Edited by Dr. David J. Ayersman, Mary Washington College, and Dr. W. Michael Reed, New York University
formerly Journal of Research on Computing in Education

JRCE, Volume 33, Number 1, Fall 2000

Kevin Harrigan
University of Waterloo and TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence

Abstract

The SPECIAL system is a computer application that allows learners to control the speed of video playback. In this study, learners viewed an educational video and then used a modified version of the SPECIAL system to search for particular items during playback. The following questions were addressed:

1. What speeds will the learner use?
2. Does searching for audio segments versus video segments affect search time?
3. Is there a difference in search time depending on the video type?

Results showed that question type or video type had no significant effect. Learners used increases in speed up to 40%. It is concluded that multimedia computer applications should have controls for variable speed playback.

Contributor

Kevin Harrigan received his BSc and MSc in computer science from the University of New Brunswick and his PhD in education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Kevin is currently with the TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence and is a research assistant professor in computer science at the University of Waterloo. His research interests include human–computer interaction issues related to (1) using sound in educational multimedia and (2) creating design tools for designing educational multimedia.

Address: Computer Science Department and TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence, Room 4050, Math and Computer Building, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada; kevinh@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca.

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Copyright © 2000, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). All rights reserved.