Thoughtful Combinations: Implications of Research on PG Students’ Perceptions of Online Video Tutorials

Citation

Moran E (2015) Thoughtful Combinations: Implications of Research on PG Students’ Perceptions of Online Video Tutorials. SERA 2015, Aberdeen, 18.11.2015-20.11.2015.

Abstract
Digital learning in the form of use of recorded lectures is an accepted part of teaching and learning in the modern university. It seems a logical further development of blended delivery (BL) to diversify our approach by replacing lectures with specially prepared online tutorials. These are not simply recorded lectures, but use a range of media and design strategies to make the input engaging and offer the opportunity to develop more sustainable forms of pedagogy and learning. Proposed advantages include improved access and facilitation of learning strategies. This small scale study investigated post-graduate students' perceptions of online video tutorials compared to face-to-face lectures focusing on efficacy, engagement and authority. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using a constant comparative method. Ethical issues related to the investigator also being the teacher were addressed by using a research assistant to conduct the interviews and anonymize the data. Findings suggest that while learners value online delivery of teaching input and purposefully interact with the material, their perceptions are mediated by feelings of social inclusion in the "lecture event" that are absent in a BL context. It was concluded, firstly, that the design of online video tutorials is a key determinant of learner engagement and that training for teaching staff who want to produce them is vital. Secondly, in the same way that the DVD has not completely replaced an outing to the cinema, online video tutorials are unlikely to completely replace a face-to-face component in higher education in the near future.

Keywords
video tutorial; blended learning; engagement; social inclusion