The topic of stem cell research offers an opportunity for teachers and students to be engaged in an area of research that is highly topical and provides a good focus for the 'How science works' component of the Key Stage 4 curriculum. However, this relatively new area of science in the curriculum can pose difficulties in understanding for teachers and students. Students for example are not clear what stem cells are, why they are unique and what their function is. They have lots of misconceptions. Teachers (whether specialist or non-specialists) often lack confidence in delivering this unit because they don't have effective supporting material and up-to-date subject knowledge. In addition to this, stem cell research is an area of science where cutting-edge technology, molecular biology and ethics all come into play. So teachers need to use a range of skill sets to deliver this topic effectively, which is challenging.
Recent advances in internet technology, e.g. Web 2.0, and access to high-quality digital videos offer a unique opportunity for teachers (and students) to access first-class teaching and learning resources instantly. The ease of video creation, editing and sharing has been shown to play a major role in student engagement and motivation. Evidence of this is the success of video-sharing websites such as YouTube, which allow people to create and share videos with a worldwide audience, building a networked community in the process.
Students have a higher motivation to learn when they feel they have a real stake in their own learning. When students engage with a topic through digital video editing they are making effective use of technology in the classroom. Instead of the teacher acting as the sole source of information, the teacher shares control of the classroom and students are allowed to explore, experiment and discover on their own. In this type of classroom dynamic, it doesn't matter if the teacher doesn't have up-to-date subject knowledge. The teaching is no longer didactic but moves towards the more powerful student-centred model of learning. Video is clearly an instructional medium that generates excitement. Effective sound and titling can provide a multimodal learning experience suitable to the learning styles of many students.
The internet provides a useful way to keep updated and build a knowledge library. The range of digital videos available on the internet offers teachers and science departments an opportunity to have access to the latest news and developments. Teachers can also use videos produced by experts in this area to support their teaching.
Finally, in an age when students are exposed to multimedia resources via video, phones, iPods and so on, passive viewers of a video can engage with content only to some extent. The simple digital video editing software gives teachers an opportunity to engage their students through motivational ICT activities. Video editing allows teachers to engage with a topic in a real and meaningful way. Sharing an edited video on the internet is very motivational and can support engagement with any topic.