Virtual Collaborative Learning: A Comparison between Face-to-Face Tutored Video Instruction (TVI) and Distributed Tutored Video Instruction (DTVI)January 1999
Tutored Video Instruction (TVI) is a collaborative learning methodology in which a small group of students
studies a videotape of a lecture. We constructed a fully virtual version of TVI called Distributed Tutored
Video Instruction (DTVI), in which each student has a networked computer with audio microphone-headset and
video camera to support communication within the group. In this report, we compare survey questionnaires,
observations of student interactions, and grade outcomes for students in the face-to-face TVI condition
with those of students in the DTVI condition. Our analysis also includes comparisons with students in the
original lecture. This two and a half year study involved approximately 700 students at two universities.
Despite finding a few statistically significant process differences between TVI and DTVI, the interactions
were for the most part quite similar. Course grade outcomes for TVI and DTVI were indistinguishable, and
these collaborative conditions proved better than lecture. We conclude that this kind of highly interactive
virtual collaboration can be an effective way to learn.
Authors: Robert L. Pannoni, Randall B. Smith, Michael J. Sipusic, John Dutra, William R. Sutherland, James F. Gibbons
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