Blog #4: Video Prompt 

For this blog prompt, I selected the TED-Ed video “3 Tips on How to Study Effectively”

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjPFZaMe2yw 

This video explains how the brain stores information and introduces three evidence based study strategies of retrieval practice, interleaving, and space practice. As my group’s Interactive Learning Resource focuses on helping students transition from high school to university, this video would be helpful for students to develop stronger and more independent study habits that they may not have learned in high school. As a student teacher, I am learning that resources like videos can introduce important ideas but they can also become more effective when paired with activities that get students to actively engage with the material. 

Watching the video would primarily involve interacting with learning materials. Bates (2022) explains that students learn best when they are “active in their learning,” and that interaction can occur when students engage with media such as “a short video clip.” While watching the video, students may pause to take notes, reflect on their own study habits, or write down strategies that might work best for them. The video itself also emphasizes active learning: “Testing yourself with flashcards and quizzes forces you to actively retrieve knowledge, which updates and strengthens memory” (TED-Ed, 2:20). The idea encourages students to move beyond passive studying methods such as reading and highlighting from a textbook. 

To extend the interaction, students could complete a short follow up activity from the video. Students can create a simple weekly study plan that incorporates one or more of the strategies discussed in the video. This activity would help students apply the ideas from the video to their own learning routines and develop stronger awareness of how they study. 

Students could then share their study plans in a discussion forum or a shared document where they can respond to their peer’s strategies and see how they might approach studying. This would create opportunities for peer interaction and allow students to learn from each other’s approaches. To ensure inclusive design is happening, the video can have closed captions on and allow learners to pause or replay sections so that they can process the information at their own pace. 

Overall, this example highlights how videos can support learning when they are combined with opportunities for interaction and reflection. As a student teacher, it reminds me that digital resources should not simply deliver information but should encourage students to actually apply what they learned. This is why follow up activities are important and that they truly engage students. Designing activities around videos can help learners engage more deeply with the material and develop skills they can use beyond the classroom. 

References: 

Bates, A. W. (2022). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for Designing Teaching and Learning (3rd ed.). BCcampus. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev3m/chapter/pedagogical-roles-for-text-audio-and-video/ 

TED-Ed. (2023, October 12). 3 Tips on How to Study Effectively [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjPFZaMe2yw