Use of worked‐example videos to support problem‐solving: An analysis of student behavior

• Published in: Computer applications in engineering education Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 195 - 221
• Main Authors: Wu, Chuhao, DeBoer, Jennifer, Rhoads, Jeffrey F., Berger, Edward
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Audio data; dynamics; Engineering education; help‐seeking; Learning; Multimedia; multimedia learning; Students; Video; worked examples
• ISSN: 1061-3773; 1099-0542
• DOI: 10.1002/cae.22451

Worked examples are important tools for teaching problem‐solving skills in physics and engineering subjects. Presenting a worked example in a computer‐based multimedia format may provide extra support to the learning process, but different strategies of using worked examples can lead to different outcomes. An observational experiment was conducted to investigate students' video usage behaviors and their impact on problem‐solving efficiency and outcomes. Seven undergraduate engineering students were asked to solve a dynamics problem with three subquestions. A worked‐example video was provided as a potential resource for help‐seeking. The experiment, including the student's affect, their computer usage patterns, their usage of the worked‐example video itself, and their problem‐solving work was video‐recorded, and students were instructed to verbalize their thinking process. Video recordings were coded using a behavioral scheme to characterize the timing and frequency of important problem‐solving and video interaction events. “Process‐checking” and “pattern‐matching” emerged as two systematic approaches to using the worked‐example videos, along with a general focus on visual information over audio information. A varying level of success in solving the problem illustrates that the effectiveness of using the worked‐example resource depends on the learning context and the student's needs.