Interactive video : the effects of adaptivity and modality

The effectiveness of interactive video instruction in improving learner performance was compared with computer assisted instruction, video instruction and textual instruction in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Two levels of adaptivity (low and high) were crossed with two levels of modality (unimodality and multimodality). Four instructional technologies were operationalized as follows: text: low adaptivity/unimodality; video: low adaptivity/multimodality; computer assisted instruction: high adaptivity/unimodality; interactive video: high adaptivity/multimodality. Fifty-two, ninth-through-twelfth graders were randomly assigned to the four instructional treatment groups and were presented with parallel forms of the same computer hardware lesson, differing only in presentation media (text, video, computer assisted instruction, interactive video). The lesson was immediately followed by a recall test and a retention test was given two weeks later. Two interactive video subjects were interviewed about their experiences. Analysis of variance was performed on three dependent variables: instructional time, post test scores and retention test scores. Results indicate that interactive video is not necessarily a more effective instructional technology than the other three tested. The nature of the adaptivity built into the controlling computer program was found to be critical to the effectiveness of interactive video.Education, Faculty ofCurriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department ofGraduat