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Harvard School of Public Health

3Play Media collaborated with the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) to create a customized video learning interface. While we have long known the benefits of interactive transcripts in learning, we were happily surprised to learn that HSPH used our interactive transcripts and video search platform to win a Hauser Grant.

HSPH proposed to take leadership videos and classroom lectures from The Leadership Studio and edit them into pedagogically relevant clips to be utilized by faculty in courses. Hauser Grant proposals were evaluated based on the degree to which they were innovative, evidenced-based, and extendable. The full proposal was accepted and the HPSH was one of 47 to be awarded a 2012-2013 Hauser Grant.

Customizable Video Learning with Interactive Transcripts

To make their project a success, HSPH required a video interface that allowed for participation and collaboration, including the following features:

  • Video Search Function: Provide students the ability to search the video by sections or chapters based on topic.
  • Searchable Transcript Function: Allow students to search the transcript so they may find and capture required sections.
  • Clipping Function: Facilitate collaboration by providing students the ability to clip a section of a video, comment on, and then share it through email or social networks.

On top of all this, the interactive video platform would need to integrate with the course websites faculty use for teaching.

The Harvard School of Public Health chose 3Play Media to build this customizable video learning platform. We utilized the time-synced text data of captions and transcripts to create a powerful tool for learning.

Now let’s examine leadership as a discipline at HSPH, video as a learning tool, and the development of this unique, user-centered video platform.

More About the Hauser GrantThe Hauser Grant is funded and managed by The Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching (HILT). Established through a generous gift from Gustave and Rita Hauser, the organization is tasked with stimulating innovation and excellence in learning and teaching at Harvard.

HILT is guided by four directives:

1. Build on Harvard’s strengths in teaching and learning,
2. Meet the educational needs of students (both technological and pedagogical),
3. Strengthen the science of learning,
4. Develop a robust network at Harvard around teaching and learning innovation.

Student Engagement with Video Storytelling at Harvard

After installing a professional webcasting studio in 2010, the Harvard School of Public Health created three video series. These series are aimed at fostering a new kind of leadership talent, one that can effectively translate technical research into effective global health policy.

Decision-Making: Voice from the Field: This leadership seminar series asks decision-makers to speak about experiences with policy decisions that affect global health. Students hear first-hand from experienced leaders about decisions that were effective, decisions that failed, and which decisions could have been made differently. Past speakers have included ABC News’ Richard Besser, former Massachusetts Govenor Michael Dukakis and former WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland

The Forum at Harvard School of Public Health: The Forum at Harvard School of Public Health hopes to provide decision-makers with a global platform to discuss policy choices and scientific controversies. As health issues require intense cooperation and understanding between scientific experts, these panels seek to take advantage of collective knowledge.

The Leadership Studio: This webcast series’ objective is to unite information, ideas, and experience which then in turn, can be presented to a global audience. Leaders have included governors, ministers, presidential candidates, and cabinet members. The webcast is designed for interaction both in studio and online. Currently the leadership Studio is watched in over 190 countries and territories in the world.

Learning from Leaders: A 2013 Hauser Grant Proposal

Because of the popularity of The Leadership Studio, HSPH felt it was imperative to expose the content to a larger audience. This prompted the proposal “Learning from leaders: Weaving a leadership narrative into the educational experience,” offering a solution to integrate previously recorded leadership videos with faculty course materials to enhance the learning experience for students. But how to do it? A team consisting of staff from the learning center, IT, and faculty from the HSPH responsible for curriculum development was assembled to take a multidisciplinary approach to this challenge.

Scaling Learning with Interactive Video Transcripts

Once the customized prototype was created by 3Play Media, it was tested and assessed by users. HSPH surveyed students regarding in-classroom video experiences and also conducted focus groups to pilot features and user-friendliness. Going forward, the School of Public Health hopes to first launch this tool for faculty within leadership studies, but then expand to other subject matters. Beyond this, the Hauser Grant awardees see diverse applications for this tool university wide.

Image of Harvard School of Public Health on a laptop screen
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