Screencasts are useful eLearning-tools for distance learning. However, they are not always successful. Different aspects of screencast will be explored in this project, with a focus on cognitive and affective impacts on observers.
When recording short teaching videos (screencasts), there are a lot of options that are not always carefully reflected: Should only presentation slides be recorded, or also a video of the teacher? If the latter is chosen, how should gestures be employed to improve (and not distract) the attention of observers? In this project, different aspect of screencast (teacher video yes/no, type of articulation and gestures) are explored. The difficulty level of contents will also be varied. The dependent variables are the distribution of attention during viewing of the screencasts (measured via eye-tracking) and also the emotional responses of observers. The level of elaboration will be assessed by asking specific questions about the content of the screencast. The project should shed light on the factors that make a successful screencast.
