The Impact of Video in the K-12 Classroom: A scoping study of instructional video research

While there are a wide variety of video types, this scoping study focuses on those videos that have been created explicitly for instructional purposes. Overall, the review found that video can positively impact learning outcomes and motivate and engage young people in their learning. However, there is no singular universal design that results in positive learning outcomes. There are a variety of factors, including video design principles, which have been shown to have a positive impact on learning outcomes. However, in some cases, the particular combination of principles can interact with each other and confound the results. The goal of trying to identify when and how video impacts on learning is made even more difficult by the fact that the research literature uses significant variation in the terminology, methods and approaches, as well as considerable diversity in the video types being studied. All of this makes it almost impossible to create definitive comparative judgements about which design or principle is most useful. The findings of this review support a call to arms for video producers, researchers and educators to find a common language, work towards comparable empirical research and reliable conclusions about when and how instructional video can deliver superior learning outcomes in K-12 school contexts.