What'd I Miss? A qualitative exploration of student experience, behaviour and engagement with recorded lectures.

Introduction: Lecture recording is the process of digitally capturing a lecture. Recent advances in technology have enabled widespread use of lecture recording in many institutions. Staff frequently express concerns about how the provision of recorded lectures may impact student engagement. In this project, we explored student and staff experiences and engagement with recorded lectures in veterinary subjects. Methods: Thematic analysis of longitudinal reflective blogs composed by students and staff throughout the academic year, and of interviews with students and staff to evaluate experiences of lecture recording. Results & Discussion: Focal themes from the student blogs included; use as a revision tool, ease of pressure during lectures as difficult concepts could be revisited and reduction of stress in student life, permitting a better work-life balance. Criticism focussed on technical issues, which decreased over time as both staff and students became more familiar with the system. Similarly, frustration at staff not recording lectures subsided as the practice became increasingly prevalent. We also explored staff experience of recorded lectures to identify comparisons and similarities. Lecture attendance concerned staff and the student blogs presented mixed attitudes. Although some students felt the recorded lectures provided an alternative to the live lecture or covered for unavoidable absence, others used them revisit material. The students still saw value in attending practical sessions or tutorials. Recorded lectures are valued because they allow students to study in a way which suits them best, therefore improving student experience, and should continue to be a tool in the veterinary curriculum.