Background/context. Numeracy skills are essential in the biological sciences, but a lack of these key skills, or a lack of confidence to engage in mathematics, is becoming more prevalent in undergraduate students (Quinnell et al, 2013).
The initiative/practice. Lightboard (LB) videos are instructor-made videos, recorded through an illuminated glass panel, with the instructor writing on the opposite side using fluorescent markers. The video picture is flipped horizontally so that the presenter faces the viewer whilst annotating the problem. They offer a visually appealing method of instruction that can engage the viewer whilst guiding them through the problem.
Methods of evaluative data collection and analysis. All students received instructions (written and tutor assisted) on scale bar calculations in their tutorial classes (Week 1). Students were invited to watch a six-minute LB video on the scale bar calculation technique (via the course learning management system; multiple views allowed) which provided instruction on the skill of calculating a scale bar for a scientific cell drawing. Participants answered pre and post video survey questions (Likert scale, open-ended). These included questions about their initial ability, and how effectively they perceived the video to have aided their learning. Scores for a relevant problem in an invigilated practical examination (Week 13) were then compared between students who watched (n = 69) or did not watch the LB video (n = 356 (T test).
Evidence of outcomes and effectiveness. Students who watched the LB video performed better on the exam question compared to students who did not (mean scores 81% cf 72%; p < 0.001), regardless of their overall course grade. Students perceived that the video improved their understanding of the method (80%) and that they were engaged for the full duration of the video (93%). Lightboard videos are effective in supplementing learning outside of face-to-face classes.
References. Quinnell, R., Thompson R., & LeBard R. J. (2013) It's not maths; it's science: exploring thinking dispositions, learning thresholds and mindfulness in science learning, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44(6), 808-816, https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2013.800598