Learning From Instructional Videos: Learner Gender Does Matter; Speaker Gender Does Not

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Speaker gender in instructional videos is a key design element with mixed research findings on its impact.
• Previous research has not fully explored the interplay between speaker-learner gender similarity, cognitive load, and situational interest.
• The role of learner's situational interest, potentially linked to gender, in learning outcomes has been overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of speaker and learner gender, and their interaction, on learning outcomes.
• To examine gender-related differences in situational interest and their effect on learning.
• To determine the impact of gender on different types of cognitive load during video-based learning.

Main Methods:

• A 2x2 within- and between-subject design was employed with 95 students.
• Participants learned about human sexual maturity using instructional videos with auditory explanations.
• Learning gains, situational interest, cognitive load types, and speaker-learner gender dynamics were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Speaker gender and speaker-learner gender similarity did not affect learning gains, situational interest, or cognitive load.
• Learner gender was a significant factor, particularly for the topic of female sexual maturity.
• Females demonstrated higher learning gains, greater interest, and utilized more germane cognitive resources compared to males.

Conclusions:

• Learner gender, rather than speaker gender or similarity, is crucial for optimizing learning outcomes in instructional videos.
• Instructional designers should consider learner gender-specific interests when developing auditory content.
• Tailoring content to leverage gender-dependent interest can enhance engagement and learning effectiveness, especially in sensitive topics.