Democrat Agora Blogs Archive

Author: karsten

  • Learning with Short Videos

    The use of brief educational videos on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram offers a concise and engaging presentation of even complex learning material. A recent study investigated the question of whether short videos actually achieve learning effects.[1] In an online experiment, T. Otto (2025)[2] compared the learning effect of explanatory videos with that of text information.

    123 students were divided into four groups and provided with identical knowledge content.

    • Group one (n=30) has used a collection of short videos in the style of TikTok and Instagram, as well as short video-based learning material with a duration of 96 seconds
    • Group two (n=29) has acceded to a collection of short videos and text-based learning material totalling 256 words.
    • Group 3 (n=34) has not used for the collection of short videos but short video-based learning material.
    • Group 4 (n= 30) has not used for the collection of short videos or short video-based learning material but text-based learning material.

    The learning effects are divided in three categories: knowledge acquisition, rational thinking and surface learning. Otto hypothesised that people, who watch a short video collection score lower in knowledge acquisition quiz and in rational thinking test, but higher tendency for a surface learning[3] than participants who do not watch a short video collection.

    His experience did not confirm the assumptions regard knowledge acquisition and rational thinking, but the higher tendency for surface learning of the people using short video collection.

    Otto formulates two additional hypothesis:

    1. People, “who use video-based learning material score lower in knowledge acquisition quiz those learning with text-based learning material.
    2. People, “who watch a short video collection and learn with short video-based learning material score lower in the knowledge acquisition quiz than participants of other groups” (Otto 2025: 4).

    The experiments confirmed both hypothesis. The two groups using short video for learning scored lower in knowledge acquisition (M=16; SD=3.2) compared to tow groups using text material (M= 17,7; SD=2,8). The Group 1 using the short video collection and video learning material performed significantly lower that all three other groups.

    Table 1: Distribution of means and standard deviations on dependent variables by experimental condition
    Experimental ConditionQuiz1 M (SD)RT2 M (SD)SLA M (SD)n
    1.SVC & LM (Short Videos)14.8 (3.2)8.3 (2.7)3.1 (.8)30
    2.SVC & LM (Text)18.1 (2.9)9.2 (2.7)3.1 (.7)29
    3.No SVC & LM (Short Videos)17.1 (2.7)8.8 (3.1)2.6 (.9)34
    4.No SVC & LM (Text)17.7 (2.8)9.6 (2.8)2.7 (.9)30
    Note. SVC = Short video collection. LM = Learning material. RT = Rational thinking. SLA = Surface Learning Approach. 1 Maximum score = 25. 2 Maximum score = 14
    Source: Otto, T, (2015: 8)

    There were clear differences in the subsequent knowledge quiz and particularly in more complex application tasks: Overall, the participants of group 1, who had seen the videos and video-based learning material, performed worse. Otto argues that the passive viewing of short videos used in the experiment does not result in in-depth learning of the topic.

    This supports the concerns regarding the learning effectiveness of digital media unless they are used in a targeted and pedagogically supported way. Digital media is not a substitute for traditional learning tools such as reading texts and classroom discussions. A combination with other learning methods seems to be the appropriate way forward.

    Otto explains the findings of his experiment with the ‘cognitive theory of multimedia learning’, which advocates the use of multimedia teaching materials, as they facilitate the absorption and processing of information by appealing to the various sensory channels of the learner. The combination of text, images, audio and video has been demonstrated to be an effective method of consolidating concepts and enhancing long-term memory. This theory posits that information is absorbed via two separate channels: the auditory and the visual channel. However, both channels have a limited processing and storage capacity. The learning process builds on intake of information followed by filtering, selectin and organising the perceived information and integrating it into an existing knowledge reservoir. [4]

    Otto interprets the results of his study to mean that when watching short videos, there is insufficient time to link new knowledge with existing knowledge. The visual stimuli employed in such short videos may overwhelm the working memory, hindering effective processing and storage of the information in the knowledge reservoir.

    However, this does not mean that short educational videos are unsuitable for the purpose of knowledge transfer. Instead the results suggest that when selecting or designing short videos as learning material, their pace, subtitles and additional cognitive load should be taken into account in order to integrate them effectively into the learning environment.

    [1] The inspiration to wrote this blog cam from the Haas, M. (2025)presented in the news web of one German public television channe. Haas, M. (2025) Kurze Lernvideos auf Social Media erzielen täglich Millionen Klicks. Version from 29.06.2025. Retrieved 01.07.2025 at https://www.tagesschau.de/wissen/forschung/kurzvideos-erschweren-lernen-100.html

    [2] Otto, T, (2015) Should educators be concerned? The impact of short videos on rational thinking and learning: A comparative analysis. Computers & Education, 105330. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2025.105330

    [3] „Deep learning, as the name implies, refers to a deep approach to learning which promotes understanding and implementing new ideas into real life situations. It is a committed approach to learning where learners seek to understand meaning and can apply what they learn to new situations and contexts. Surface learning, on the contrary, refers to a rather monotonous approach to learning new facts and ideas uncritically and relies on rote learning. It is essentially about reproducing knowledge or skills without much understanding.“ https://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-deep-learning-and-surface-learning/ consulted 28/07/2025,

    [4] See Learning-theories.com/cognitive-theory-of-multimedia-learning-mayer.html referring to Mayer, R. E. (2002). Multimedia learning. Psychology of learning and motivation, 41, 85-139. DOI: 10.1016/S0079-7421(02)80005-6

  • Neoliberalism, Religious Nationalism and Democracy

    Following the inauguration of Presidency of D. Trump, global politics has undergone significant changes. Similarly, the internal situation of the United States has undergone changes resulting from the authoritarian shift in the presidency. Recent events, including the deployment of the National Guard in California to disperse demonstrations and the measures taken against Harvard University, demonstrate that Trump’s presidency has challenged the liberal democratic principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. The purpose of this blog, though, is to examine the concept of democracy that underlies Trump’s policies. The objective is to show continuities and disruption between the discourse about democracy between the Neoliberalism in the Post-II-World War period and religion conservatism or Christian Nationalism, which is a social movement behind the US-Presidency of D. Trump using the writing of Any Rand and Ludwig von Mises as references for neoliberal thinking, and the Project 2025 as reference for the actual political programme inspired in the Christian nationalism.

    Any Rand was neoliberal novelist and philosopher with considerable influence in the United States in the 1960s and 1970 [1]. The Rand foundation, which promotes here philosophy of Objectivism, is very active to promote neoliberal thoughts worldwide. L. von Mises was an economist on the line of the Austrian school and was member of the Mont Pèlerin Society [2]. The Mises foundation, which promotes his neoliberal thinking, but also anarcho-capitalist ideas, is as the Rand Foundation very active in promoting neoliberal thoughts.

    The Project 2025 [3] is a kind of manual to guide a second conservative ‘revolution’ similar to the ‘first conservative revolution’ of the US-Presidency of R. Reagan, for which the Heritage Foundation elaborates a similar document called ‘Mandate of Leadership’ published January 1981. According to the own foundation, this document had a strong influence on the politics of the Presidency of R. Reagan. The comparison of the neoliberal thought of Rand and Mises with the Project 2025 and the measures taken by the actual US Presidency shows the differences between neoliberalism and Christian nationalism regard democracy and the role of the state.

    The Project 2025 proposes a radical reduction of the state bureaucracy, while maintaining a strong state to defend the core values of the capitalist order. In the line of the thoughts of Ayn Rand, the project 2025 considers the need to go back to the principles of the original American constitution to limit the power of the state. Rand called this constitutional republic considering the USA as an example of such a republic. This echoed in the Project 2025 stating defending the individuals’ rights to live their best life without the interference of the state.

    Although a first look at the Project 2025 seems to indicate that it shares positions of the neoliberalism on society and the role of the liberal democratic state, a deeper analysis shows a considerable difference. A common position is the reducing the functions of the government to protect the capitalist order and not to interfere in the use of individual property. The difference lies in the fact that the Project 2025 linked the capitalist order to religious inspired values and norms. The defence of the capitalist order is the defence of Christianity. In defence of their idea of a religious America, the project 2025 conceives their strategy as a strategy of war against internal enemies – the wokeism – and external enemies, particularly China.

    This expressed the difference between the neoliberal thought of Rand and Mises and the agenda of the Project 2025. While Rand and also Mises defends the idea of a liberal democratic state or in Rands word the republican constitutionalism rejecting a wider influence of the state in the exercise of the individual rights, the ultraconservative project only proposed to eliminate those function of the state, which could counter its ultraconservative agenda to reinforce orthodox Christian values and norms and to protect the traditional family. In this sense the ultraconservative project advocates for a strong state centralised in the executive figure of the President to defend their idea of America advocating for a more authoritarian regime

    Still in the 1960’s and 1970’s the radical rationalist individualism of Rand, which reject the religious inspired altruism and limited religion to a personal affair, was combated by religious inspired political movements. Also the neoliberalism, defended by Mises reject any religious grounded argument in favour of capitalism and individual rights as it claims for by the Christian nationalist movements. The reference to Rand and Mises evidence a difference between the neoliberal movements and the religious nationalist movement, which inspired the politics of the actual Presidency of D. Trump.

    Although the actual foreign policy of the US-President Trump calls more the attention of the international debate, the real awareness should be focused on the internal policies, which is oriented to change the idiosyncrasy of the US political system towards a religious state imposing Christian values and norms in the society under the leadership of an authoritarian president. Similar movement of religious nationalisms are observable in Europe in form of different extreme right-wing parties, but also other parts of the world as e.g. in Indian with the actual government of Modi Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    A more detailed analysis can be consulted in the DEMOCRAT Working paper.

    [1] A. Rand became famous in the 1960s, for her bestseller novel “Atlas Shrugged” first published in 1957. She defended a radical rational and ethical egoism as opposed to altruism and hedonism.

    [2] The Mont Pelerin Society was founded in 1947 by academics, intellectuals and politicians to promote neoliberal ideas, especially in the field of economic governance. Prominent members were Nobel prize winner in economics  F. Hayek, M. Friedman, G. Stigler or G. Becker, other accademics as K. Popper but also politicians as Ludwig Erhard (minster of economic affairs from 1949 to 1963  and later Chancellor of the German Federal Republic from 1963 to 1966) or Václav Klaus (Szech president from 2003 to 2013), intellectuals as the nobel prize of literature Vargas Llosa or entrepreneurs as P. Thiele.

    [3] https://static.heritage.org/project2025/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf