Why use branched learning with Interactivity
Branched learning provides more autonomy to learners and increases learner engagement. Instructors can create a branched learning environment to accommodate learners with different prior knowledge and provide diverse levels of scaffolding to learners with a single interactive video. It can also help create a learner-centered learning environment that allows learners to choose their learning path, motivating them to participate actively. Furthermore, Instructors can create a gamified learning experience with a branched learning interactive video and transform the learning into an adventure for the learners.
Building a branched learning interactive video with Interactivity is simple and straightforward. Instructors won’t need to work with programming and logic settings behind the branched learning. Instead, they can simply use the jump feature pre-built in most Interactivity’s interactions to move learners to different video sections based on their answers and responses. Also, instructors can enable learners to select the video section they want to watch and let learners decide their learning path.
The other great feature that makes Interactivity an excellent tool for creating branched learning is that the designer allows instructors to upload multiple video segments into one interactive video. This feature opens up more possibilities for instructors to create a diverse learning experience by incorporating videos from different sources.
Lastly, the preview function in Interactivity interactive video Designer allows instructors to test their branched learning interactive video easily. They can examine the interactive video they are building to ensure it operates as expected.
How to build branched learning interactive videos with Interactivity
Add multiple videos to the interactive video
After creating a new interactive video, import the videos with the Video Segments tab by clicking the Add Video button. Then, click the Add Video button again to add more video segments to this interactive video if needed.
Jump learners based on their responses to the interaction
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Multiple choice/Poll interaction:
- Enter the question and answer options, click the gear icon behind the answer option, and select Add Jump.
- Enter the time code to set the target timestamp.
- (Optional) Repeat the steps above for other answer choices. Learners will jump to different timestamps based on the answer choice they select. After finishing setting jumps for the answer choices, click Save to save the progress. If learners pick an option that does not have the jump configured, they will proceed to the next timestamp without jumping.
- Enter the question and answer options, click the gear icon behind the answer option, and select Add Jump.
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Check all/Fill in the blank interaction:
- After setting up the question, expand the Advanced settings and toggle on the Jump if the user answers this question correctly and Jump if the user answers this question incorrectly options. Enter the target timestamps for each option. Once finishing setting the jumps, click Save to save the progress.
- After setting up the question, expand the Advanced settings and toggle on the Jump if the user answers this question correctly and Jump if the user answers this question incorrectly options. Enter the target timestamps for each option. Once finishing setting the jumps, click Save to save the progress.
Create hot spots/buttons for learners to jump to the selected timestamp
Add a pause interaction to the interactive video and type in the text for the button. We recommend leaving a line between each button to ensure enough space between each button.
Highlight the text for the first button, and click the Jump icon in the rich text editor.
Enter the desired timestamp on the popup window, and change the styling effect to Primary Button. The Jump time format is hours: minutes: seconds. milliseconds. You can also change the button color with the color picker. Then click on Insert to create the first button.
Repeat the steps above to build out all the buttons.
(Optional) By default, the button will be placed on the left sidebar. To place it overlay on the video, click the Placement on the top and select a new placement for the interaction. You can also expand the Advanced settings to further adjust the placement, size, and opacity of the interaction.
Add jump to the feedback of the interaction
Click on the gear icon behind the answer option and select Add Feedback.
Type in the feedback, highlight the text you want to build into a button and select the Jump icon in the rich text editor.
Enter the desired timestamp on the popup window, and change the styling effect to Primary Button. The Jump time format is hours: minutes: seconds. milliseconds. You can also change the button color with the color picker. Then click on Insert to create the first button.
Repeat the steps above to build out all the buttons.
Add auto jump to the interactive video
When learners reach the timestamp of an auto-jump interaction, they will automatically jump to the selected section of the interactive video. It will be beneficial if the instructor wants to branch learners to a desired section of the interactive video without interrupting them from watching it. Please follow the steps below to add auto jump to the interactive video.
Click Create New Interaction, and select the Auto jump interaction from the template section.
Enter the target timestamp and click Save to save the interaction.
Adjust interactive video settings for branched learning interactive video
Click on the Review tab on the top, expand the Playback Options, and check the following options:
- Allow learners to skip interactions
- Allow viewers to fast forward
These two options will allow learners to jump to different sections of the interactive video and prevent them from being restricted by the interactions unrelated to their branched learning experience.
Preview and playtest the branched learning interactive video
Click the Review tab and select Preview.
Click the gear icon in the lower right corner of the player and change the playback mode to Learner.
FAQs
How to acquire the timestamp to set up branched learning?
After importing all the video segments to the interactive video Designer, you can click the Play button on the lower left to preview the video and find the timestamp above the Play button. You can also click on the timestamp to copy it into your clipboard.
You can also drop down the timestamp and create a simple wireframe to help visualize the learners’ workflow in the branched learning interactive video.
Why are some questions left blank on the monitor page after learners complete the interactive video?
Learners will only interact with the interactions included in the section they choose or are assigned to watch. For example, if the learner selects to jump and start watching the interactive video from 2:30, they will not see nor interact with the interactions that take place before 2:30. Therefore, those interactions will be left blank after the learner completes the interactive video.
Learners’ experiences inherently differ from each other based on their choices and responses when taking a branched learning interactive video. This unique characteristic makes branched learning an engaging and intuitive experience for learners to acquire new knowledge and skills in a learner-centered environment. However, because learners might see and encounter different questions, the branched learning interactive video might not be the best tool to create a summative assessment.
When to use auto jump?
When learners reach the auto jump interaction, they will be seamlessly sent to the selected timestamp. It will be beneficial if the instructor wants to branch learners to a desired section of the interactive video without interrupting them from watching it.
For example, if the instructor lets learners choose to watch section A or B of the interactive video, the instructor can add an auto jump at the end of section A to allow learners who decide to watch section A to skip section B.
Why allow learners to skip interactions and fast forward?
The jump feature will only work when learners have the ability to move from different timestamps in the interactive video. Therefore, the instructor will need to enable the fast forward option to allow learners to jump from timestamp to timestamp in the branched learning interactive video.
Similarly, if there is an unskippable interaction in the interactive video, Learners will be forced to stop at that interaction and can’t jump to the desired part of the interactive video. For example, if a learner needs to jump from 1:00 to 2:00 in a interactive video, and there is a required interaction at 1:30. The learners will end up stopping at 1:30 to answer the question and will not be sent to the desired timestamp.
Also, please instruct the learners not to use the progress bar or the fast forward/rewind button to navigate the branched learning interactive video because it could potentially break the learning experience.
Will learners know they are being jumped?
Yes, when learners jump to a timestamp in the interactive video, they will see a toast in the top right corner to indicate that they have been jumped.
Can I jump learners to a specific question?
To jump learners to different questions in the interactive video, instructors can put the questions to different timestamps in the video and jump learners to those timestamps according to their choices.
For example, instructors can place the first question at 00:08 and the second question at 00:09, and jump learners to either timestamp based on their answer to the first poll question.
If the instructor doesn’t want learners who answer question 1 to see question 2, the instructor can also add an auto jump after the first question to skip the second question.