Amy Severson

Ah, it's a chicken and the egg question: does video support learning materials or do learning materials support video? Or.... do we agree that learning does not occur within a single medium!  

It seems that this discussion often returns to the qualifier "it depends", and in your example, you are using the video to highlight one specific idea with clear boundaries and is it fair to say, one specific objective? It seems that one of the benefits of having the short videos is it's narrow and precise focus - it is shorter, and also can be fit into multiple scenarios. A description of a misconception (I've seen them used to great effect in bioogy classes!) can be used, in multiple classes, and by multiple instructors. 

It does of course assume that this video is part of a larger class, either face to face or online.

Oh wow, I just watch the Koala video on Veristasium - those are some serious claws! 

There has been some discussion around the fact (if I can summarize here) that video isn't stand-alone. (Like, ahem, most learning resources, I'd argue!). There has been some discussion about "pop-up" video (I can't say that without thinking of the MuchMusic sing-song voice!) - how else to you add value to the video? How do you prioritize, select resources? When do you let the presenter choose, and when might you select non-pesenter materials?

Right now I'm watching a video on Estate Planning for families who have children with special needs, considering how to create or find supplementary materials. One thing I think that might add value is a library of terms and acronyms (trusts, probate, in-tust, RDSP, TFSA...). I think some visual mapping how how joint ownership and trust accounts play out might help illuminate some of these topics as well.  

From a posting by Colin Madland in another thread:

"one of the best uses of video that I have encountered is at www.veritasium.com, in particular the videos which address common scientific misconceptions (which is, I think, where the added value comes into play)."

By control of the technique, do you mean training the speaker in a speaking and self-editing style specificlally for the recorded medium? How do you explain the differences to a speaker accustomed to speaking only to live audiences? 

Ah, that's how I often watch videos - I resize and place on my secondary monitor, and let it play in the background (much like some synchronous online meetings, I'm afraid!). With the longer videos I am content to let them play, knowing that my attention will drift in and out. With the shorter vidoes, I sometimes don't bother, since I won't pay attention for 10 minutes, and so it doesn't feel worth my while to play a series of shorter videos. 

Interestingly, I'm listening to CBC radio right now, and the DJ on Radio Two is talking about about an article and how our mind attempts efficiency in information overload. So is a longer video sometiems perceived as less of a cognitive demand? 

Longer videos also allow for a gradual or laddered approach to a final and summarizing point (which is how many academics think and speak!) instead of the explicit selection of 10 minute chunks. 

What if you don't know what you wanted to hear about?