Insights Into How Students Around the World Are Using Online Content In Their Educational Pursuits Addington Coppin Economics Department Oakland University
ABSTRACT We examine viewing times over a 2-year period for academic and non-academic videos uploaded to YouTube. The data for content uploaded prior to 2016 are delineated by mode of viewing: computer views vs. mobile phone views, and show (i) general declines in viewing times over the two year period, and (ii) a relative shift toward mobile phone viewing. Analyzing the data by viewing times in different regions of the world suggests that the viewing patterns identified above are generally robust. Alternative explanations are offered for shorter viewing times for both the academic and nonacademic video content. We also discuss implications for future production of academic video content.
1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan Graph 1 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 Lewis HD HT ISLM 400 200 0
1-Jan 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan Graph 2 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 I'll Go FactFiction Boundless Worship YourGrace CSB Kids 0
1-Jan 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan Graph 3 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 Lewis HD Boundless Worship 400 200 0
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Table 1: VIDEO VIEWS BY DEVICE Percentage of Total Views Computer 2016 2017 pt ch Mobile Phone 2016 2017 pt ch LEWIS MODEL 81 71-10 14 25 11 HD MODEL 77 64-13 18 33 14 HARRIS-TODARO 77 66-11 20 30 10 ISLMBP MODEL 83 72-11 9 24 15
Table 2: VIDEO VIEWING TIMES Computer Mobile Phone All Devices Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng LEWIS MODEL 3:21 2:38-21 2:44 1:57-29 3:17 2:29-24 HARROD-DOMAR 1:52 1:40-11 1:35 1:18-18 1:52 1:40-11 HARRIS-TODARO 2:30 2:09-14 2:21 1:34-33 2:29 2:00-19 ISLMBP MODEL 2:33 2:10-15 2:37 1:03-60 2:32 2:05-18
Table 3: VIEWING TIMES BY REGION - LEWIS MODEL Computer Mobile Phone All Devices LEWIS MODEL Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Length 15:41 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng World 3:21 2:38-21 2:44 1:57-29 3:17 2:29-24 Asia 3:00 2:23-21 2:26 1:35-35 2:53 2:04-28 North America 4:00 2:59-25 4:11 3:49-9 4:04 3:07-23 Europe 3:16 2:32-22 2:31 2:51 13 3:14 2:36-20 Views 5,569 6,921 24 956 2,393 150 6,866 9,737 42 of all views 81 71 14 25 95 96
Table 4: VIEWING TIMES BY REGION - HARROD-DOMAR MODEL Computer Mobile Phone All Devices HARROD- DOMAR Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Length 3:49 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng World 1:52 1:40-11 1:35 1:18-18 1:52 1:40-11 Asia 1:59 1:43-13 1:35 1:17-19 1:53 1:31-19 North America 1:54 1:42-11 1:50 2:01 10 1:54 1:45-8 Europe 1:44 1:30-13 1:31 1:23-9 1:43 1:30-13 Views 6,615 7,622 15 1,579 3,889 146 8,622 11,960 39 of all views 77 64 18 33 95 96
Table 5: VIEWING TIMES BY REGION - HARRIS-TODARO MODEL Computer Mobile Phone All Devices HARRIS- TODARO Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Length 6:57 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng World 2:30 2:04-17 2:21 1:34-33 2:29 2:00-19 Asia 2:27 2:14-9 2:17 1:28-36 2:23 1:52-22 North America 2:21 1:57-17 2:34 1:15-51 3:23 1:56-43 Europe 2:33 2:18-10 3:09 2:23-24 2:35 2:20-10 Views 1,264 1,689 34 323 774 140 1,644 2,551 55 of all views 77 66 20 30 97 97
Table 6: VIEWING TIMES BY REGION - ISLMBP MODEL Computer Mobile Phone All Devices ISLMBP MODEL Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Length 16:55 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng World 2:33 2:10-15 2:37 1:33-41 2:32 2:05-18 Asia North America Europe Views 2:19 1:54-18 2:48 1:07-60 2:23 1:38-31 2:58 3:05 4 1:25 2:49 99 2:52 3:05 8 2:29 2:07-15 3:10 2:27-23 2:35 2:13-14 1,064 1,884 77 143 601 77 1,280 2,626 105 of all views 83 72 18 33 92 95
ALL VIDEO CONTENT Percentage of Total Views Computer Mobile Phone 2016 2017 pt ch 2016 2017 pt ch HD MODEL 77 64-13 18 33 14 LEWIS MODEL 81 71-10 14 25 11 WORSHIP 45 30-15 42 54 13 BOUNDLESS 48 46-2 31 34 3
NON-ACADEMIC VIDEO CONTENT Computer Mobile Phone All Devices WORSHIP Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Length 3:33 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng World 2:00 1:37-19 1:46 1:24-21 1:57 1:33-21 Australasia 1:40 1:38-2 1:03 1:20 27 1:35 1:29-6 North America 2:25 1:40-31 1:58 1:29-25 2:11 1:36-27 Europe 1:03 1:56 84 1:45 NA 1:06 1:53 71 Views 373 878 135 345 1,571 355 830 2,894 249 of all views 45 30 42 54 87 85
NON-ACADEMIC VIDEO CONTENT Computer Mobile Phone All Devices BOUNDLESS Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Viewing Time (mins) Length 6:58 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng 2016 2017 chng World 2:14 2:24 7 1:58 1:35-19 2:21 2:09-9 Australasia 2:20 2:45 18 2:44 1:38-40 2:20 2:46 19 North America 2:29 3:09 27 1:49 1:28-19 2:29 2:33 3 Europe 2:30 1:37-35 1:43 1:20-22 2:14 1:48-19 Views 770 468-39 497 345-31 1,609 1,024-36 of all views 48 46 31 34 79 79
CONCLUSION Viewing times over a 2-year period for academic and non-academic videos uploaded to YouTube revealed (i) general declines in viewing times over the two year period, (ii) a relative shift toward mobile phone viewing, and (iii) generally shorter viewing times on mobile phones than on other devices (mainly computers, but also tablets). These findings are generally robust across major regions of the world.
CONCLUSION (cont d) To the extent that the ubiquity of mobile devices is expected to result in for shorter viewing times (for both the academic and non-academic video content), content producers might want to adjust video production to accommodate this technological shift. We suggest considering shorter videos, and formats that work well on smaller screens.