Video-based learning means students are taught using pre-recorded videos, like lecture captures or educational animations. These videos often mix visuals (e.g., animations, graphics) and audio (e.g., spoken explanations). In universities, videos are used to replace lectures or as extra learning materials. They let students learn at their own pace and review difficult parts, making learning more flexible and often more effective.
Adding videos to regular teaching had a large effect on learning (g = 0.80) ➕➕➕➕, while swapping video in place of traditional methods had a small but positive effect (g = 0.28) ➕➕➕. Videos helped more when they taught skills rather than just facts ➕➕➕, and when replacing textbooks instead of teachers ➕➕➕. Another meta-analysis (Rey et al., 2019) focused on "segmented" videos — those broken into short chunks students control. It showed that segmented videos improve learning, retention, and reduce cognitive load ➕➕➕. Segmenting helped learners manage mental effort, especially those with higher prior knowledge ➕➕➕.
This summary is based on two meta-analyses. The strongest was Noetel et al. (2021), which included 105 randomised studies with 7,776 university students. It followed strict review protocols and assessed publication bias and study quality (➕➕➕➕). The second, Rey et al. (2019), included 56 studies testing the effects of segmenting videos and how that affects learning. It also met high standards (➕➕➕), though it included more varied study types. Both reviews provide consistent, high-quality evidence that video (especially student-paced, well-designed video) improves learning in higher education.
Noetel, M., Griffith, S., Delaney, O., Sanders, T., Parker, P., del Pozo Cruz, B., & Lonsdale, C. (2021). Video improves learning in higher education: A systematic review. Review of Educational Research, 91(2), 204–236. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654321990713
Rey, G. D., Beege, M., Nebel, S., Wirzberger, M., Schmitt, T. H., & Schneider, S. (2019). A meta-analysis of the segmenting effect. Educational Psychology Review, 31(2), 389–419. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9456-4
