Learning from Time-Compressed Videotapes

In a freshman electrical engineering course an experiment was performed to evaluate the use of time-compressed videotaped lectures. The class of 192 students was randomly divided into three equal groups, with one group receiving live lectures, the second group videotaped lectures, and the third group 30 percent time-compressed videotaped lectures. The classes were tested during the experimental period, and the results indicated that there was no difference between the groups in learning as measured by the tests. Thus, it appears that time compression of videotaped lectures can be used to improve the efficiency of education.