2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This project evaluates an instructional method that merges the flexibility of asynchronous video lectures with the responsiveness of synchronous instruction. The platform allows students to watch prerecorded lectures at their own pace (pausing, rewinding, skipping, or changing the video speed) while also enabling interaction with the instructor by asking questions directly tied to specific moments in the video. These questions can be submitted for live interaction with the instructor or TA during scheduled hours or asynchronously at any time with a delayed response. Once a response is provided, it becomes available to all learners, creating a cumulative, time-anchored knowledge base. Students control over whether to view each response, enabling personalized engagement without disrupting their learning flow. Students can view a list of all questions asked in a lecture or search through all available questions in the course and watch the corresponding responses.

This approach enhances instruction by delivering explanations precisely when confusion arises. It also supports student autonomy by enabling learners to take optional detours for prerequisite content, real-world applications, or advanced topics—each path returning to the main instructional thread. In this way, students of varying backgrounds and abilities can tailor their learning experience without fragmenting the course structure. Those needing additional support can access contextual examples and clarification, while more advanced learners can deepen their understanding through enriched content and peer inquiries. This method differs from adaptive pathways in that it does not rely on pre-scripted branching or algorithmic sequencing; instead, it evolves dynamically through student-driven questions and instructor responses and could be used as a precursor to developing adaptive pathways based on data-informed confusion points.

The method enables meaningful student-instructor interaction without requiring synchronous attendance, preserving the benefits of personalized support at scale. Over time, each lecture grows into a learning environment enriched by authentic student questions and instructor insights. By shifting video lectures from static presentations to adaptive, inquiry-driven experiences, this framework offers a more inclusive, interactive, and effective approach to online education.

This paper focuses on the initial results that are based on surveys conducted by an external consulting group and collected at two universities over three semesters. Outcome-driven assessments are currently being analyzed. The self-reported survey results show that over 90% of students reported improved understanding of course content and nearly three-quarters noted increased interest in the material. Most students valued the ability to ask questions as soon as they arose (40–60% depending on semester) and to view answers to peers’ questions at their own pace (70–80% depending on semester). Students emphasized that this platform helped them visualize complex concepts, stay engaged, and learn more efficiently by focusing on areas of personal difficulty while progressing quickly through familiar material. These results indicate that this platform not only enhances comprehension but also fosters confidence and motivation across a diverse range of learners and abilities.

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program.