Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online Experiment
Motivation. Despite the widespread use of video lectures in online and blended learning environments, there is still debate whether the presence of an instructor in the video helps or hinders learning. According to <italic>social agency theory</italic>, seeing the instructor makes learne...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IEEE
2021-01-01
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| Series: | IEEE Access |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9352756/ |
| _version_ | 1811210712964399104 |
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| author | Yen Ying Ng Adam Przybylek |
| author_facet | Yen Ying Ng Adam Przybylek |
| author_sort | Yen Ying Ng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Motivation. Despite the widespread use of video lectures in online and blended learning environments, there is still debate whether the presence of an instructor in the video helps or hinders learning. According to <italic>social agency theory</italic>, seeing the instructor makes learners believe that s/he is personally teaching them, which leads to deeper cognitive processing and, in turn, better learning outcomes. Conversely, according to <italic>cognitive load theory</italic>, adding an image of the instructor may hinder attention engagement with lecture content due to split-attention effect. Not only are theoretical propositions conflicting, but so is the empirical evidence as well. Objective. This study investigates the effects of the presence of the instructor’s face in the corner of an educational video on learning outcomes, perceived cognitive load, and perceived social presence in the context of foreign language vocabulary learning. Method. In an online quasi-controlled experiment with between-subject design, 112 participants were randomly assigned to view a 10-min-long educational video in one of two conditions: instructor-present or instructor-absent. As for the latter condition, the face was shown only at the introduction of the presentation. Afterwards, participants completed a retention test as well as a cognitive load and social presence questionnaire. Results. No significant differences were found for any dependent variable. Conclusion. Individuals differ so much in their language aptitude as well as motivation to perform well that random assignment is probably not enough to ensure balanced groups in this particular study context. Besides, the approach that we used to measure cognitive load as well as social presence is not suited for between-subject design, even though it was previously used in such settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:00:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd7b67bc395348d78fb5aa34c649b3cb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2169-3536 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:00:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Access |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd7b67bc395348d78fb5aa34c649b3cb2022-12-22T03:47:00ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362021-01-019364853649910.1109/ACCESS.2021.30587359352756Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online ExperimentYen Ying Ng0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5388-2025Adam Przybylek1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8231-709XDepartment of English Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, PolandFaculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, PolandMotivation. Despite the widespread use of video lectures in online and blended learning environments, there is still debate whether the presence of an instructor in the video helps or hinders learning. According to <italic>social agency theory</italic>, seeing the instructor makes learners believe that s/he is personally teaching them, which leads to deeper cognitive processing and, in turn, better learning outcomes. Conversely, according to <italic>cognitive load theory</italic>, adding an image of the instructor may hinder attention engagement with lecture content due to split-attention effect. Not only are theoretical propositions conflicting, but so is the empirical evidence as well. Objective. This study investigates the effects of the presence of the instructor’s face in the corner of an educational video on learning outcomes, perceived cognitive load, and perceived social presence in the context of foreign language vocabulary learning. Method. In an online quasi-controlled experiment with between-subject design, 112 participants were randomly assigned to view a 10-min-long educational video in one of two conditions: instructor-present or instructor-absent. As for the latter condition, the face was shown only at the introduction of the presentation. Afterwards, participants completed a retention test as well as a cognitive load and social presence questionnaire. Results. No significant differences were found for any dependent variable. Conclusion. Individuals differ so much in their language aptitude as well as motivation to perform well that random assignment is probably not enough to ensure balanced groups in this particular study context. Besides, the approach that we used to measure cognitive load as well as social presence is not suited for between-subject design, even though it was previously used in such settings.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9352756/Multimedia learninginstructional videoimage principleonline lecturesinstructional designdistance education |
| spellingShingle | Yen Ying Ng Adam Przybylek Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online Experiment IEEE Access Multimedia learning instructional video image principle online lectures instructional design distance education |
| title | Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online Experiment |
| title_full | Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online Experiment |
| title_fullStr | Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online Experiment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online Experiment |
| title_short | Instructor Presence in Video Lectures: Preliminary Findings From an Online Experiment |
| title_sort | instructor presence in video lectures preliminary findings from an online experiment |
| topic | Multimedia learning instructional video image principle online lectures instructional design distance education |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9352756/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yenyingng instructorpresenceinvideolecturespreliminaryfindingsfromanonlineexperiment AT adamprzybylek instructorpresenceinvideolecturespreliminaryfindingsfromanonlineexperiment |