Project Investigator(s): Patrick Culbert, Instructor, Forest and Conservation Sciences; Jeff Howarth, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Middlebury College
Project Description
International students comprise 35% of the undergraduate student body in the Faculty of Forestry, and language issues are a serious barrier to learning for non-native English speakers. Using a Cognitive Load Theory framework, we will test various principles of multimedia learning in creating videos for a blended-learning environment to improve learning for non-native English speakers while still supporting native speakers.
Research Questions
- To examine how principles of multimedia learning theory differ for native versus non-native language speakers.
- To produce a variety of short video lessons to improve learning outcomes for non-native English speakers without hindering the learning of native speakers.
Impact on teaching and learning at UBC
As part of my role in the Faculty of Forestry, I will be teaching short (2-week), modular forestry courses to students at partner forestry universities in China. I do not think these short, intense courses are an ideal learning environment for students, so, in order to space out the learning over a longer period of time, I would like to produce some material for students to use prior to my arrival in China. This material would likely be short video lessons introducing and explaining key concepts. The results of our study will help with the design and production of these videos in the manner most conducive to learning. Much of the material I teach in China will be based on the four core 200-level forestry courses so these materials would also be used to teach both native and non-native English speakers at UBC.