For my core multimedia skills project I re-wrote a short video I made for a computer science class a few semesters ago. In the original video, I had to explain three things to the viewer — an algorithm written for python, a data visualization, and a searching algorithm. In the updated version of that video, I have now focused it just on the searching algorithm to make for a more concise lesson within the video itself.
In contrast to the old video, I now focus on teaching viewers about not just how depth-first search functions, but also how breadth-first search functions. The purpose of the lessen ultimately is to have the viewer be able to discern what separates the processes of depth-first versus breadth-first.
The theory I learned from the course that was applied to the new version the most were Mayer’s principles. I tried to apply the following to reduce intrinsic load:
Pre-training principle — since I changed the audience for the video from “Computer science professor” to, “Anybody,” I knew I had to introduce the basic concepts of not just the difference of the searching algorithms, but also the system that they work in themselves. That being visualizations of digital data, commonly represented through binary search trees. So I wanted an overview first of what I am teaching, and to briefly address the foundational components of what I am teaching (In this case, to discuss binary search trees).
Segmenting principle — I tried to break-down and space out every component of the lesson to build on itself. Instead of teaching three unrelated topics, this was one topic that had multiple components.
Modality principle — My old video was needlessly messy visually. By that I mean the transitions between the different topics that I had to address, and especially my approach to completing the depth-first search I think was convoluted. In this new video, much of the effort that I put into it was towards setting up my ability to have a cleaner diagram, have my face present, and have a better script to enable me to better show the viewer and tell the viewer simultaneously. Increasing my competency with multimedia as much as I could was essential to do whatever I could to help strengthen my alignment with the modality principle.
Related to the quest of self-improvement on my skills in multimedia, I immediately knew I wanted to learn about adding captions to my videos. I find captioned videos so much easier to follow, as I can simultaneously read and listen. I think this is very important to add to videos for both accessibility (Essential for this!), as well as even just ease-of-viewing, as I have experienced.
I also tried to apply Mayer’s principles that we place under “extraneous load.”
Coherence principle — By writing a better script and practicing it more than I did in the previous video, I expected I could make something more engaging. Perhaps more-so than the effort of improving my multimedia was the amount of edits and remakes to parts of my script that I did. At one point I had segments about an analogy with “powerlines,” and the cost-efficiency you try to encourage when developing those around a city, but thought it choppy. I also originally had this as a large story-telling based analogy but thought it was too unclear.
Signaling principle — I tried to add a lot more to the visual of the graph itself to make what was actually going on far more clear, without the help of just my voice. That if the viewer was off my pace in the lecture, that the visuals and labels surrounding what was going on in the diagram could help them align with me and help themselves organize the lecture along with me.
Contiguity principle — I tried to create slides that were both rather simplistic, but also contained extra information. I only had a few slides, but I did implement this in some of my slide that transitioned the focus of the lecture to try and smooth out the addition of new ideas. An example of this to me is near the end, where I put together the outputs of the two searching algorithms as a way to clearly wrap up the idea and show that there is a discernable difference.
With regards to the redundancy principle, I do not think I improved or worsened much. Both videos carry a similar style of visual emphasis without too much words shown in the visuals. I tried to be redundant at times to slow down the video and focus on something with the reader (e.g., making sure the viewer and I are on the same page about the rules of binary search trees before we get into working through them).
References:
Panigrahi, K. K. (2023, February). Difference between BFS and DFS. Tutorials Point. Retrieved from https://www.tutorialspoint.com/difference-between-bfs-and-dfs#:~:text=BFS%20or%20Breadth%20First%20Search,end%20node%20of%20the%20path.
Planning sheets: