YouTube videos and inquiry-based learning

Inquiry-based learning is a popular method of instruction in university curricula intended to foster the development of critical thinking. However, little is known about whether the learning outcomes of different types of inquiry-based learning can be shaped by students' use of audio-visual materials. The present study examined whether guided and unguided instructions in the use of YouTube videos impact introductory psychology students' understanding of the defining properties of different types of psychological disorders and therapies. Students were told that YouTube videos would help them compare and contrast different psychopathologies and therapeutic methods. To search for videos, semesters (each with two sections of introductory psychology) were randomly assigned to either guided or unguided instructions. Under guided instructions (partially student-directed, PSDL, condition), students were given a list of videos to review at home, whereas under unguided instructions (student-directed learning, HSDL condition), they were told to find suitable videos to review at home. Two measures of students' critical thinking performance were developed, collected, and scored through the Reflective Thinking Model's taxonomy: (a) an assignment devoted to imagining being a clinical psychologist who has to diagnose a client and suggest a treatment; and (b) responses to open-ended questions of the final exam covering psychopathology and therapies. For both measures, performance was higher in the unguided instruction condition. These findings suggest that empowering students to find online materials on their own may not only enhance their sense of agency (i.e., satisfy their autonomy needs) but also lead them to select materials that more accurately suit their knowledge needs.