This study aimed to discover teacher views and opinions regarding the use of instructional videos in alternative high schools. The literature traces Social Learning Theory from Vygotsky and Piaget to Bandura and then discusses self-efficacy. The study highlights three building blocks of Social Learning Theory: collaboration, modeling, and observation.

The study used purposeful sampling to identify eight teachers from primarily three different alternative high schools as the participants. The first high school used a military cohort model where male and female students are separated, students live on the premises, and there is limited external contact with family and friends. The other two high schools were based on a traditional school format, were coed, students did not live on the premises, and, outside of the classroom, students were allowed external contact with family and friends.

The study collected data from pre-interview questionnaires, open-ended interviews, quantitative analysis of the transcripts using key words and acceptable alternatives, and four classroom observations.

Teachers viewed their use of instructional videos as promoting learning in a few different ways. Instructional videos served to complement existing lessons, enhance and act as an aid to serve more visual learners and support group collaboration and group projects.

Teachers viewed instructional video as facilitating learning by providing a link to real-time events and current life experiences. Instructional video addressed multiple dimensions of learning and is a familiar source of information for today's young generation.

Teachers viewed affordances to their use of instructional videos as including district support for equipment, teacher training and access to data. Constraints reported included lack of equipment, inadequate online digital information access and differences in perceived teaching philosophies. An important factor in affordances and constraints was the academic climate of the individual school settings.

Teachers viewed the use of instructional videos for encouraging construction of knowledge by providing a readily accessible foundation for collaboration and application of critical thinking skills. Interactive learning activities including online video-based exercises and student-generated video productions are examples.