Techniques for Increasing Student Learning from Educational Videos: Notes versus Guiding Questions

Abstract

We examined the effectiveness of several techniques for enhancing student learning from educational videos. Introductory psychology students (N = 113) watched a video about intelligence and testing while taking notes, not taking notes, writing answers to guiding questions, or thinking about guiding questions without writing answers. Afterward, students took a quiz containing questions on the video information; half of the quiz questions were related and half were unrelated to the guiding questions. Results showed that students who wrote answers to the guiding questions had the highest quiz performance on items related to the guiding questions. The 4 groups did not differ significantly in their performance on items unrelated to the guiding questions.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Anderson

D. D.

(1992). Using feature films as tools for analysis in a psychology and law course. Teaching of Psychology, 19, 155–158.

Baker

Lombardi

B. R.

(1985). Students' lecture notes and their relation to test performance. Teaching of Psychology, 12, 28–32.

Bédard

Chi

M. T. H.

(1992). Expertise. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 1, 135–139.

Boyatzis

C. J.

(1994). Using feature films to teach social development. Teaching of Psychology, 21, 99–101.

Christopher

A. N.

Walter

J. L.

Marek

Koenig

C. S.

(2004). Using a “new classic” film to teach about stereotyping and prejudice. Teaching of Psychology, 31, 199–202.

Conner

D. B.

(1996). From Monty Python to Total Recall: A feature film activity for the cognitive psychology course. Teaching of Psychology, 23, 33–35.

Dorris

Ducey

(1978). Social psychology and sex roles in films. Teaching of Psychology, 5, 168–169.

Fleming

M. Z.

Piedmont

R. L.

Hiam

C. M.

(1990). Images of madness: Feature films in teaching psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 185–187.

Green

R. J.

(2003). Teaching psychology through film, video. APS Observer, 16(7), 23–25, 28.

10.

Hart

K. E.

Stevens

. (1995). The use and evaluation of video supplements in the teaching of introductory psychology. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 22, 103–114.

11.

Katayama

A. D.

Shambaugh

R. N.

Doctor

(2005). Promoting knowledge transfer with electronic note taking. Teaching of Psychology, 32, 129–131.

12.

Kiewra

K. A.

Benton

S. L.

Kim

Risch

Christensen

. (1995). Effects of note-taking format and study technique on recall and relational performance. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 20, 172–187.

13.

Kreiner

D. S.

(1997). Guided notes and interactive methods for teaching with videotapes. Teaching of Psychology, 24, 183–185.

14.

Lawson

T. J.

Bodle

J. H.

Houlette

M. A.

Haubner

R. R.

(2006). Guiding questions enhance student learning from educational videos. Teaching of Psychology, 33, 31–33.

15.

Logan

R. D.

(1988). Using a film as a personality case study. Teaching of Psychology, 15, 103–104.

16.

Titsworth

B. S.

Kiewra

K. A.

(2004). Spoken organizational lecture cues and student notetaking as facilitators of student learning. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29, 447–461.

17.

Zimbardo

(2001a). The power of the situation [Video program No. 19]. In Boston

WGBH

(Producer) , Discovering psychology: Updated edition. South Burlington, VT: Annenberg/CPB.

18.

Zimbardo

(2001b). Testing and intelligence [Video program No. 16]. In Boston

WGBH

(Producer) , Discovering psychology: Updated edition. South Burlington, VT: Annenberg/CPB.