Keeping students engaged in a lesson can be challenging. Instructors nowadays are using multimedia tools to complement and enhance instruction due to 1) decreasing student attention spans and 2) the limited time instructors have available to create informative courses.
Videos can be a valuable tool for enhancing student learning in the classroom through multimedia. According to Mayer (2017), the cognitive theory of multimedia learning asserts that videos can help students learn by providing both auditory and visual information, which can improve their understanding and retention of information.
In a recent survey conducted by Kaltura (2018), “92% of students said that videos helped them learn effectively” (p.4). Students are more likely to retain material, feel secure in their knowledge of a subject, and, as a result, report higher levels of educational satisfaction when they are interested in and satisfied with the course of study (Kaltura, 2018).
Doolittle and Hicks (2003), discovered during their research that students were more involved and interested when multimedia was used in the classroom. Additionally, the study discovered that students who were exposed to multimedia in the classroom understood the content more thoroughly than those who were not (Doolittle & Hicks, 2003). Similar results were obtained in a study by Mayer and Moreno (1999), which revealed that students who were exposed to multimedia materials learned more than those who were just exposed to text-based resources.
How Can Videos Enhance Student Learning?
To achieve the greatest benefits from using videos in your course, instructors should think about how it best integrates into their learning outcomes and assessment activities. It is necessary to provide clear communication on the purpose of watching videos in the course. Effective videos, regardless of purpose, need planning. Let’s look at some of the ways videos can be used in the classroom to enhance student learning:
As an Introduction to New Topics. Videos can be used to introduce a new topic or idea. Instructors can help students understand the relevance and context of the material they will be learning. This can be achieved by playing a video that provides an overview of a real-world example of the topic (Mayer, 2017). Guo et al. (2014), discovered that the use of brief introductory videos (chapters, modules, courses, etc.) dramatically increased student interest and performance in online courses.
To Facilitate Discussions. By encouraging students to interact with the content through conversations or reflections, videos can be utilized to encourage active learning. For instance, instructors can pause the video at specific points to encourage students to discuss how the material in the video relates to their practical experiences and the course content (Gagne & Briggs, 1979).
To Demonstrate Procedures. Videos can demonstrate animations, experiments, or other presentations that are challenging and costly to recreate in a classroom environment. These illustrations can help students to comprehend difficult or abstract ideas (Mayer, 2017).
In a Flipped Classroom. Instructors can use videos as part of a flipped classroom model where students watch videos outside of class and use class time for discussion and learning activities. Each student can watch the video at their own pace; pausing it, rewinding it, or adjusting the speed and volume, for a better experience. Students can control the information flow in this way, allowing them to take notes or do tasks without missing any information.
Overall, videos can be a valuable tool for enhancing student learning in the classroom. By using videos effectively, instructors can help students better understand complex concepts, foster discussion, and engagement, and support differentiated instruction.
If adding videos or any other forms of multimedia into your course is of interest, but you need some assistance, just reach out to us via email or through Bookings. The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team can provide guidance and tools to get you on the right track.
Additional Reading:
For more information about adding equity to your technology, check out this previous blog post.
References:
Doolittle, P. & Hicks, D. (2003). Constructivism as a theoretical foundation for the use of technology in social studies. Theory and Research in Social Education, 31(1): 72–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2003.10473216
Fyfield, M. (2022, July 13). 6 ways to use video effectively in class. Monash University. Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://www.monash.edu/education/teachspace/articles/6-ways-to-use-video-effectively-in-class
Gagné, R.M. & Briggs, L.J. (1979). Principles of instructional design (2nd ed.). Holt. Rinehart, and Winston.
Gou, P, Kim, J, & Rubin, R. (2014). How video production affects student engagement: An empirical study of MOOC videos. Association for Computing Machinery Digital Library. https://doi.org/10.1145/2556325.2566239
Kang, S. (2020). Crop woman browsing modern laptop [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-woman-browsing-modern-laptop-6045364/
Kaltura. (2018). Fifth annual state of video in education 2018: Insights and trends. https://corp.kaltura.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/The_State_of_Video_in_Education_2018.pdf
Mayer, R. E. (2017). Using multimedia for e‐learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 33(5), 403–423. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12197
Moreno, R., & Mayer, R. E. (1999). Cognitive principles of multimedia learning: The role of modality and contiguity. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(2), 358–368. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.91.2.358
Sherer, P., & Shea, T. (2011. Using online video to support student learning and engagement. College Teaching, 59(2), 56-59. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2010.511313
University of Hartford. (n.d.). 12 principles of multimedia learning. https://www.hartford.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/fcld/_files/12%20Principles%20of%20Multimedia%20Learning.pdf
Suvekshya Adhikari is a Graduate Assistant at the Online and Distance Learning department at Saint Cloud State University. She is a Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) student at SCSU. Suvekshya spends her leisure time painting and cooking for her friends.