded to online learning tasks at individual and group levels. The VLE served as a knowledge sharing space for reflections. The paper concludes that lesson design was critical in enriching the VLE with carefully selected YouTube videos. Our key recommendations are: focus on the learning outcomes, design for the desired interactions, build into the task reflections, and decide whether to pre-select YouTube videos for students or to allow students to find appropriate YouTube videos; use reflections and knowledge sharing spaces. Further work has built reflective questions in the video which allows student to pause and reflect.
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Author Information
  • Department of Educational Leadership and Management, School of Management Sciences, Uganda Management Institute, Kampala, Uganda

  • Educational Technology Inquiry Lab, School of Education, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

  • Department of Information Systems, School of Computing and Informatics Technology, College of Computing and Information Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • Department of Information Systems, School of Computing and Informatics Technology, College of Computing and Information Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • Department of Open, Distance and eLearning, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • Department of Regulation and Compliance, Directorate of Regulation and Legal Services, National Information Technology Authority, Kampala, Uganda

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