How Coppin State University Improved Student Engagement Using Interactive Video and VR

All images courtesy of Coppin State University

 The challenge

In a digital-first world, traditional methods struggle to engage students. Professors Wendy Velez-Torres and Dr. Brothers-Gray from Coppin State University’s forensics program sought interactive tools to prioritize accessibility and boost student engagement.

The solution

PlayPosit by WeVideo gave Coppin State University an interactive video platform seamlessly paired with VR, enhancing engagement, tracking performance, and measuring impact. Professors used PlayPosit to:

• Create interactive video questions: Students process a crime scene with differentiated video questions and can only move forward once they’ve proven their understanding.
• Implement structured playlists: Wendy and Dr. Brothers-Gray combine 360-degree videos, online videos, 360 crime scenes, and Microsoft forms to provide thematic programs.
• Empower learners to create content: Students mock a crime scene with prompts provided throughout the video in preparation for their final assessment.

WeVideo’s commitment to accessibility ensured inclusivity through features like trigger warnings, captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions, supporting diverse learner needs.

The results

• 58.2% earned A grades
• 10% earned B grades
• 10% earned C grades
• 5% did not complete the assignment

Graduate students passed with A’s and B’s, with exceptional completion, performance, and engagement overall.

Key takeaways

Using VR and WeVideo together has shown:

• Enhanced Learning: VR boosts comprehension
• Effective Assessment: Validates WeVideo as a critical thinking tool
• Higher Ed Potential: Promises for academic integration

With or without VR labs on campus, and regardless of class size, WeVideo creates a cost-effective and unified solution to improving engagement outcomes through interactive video.

Hear their story

Watch Professors Wendy Velez-Torres and Dr. Brothers-Gray share their approach to using PlayPosit in Coppin State University’s forensics program, recorded during the PlayPosit Exchange summer event. Access the full session below.

Benefits of interactive video

• Triple engagement: Interactive video helps educators prove effective curricula with powerful analytics. Easily assess learner gaps and remediate accordingly.
• Create on-demand learning: Clickable elements like web embeds, multiple-choice questions, and drag-and-drops, promote flexible and engaging self-paced programs. 
• Personalize instruction: Target instruction with PlayPosit’s sequenced learning, playlists, jumps, and interactive touch points.

Practical strategies for educators

• Design meaningful video questions: Tailor video questions to students based on their level of comprehension. This creates equal opportunity for engagement and success, inclusive of different learning styles.
• Establish learning objectives: Prepare students for grades and assessments with clear objectives. For example, Wendy and Dr. Brothers-Gray’s digital capstone project includes the exact crime scene questions students will be asked at the end of the video to fuel engagement.
• Utilize data for repeat improvement: Analytics let instructors track completion attempts and progress, identify learner gaps and successes, and provide real-time feedback. Wendy and Dr. Brothers-Gray use this data to dictate the potentiality of VR in present and future higher education courses.