Examining prerequisite skills for learning through video modeling

Abstract

In the following study 12 preschool students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder were assessed for 10 potential pre-requisite skills for video modeling performance. The purpose of the study was determined which skills were necessary for children to learn though video modeling. In the first Experiment it was found that 8 of the 12 students demonstrated mastery of all assessed skills including video modeling. The four students who did not demonstrate learning through video modeling, also did not demonstrate successive discrimination skills. Experiment 2 tested to see if teaching these skills (i.e. delayed imitation, delayed matching), would produce learning through video modeling. Participants with average video modeling scores of 50% or higher showed improved learning through video modeling after mastering delayed matching, while students scoring 25% or less on video modeling assessments, were considered to have no change in video modeling performance. The results suggested that delayed matching and delayed imitation may be prerequisite skills for learning through video modeling, and that training successive discriminations to students with video modeling scores of 50% or higher will improve learning through video modeling performance. Future research is warranted on the role of successive discriminations on learning through video modeling, as well as the overall academic and social development of children diagnosed with developmental disabilities.