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ABSTRACT
Many video sites or learning platforms allow real-time chatting or asynchronous commenting on specific time points during video lectures. Comments, as user-generated knowledge, facilitate social interaction but also affect cognitive learning. The visual layout of these comments can affect learners’ attention and learning, but the effect has rarely been studied. This study compares two common layouts (embedded vs. separated) and considers the content depth of comments through a laboratory eye-tracking experiment involving 40 participants. The results suggest that, with both layouts, learners switched attention to the comments every 10 seconds and stayed focused for 1.3 seconds on average before returning attention to the video. With an embedded layout, learners switched attention more frequently to the comments and remembered more surface-level comments. With a separate layout presenting deep-level comments, learners searched for information faster and performed better on open-book quizzes. We outline the design implications of using timeline-anchored comments to promote online learning.
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Yue Chen
Yue Chen is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. She received her PhD from Tsinghua University. Her research interests include user-centered design, human-computer interaction, social media, and computer assisted learning.
Qin Gao
Qin Gao is currently an associate professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. She received her PhD from Tsinghua University. Her primary research interests include user-centered design, cognitive ergonomics, human-computer interaction, and decision-making.
Ge Gao
Ge Gao is an assistant professor at the College of Information Studies (iSchool), the University of Maryland, College Park. She obtained her PhD at Cornell University. Her research focuses on computer-supported cooperative work, human-centered computing, and global teams.