Optimal Video Length Effect on Flow Experience and Perceived Learning: A Repeated Measure Experimental Design with Randomization

Abstract

Videos are commonly used in education. Benefitting from instructional videos in learning processes empowers students’ academic outcomes. In spite of this, educators have no consensus on optimal video length. There is a need to cease speculations on optimal video length since most of them have been relying only on context-based tips or best practices. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to delve into the optimal video length discussion through the lens of perceived learning and flow experience. We employed repeated measure experimental design with randomization of treatment order for each participant. Twenty-eight university students from two big cities in Türkiye volunteered to participate in the study. Short, medium, and long videos were compared via Friedman test. Results of this study substantiated instructional video length does not seem to affect students’ perceived learning and their overall flow experience. However, they tend to concentrate and focus better on short videos. We call for an end to optimal video length discussion for videos shorter than 10 minutes, especially in terms of learning. The implications relying on the findings were discussed in terms of differences between “thinking to be in flow” and “being actually in flow.” The recommendations are given in detail in the full text.