Jessica Bernards is a math professor at Portland Community College and University of Oregon. This instructional example centers on a curated series of short, asynchronous study skills videos paired with structured in-class and out-of-class activities. The videos explicitly teach learning strategies such as effective note-taking, exam preparation, error analysis, time management, group work, and productive struggle. Rather than assuming students already know how to study effectively, the video collection makes learning strategies visible, explicit, and teachable. This exemplifies instructional transparency, unveiling unspoken classroom norms and helping students understand how to succeed in college math courses.
Use of study skills videos is grounded in evidence-based teaching strategies including metacognition and self-regulated learning, and active learning. Students engage with videos before or during class and then complete guided activities that ask them to apply strategies to current coursework, reflect on effectiveness, and revise their approach. This moves students from passive consumption to intentional skill building. While situated in a math context, the skills included in this collection of videos are intentionally transferable across disciplines and academic pathways.
Students report increased confidence, reduced anxiety, and improved study behaviors after watching the videos and participating in the related reflections. Bernards and fellow instructors have observed stronger preparation, greater engagement with feedback, and improved persistence, particularly among students who previously struggled in math. Studies of math classes using these videos have found an increase of 14%+ in pass rates. Because the video strategies focus on learning processes rather than content, the materials have been successfully adapted for use in other disciplines.
Digital Resources
YouTube
The primary digital tool used is a YouTube playlist that hosts short, focused videos that students can access on demand, revisit as needed, and view at their own pace. This flexibility supports varied schedules, learning speeds, and accessibility needs of students. The videos in the collection are ADA compliant and carefully curated to portray all types of students. Bernards provides access to adaptable worksheets, reflection prompts, and activity guides via a Google Drive which allows fellow instructors to adapt and integrate the files into any learning management system or classroom modality.
Digital Enablement
To support equitable implementation, the videos are intentionally short, mobile-friendly, and captioned. Materials are free and require no paid platforms or specialized technology. Activities emphasize reflection and growth rather than deficit framing and normalize struggle as part of learning, which helps students to feel they belong in the math classroom. Instructors are encouraged to provide multiple ways for students to engage, including written, verbal, and discussion-based options, and to explicitly connect study strategies to students’ lived experiences, work schedules, and responsibilities.
Together, the video collection and associated student activities allow for consistent delivery of high-quality instruction while preserving instructor time and enabling repeated practice. Academic expectations become explicit, hidden curriculum barriers are reduced, and flexible, reusable learning supports are provided that meet students where they are. Technology enhances the evidence-based practices by extending learning beyond class time and supporting self-regulated learning.