Supporting Motivation, Task Performance and Retention in Video Tutorials for Software Training

Video tutorials for software training are becoming more and more popular, but their construction and effectiveness is understudied. This paper presents a theoretical model that combines demonstration-based training (DBT) and multimedia learning theory as a framework for design. The study investigated the effects of video tutorials on motivation, task accomplishment and learning with special attention being paid to the role of reviews. Three tutorials were compared: preview and demonstration (control condition), preview and demonstration and review (review condition) and preview and demonstration and 2nd demonstration (2-demo condition). Participants were 65 students from the upper grades of elementary school. Participant logs revealed a significant decrease in coverage for video types following the preview. All tutorials significantly raised self-efficacy and procedural knowledge (i.e., task performances during training, immediate and delayed post-test), but no effects of condition were found. The discussion addresses issues concerning the design of the tutorials (overlap between video types) and usage conditions (blocked video access during training tests) that may have negatively affected coverage and the effectiveness of the reviews. A limitation of the study is that no process data were gathered that could shed light on the relationships between design features and observational learning processes.