Time-Compressed Instruction: What Compression Speeds Do Learners Prefer?

• In Event: Instructional Technology SIG Paper Session: Instructional Design and Technology Integration

Abstract

The study sought to explore learners’ perceptions of time-compressed speech in order to help determine what speeds they would prefer when listening for entertainment and learning purposes. Prior research has shown that instruction can be compressed up to 25% without depressing learning (high-level knowledge). In this study, participants answered a 30-question survey concerning their preferences towards compressed speech. They were presented with questions asking how much they preferred speech compressed at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. Participants consistently preferred the 10% compression speed. The implications of these results dictate that if learners or instructors want to compress speech, they should not do so past 10%, even though learning will not diminish up to around 25% compression.

Author

• Raymond Pastore, University of North Carolina - Wilmington