If We Build It, Will They Come? Adoption of Online Video-Based Distance Learning

Abstract

Technologies that enable interactive video lectures are becoming ubiquitous and affordable. The learning experience that video lectures offer students resembles in-class learning more than other options of distance learning. This study examines the adoption of interactive online video-based distance learning in a blended learning environment, where the students choose their mode of learning. It analyzes the enrollment of interactive online video classes in two introductory courses at the Open University of Israel, during the first six semesters in which this option was offered. The results are based on about 19,000 actual decisions of students. Only 7% of these decisions were to take the interactive video-based study group. This exploratory study suggests that, while students prefer face-to-face learning, the availability of video lectures may help all the students enrolled in these courses improve their achievements. In order to investigate this assertion further, the study examined the effectiveness of online video-based distance learning by comparing the achievements of overseas students before and after the inception of the video lectures. Interest- ingly, the results indicate that so far, video lectures have not significantly improved the persever- ance as well as the achievements of overseas students