What Makes an Online Instructional Video Compelling?

Video has supported education for many years, and in online courses instructional videos are often a key component. To learn more about compelling video, a team at the Columbia University School of Continuing Education examined analytics from the video hosting platform and recruited 10 students to participate in in-depth interviews. Drawing from both quantitative and qualitative data, emerging patterns provide some insight as to what characteristics of online videos students describe as compelling, and what types of videos receive the most views

Student experiences with instructional videos in online learning environments

Drawing upon qualitative methods of semi-structured interviews and observational talk-through interviews, this qualitative dissertation investigates the ways in which graduate students in an online course context experience online instructional videos. A conceptual framework of user experience and multimodality, as well as the framework of sense-making developed by McCarthy and Wright (2004) guided this study and data analysis. The findings of this dissertation have implications for how students are participating in, interacting with, and making sense of online learning environments. Some of the findings of this research include: (a) students do not necessarily experience course videos as discrete elements (or differentiate them with other aspects of the course); (b) the times and contexts in which students view instructional videos shifts (e.g., between home and commuting); (c) student motivations and expectations shape how they approach and orient themselves towards watching online course videos; and (d) multimodal design elements influence students’ meaning-making of online instructional videos. These data findings are all in support of the overarching conclusion of this dissertation, which is that students have significant agency in these online environments, and their meaning-making of online videos may not align with designers’ intentions. This conclusion argues against deterministic views of design. The emerging findings have design implications related to the creation of learning environments in online spaces, such as: (a) fully integrating videos within the broader instructional design of a course; (b) foregrounding the embedded context of instructional videos; and (c) accounting for the shifting times, places, and contexts in which viewers watch instructional videos. This dissertation is situated in the growing field of online education, in particular higher education, where significant money and resources are increasingly dedicated towards the development of online spaces while still much is unknown in relation to the design, experiences, and impact of these online learning environments

Blurred Experiences: The undefined contours of student learning in online environments

The purpose of this study was to investigate student learning experiences with online instructional videos. Drawing upon qualitative interviews and user experience talk-throughs, this paper argues that students do not necessarily experience online instructional videos (and other types of course content) as discrete elements, or differentiate them from other aspects of the course. The implications are that students have significant agency in these online environments and their meaning-making of instructional content may not align with designers’ intentions. In addition, the times and contexts in which students view instructional videos shifts (e.g. between home and commuting). The emerging findings have design implications related to the creation of learning environments in online spaces, such as fully integrating content within the instructional design of a course and focusing on the digital contexts in which educational content is embedded

Video in online learning: Connecting analytics to pedagogy

In this conference presentation at Kaltura Connect, speakers from Columbia University School of Continuing Education discuss how analytics from their video hosting server have influenced the pedagogy and design of their online course media

Dance magic dance: A case study of AR/360 video and the Performing Arts

Barnard College has a nationally recognized dance department, and library administrators in collaboration with faculty piloted media and digital tools for dance research, performance, and composition. This chapter highlights three projects: the use of an augmented reality (AR) app, VR/360 video, and long-exposure LED photography as it relates to dance education and the performing arts at Barnard College, Columbia University. While these technologies are new and still in the exploratory stages, this descriptive case study supports the idea that AR/360 tools can offer innovative methods for the recording, scholarship, and instruction around the performing arts. These three projects were the result of a collaboration between Barnard dance faculty members and Barnard IMATS (Instructional Media and Technology Services). While each project was different in technology and scope, all three had a similar goal: to capture, represent, and experience dance in new and innovative ways. This includes a) giving audience members an opportunity to view dance pieces via an AR mobile application that also incorporated archival photographs and site-specificity; b) offering an immersive and viewer-directed method to watch dance via 360/VR video; and c) recording dance scales through time-lapse technology, representing movement through an original method. All three projects have implications for dance education and scholarship

Competition or collaboration? The effect of non-profit brand image on volunteer recruitment strategy

With increasing numbers of non-profit organizations and higher demand for a wider range of social services, the need for volunteers has never been greater. There is general agreement that competition within the sector is increasing, and this has led to organizations placing greater emphasis on building strong brand images to differentiate themselves from competitors. However, there are also many instances where non-profits have successfully collaborated with each other to achieve efficiencies and meet objectives. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine, which of these approaches - competition or collaboration - is more appropriate for the challenge of volunteer recruitment. We use data from an empirical study of 1415 Australians to investigate whether, based on perceived organizational brand images, volunteering organizations compete with each other for volunteers or are seen as complimentary. Results indicate that while consideration of organizations with certain brand images - especially the Heroes image - means that donation of time to other volunteering organizations is unlikely, other organizational brand images, such as that of being a local volunteering organization or one that provides support to people experiencing difficulty are likely to be compatible, opening up valuable opportunities for collaborative marketing for the purpose of volunteer recruitment

What motivates which volunteers? Psychographic heterogeneity among volunteers in Australia

Six psychographic segments of volunteers in Australia are constructed on the basis of their volunteering motivations. The resulting segments include "classic volunteers," whose motivations are threefold: doing something worthwhile; personal satisfaction; and helping others. "Dedicated volunteers" perceive each one of the motives for volunteering as relevant, while "personally involved volunteers" donate time because of someone they know in the organization, most likely their child. "Volunteers for personal satisfaction" and "altruists" primarily wish to help others, and finally, "niche volunteers" typically have fewer and more specific drivers motivating them to donate time, for example, to gain work experience. The segments are externally validated and demonstrate significantly different socio-demographic profiles. Consequently, it seems that motivation-based data-driven market segmentation represents a useful way of gaining insight into heterogeneity amongst volunteers. Such insight can be used by volunteering organizations to more effectively target segments with customized messages

Functional STAT3 deficiency compromises the generation of human T follicular helper cells

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are critical for providing the necessary signals to induce differentiation of B cells into memory and Ab-secreting cells. Accordingly, it is important to identify the molecular requirements for Tfh cell development and function. We previously found that IL-12 mediates the differentiation of human CD4 + T cells to the Tfh lineage, because IL-12 induces naive human CD4 + T cells to acquire expression of IL-21, BCL6, ICOS, and CXCR5, which typify Tfh cells. We have now examined CD4 + T cells from patients deficient in IL-12Rp1, TYK2, STAT1, and STAT3 to further explore the pathways involved in human Tfh cell differentiation. Although STAT1 was dispensable, mutations in IL12RB1, TYK2, or STAT3 compromised IL-12-induced expression of IL-21 by human CD4 + T cells. Defective expression of IL-21 by STAT3-deficient CD4 + T cells resulted in diminished B-cell helper activity in vitro. Importantly, mutations in STAT3, but not IL12RB1 or TYK2, also reduced Tfh cell generation in vivo, evidenced by decreased circulating CD4 +CXCR5 + T cells. These results highlight the nonredundant role of STAT3 in human Tfh cell differentiation and suggest that defective Tfh cell development and/or function contributes to the humoral defects observed in STAT3-deficient patients

Efficacy and safety of two neutralising monoclonal antibody therapies, sotrovimab and BRII-196 plus BRII-198, for adults hospitalised with COVID-19 (TICO): a randomised controlled trial

We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of two neutralising monoclonal antibody therapies (sotrovimab [Vir Biotechnology and GlaxoSmithKline] and BRII-196 plus BRII-198 [Brii Biosciences]) for adults admitted to hospital for COVID-19 (hereafter referred to as hospitalised) with COVID-19. In this multinational, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, clinical trial (Therapeutics for Inpatients with COVID-19 [TICO]), adults (aged ≥18 years) hospitalised with COVID-19 at 43 hospitals in the USA, Denmark, Switzerland, and Poland were recruited. Patients were eligible if they had laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 symptoms for up to 12 days. Using a web-based application, participants were randomly assigned (2:1:2:1), stratified by trial site pharmacy, to sotrovimab 500 mg, matching placebo for sotrovimab, BRII-196 1000 mg plus BRII-198 1000 mg, or matching placebo for BRII-196 plus BRII-198, in addition to standard of care. Each study product was administered as a single dose given intravenously over 60 min. The concurrent placebo groups were pooled for analyses. The primary outcome was time to sustained clinical recovery, defined as discharge from the hospital to home and remaining at home for 14 consecutive days, up to day 90 after randomisation. Interim futility analyses were based on two seven-category ordinal outcome scales on day 5 that measured pulmonary status and extrapulmonary complications of COVID-19. The safety outcome was a composite of death, serious adverse events, incident organ failure, and serious coinfection up to day 90 after randomisation. Efficacy and safety outcomes were assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population, defined as all patients randomly assigned to treatment who started the study infusion. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04501978. Between Dec 16, 2020, and March 1, 2021, 546 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to sotrovimab (n=184), BRII-196 plus BRII-198 (n=183), or placebo (n=179), of whom 536 received part or all of their assigned study drug (sotrovimab n=182, BRII-196 plus BRII-198 n=176, or placebo n=178; median age of 60 years [IQR 50–72], 228 [43%] patients were female and 308 [57%] were male). At this point, enrolment was halted on the basis of the interim futility analysis. At day 5, neither the sotrovimab group nor the BRII-196 plus BRII-198 group had significantly higher odds of more favourable outcomes than the placebo group on either the pulmonary scale (adjusted odds ratio sotrovimab 1·07 [95% CI 0·74–1·56]; BRII-196 plus BRII-198 0·98 [95% CI 0·67–1·43]) or the pulmonary-plus complications scale (sotrovimab 1·08 [0·74–1·58]; BRII-196 plus BRII-198 1·00 [0·68–1·46]). By day 90, sustained clinical recovery was seen in 151 (85%) patients in the placebo group compared with 160 (88%) in the sotrovimab group (adjusted rate ratio 1·12 [95% CI 0·91–1·37]) and 155 (88%) in the BRII-196 plus BRII-198 group (1·08 [0·88–1·32]). The composite safety outcome up to day 90 was met by 48 (27%) patients in the placebo group, 42 (23%) in the sotrovimab group, and 45 (26%) in the BRII-196 plus BRII-198 group. 13 (7%) patients in the placebo group, 14 (8%) in the sotrovimab group, and 15 (9%) in the BRII-196 plus BRII-198 group died up to day 90. Neither sotrovimab nor BRII-196 plus BRII-198 showed efficacy for improving clinical outcomes among adults hospitalised with COVID-19. US National Institutes of Health and Operation Warp Spee