Video: A Missed Opportunity?

Online instructors who use little or no video in their online courses may be missing a tremendous opportunity to increase student engagement. These instructors would be wise to take note of the vast amounts of time that many Americans spend watching television each month. According to a 2009 report by Nielsens, the average American spends more than 151 hours per month viewing different television programs. These small-screen enthusiasts may spend numerous hours in front of the TV for any number of reasons. One category of TV viewer includes the TV buffs who seek the entertainment value of TV in the form of action, drama, adventure, or comedy. These individuals seek shows that touch the heart or appeal to the senses. Other fans of the tube prefer to watch current news developments at home and abroad. Being informed about different happenings around the world represents an impetus for thought and conversation for these individuals. A third category of TV viewer may watch TV shows for news and entertainment for similar reasons. Regardless of the reason that many Americans are spending a significant amount of time watching the tube, the emotional impact of TV cannot be ignored.

This point is best illustrated by the video generated during the Civil Rights Movement. Many Baby Boomers probably recall television coverage of the Civil Right Movement where video-generated images fueled the emotions of people at home and abroad. Some scholars have suggested that the use of video may have led to the success of the Civil Rights Movement. This assertion might be debatable, but the impact of video on individual affect is widely accepted.

Online instructors may be able to benefit from affect-driven uses of video in their courses. Websites such as You Tube and Meta Café allow online instructors to embed such powerful, engaging content into their courses. Video that appeal to the emotions of students can be useful in maintaining the interest of students who are not easily engaged with text-based content. Such video would also likely trigger rich student discussions.