Discussion

A T-test performed to compare percent change in systolic blood pressure between individuals watching the traditional and non-traditional lectures returned a p-value of 0.047. This indicates that there is a significant difference between the two groups. Participants' blood pressure decreased more during the traditional lecture than it did during the non-traditional lecture. This is indicative of a lack of attentiveness during the traditional lecture. Participants' systolic blood pressure dropped, which indicates they may not have been engaged and were thereby not attentive to the video. 

      The LF percent power values, derived from the heart rate variability, showed no significant difference between the traditional and non-traditional lectures. The videos were compared by overall averages, the order of viewing, and preference of the viewer, yet none of these indicated a significant p-value when a t-test was conducted. Based on previous research increased stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system would indicated increased attentiveness. It was anticipated that participants would be more attentive during the non-traditional lecture, therefore, have a higher LF value. However, the results did not support this hypothesis. 

    No significant difference was found between the skin conductance of the participants during the traditional and non-traditional educational videos.  The findings do not support our hypothesis.  From prior research, the GSR should have increased with increased attentiveness.  Since it was expected that the participants would be more attentive during the non-traditional video, GSR was expected to increase as well.

    A significant difference was found between the level of attentiveness of the participant between the boring and entertaining videos. All participants had looked off-screen fewer times during the entertaining lecture regardless of the order in which they viewed the two videos. This finding compounds the existing literature and suggests that the style of teaching in the entertaining video may yield better results in the classroom. The findings supported our hypothesis that the EOG, representing attentiveness, would show the participants looking off-screen fewer times during the non-traditional video.

From the survey response data, it is clear that the non-traditional lecture was well received by participants'. This video was the most well-liked. Comparatively, no participants named the traditional lecture as their favorite video. This may indicate that students prefer a more fast-paced lecture featuring quickly changing animations on a conscious level. 

 Further, 47.1% of students named the control, a video featuring nature, as their favorite. Clarkson University, the location of the study, has a large population of nature-loving students. Therefore, using a nature video as the control could have introduced a bias to the study. Perhaps, a different proportion of students would have preferred different videos had the control been different. A nature video may have not been the best control choice due to the proportion of students who enjoy various outdoor activities. 

The greater portion of survey respondents, 70.6% of the responding participants, felt that the non-traditional lecture was more educational. This perceived level of educational merit is likely linked to participants' reception of the video. Simply put: more students like the non-traditional lecture, so more felt that they learned from it. This makes sense. People will tend to associate other positive aspects with things that they like. So, because they enjoyed the non-traditional lecture, students may have decided that it was more educational than the traditional lecture.