Note Taking in Multi-Media Settings

Abstract

We provide a preliminary exploration into the use of note taking when combined with video examples. Student volunteers were divided into three groups and asked to perform two problems. The first problem was explored in a classroom setting and the other problem was a novel problem. The students were asked to complete the two questions. Furthermore, the students were randomly assigned to three groups and given a set of handouts. One group did not watch the video. One group watched the video but did not take notes. The final group watched the video and took notes. We then used a coarse scoring system to provide a rough estimate of the students’ performance on the two questions. We made use of the students’ test scores prior to the exercise as a way to provide a covariate to compensate for student aptitude in this subject. We found that the group of students solving the first, familiar problem demonstrated no statistical difference in their performance. There was a statistical difference between the groups who watched the video and did not watch the video for the novel problem, but there was not a statistical difference between students who did not take notes while watching the video.

Keywords:

• Video instruction
• ordinary differential equations
• notes
• flipped classroom

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kelly Black

Kelly Black is a numerical analyst with an interest in education. He likes to keep students busy with writing, online activities, and mathematical modeling. He is also curious about ways to better utilize webworks. His favorite classes to teach are the introductory courses in the students’ first 2 years. In his spare time he enjoys cycling and fly fishing.

Guangming Yao

Guangming Yao has an Undergraduate degree and Master is degree in Mathematics from Haerbin Normal University and a Ph.D. in Computational Mathematics from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her research concentrates on meshless methods for solving differential equations and mathematical modeling. She is curious about the differences in mathematics education between China and the USA. She likes to listen to her colleagues and students instead of doing something productive, and knitting.