Augmenting Video Lectures

As online learning continues to grow, instructional videos have become a key medium for delivering content. A common format features a screen recording with a picture-in-picture (PiP) overlay of the instructor’s face. However, research on the effectiveness of this format remains inconclusive. This study explores whether adding an instructor’s gaze or face to videos enhances learning outcomes.

Using a 2×2 experimental design in a semester-long online course (N=52), students watched instructional videos with varying levels of instructor presence:

• Face only Gaze only (eye-tracking overlay) Both face and gaze Neither (control group)

Key Findings:

• Instructor’s face had no significant impact on learning. Instructor’s gaze significantly improved conceptual understanding. Joint visual attention (aligning student gaze with instructor gaze) mediated learning gains.

Implications for Video Design:

• Gaze tracking can serve as a visual cue to direct student attention to critical information. Simply showing the instructor’s face does not necessarily enhance comprehension. Integrating gaze cues into instructional videos may improve conceptual learning.

This research suggests that online educators should prioritize gaze-based guidance over PiP instructor presence when designing learning videos. Future work will explore optimizing gaze visualizations and improving accessibility of gaze-tracking technology for large-scale online courses.

Publications:

• Schneider, B., & Sung, G. (2024). Is Seeing the Instructor’s Face in Online Learning Helpful? Multimodal Evidence Supports the Use of Gaze-Based Video Augmentations over Face. Journal of Learning Analytics, 11(1), 210-223 .