Abstract: This research article investigates the use of different video production styles (media design) of advertised intro videos and the actual lecture video in educational online courses. A total of 448 intro videos and 448 corresponding lecture videos [N= 896] have been sampled from different universities all over the world. These videos were distributed as part of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on the platforms edX, Coursera, Futurelearn and Iversity.
The results show that there is a highly significant difference in media design parameters between the course intro videos used to advertise the course compared to the lecture videos. For example, intro videos make more frequent use of e.g. different framing sizes, animations, time lapse, additional footage, moving photography or sound design. The actual lecture videos only marginally use these media specific affordances.
It is argued that this highly significant difference in the media design of the intro and lecture video could be a contributor to the frequently lamented high dropout rates of online courses, as it creates high expectations with the participants, but in the end delivers ‘traditional’ lectures.