Effects of embedded questions in pre-class videos on learner perceptions, video engagement, and learning performance in flipped classrooms

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of embedded questions in pre-class instructional videos on learner perceptions (cognitive load, emotional engagement, satisfaction, judgement of learning), video engagement (total views, total viewing time), and learning performance (retention, transfer). The research occurred in a real flipped classroom environment. We designed a quasi-experiment in which 86 university students from two natural classes watched pre-class instructional videos featuring procedural knowledge with or without interpolated true or false questions. Students were asked to practice the operation steps introduced in the videos. While they practiced operations, they could either pause the videos or let the videos continue playing. Face-to-face contact time was utilised to consolidate and extend previewed content with student-centred, instructor-facilitated problem-solving activities. Results revealed no discernible effects from embedded questions in pre-class videos on cognitive load, emotional engagement, satisfaction, judgement of learning, total views, knowledge retention or knowledge transfer. We speculate that the various in-class practice activities and frequent access to procedural knowledge videos offset the cognitive benefits derived from question-embedded videos. Learners who viewed question-embedded videos presented significantly reduced total viewing time, likely because the embedded questions scaffolded them in sustaining attention and efficiently pinpointing the exact information needed. Future research should identify boundary conditions for embedding questions in instructional videos (e.g. learning mode, type of knowledge) rather than indiscriminately applying this design strategy.