The Resonance Factor: Probing the Impact of Video on Student Retention in Distance Learning

Abstract

Teaching and instructing is one of the challenging manifestations of informing, within which distance learning is considered harder than face-to-face instruction. Student retention is one of the major challenges of distance learning. Current innovative technologies enable widespread use of video lectures that may ease the loneliness of the distance learner and increase retention. This study explores the impact of video lectures on relatively senior students in a distance-learning environment. The study compares the retention and achievements of overseas students enrolled in a financial theory compulsory course, which is considered difficult. Students tend to study this course only after successfully completing other courses. The results indicate that before the introduction of video most of the students who failed the course dropped out immediately after failing, whereas afterwards nearly all the students who failed the course continued their studies. The main findings suggest that video lectures may increase senior students' retention, although their achievements were not found significantly better than those of distance learners that did not have video lectures available. This paper contributes to the informing science transdiscipline by demonstrating the importance of resonance for effective informing.

The U-Curve of E-Learning: Course Website and Online Video Use in Blended and Distance Learning

“…Although students perceive video lectures as helpful (Steimberg et al, 2010), the availability of video lectures on the course Website may have some negative consequences, such as skipping face-to-face sessions, procrastinating learning until the end of the semester, and eventually failing or dropping-out due to being unable to learn the necessary course materials during the few days before the exam (Geri, 2012). Therefore, we suggest two practical directions that may improve the effectiveness of online video lectures.…”

Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student

“…Such interaction can improve openness (Todhunter, 2013); contribute to a sense of community in student-student contact and lecturer-student communication (Mayes et al, 2011;Carlson & Jesseman, 2011); support learning goal attainment (Phelan, 2012); encourage positive attitudes towards online learning (Leong, 2011); enhance engagement, student satisfaction and motivation (Geri, 2012;Mbati, 2012); and improve retention (Leong, 2011). In online contexts, this is termed as social presence (Bharuthram & Kies, 2012;Cook, 2012) or learning communities, for mutual support and exchange of ideas (Phelan, 2012).…”

“…Collaborative tasks can increase social interaction in ODL (Geri, 2012;Mayes et al, 2011); encourage social construction of knowledge, active idea sharing, clarification of ideas, peer feedback, reasoning, and problem-solving; and reduce isolation (Stacey, 1999). In contrast, students can find group work complex, demanding, and time-consuming in distance learning.…”

A Learning Analytics Approach for Evaluating the Impact of Interactivity in Online Video Lectures on the Attention Span of Students

“…LITERATURE REVIEW This interdisciplinary study is based on concepts from the domains of: cognitive fit theory (Vessey, 1991), student retention in online learning (Ferguson & Clow, 2015;Geri, 2012;Guo et al, 2014;Kim et al, 2014;Lagerstrom et al, 2015), and attention economy (Davenport & Beck, 2001;Geri & Gefen, 2007), and applies them to student viewing patterns of online video lectures.…”

“…One of the main drawbacks of online video lectures is that their availability may lead to procrastination, which eventually would cause student dropout (Diver & Martinez, 2015;Geri, 2012;Geri, Gafni, & Winer, 2014;You, 2015). Nevertheless, considering student procrastination tendency during the instructional design stage and adding elements such as mandatory viewing of the online videos throughout the semester was found effective in encouraging timely viewing (Costley, Hughes, & Lange, 2017).…”