Pedagogic prestidigitation: using magic tricks to enhance educational videos.

ABSTRACT: Previous research suggests that magic tricks can be employed within an educational context to enhance attention, engagement, critical thinking and recall. This study builds on this work by examining the impact of incorporating magic tricks into an online educational video. Adult participants (N = 198) completed a need for cognition scale and then watched a video containing either several bespoke card tricks that had been specially devised to help tell the story of the Apollo Moon landings (Magic Video), or an almost identical video that did not contain any magic tricks (Control Video). All participants rated their levels of engagement, absorption and recall. Compared to the Control Video, the Magic Video was rated as significantly more interesting, informative and absorbing. There w

SUBMITTER: Wiseman R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7380277 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature