Student Assessment of the Relative Value of Video Tutorials as a Learning Resource in a Computer-Aided Drafting Course

Landscape designers rely on computer-aided drafting software to create technical drawings that are essential to the implementation of landscape designs.  These drawings may include master plans, planting plans, construction details, and other drawings deemed necessary for a particular project.  Computer literacy courses in the Department of Horticulture at Penn State introduce landscape contracting students to current software technologies utilized within the landscape industry.  Horticulture 220, Advanced CAD Applications, focuses on computer-aided drafting software, specifically AutoCAD.  To improve understanding of computer-aided drafting concepts during the Spring 2009 semester, the instructor used screen capture software to create video tutorials demonstrating various process and techniques.   These tutorials were made available for students to access during non-class hours.  At the conclusion of the course, students were surveyed to determine the effectiveness of the supplemental video tutorials in communicating course content.  A survey consisting of 10 questions was administered to 23 students.  Seventy four percent indicated that they had watched at least one of the video tutorials.  The survey also asked students to rank their preferred method of learning among the following:  lecture, live demonstration, self exploration, text book, and video demonstration.  Weighted scores were calculated for each method of learning by multiplying each rank by the frequency of response.  Mean rankings were calculated by dividing the weighted scores by the number of respondents. Live demonstration received the highest mean ranking of 1.43.  Lecture, self exploration, and video demonstration received mean rankings of 3.00, 3.08, and 3.13 respectively.  Text book received the lowest mean ranking of 4.47.  The results indicate that supplemental video tutorials are valued by students as a learning resource, and that in-class demonstrations are the preferred method of learning.