Teaching and learning with video modelling: production with limited budget and influence of familiar faces on learning effectiveness

Using instructional videos is popular, yet video production is expensive and the impact of production value on learning is uncertain. This paper presented how instructional videos can be produced with limited budget by leveraging the manpower of student helpers, and how a familiar face in the videos affects the learning outcomes. An instructor appearing on a video was known to affect learning effectiveness, yet similar effect by face familiarity remains open. We produced two sets of videos to teach business etiquette to undergraduates (n = 47), with casts familiar and unfamiliar to students, respectively, and assigned two groups of students to view each of them. Both groups learnt equally well, but familiar faces significantly reduced learning effectiveness for students who worked full-time before; otherwise, face familiarity has no impact on learning outcomes. Theoretical explanation is provided. We hope these results are useful to education practitioners in using instructional videos.