Observing the Testing Effect using Coursera Video-Recorded Lectures: A Preliminary Study.

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Online Learning

Background:

• The testing effect, where retrieval practice enhances long-term retention, is well-documented.
• Its application in modern digital learning environments, such as Coursera, requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the influence of repeated studying versus repeated testing on recall performance in Coursera video-based learning.
• To assess the impact of immediate versus delayed final testing on learning outcomes.

Main Methods:

• 123 participants engaged in different study/testing protocols with instructional videos.
• Conditions included repeated studying, mixed studying and testing, and repeated testing.
• A final recall test was administered either immediately or one week later.

Main Results:

• Immediate testing: Repeated studying outperformed repeated testing.
• Delayed testing: Repeated testing yielded significantly better recall than repeated studying.
• The testing effect was evident in the Coursera video-learning context.

Conclusions:

• The optimal learning strategy (studying vs. testing) depends on the timing of the final assessment.
• Leveraging retrieval practice through testing is crucial for durable learning in online courses.
• Findings support the integration of retrieval-based assessments in video-based educational platforms.