Exploring Engagement in Online Videos for Language Learning through YouTube’s Learning Analytics

Abstract

Until a few years ago, video analytics were not accessible to learning stakeholders, mainly because online video platforms did not share the users’ interactions on the system with stakeholders. However, this scenario has changed, and currently YouTube, the world’s largest media sharing site, offers these data. YouTube is also the main tool for transmitting audio-visual content in Language MOOCs (massive open online courses), and its video engagement data can be monitored through the YouTube Studio channel, which provides free and open access to video analytics. In this paper we present our research based on the analysis of viewers’ engagement with 35 videos of the Language MOOC entitled Alemán para hispanohablantes: basic principles (German for Spanish-speakers). The data provided by the YouTube Studio Learning Analytics platform has enabled new insights related to participants’ watching of these videos in Language MOOCs (LMOOCs). The results of our study provide pedagogical implications for Foreign Language instructors concerning the use of videos in language learning.