Learning from video examples: Does instructor ethnicity (Western/Non-Western) affect test performance and self-efficacy of students from Vocational education?

Abstract

Current study investigated the possibility of instructor’s ethnicity having an effect on the test performance and self-efficacy from students of Vocational education when watching video modeling examples. The Vocational education students (N = 36) were randomly divided into two conditions (Western instructor, Non-Western instructor). The content of the video modeling examples were kept equal as well as the gender and age of the instructors. The students participated in a pretest and posttest about mathematical problems (fractions) and answered questions about mental effort and self-efficacy after making the pretest and after watching the video modeling examples, the students also gave a score for the quality of the instruction after watching the video modeling examples. Results did not show a significant effect (p > .05) of instructor’s ethnicity on the test performance and self-efficacy of students. However, there was a significant effect (p < .05) of instructor’s ethnicity on the scores students gave for the quality of the instruction. The results suggest that instructor’s ethnicity does not need to be taken into account when designing video modeling examples for students. Based on the limitations the results should be interpreted with caution and future research should replicate the study.