From Videos to Insights: The Role of Scaffolded YouTube Teaching in Critical Thinking Courses

Abstract

This quantitative study investigates the relationship between students’ perceptions of scaffolded YouTube-based pedagogy and their academic achievement in a Critical Thinking Skills course. A total of 257 undergraduate students participated in the study, completing a 27-item, five-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS (v.25), applying descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression procedures.

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation revealed a seven-component solution, accounting for 62.8% of the total variance (KMO = .86; Bartlett’s Test, p < .001). Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for the overall scale was calculated at .72, indicating acceptable internal consistency. The findings demonstrated a statistically significant moderate correlation (r = .41, p < .001) between perceived pedagogical advantages and academic achievement. Regression analysis showed that perceptions of video-based instruction significantly predicted student grades, accounting for 16.8% of the variance.

These results underscore the pedagogical value of scaffolded video content in higher education, highlighting the importance of intentional instructional design for fostering critical engagement and academic success.