Enhancing Student Comprehension: The Impact of Pre-Recorded Theory Sessions on Understanding Foundational Concepts

The integration of recorded lectures into higher education has enhanced flexibility, accessibility, and inclusivity in learning. Pre-recorded content allows students to revisit material at their own pace, supporting diverse learning needs and improving knowledge retention. While blended and flipped classroom models have shown promise, limitations such as reduced real-time interaction and feedback remain. Although recorded lectures have been effective in other disciplines, limited research exists on their impact within Sports Therapy education, particularly regarding their integration with face-to-face teaching. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of engagement with pre-recorded lectures on student performance and perceptions in an undergraduate Sports Therapy module.
Participants were second-year undergraduate students (n = 47) enrolled on a single semester, Vertebral Assessment and Mobilisation module. Six short, pre-recorded lectures (range = 6.5-17.2 minutes) were delivered via Panopto and aligned with the indicative module content. Students initially had one week to view each lecture, with engagement tracked and recorded via Panopto analytics. Following this period, students completed a brief formative MCQ assessment based on the pre-recorded lecture content. Videos were then made available for students for further revision purposes. A summative MCQ assessment was conducted at the end of the module, with student scores on the viva component of their summative module assessment also being recorded. A post-assessment questionnaire captured student perceptions of the pre-recorded content on a Likert rating scale of 1 to 5. Statistical correlations were used to examine relationships between lecture engagement and assessment performance. Questionnaire responses provided additional insight into students’ attitudes toward the pre-recorded lectures.
Engagement with the videos during the initial 7-day viewing window was low, with a mean engagement rate of 26.6% (range = 8.5%–44.7%). A statistically significant correlation between video engagement and test performance was observed only for Video 4 (τb = 0.270, p ≤ 0.05) and Video 5 (τb = 0.500, p ≤ 0.001). Cumulative video engagement across the module increased (mean = 46.5%, range = 31.9%–57.4%), and was significantly correlated with both summative test scores (τb = 0.383, p ≤ 0.005) and viva grades (τb = 0.315, p ≤ 0.005). Engagement with the videos during the 7 days preceding the summative module exam declined in comparison to the initial 7-day viewing windows (mean = 22.0%, range = 19.1%–31.9%) and showed no significant correlation with viva performance. Questionnaire analysis (n = 33) revealed that the highest mean scores were for the items ‘the pre-recorded lectures were useful’ (4.42), ‘the pre-recorded lectures provided more opportunities to review the material at any time’ (4.30), and ‘I support the inclusion of pre-recorded lectures in the educational process’ (4.27).
This study reinforces the pedagogical value of pre-recorded lectures in supporting student learning within Sports Therapy education. While overall engagement with the content increased over the course of the module and was positively associated with both summative test and viva performance, initial engagement during the designated weekly viewing windows was low. Notably, engagement in the final 7 days prior to the summative exam, often indicative of ‘cramming’, was lower than earlier in the module and showed no significant relationship with assessment outcomes. These findings suggest that short-term, last-minute revision strategies are less effective than sustained engagement over time. Encouraging consistent interaction with learning materials throughout the module may therefore be critical to improving academic performance and fostering deeper learning.