Miriam Urie

Presentation Title

Generative Learning Activities in Instructional Video

Abstract

Learning from instructional video presented online may create a passive learning experience that limits learning outcomes.  One way to prime more active learning processes is to ask learners to engage in generative learning activities during pauses in an instructional video.  Students viewed an instructional video on neural transmission and took an immediate posttest (Experiment 1) or a delayed posttest (Experiment 2).  During three pauses in the video, students were asked to type in answers to sets of why-questions (i.e., asking students to explain why something happened), what-questions (e.g., asking students to describe what happened), prompts to summarize, or simply go on to the next section. The results suggest a boundary condition for generative learning theory in which generative learning activities work best for learners who are able to successfully engage in them.