How should teachers design and share online video content?
In this study, Ding et al. (2022) explore the effect of short instructional videos on students’ learning using Tik Tok videos ….
Traditional teaching has always been associated with face-to-face instruction in a classroom setting, but with the advent of technology and the global pandemic, how we teach has transformed the way we learn.
For a decade, I’ve hosted webinars and shared videos all over YouTube in 30 to 90-minute sessions. I’ve also experimented with shorter videos on Twitter, Vine and YouTube. Guess which videos received higher views?
Data accessibility and access to analytics have increased dramatically over the last decade, making statistics more important.
The research refers to the inconsistent evidence for the benefits of online instructional videos over in-person instruction, with compelling reasons to “continue using them under the prerequisite that they are well designed.”
This mirrors much of the research I unpicked during the pandemic as the world of education switched from classroom to online delivery. That concise, narrated animation fosters meaningful learning without creating cognitive overload.
Short instructional videos Vs. Real-time virtual class?
In new research, academics conducted a six-week online seminar with 231 students, of which 119 were in the experimental group and 112 in the control group.
The experimental group was assigned to watch short instructional videos and complete online quizzes independently.
In contrast, the control group followed the traditional method of receiving virtual instruction from the teacher.
The research paper provides insight into the design of hybrid learning, particularly for university-level students, and highlights the potential of using short instructional videos as an effective teaching tool to supplement traditional methods of virtual instruction.
Methodology
- Students were randomly assigned and participated in a weekly one-hour online maths lecture
- After this lecture, students joined the virtual seminar to practice what they have learned
- In the experimental group, students watched 4 or 5 short videos, each lasting an average of 2 minutes
- Students could watch the videos at their own pace; with the option of skipping or reviewing parts of the video
- After each video, an online quiz consisting of 8 to 12 questions was offered.
- In the control group, the teacher guided students
- They went through the concept together; then the teacher taught students how to solve the questions
- The questions were the same as the ones given to the experimental group.
Conclusions
The study found that students who watched short videos significantly outperformed those who followed virtual instruction from the teacher.
Students from the experimental group achieved significantly higher grades than those from the control group (d = 2.15)
The study further revealed that short instructional videos were especially effective for students (who were good at maths). This indicates that short instructional videos can benefit students who require additional help (with mathematical concepts).
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that short instructional videos can positively impact students’ learning outcomes. Structured interviews with 25 students showed the videos were especially helpful for them to understand key concepts.
Questions for teachers
- Does your school have a YouTube channel?
- Are you allowed to produce Tik Tok videos?
- Do schools with a Tik Tok (video) channel for studying achieve higher outcomes than other schools without?
- How does video content motivate your students?
- In your school, how do departments that share videos compare their exam results with those that do not?
- What are the effects of short instructional videos on long-term knowledge acquisition?
- Are schools with revision channels achieving better outcomes than schools that do not?
Recommendations
The research concludes with recommendations:
- Designing attractive short instructional videos need a coordinated effort. In this research, there were five teachers and one ICT staff member; collectively 40 hours of work.
- Self-testing allows students to manage their own learning and internalise their knowledge. Students reported that the quiz questions encourage them to walk watch the short videos intently.
- Teachers’ guidance is still necessary for those who watch the videos. Even in the experimental group, despite the quiz questions, students still had various questions requiring help from teachers. Amen to that!
Therefore, teachers should consider incorporating teaching videos into their teaching methods, and reflect on how they can condense curriculum materials in bite-size chunks, coupled with retrieval practice online quizzing tools …
If your school does have a video channel, please add it to the comments below for everyone to see best practice.
Download the full paper.
