Measuring Engagement and Learning about Evolution through Online Videos

Science communication to the public can help create informed citizens and help bolster professional creativity and skills. A method for exploring this discourse is through art and multimedia. In this study, online educational videos were created to test whether specific misconceptions about biological evolution could be effectively addressed while also engaging the viewer. Two short videos (~5 minutes total) were created and hosted on a website where participants could access the videos. Survey questions were provided before and after the videos to test participants' learning abilities. Additional survey questions asked for participants' opinions and experiences with the videos to gauge engagement. Overall improvement was observed in participants' learning and engagement with the videos but with variable levels of understanding and suggestions for better experience. Future work will focus on improving the quality of the video content as well as the level of engagement between participants and media.