Lecture capture technology has taken off in recent years. Over 80% of colleges and universities in America use this technology today. Some educators worry that capturing lectures is not beneficial. They feel doing so may decrease attendance and negatively impact student achievement.
Research shows that this is not the case. In fact, capturing a lecture has the opposite effect of what many imagined. It benefits students and educational institutions alike.
Attendance Impact
Educators often express concern over capturing a lecture because they believe doing so will decrease attendance. They feel having the lecture available will lead to students not attending class. Most studies have found a minimal decrease in attendance when the university uses lecture-capturing technology. Thirty-four studies were reviewed, and only one found a substantial negative impact on student attendance. Students understand there is value in attending a lecture in person and will continue to do so even when they can listen to a lecture recording instead.
Higher Grades
Many colleges and universities began capturing lectures to help students improve their performance. They understand this resource is valuable to many students today and will help them achieve. Students can revisit the information discussed in class if they need to clarify something or believe they missed lecture elements when taking notes. They can turn to the recording to ensure the accuracy of their memory.Â
Having this resource available to them should help them do better on tests and improve their grades. They can get answers to questions without waiting to speak to their professor or review a problematic concept and know precisely what the lecturer said. Technology is beneficial in this area.Â
Students do better when they have access to captured lectures. Fifteen studies examined this topic, and ten found that student grades improved when they had access to lecture recordings. Researchers cannot definitively say why student grades improve but believe that faculty members who record their lectures also take other steps to help students bolster their performance. However, this is only one theory, and there will be others.
Student Achievement
When students are asked if lecture recordings benefit them, they agree that these recordings do. They state that having more materials and resources available is better. What is unusual is that all students surveyed agreed these recordings were beneficial. Nobody said that they did more harm than good.
Students reported they used the lecture recordings as a study aid when preparing for a test. It gave them another resource to cover complex material and benefited them when they missed a class. Students often use them in multiple ways to help them perform better in their studies.
Parents pay large sums to send their children to college or university. They want to ensure their children get the most from their education, and lecture recordings are one way to do so. Students appreciate having access to this resource, which has proven valuable in study after study. Capturing lectures will not decrease traditional attendance, so it is an option every college and university should consider. With the help of technology, capturing this information has never been easier.
Students should request this option if a college or university does not offer it. They can talk with their instructors and explain the benefits of lecture-capturing technology and why it would be helpful to them. If enough students speak up, more educational institutions will provide this option, allowing students to get the most from their education.
