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Despite the widespread use of video lectures in online and blended learning environments, there is still debate whether the presence of an instructor in the video helps or hinders learning. According to social agency theory , seeing the instructor makes learners believe that s/he is personally teaching them, which leads to deeper cognitive processing and, in turn, better learning outcomes. Conversely, according to cognitive load theory , adding an image of the instructor may hinder attention engagement with lecture content due to split-attention effect. Not only are theoretical propositions conflicting, but so is the empirical evidence as well.

This study investigates the effects of the presence of the instructor’s face in the corner of an educational video on learning outcomes, perceived cognitive load, and perceived social presence in the context of foreign language vocabulary learning.

In an …