Reference:
Muller, D. A., Sharma, M. D., Eklund, J., & Reinmann, P. (2007). Conceptual change through vicarious learning in an authentic physics setting. Instructional Science, 35(6), 519-533.
I chose this article because I have a vested interest in
whether or not students learn by watching videos. I use videos often in my science classroom to
perform experiments or demonstrate concepts that are hard for students to grasp
because I feel the video and illustrations help the concept stick. They are definitely more demonstrative than
just me talking. Using YouTube videos
for science this year, I have discovered Veritasium (which means an “Element of
Truth”) which is a YouTube channel devoted to science and engineering. The videos are hosted by Derek Muller who
happens to have a PhD in Physics based on a thesis including part of the ideas
behind the article reviewed here. He
challenges the normal theories about how to engage students with video most specifically
about how a video can change a student’s pre-existing concept about Physics.
In this article, “Conceptual change through vicarious
learning in an authentic physics setting” Muller showed students two different physics
concept videos. One was a student-tutor
dialogue which addressed the concept and common misconceptions about the
topic. The other video presented the
same exact physics material in a traditional science video style without
presenting the misconceptions. After
watching the video, students were tested and interviewed to determine if they
learned anything or changed their previously incorrect assumptions about the
topic.
Muller took existing knowledge about reform programs that use
dialog as way to change pre-conceived notions and created a science video that
would essentially do the same thing about incorrect notions of physics. The purpose of the study was to determine:
(1) is the dialog video was as effective as traditional videos in teaching the
material even though it contains more information (in the misconceptions), (2)
would the student-tutor dialog encourage reflection on learning by those
watching, (3) can videos mimic real classroom discussions, (4) would it
encourage students to ask more questions in class? Students were tested over the same material
before and after the videos as well as interviewed to help answer the questions
above.
Students who viewed the dialogue-based video had
significantly higher post-test scores.
Students said they did not often ask questions during lectures because
they were afraid they would look dumb in front of other students. Students seemed to agree that only a handful
of students ever asked questions and they were usually beyond the scope of the
lecture, not asking for clarification of it.
Students felt the dialogue video was asking questions they themselves
would have liked to ask in class but were too afraid to ask. They also enjoyed the dialogue style because
it seemed more authentic and the extra dialog helped them absorb the concept
better.
The article seems to prove that dialogue based videos
presenting the concept along with common misconceptions about the topic help
students absorb and re-think the topic.
Vicarious learning (watching videos) can be used to change student’s
misconceptions and increase student confidence but cannot replace teachers and textbooks.
I have often used videos in class but as the instructor, I
pause it often to emphasize something or help explain what we are seeing. I
also pause it to ask questions or assess student learning. This seems to help students follow along and
hopefully get more out of the videos I use.
I also try to choose short videos that get right to it. It scared me a bit when I first heard that
students might not be learning anything from all the videos I had been
showing. I immediately wanted to know
what to do about it! This article really
helps me better understand how to help reach students better by challenging
their existing notions about science and allowing them to work it out in their
head or verbally so they can discover and recognize the error of their thinking
and change it to the correct way of thinking.
