Audiovisual Science Communication on TV and YouTube. How Recipients Understand and Evaluate Science Videos

Abstract

With the emergence of the Internet, social media and video platforms are gaining considerable influence on the traditional media landscape in general and on science communication in particular. This has changed the role of science journalists as gatekeepers because many platforms are based on a participatory culture, in which passive consumers can become active participants. In addition to scientists, non-scientific actors also act as experts and participate in the communication process between science and the public. In contrast to the relevance of YouTube for science communication there is a lack of research focusing on the questions of how internet users receive YouTube videos to acquire information about science, how successful audiovisual media function in knowledge transfer, and what effects it has on the epistemic regime of a society. Therefore, this study combines a discourse analysis with the aim to create a typology of YouTube videos—the independent variables—and an audience study for investigating knowledge transfer—the dependent variables. In the first step, this article presents the results of a systematic analysis and categorization of 400 German science videos, from which four types of audiovisual science communication on YouTube were derived: presentation films, expert films, animation films, and narrative explanatory films. In order to clarify how powerful these new forms of science communication are in terms of knowledge transfer, attitudes, and trust toward the presentation of science, a discourse analysis of the videos is combined with a multi-level reception study and an online survey. The reception study included eye-tracking to investigate the allocation of attention and two different methods of knowledge tests (recognition and recall) of which the multiple-choice test was also applied in the online survey. The results show that the type of video has an important impact on knowledge transfer and para-social effects. One of the central results of the audience study is that the videos' gaze guidance, the recipients' allocation of attention, and the results of knowledge testing are closely intertwined. The correlation of data from eye-tracking and the two knowledge tests prove in principle that the more homogeneous the gaze patterns of the recipients are, the better they score in the multiple-choice test as well as in the concept mapping test.

Engaging students through online video homework assignments: A case study in a large‐enrollment ecology and evolution course

“…This video highlighted transect and quadrat sampling methods, which the students had used themselves in laboratory activities the week prior, and student comments identified this connection. Overall, the high student engagement with documentary-style videos is consistent with increased learning gains for this video style reported elsewhere (Boy et al, 2020; see data on "Narrative Explanatory Film" category).…”

“…The use of online videos in STEM higher education has been described previously (Barry et al, 2016;Cox, 2011;Dupuis et al, 2013;Rajan & Veguilla, 2018;Schinske et al, 2016) and at least one study reports an association between online videos and higher examination scores, particularly for students with lower grade point averages (Dupuis et al, 2013). Outside of the formal education context, YouTube videos have been shown to promote knowledge acquisition of science content (Boy et al, 2020). To our knowledge, the use of online videos for teaching undergraduate ecology and evolution, and the student perspective on engagement with videos in this context has not been reported.…”

The Proficiency and Opinions of the Pre-service Primary Teachers in Performing Hands-on Science Experiments

“…There are two possible reasons why the PPTs' level of proficiency in choosing simple tools for science experiments and performing experiments correctly is high. First, many experiments suitable for all levels of education are available on the Internet (Boy et al, 2020;Morcillo et al, 2016). Today, individuals prefer the Internet as the first source for their research (Boy et al, 2020).…”

“…First, many experiments suitable for all levels of education are available on the Internet (Boy et al, 2020;Morcillo et al, 2016). Today, individuals prefer the Internet as the first source for their research (Boy et al, 2020). The Internet is a convenient source for the PPTs to select the experiment and determine the tools and equipment to be used.…”

Understanding and improving teachers’ graph literacy for data-based decision-making via video intervention

“…Video-based interventions are effective, have a simple and flexible handling and can have low production costs. Boy et al (2020) distinguish four types of science videos: presentation videos, expert videos, animation videos and narrative explanatory videos. They investigated differences in knowledge transfer by multiple-choice tests and revealed a small benefit of narrative explanatory and animation videos.…”