Trinity Western University students bring more human faces to online learning by building lightboards that allow professors to look directly into the camera while drawing and illustrating on lighted glass.
Creating youth employment opportunities during COVID-19
Securing a summer job may be challenging for many youth this year. In June, the youth (ages 15-24 years) unemployment rate was 27.5 per cent in Canada and 29.1 per cent in B.C.
At Trinity Western, one Computing Science professor wanted to help create work-integrated opportunities for students to develop job skills and advance their education, in spite of COVID-19.
Dr. Herbert Tsang desires for students to have hands-on learning experiences during their time at TWU. “The biggest motivation for me is to create much needed work-integrated experiences for students,” he says.
“We have created these jobs with cooperation from several departments in the University,” Dr. Tsang says, referring to the University’s I.T. Department, the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and the COVID-19 Technology Support Task Force.
Their synergy produced great benefits, both for improving classroom technology and for providing learning and work opportunities for students.
Through a matching grant from ECO Canada, Trinity Western hired two Computing Science students, to build lightboards – a glass “chalkboard” that is fully lighted and transparent, useful for lecture recording and remote teaching.
Students Jacob Pettigrew (BSc Computing Science, 2021) and Dave Garcia (BSc Computing Science, 2024) began their work on July 20. They are committed to building two lightboards, and more if they are able.
The human element of online learning
Pettigrew hopes to help other students succeed in their studies this fall, “I am excited about building the lightboards because I believe that the transition to online school in the fall will be difficult for many people, and the use of lightboards can make this transition easier.”
“Lightboards add a human element to online learning, as the instructor can interact with the students by looking directly into the camera while drawing and illustrating points on the lightboards,” he says.
Garcia adds, “As a student, I'm excited to interact with my professor instead of looking at a slide with texts.” With the lightboards, Garcia anticipates improved engagement between professors and their students, which will motivate students to learn.
“I hope that our work will improve the quality of life and atmosphere in our online classes for both students and professors,” Garcia says. “And lastly, I hope that the familiarity the lightboard offers will alleviate the stress that professors may have when shifting from a physical classroom to an online one.”
The team recently completed their first prototype and are now in the process of debugging. “We are still working out some of the details, but it seems to be working well,” says Dr. Tsang.
Building a lightboard for a fraction of the cost
A commercial table top lightboard can cost $2,000, while a complete lightboard and recording system can cost up to $12,000.
Dr. Tsang and his students spent less than $200 on the cost of supplies for building their lightboard, and the University’s I.T. Department are prepared to support professors with recording equipment and training as well.
Improving teaching technologies
In addition to helping students, Dr. Tsang’s other greatest motivation is to help his colleagues to deliver high-quality instruction by providing them with technological teaching tools – resources that are especially valuable in today’s remote learning contexts.
“We hope to make a contribution for TWU’s success in delivering online education,” he says.
A lightboard is especially useful for recording video lectures and for online teaching, modes of education that are increasingly prevalent in the time of COVID-19.
For professors, lightboards provide a larger surface to write in a more natural manner. In this way, they are not limited to using pre-made slides and presentations, or to digital writing platforms.
For students, the lightboard allows them to watch the instructor’s face, as she writes and lectures, and not only her back.
Furthermore, the set up for a lightboard is relatively straightforward and can be done at home. The lightboard has built-in LED lights that simply need to be plugged in to a power source for use.
Innovation in higher education
Dr. Tsang remarks, “Delivering education online requires good tools and pedagogical skills. It is not just videotaping everything and putting it online.”
To ensure the well-being of students, staff, and faculty, Trinity Western is following the guidance of Fraser Health Authority and Vancouver Costal Health to implement health and safety measures for the use of classrooms and labs. TWU campuses are open and some experiential courses will be taught face-to-face according to health & safety protocols. Due to the need for social distance and restricted gatherings, the majority of fall classes will need to be offered online.
Trinity Western is ready to help students access a high quality education this fall, regardless of where students are geographically. The TWU Access experience provides students with a full educational package of community, connection, mentorship and learning.
See this story in the Langley Advance Times.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to find and fulfill their purpose in life. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vibrant faith community devoted to supporting vibrant leaders seeking to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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