Novice instructors can make satisfying video lectures by using familiar techniques: a repeated-measures test of video lecture formats and learner satisfaction theory

Research has shown that composite video lectures lead to higher learner satisfaction than other video lecture formats, but this finding has not been replicated among novice instructors. In this study, six PhD students created two video lectures on different topics. One used the picture-in-picture (PiP) format, while the other used the video composite format. Undergraduate student participants (N = 185) watched both video lectures by a single instructor and rated them on several variables. Contradicting prior research, the participants rated the composite video as having lower content quality (Cohen’s d = -0.35) and instructor-content interaction (Cohen’s d = -0.17) than the PiP video. Consistent with prior research, participants rated the composite video as having higher instructor social presence than the PiP video (Cohen’s d = 0.25). Those three variables mediated the effect of video format on learner satisfaction, which was also higher for the PiP video (Cohen’s d = -0.30). These were all small-to-medium effects. The PiP video may have performed better because it is more familiar and has a lower bar to achieve acceptable visual quality. These findings have implications for training novice instructors in using technology in education.