A recent UCLA study suggests that students who speed-watch video lectures can actually understand what they learn from them. These can be similar to listening to the same pre-recorded clip at a regular speed.

Speed-Watchers Can Understand the Lessons

According to a report by NBC, UCLA researchers found out that students who listen and watch sped-up videos can retain the same amount of information that normal watchers can obtain.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic happened, distance learning among students became the norm. From the usual physical class, the teaching and the learning method transitioned to online education.

While speed-watching is good for some students, there's still a limitation to this study. Per UCLA psychology professor Alan Castel, things would get a "little blurry" when these people reached a certain limit.

The study involved 85% of UCLA students. The researchers instructed them to "speed-watched" a series of lecture clips to see if they could absorb the knowledge from them.

The experts conducted many experiments to test the effect of speed-watching on their learning retention.

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What the Experiment Tells About Speed-Watchers

For the first part, the UCL undergraduates were split into four groups. They were asked to watch lecture clips which scale from 13 to 15 minutes, per Science Daily.

• First group - normal speed

• Second group - 1.5 x speed

• Third group - 2x speed

• Fourth group - 2.5x speed

During the experiment, the researchers told them to continuously watch the videos and refrain from pausing or even jotting down notes.

After a series of tests, the UCLA researchers discovered that those students who watched videos at 2x speed and those who viewed at a regular speed had an average of 25 answered questions out of 40.

A week later, another experiment was conducted and the experts found out that speed-watchers have better performance than normal-speed viewers. There's also a test wherein both groups switched sides in speed-reading.

Final Thoughts From Researchers

Dillon Murphy, the study's lead author said that college students can retain their knowledge more efficiently by reading at faster speeds. However, the drawback among speed-watchers starts when they exceed twice the normal playback speed.

"While our study didn't reveal significant drawbacks to watching lecture videos at up to double the normal speed, we caution against using this strategy to simply save time. Students can enhance learning if they spend the time saved on activities such as reviewing flashcards or taking practice tests."

The researchers wrote that speed-watching lecture videos could be deemed ineffective for learning materials with high complexity.

To view the study entitled "Learning in double time: The effect of lecture video speed on immediate and delayed comprehension," click here.

For more student-related news, check our latest article about the eight mental health hacks that students can do amid the pandemic. You can also read our report about the mental health effects of distance learning.

Read Also: Speed Reading Too Good To Be True, Say Scientists:Learn How To Read Faster

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Written by Joseph Henry