Short answer

Incorporate hands-on, creative projects like video creation into technical design courses to foster deeper student engagement and a sense of ownership over their learning journey.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: K-State Research Exchange (Kansas State University) (2015)
Method: Quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests, augmented by surveys and interviews.
Sample: 60 participants
Evidence: Moderate effect

Integrating video projects into technology curricula can significantly boost student engagement and their sense of ownership over the learning process, even if direct gains in specific media literacy knowledge are not immediately apparent. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2015 study published in K-State Research Exchange (Kansas State University). Using Quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests, augmented by surveys and interviews. with 60 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Incorporate hands-on, creative projects like video creation into technical design courses to foster deeper student engagement and a sense of ownership over their learning journey.

Study

User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Video projects enhance student engagement and ownership in technology courses

K-State Research Exchange (Kansas State University) · 2015

Key Findings

01The video project was perceived as a relevant challenge that engaged students in active learning.
02The study did not find evidence that media literacy instruction or the video project significantly increased knowledge of media literacy concepts.
03Students reported increased ownership of their learning through the video project.

Application

Design takeaway

Incorporate hands-on, creative projects like video creation into technical design courses to foster deeper student engagement and a sense of ownership over their learning journey.

How to apply

When designing learning experiences for technical subjects, consider integrating multimedia creation tasks that allow students to express their understanding in novel ways, thereby increasing their investment in the material.

Project actions

01Consider how a creative output, like a video, can demonstrate understanding of technical concepts.
02Think about how the *process* of creating the output can foster deeper learning and engagement.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the impact of media literacy instruction and video term-paper projects on student ownership of learning, concept acquisition, communication skills, and media literacy knowledge in a college technology course.

MethodQuasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests, augmented by surveys and interviews.

ProcedureTwo groups of college students were compared. Both received media literacy instruction. The intervention group also completed a video term-paper research project. Pre- and post-tests measured media literacy knowledge. Surveys and interviews gathered qualitative data from the intervention group.

Sample60 participants

ContextCollege-level technology course

Variables

IV["Media literacy instruction","Video term-paper project"]

DV["Student ownership of learning","Learning of course-related concepts","Evidence of communication skills","Knowledge of key media literacy concepts"]

CV["Course subject (technology)","Student year of study","Student age group","Prior familiarity with skills"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Used a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative data).
+Investigated multiple educational goals simultaneously.

Limitations

The study's findings on media literacy knowledge might not apply if the instruction was not sufficiently tailored or if the project scope was too narrow.

Reliability & validity

The use of pre- and post-tests for media literacy knowledge provides a measure of reliability for that specific outcome. However, the reliance on self-reported data for ownership and engagement, and the use of convenience samples, may affect the external validity of the findings.

Think critically

If the video project didn't improve media literacy scores, what does this say about the effectiveness of the instruction itself, or the project's design in relation to those specific learning goals?

Design Principles

"Active, creative project-based learning enhances student engagement and perceived ownership of educational content."

Designers and educators often focus on the direct acquisition of technical knowledge. This research suggests that the *process* of creating media, like video projects, can be a powerful tool for fostering deeper engagement and a more active learning experience, which are crucial for sustained interest and skill development.

What This Means for Your Design

Making students create videos for a tech class can make them more interested and feel like they own their learning, even if they don't learn extra facts about media.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing how project-based learning, particularly with multimedia, can enhance student engagement and ownership in your own design project.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research by Genereux (2015) indicates that incorporating video projects into technology courses can significantly enhance student engagement and their sense of ownership over the learning process. While direct gains in specific media literacy knowledge were not statistically significant in their study, the qualitative data highlighted the value of such projects in fostering active participation and a deeper connection to the subject matter, suggesting that the experiential aspect of creative production is a key benefit for design and technology education.

Source

K-State Research Exchange (Kansas State University)

Exploring the impact of media literacy instruction and video projects in a college technology course

journal · 2015

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about video projects enhance student engagement and ownership in technology courses?: Incorporate hands-on, creative projects like video creation into technical design courses to foster deeper student engagement and a sense of ownership over their learning journey. Evidence: K-State Research Exchange (Kansas State University) (2015).
Why does "Video projects enhance student engagement and ownership in technology courses" matter for design?: Designers and educators often focus on the direct acquisition of technical knowledge. This research suggests that the *process* of creating media, like video projects, can be a powerful tool for fostering deeper engagement and a more active learning experience, which are crucial for sustained interest and skill development.
How can designers apply this research?: Incorporate hands-on, creative projects like video creation into technical design courses to foster deeper student engagement and a sense of ownership over their learning journey.
What were the main findings?: The video project was perceived as a relevant challenge that engaged students in active learning.. The study did not find evidence that media literacy instruction or the video project significantly increased knowledge of media literacy concepts.. Students reported increased ownership of their learning through the video project.
What research method was used?: Quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests, augmented by surveys and interviews. with 60 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2015 journal from K-State Research Exchange (Kansas State University).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing learning experiences for technical subjects, consider integrating multimedia creation tasks that allow students to express their understanding in novel ways, thereby increasing their investment in the material.
What are the limitations?: The study used convenience samples, and the direct impact on media literacy knowledge was not statistically significant.