Speaker 1: Here, we'll show you how we developed a learning resource which involves some potentially distressing content and how we considered the specific needs of our learners. This resource was developed for our BSc Psychology module, Forensic Psychology. It's taught online, so our learners are from all over the world, studying at home, usually on their own. Students learn about how forensic psychologists work with offenders to reduce their risk of re-offending. After evaluating these approaches, students apply their learning practically through a case study about Mr X who is in prison for a violent offence. The case study was originally a written document involving detailed descriptions of emotionally difficult topics including mental illness, violent offences and drug taking. This presented us with an ethical and pedagogical challenge. To support students emotionally, we provided links to the university's mental health support network. But when I first read through the case studies, I was taken aback by coming across this type of material in an academic module and I noticed that although the material is presented in an appropriate context, the storytelling made it feel more real. This case study was originally intended for students on campus who would meet the material in the supportive environment of a classroom, but our learners would probably study alone. We needed to consider this when deciding how to present the material. We know that case studies are an excellent way for learners to apply new concepts and practice professional skills in a safe environment and they're a really engaging way to learn, so even though the material was difficult, I could see huge value in it. The original written case study was direct and very dry. Instead, I wanted to make the most of the online environment to find a way to bring to life the world of forensic psychology in a sensitive way. I discussed this with our motion graphics designer and together we developed an approach to convert the handouts into a series of animated videos.

Speaker 2: The forensic psychology module presented us with a really unique motion graphics challenge. It would not have been appropriate to use graphic images to represent the content, but we really wanted to present the concepts visually, so we decided on a series of stylized illustrations that would plot the narrative, and the reason for this was we didn't want to bring focus or allude to any particular demographic or any person. We wanted it to be anonymous, which helped to avoid presenting stereotypes of offenders. We wanted to show that these were difficult situations, but we didn't want to sensationalize them, so we tried to build sequences which, again, that word alluded to the scenarios that were being discussed. The pacing was really important, too. I wanted to create a sense of calmness, so the animations are kind of gentle zooms, zoom-ins, and each picture is given enough time. I'd recently come across the digital voice emulator called VoiceMaker. I knew that you could upload transcripts to it, and it would produce a voice recording of the text, and after trying a few different options, I found a voice which sounded sensitive and also realistic.

Speaker 3: He attended a church and told the priest, I know God's plan. I have to rid the world of the devil, which craft is an abomination. I am going to cleanse the world.

Speaker 2: I think by combining these two perceptual modalities, we managed to create an appropriate distance from any particular person or demographic, and the voice emulator really creates its own space away from the rest of the lectures in the module.

Speaker 3: He refused to take medication whilst on the mental health unit and was moved to segregation after assaulting staff on the unit who he believed were poisoning his food.

Speaker 4: The motion graphics Taj produced presents the material in a way that tells the story without sensationalising it. The characters are presented anonymously, which I think is really effective. The emulated voice does a surprisingly good job of keeping the tone scientific and not overly emotive, which we hope will soften the impact of such hard-hitting scenarios.