Abstract
Two years ago, we started to use memes within our teaching as a means of supporting and encouraging students to reflect on their knowledge. This approach emerged from a recognition that not all students felt comfoView Postrtable sharing their understanding on a subject openly or sometimes even independently via traditional modes of reflection. We sought to explore a more low stakes, immediate approach that tapped into a familiar cultural phenomenon and also allowed for an element of fun and light relief within lectures. You can find the publication about this project this here.
Using memes as a teaching-centred activity proved itself to be an entertaining and enjoyable approach that received positive feedback from students and added a degree of levity to the classroom. It was also an entertaining research project to work on with a great bunch of fellow researchers.
The approach revolves around humour, encouraging openness of expression and supporting the students and each other to play with alternate approaches. The joy of swapping summaries of the memes created in class and engaging in discussions around common understandings remains a highpoint of the academic year.
Memes as method
We quickly realised though that using memes in higher education could be much more than an in-class tool for reflection and began experimenting in how we used them with our students. We realised that we were gaining insights into the student experience that were not emerging through other means of gathering research data or through standard student voice processes. It became apparent that we could conduct real research into student attitudes and emotions by using memes but that no real guidance existed that focused on how to do this.
We decided a framework was needed to take the first steps towards shaping the use memes as a tool within qualitative research. As a team, working with Gary Currie, Leisa Nichols-Drew and Helen Page, we went about designing this framework in a way that could be adapted and adopted across a wide range of higher education subject areas and contexts. Focusing on giving shape to the approach and considering its practicalities and are happy to present of the framework we have developed in our new paper in Teaching in HIgher Education.
Memes in action
There are plenty of opportunities within higher education where memes may be an appropriate vehicle for collecting data and insights. Within our paper, our case studies reflect on how we have used memes as a research tool to explore two specific areas. In the first case study the focus was to understand assessment anxiety in relation to specific type of course assessment. We found it an excellent vehicle for us as educators being able to pinpoint and understand what aspects of the assessment triggered student anxiety as well as allowing the students to see that their anxiety was not restricted to themselves and shared by other class members.
In our second case study, we used memes as a way to explore the learning and teaching related experiences and emerging personal, professional and academic identities of staff new to working in higher education contexts. In both our case studies, we found that the approach of using memes added humour and lightness to the process which allowed for less rigid student expressions. As with when we used memes as a reflective teaching process, we laughed and thoroughly enjoyed the research process.
The possibilities for using this approach extends beyond these case studies. For example, exploring the student experiences of engaging with support services or exploring their responses to specific learning experience, engagement within different types of learning environment or the use of different types of resource. Likewise, using memes may provide an interesting snapshot of student engagement with personal tutoring and academic advising and offer the opportunity to hear the student voice in different ways.
Hearing this voice and perspectives through more non-traditional and informal means can prove valuable. In particular it offers the opportunity for a wider range of representation and engagement from students who may not flourish or feel confident expressing themselves in more traditional forums. Lastly, we have mentioned that this is the most fun of research methods haven’t we!
Using memes as a teaching-centred activity proved itself to be an entertaining and enjoyable approach that received positive feedback from students and added a degree of levity to the classroom. It was also an entertaining research project to work on with a great bunch of fellow researchers.
The approach revolves around humour, encouraging openness of expression and supporting the students and each other to play with alternate approaches. The joy of swapping summaries of the memes created in class and engaging in discussions around common understandings remains a highpoint of the academic year.
Memes as method
We quickly realised though that using memes in higher education could be much more than an in-class tool for reflection and began experimenting in how we used them with our students. We realised that we were gaining insights into the student experience that were not emerging through other means of gathering research data or through standard student voice processes. It became apparent that we could conduct real research into student attitudes and emotions by using memes but that no real guidance existed that focused on how to do this.
We decided a framework was needed to take the first steps towards shaping the use memes as a tool within qualitative research. As a team, working with Gary Currie, Leisa Nichols-Drew and Helen Page, we went about designing this framework in a way that could be adapted and adopted across a wide range of higher education subject areas and contexts. Focusing on giving shape to the approach and considering its practicalities and are happy to present of the framework we have developed in our new paper in Teaching in HIgher Education.
Memes in action
There are plenty of opportunities within higher education where memes may be an appropriate vehicle for collecting data and insights. Within our paper, our case studies reflect on how we have used memes as a research tool to explore two specific areas. In the first case study the focus was to understand assessment anxiety in relation to specific type of course assessment. We found it an excellent vehicle for us as educators being able to pinpoint and understand what aspects of the assessment triggered student anxiety as well as allowing the students to see that their anxiety was not restricted to themselves and shared by other class members.
In our second case study, we used memes as a way to explore the learning and teaching related experiences and emerging personal, professional and academic identities of staff new to working in higher education contexts. In both our case studies, we found that the approach of using memes added humour and lightness to the process which allowed for less rigid student expressions. As with when we used memes as a reflective teaching process, we laughed and thoroughly enjoyed the research process.
The possibilities for using this approach extends beyond these case studies. For example, exploring the student experiences of engaging with support services or exploring their responses to specific learning experience, engagement within different types of learning environment or the use of different types of resource. Likewise, using memes may provide an interesting snapshot of student engagement with personal tutoring and academic advising and offer the opportunity to hear the student voice in different ways.
Hearing this voice and perspectives through more non-traditional and informal means can prove valuable. In particular it offers the opportunity for a wider range of representation and engagement from students who may not flourish or feel confident expressing themselves in more traditional forums. Lastly, we have mentioned that this is the most fun of research methods haven’t we!
Original language | English |
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Volume | Blog |
Specialist publication | Teaching in Higher Education |
Publication status | Published - 3 Nov 2024 |