Effect of Text-Only vs. Video Enhanced Instructions to Tasks on Language Comprehension in a Foreign Language Online Course

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the effect of types of instructions to tasks, text only vs. video enhanced, on student engagement and language production in an online learning environment. The online learning platforms are text heavy. Although teachers have incorporated video explanations and audio-visual input, the linguistic input in the form of “instructions to tasks” has remained mostly in text form. In face-to-face foreign language classes the moments where teachers explain the task are considered valuable linguistic input teaching moments that appear to be lost in the online environment. The purpose of this project is to evaluate if there is a significant difference in quantity and quality of language production by the student depending on what format the instructions to tasks. Secondary to this goal is exploring what are the students’ attitudes and preferences towards the format of those instructions. Results from this small-scale study show that participants in the video enhance group displayed a tendency to enriched quantity and quality of language production. The context of this study is the foreign language classroom, but it can benefit other content areas as well.