Continuous Response Evaluation of Digital Video Clips over the Internet” and Strategies for Success: Meta-Cognitive Vidcasts for Orientation of Online Learners

Abstract

Both papers were presented on the same day in a multi-track conference – Paper 2 on metacognition at 0830 and Paper 1 on continuous response (with co-author Tony Tin) at 1400. Sessions were well-attended, about 35 attendees in the morning and 70 in the afternoon. Both papers elicited questions from the audience. The paper on metacognitive skills brought new linkages with researchers in Greenland and Finland where similar problems and interests arise. The paper on continuous response elicited more discussion and an invitation to collaborate with researchers at University of Foggia in Italy,

1. Continuous response evaluation of video and film has been a useful method in media. It has been particularly prevalent in advertising as it allows producers to pinpoint events that evoke particularly strong audience responses. When searching for a way to evaluate the effectiveness of digital video clips (podcasts) a continuous response evaluation system was developed and deployed over the internet. This paper discusses the preliminary results of testing the method with adult and high school learners to evaluate a series of video podcasts on meta-cognitive success strategies. When fully deployed this tool will enable the real time viewer evaluation of internet video formats such as Youtube. The resulting data could be used to rate the overall interest of video programs or index specific scenes for educational or entertainment contexts.

2. Following the spread of internet connectivity in Canada, almost every university college and public school has introduced online courses. The increased access has made a wide range of courses from high school onwards available, and students of all academic abilities are stumbling around in the unfamiliar world of on-line learning. This paper demonstrates a series of 7 short (3 minute) digital video clips (vidcasts) produced to introduce meta-cognitive success strategies to online high school students, their parents and teachers. Stressing well-informed choices, planning and pro-active communication skills, the series targets francophone high school students in minority language environments where on-line courses are rapidly providing access to a greater selection of courses. Results of preliminary evaluations with high school and adult learners will be discussed.