Course Description

Previous and New structure of the course MEDU3105

Internet use and psychosocial well-being MEDU3105 is a 5ECTs course in Master of Media Education program at the University of Lapland. All course descriptions are available for all the students considering any course on a platform called WebOodi. The course description explains the specific aims, contents, method of teaching and requirements for participating in the course. University of Lapland has a system that any student of the university can join any course in any department. Therefore, there is a requirement section from which the students see what the course entails, and can then decide whether to take a course or not.

The aim of MEDU3105 is that after completing the course the student:

Understand interactions, gets skills to analyze critically, and reflect on the problems that can arise from Internet use or non-use. Students will also be able to work as researchers and can also apply the knowledge learned to real life cases.

The course was previously organized as following:

The content was taught through lectures and course readings. Students acquainted themselves with psychological and social psychological theories, concepts, and research results pertaining to the relationship between internet (non) use and psychosocial well-being through analyzing real-life or imaginary cases in small groups. Students were provided with some suggested material, but were also encouraged to find their own material for the case they were working on. Students were to construct, read and discuss the cases in the small groups, and consequently, the cases were presented in class and as well as discussed in a social media website.

The teaching method used in the course was case-based teaching with lectures (10h), and students’ case presentations and discussions (10h). In order to construct and discuss a case, the student was to acquire knowledge from multiple sources (lectures, course readings, media, experts, social networks) in small groups. The requirement for the course was to attend the classes and participate in discussions, construct a case in groups, present it online in a wiki, present the case in class, and to receive and give feedback.

The purpose of working with real life case during this course is to prepare students beforehand for the practical life experiences in the digital world of today. Students most probably will be working with people and not exclusively with books or theories. Therefore, applying knowledge to real life can be challenging at times. As a media education student it is necessary to know how theories work in practice and how to critically observe phenomena and interpret through theoretical lenses. By doing so, media educator is able to argue and discuss an issue from a broad and historical perspective and is able to solve problems and devise strategies.

Overall, this course is about working in groups with real life cases, and in the end presenting those cases and getting and giving feedback on the critical work of each group. A challenge arises, however, already in the description of the aims of the course; it describes the aims for individual participants, when this course is clearly all about working in groups. While working in groups we need to consider many factors such as feedback, communication, reflection, collaboration and experiential learning. Traditional teaching method restricts students to use these factors to their full extent.

Two changes were made to the course MEDU3105 in order to conduct this study. First, we flipped the course teaching method to flipped learning and secondly, we integrated group dynamics exercises to the flipped learning methodology. Aims, content, and requirements remained the same after the flip. The structure of the course MEDU3105 was however changed because of the flip. In new structure the students would meet in classes 8 times. The first 4 times each class session would be 135 minutes long and during the last 4 times each class session would be 90 minutes long. The first 4 sessions would be about an introduction to the subject, dividing students into groups, assigning group work, and starting the group work. During these sessions I was the ‘student facilitator’ and my purpose was to introduce group dynamics to the class, use the facilitation tools to help the teacher to make groups, and to make rules for the class. Also during group formation and starting the case study, I introduced tools that helped students to formulate their work strategies. Moreover, I discussed and practiced reflection and feedback during these first 4 sessions. In short, the teacher was responsible for the content of the course, and I was responsible for the process during the course. During last four sessions, students presented their group work. There was one week between each class and students worked together during the week. Therefore, the practice that students did with me during the first 4 sessions had continued during this time.

I also encouraged groups to use group dynamics tools during their group work that they practiced in the first four sessions with me. During their final presentations I facilitated the feedback and reflection sessions. Overall the MEDU3105 students had done the group work, practiced group dynamics, and then during their presentations they had given feedback and reflected on their work and on others’ work. In order for me to collect data for this study I

asked students to fill in two questionnaires, one during first class sessions and the second during the last session. Finally, I observed and noted down my observations for each class session to collect data for the study.