Enhancing Learning in Massive Open Online Courses Through Interactive Video

Abstract

This paper discusses the current developments in interactive video and its implications for online learning, and particularly to the new educational concept of MOOC - Massive Open Online Courses. The authors present an interactive video platform that can be easily used for generation of interactive videos. Interactivity is added to videos by temporal and spatial interactive multimedia annotations using media fragments, as well as decisions at the end of a video, via a special interface. The same interactive video platform allows the dynamic generation of a graph-type multiple path linear story, with information dependent on previous decisions and choices, similar to an educational experience where later courses depend on prerequisite information. Information depth is ensured via various types of annotations. The authors consider two main types of content annotations - basic annotations explaining fundamental concepts, and advanced annotations providing in-depth specialized information about a given topic. The dynamic of user interaction with these two types of annotations is used to determine the users level of knowledge about the course topic. All these aspects are then put in perspective against a MOOC environment, showing how interactive video can be used to enhance the learning process and to enhance the user experience. We also discuss the cost-effective means of adding value and interactivity to the video content, whether generated purposely to be interactive, or simply adding interaction to existing video content to enhance it. As a conclusion, the article proposes a theoretical and practical approach supported by existing examples, and draws future directions and guidelines for developing educational projects and applications using interactive video in a MOOC context.