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Background
Background
75% of college students actively search YouTube for educational content 1
Thermodynamics remains a challenging concept for students5
Learning potential of YouTube chemistry educational videos understudied2
Mayer’s Multimedia Principles (MMP): Theoretical framework for codebook used to analyze video set
Research Questions
Research Questions
How do features of popular creators' most viewed YouTube chemistry education videos align or conflict with facilitating cognitive learning based on adherence to MMP?
How can MMP and findings from research question 1 guide the generation of recommendations for students to optimize learning when using YouTube?
Methods
Methods
Codebook
1. Guided by MMP4 compiled of 19 codes
a) 9 high/low binary codes
b) 10 continuous/interval
2. Codes categorized as either holistic (present or not) or embellishment (instances of affecting learning outcomes)
Focus Groups
3. Compiled 20 enthalpy chemistry YouTube videos based on search criteria
a) Most viewed videos at the time of sampling (2022) N=20
b) 4 videos from 5 most popular creators N=20
Coding
4. Researchers independently assigned a value for each code based on principle specifications
Agreement
5. Principles and value discussion to determine a single agreed-upon value for each code
Focus Group Code Analysis
6. Spearman's analysis uncovered the same features as significant for both focus groups
7. Similar observations of characteristic trends in codes based on creator
Data Consolidation
8. Eight videos coded by both focus groups were used as evidence of code agreement for consolidation
9. Consolidation of one master set of coded enthalpy videos N=32
Results & Conclusions
Results & Conclusions
Application of MMP yielded overall high agreement with most holistic features4 (Fig. 4)
EMB and PAC frequencies are higher in CrashCourse
Instances of extraneous processing violations skewed by CrashCourse videos (Fig. 1,2,3)
Common trends in holistic and embellishment features based on the creator (Fig. 4,5)
Follows similar production qualities and elements
Majority of video features align with MMP within the limitations of YouTube platform4 (Fig. 2,4,6)
Recommendations
Recommendations
Quality vs. Quantity
Quality vs. Quantity
Limit topics
Select slower narration
Evidence From Study
YouTube has wide variety of content
Ability to select based on learners’ needs/abilities
Creator provides indications on video type
Length ≠ Quantity/Quality
CC ~ 10:10
3-11 topics/video
Khan Academy ~ 12:00
1-2 topics/video
Theory
Covering content ≠ understanding content
Decreases cognitive overload
Allows active sense-making
Prevents overload of working memory capacity
Especially important for novice/those with learning needs
Pre- and Post-Training
Pre- and Post-Training
Foreshadow
Open-ended pre-thinking questions
Conceptual post-questions
Evidence From Study
Pre- and post-training missing from YouTube
Theory
Decreases cognitive overload
Primes active sense-making
Manages demands on essential processing
Select and identify key concepts
Prompts mental model building
Activates integration/organization
Increases retention
Beware: Seductive Details
Beware: Seductive Details
Moderation is key
Generate through doing
Clear ties to concepts
Evidence From Study
Highly popular CC correlates with greater extraneous violations
YouTube → entertainment
YouTube → profit driven
Theory
Arousal theory → Based in knowledge transmission theory
Do anything to keep attention
Reinforces misconceptions
Inhibits knowledge integration
Fail to identify key concepts
Miscalibrated self-efficacy
Passive feels engaging
Segment and Generate
Segment and Generate
Pause & practice/discuss
Note Sheet
Evidence From Study
YouTube not designed to segment
Minimal calls to action
19 of 32 videos had no calls to action
Theory
Reduces cognitive load
Opportunity for integrating working and long-term memories
Prevents passive participation
Supports understanding & knowledge
Promotes meaning-making
References
References
(1) Cherif, A. H et al. College Students’ Use of YouTube Videos in Learning Biology and Chemistry. Pinnacle J. Publ. 2014, 2 (6), 1−14.
(2) Magnone, K. et al. (2023). Cognitively loaded: An investigation of educational chemistry YouTube videos’ adherence to Mayer’s Multimedia Principles. Journal of Chemical Education, 100
(2), 432-441.https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed
(3) Manteufel, R. D., & Karimi, A. (2022, March). Why is thermodynamics so hard for students and what can an instructor do about it. In 2022 ASEE Gulf Southwest Annual Conference.
(4) Mayer, R. E. (2021). Multimedia Learning. Cambridge University Press.
(5) Nilsson, T., & Niedderer, H. (2013). Undergraduate students’ conceptions of enthalpy, enthalpy change and related concepts. Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 15(3), 336–353.
https://doi.org/10.1039/c2rp20135f
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