The week after Spring Break, after observing that not everybody was necessarily watching the lectures (or watching them in their entirety), let alone the conversation videos. I asked students at the beginning of class to get into groups of three and come up with a couple of comments or observations on the lectures and what was working for them and what not. At least one of these comments had to be positive, and one negative.
I’m interested in getting such feedback in part because it can help guide the second half of the semester: if necessary we can make changes or follow up on the feedback given. It can also help me think about how to approach lectures in other courses.
Summary and Response
I’m glad that most of you saw the point of the lectures: they aim to provide not simply information but a way of looking at the texts that stimulate your own thoughts (which you put in your blog poss) and provoke you to think differently. They aim also to prepare you to come to class ready to participate. This is the idea of a “flipped classroom.” Moreover, I would add, the conversation videos allow another voice, another perspective, and begin to establish a dialogue on which, again, we can build in class discussion.
I’d point out also that there is already an interactive element in the lectures, with the questions that punctuate them a third to half-way through. Again, then, it’s not simply a matter of you “taking in” information. The point is to help you articulate you own thoughts and approach to the texts.
Some of you thought they were too long. Once more, I’ll note that at 20-30 minutes (often less than 20, and not often more than 30), even alongside a conversation video of similar length, they are significantly shorter than the formal class that they replace. Remember that you only have to come to class at most once a week, largely thanks to these videos, in the expectation that you are watching them.
A few complained that the lectures are not sufficiently lively or visually stimulating. I do what I can! But they also balance and complement class discussions that, I think you’ll agree, are more lively and informal. As for visual elements: not only am I not a professional, but I’m dependent on images that are (almost entirely) copyright-free or public domain (and almost always from Wikimedia Commons), so this limits what I can use. The same goes, even more so, for music or songs.
Above all, I make these lectures with you in mind, to enhance your readings of the books and help ensure lively discussion in class. Watching them is not simply part of your contract, but serves this course’s pedagogical goals of helping you to think differently about literature.
| Positive | Negative / Suggestions for Improvement | Other | Jon’s comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not too long (length good). | “Sometimes lose track” | The great thing about a video is you can pause and rewind if you lose track! | |
| They are really interesting. I like how it gives a sense of the history behind the book. | I read the transcript instead usually | NB on the whole the lectures are not about context of the “history behind the book,” though I’ll provide some of that if I think it’s helpful. | |
| Good background to novels. Drinks! Intro/outro music. Yes, watching on 2x speed. |
Some are too short or too long. Shows preference. The ones we want to know more about do not have as much info as others. | I think I’d need more specifics to respond to this! | |
| It helps us give context to the books. If we are stuck on the blog posts, it gives us a starting point. |
Since the books are long, watching the lecture can be time-consuming. | The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. | |
| Always available. Multiple formats. Drinks pairings are cute. |
Too long and show. The interviews should also be on podcasts. | On length, see above: The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. This is much less time then the regular class period for which they substitute. Many of the conversation videos are available in podcast form (this week’s for instance), and the others will be soon. |
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| Not engaging. Doesn’t improve understanding of book. We watch in case you call on us. Make a podcast version so I can listen in car without using data. Music is creepy and loud in vids. |
I’m a little flabbergasted that this group says the lectures don’t “improve understanding of [the] books.” I’m not sure where to start with this comment. There are already podcast versions of all the lectures to date. I’m sorry you don’t like the music! |
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| Don’t watch due to length and it’s hard to focus on a video. | We read the transcript. In-person lecture is good! |
On length, see above: The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. This is much less time then the regular class period for which they substitute. | |
| The transcriptions are really helpful, great for weeks when we have less time. | On length, see above: The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. This is much less time then the regular class period for which they substitute. Do remember you only have to come to class at most once a week. | ||
| They are usually fun and interesting. | Sometimes I find them too monotonous. | ||
| We like the drink pairing. | Fancy words are used that we don’t understand. | The great thing about a video is you can pause and rewind to look up a word that you don’t understand! | |
| Funny. Adds narrative to readings. Like the drinks pairings. |
Reading the transcripts–prefer | ||
| We like how the main points and topics are clearly stated in the lecture videos. We watch the lectures because we like gaining additional understanding about the text we are reading. |
Add more specific examples from the book (quotes, scenes, plotlines, etc.) | Hmmm. I think in almost every case there is not only a plot overview but also discussion of specific passages, scenes, or incidents, and usually a plethora of quotations. | |
| I think the drink pairings are funny. | We feel there is not much use in watching them because we discuss themes in class anyways. | Class discussions really do not repeat lecture themes, and in so far as they do this is only because some of you haven’t watched the lectures! | |
| Sometimes the book is confusing and the lectures help us understand better. The drinks parings are fun. |
Sometimes repetitive to what we discuss in class. | See above: Class discussions really do not repeat lecture themes, and in so far as they do this is only because some of you haven’t watched the lectures! | |
| The lectures are informative and provide good context and detail about the reading. | Separate guest lectures (speakers) can be confusing, so combining the two would be beneficial. | We watch most lectures, but sometimes we forget to do so before the in-class meetings. | I’m not sure I understand this suggestion. |
| Clarify our blog posts. Drinks pairings. |
Compulsory. Forget. |
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| Favourite part of lectures is intro/outro music. I like that they’re posted on Spotify, so I can listen to them on my drive to UBC. |
At times, the lecture is under stimulating due to monotone voice and lack of visuals. | While there is no urgency to watch the lectures, it’s a double-edged blade because it’s nice to not feel stressed out to watch them, but on the flip-side it’s hard to stay motivated to watch/listen to them. | Regarding visuals: There is a limit to the images I can use, as the videos are all made with a creative commons commons licence, and I need to use clips and images that are copyright-free. |
| The drinks pairings are fun! | Add a theme song in the lectures. | We prefer the transcripts of the lectures. They are more efficient and easier to read. Reading transcripts is not really bad or good, so it’s fine. |
The lectures already have a theme song as intro/outro music. Adding other music is complicated, because of rights issues. (This also limits the images I can use.) These lectures are all creative commons, and I need to use clips and images that are copyright-free. If you use copyrighted music (especially), it’s quite possible that YouTube take your video down. |
| Lectures help me understand the discussions better. I love the drinks pairings, but I still haven’t found the reason why these drinks are paired to the book or why they are not? What meaning or purpose do they have? |
I kind of sometimes do not watch them. | The logic of the drinks pairings is outlined in the lecture transcripts, and also on each and every author page. | |
| Like that we can watch them on our own, on 2x speed. | Lecture videos only really follow 1 interpretation of novel, would like to see other perspectives. | I’m not sure this is true: the videos often outline different possible readings. But I do also want to keep them short, so they don’t pretend to say everything that could be said about the text. | |
| Maybe more visuals to follow along or shorter. | We did watch at the beginning of the semester, but not as much as school gets busier, as reading takes time as well. | On images, see above: There is a limit to the images I can use, as the videos are all made with a creative commons commons licence, and I need to use clips and images that are copyright-free. On length, see above: The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. This is much less time then the regular class period for which they substitute. Do remember you only have to come to class at most once a week. |
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| The lectures are very helpful, especially when the reading is not too clear. | The only reason we don’t watch them is because we got caught up with other work. Discussion videos sometimes go unnoticed because they’re not mentioned in the lecture videos. Also we want long-hair Jon in the videos! |
On length, see above: The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. This is much less time then the regular class period for which they substitute. Do remember you only have to come to class at most once a week. | |
| The lecture often provides a lot of background context and new ideas that are not immediately relevant just by reading the books–thus it’s being informative and interesting. | For some of us, we sometimes find the lecture content a little disconnected to the book or in class discussions (as in it might add to the picture, but don’t circle back to it). The lecture content could feature something different–maybe something more potentially connected with the in-class discussion agenda, etc. (for the purpose of more people watching not necessarily for quality) |
I always read the transcripts instead. | Other groups worry about class discussion repeating what’s in the lecture. I try to maintain a balance: the lecture is what I think is most important, but in class discussion we can elaborate on the material or follow student interests (as expressed in blogs) too; we can be more free in class discussion, so long as you have watched the lectures first. |
| They’re nice and short, easy to listen to and informative. | Make them more visibly engaging. | On images, see above: There is a limit to the images I can use, as the videos are all made with a creative commons commons licence, and I need to use clips and images that are copyright-free. | |
| Some of the books can be difficult to understand, so the lectures give us a sense of direction and help us understand the books better. | Lectures can be less monotone and more interesting. | I watch the lecture video usually, unless I got midterm in other classes. I prefer to read the transcripts, they’re more efficient and easy to read. |
I try to make them interesting as well as helpful! |
| Gives detailed explanations of the books. Provides quotes for reference; the conversation gives a second perspective. |
Sometimes just read transcripts. | ||
| Gives good historical and literary context. | Talks a bit slow. | I’m mainly trying to talk as clearly as possible (and not to make mistakes!). | |
| We like how we talk about the background of the novel and the author (political landscape, etc.). We wouldn’t really have talked about it otherwise. | Length of both lectures and conversations video on top of the post. They’re informative but we sometimes don’t know whether to finish a book first and then watch lecture or watch lecture video right away. | On length, see above: The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. This is much less time then the regular class period for which they substitute. Do remember you only have to come to class at most once a week. On whether to watch the video before reading the book or not: this is up to you. My advice would probably to read the book first, then watch the lecture, then write the blog post. But you might be finding yourself confused in the book and want to watch the video to help you through it. And you may have a very clear idea of what you want to write your post on, before watching the video. This is another area in which you take responsibility for your own learning. |
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| Very interesting and cosy. | ? | ||
| They’re good at expanding on what we can’t fully articulate. Visuals also are nice. |
Sometimes a little dry: add some jokes, maybe your experience reading the books for the first time. Maybe less lecture and more casual conversation monologue? That kinda vibe. |
I hear ya, but I think you get the more casual approach (and jokes) in conversations videos and in-person discussions. It’s a balance. | |
| Helps better understand our readings. | Considerations of short videos or YouTube Shorts. | We did watch in the beginning, but stopped due to videos being long and having a short attention span. | On length, see above: The lectures are only 20-30 minutes long, often less than 20, and rarely more than 30! The conversation videos are similarly short. This is much less time then the regular class period for which they substitute. Do remember you only have to come to class at most once a week. |
