Maximize the Effectiveness of Videos in eLearning

When people want to learn a new skill, it’s common for them to find an instructional video to show them the ropes. People learn by example and videos provide an immersive experience with a human element that engages the brain of the learner.

Corporate eLearning training courses that rely only on text and animated graphics can eventually become monotonous for the learner. Breaking up the text and graphics with video provides another layer of interest and a higher level of learner engagement.

Hesitations

There are a couple reasons some eLearning developers are skeptical of using video in the courses they create. They may assume it’s too costly or that it’s too technical to make a video with sufficient educational value. These issues aren’t insurmountable and, if some simple guidelines are followed, shouldn’t be a reason to give up on the advantages of video in eLearning.

Creating effective videos

For a video to be a valuable component of an eLearning program, it must be done well.

Here are some ways to create a video that adds the maximum amount of profit to the learners:

Keep it short and sweet. A good rule of thumb to follow is that the longer the video is, the less likely the learner will watch it all the way to the end. Between three and five minutes is long enough to provide bite-sized chunks of information that can be quickly consumed.
Make it responsive. Tying an activity to the video encourages better comprehension and will also help the user to better engage with the content.
Quality matters. A shoddy video won’t do anyone any good. The users won’t pay attention to what they’re supposed to be learning, if they’re distracted by the lack of quality in the video. Make the best video possible with the available budget.
Consider including a transcript. It can be difficult to remember every part of a video, even a three minute one! Learners will appreciate having a script to follow along with and refer back to if they have the need.

Tips

Before you start to begin making quality eLearning videos for your training courses, consider these final tips to make the most of your efforts:

Availability on multiple devices. Mobile learning is huge. One of the biggest advantages of the rise in eLearning is the ability to access the learning content on the go. It’s important that the videos created be optimized for viewing on laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Put thought into file sizes. The larger the file, the longer it’s going to take to load. Consider the short time to you have to keep the attention of your audience. Find a happy medium so that your video file isn’t too large or too small so it isn’t a hindrance to the users.

When videos are made well, the benefit to the learner is invaluable. They comprehend and retain the content better and will then be able to put what they’ve learned into practice on the job.

At Designing Digitally, Inc. we create custom eLearning videos designed specifically for your training objectives. Contact the Designing Digitally team to improve your training today!