Video Learning with International Students
Hello! My name is April Hong, and I am an academic advisor at a higher education institution. As you all know, we are currently experiencing a global health crisis, and this is bringing more and more students to the online learning environment. I am one of the advisors who work with international students, and many of these students have returned to their home countries. These students have a minor language barrier as English is not their first language. The campus courses really provided them with integrated, interactive learning that helps them overcome the language difficulty (Esperat, 2018). There is now a major component missing in their education, and these learning environment factors emphasize the importance of effective multimedia learning experiences.
When students are online, they are missing the visual representation of course content and instruction provided by live lectures. A simple audio file of a lecture may convey some information. However, it will surely decrease the chances of information retention in comparison to a video lecture. As Dr. Sharon Wyly mentions, humans are a visual species, and this statement is a common factor to all students no matter where in the world they come from (2020). Therefore, as an instructional designer, I would incorporate video lectures into their online learning experience. I would also advise faculty to script and record their lectures with a storytelling tone. Storytelling transforms information from a set of instructions to an engaging experience that listeners are edging to hear more about (Wyly, 2020). This will more closely capture a student’s attention and will increase the likelihood of content memorization (Hagedoorn, 2015).
The choice for online learning is widely becoming more popular today. However, it is not only popular, but essential for learners during situations like the public health crisis we are experiencing today. Technology is a wonderful and powerful tool that helps us progress during times that may feel like we are at a halt. Technology allows us to create engaging videos that incorporate audio and visuals and send these out to all parts of the world.
References
Esperat, T. (2019). International graduate students’ challenges and learning experiences in online classes. Journal of International Students, 8(4), pp. 1722-1735. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1197277.pdf
Hagedoorn, B. (2015). Towards a participatory memory: multi-platform storytelling in historical television documentary. Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, 29(4), pp. 579-592. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&sid=8ad87e71-cf5c-4891-941a-528333685ec9%40sessionmgr4007
Wyly, S. (2020). Dr. Sharon Wyly’s Video Lecture. Full Sail University. https://online.fullsail.edu/class_sections/93147/modules/241286/activities/1469936
