Optimizing Educational Videos for Mobile Platforms

Abstract

As digital advancements have dominated the past decades, educational videos have emerged as one of the key methods of delivering content, engaging students and offering deep understanding for learners remotely. This master thesis will explore the current methods used in creating educational videos, and challenge these methods by comparing them to a new style of educational videos specif- ically made for mobile devices. A total of (N=104) participants participated in this study across all phases of data collection. A preliminary context of use analysis will create the foundation of our research, while a literature review and expert interviews have been conducted to unveil the state of the art within educational videos to establish a framework for the creation of videos used in testing. Two methods have been tested in this thesis. Firstly, the optimal format for educational videos on mobile devices, comparing the effectiveness of a vertical video against a horizontal video. Secondly, whether the inclusion of a presenter is beneficial, rather than the implementation of supplementary illustrations and images. Effectiveness can be defined as "The ability to be successful and produce the intended results." [11] The intended results of this thesis are to measure what method performed best regarding overall experi- ence, attention and engagement. The vertical video facilitated a 50% greater personal connection to the viewers compared to the horizontal video presented. 71,4% of participants who consumed the vertical video were in agreement with the preference of this format, rather than the horizontal format. In contrast, in the group that viewed the horizontal video, only 33,4% of participants agreed that they preferred the horizontal video format rather than the vertical format. Furthermore, the cause of the personal connection provided by the vertical for- mat was investigated. The video containing illustrations and images exclusively performed significantly better in regards to the participant’s overall experience, engagement and attention compared to the video including a presenter. These findings suggest that a vertical video featuring only illustrations is the optimal format for creating a short, introductory video that provides surface-level infor- mation. Future research should explore the possibilities of the vertical format and the optimal combination of including a presenter and illustrations.