Videos are a great tool for eLearning. Videos not only reduce cognitive load but also capture viewer attention, contributing to enhanced learner engagement. In this article, I show you the benefits and the future of Video Based Learning for digital learners.
Video-Based Learning, as We Know Today
Modern learners seek training that is flexible, mobile-friendly, concise, and targeted. They prefer engaging in microlearning – small, focused learning units – that fit their fast-paced, multitasking lifestyles. Video-based learning meets these needs perfectly by offering immersive experiences that leverage mobile learning (mLearning) and microlearning.
Videos are increasingly recognized as crucial tools for remote learning, supplementing Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and blended learning approaches. Their ability to reduce cognitive load, capture attention, and enhance engagement makes them superior to traditional text or infographics. Video content, with its dynamic and multifaceted nature, leads to higher recall and retention rates.
Key qualities of training videos that resonate with today’s learners include:
- Engagement and “Stickiness”: Well-crafted videos are found to be more engaging and addictive, encouraging learners to complete courses and seek more.
- Cognitive Impact: Videos, particularly those employing microlearning techniques, prompt learners to reflect and assimilate new concepts, fostering a deeper understanding and change in thinking.
- Behavioral Change: Videos excel in demonstrating desired behaviors through gamification, simulations, and interactive content, effectively guiding learners towards behavioral transformation.
- Multigenerational Appeal: Videos cater to a diverse, cross-generational workforce, delivering content in digestible formats suited for mobile learning.
Integrating these elements into video-based learning strategies ensures their effectiveness and preference in our rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Why Should You Integrate Videos into Your Corporate Training Strategy?
In the evolving landscape of corporate training, the integration of videos is crucial for addressing a broad spectrum of training needs, including:
- Adaptable Online Formal Training: Facilitate training that employees can conveniently access on the go, aligning with today’s mobile-first approach.
- Augmented Instructor-Led Training (ILT): Enhance ILT with pre, during, and post-workshop video resources for a more comprehensive learning experience.
- Just-in-Time Learning Aids: Provide instant learning support through easily accessible video content.
- Informal and Social Learning: Leverage videos for informal knowledge sharing and to foster community learning through social platforms.
In addition to these learning modalities, video-based learning plays a pivotal role in strategic corporate initiatives:
- Raising Awareness and Change Management: Use videos for effectively disseminating key information and supporting change management processes.
- Maintaining Engagement Post-Training: Keep learners engaged and connected even after training completion through continual video updates and refresher content.
Interactive videos and cutting-edge formats are instrumental in crafting immersive learning experiences for remote learners. These include:
- eLearning-style Interactions: Incorporate interactive elements like clickable hotspots, carousels, and reveal mechanisms.
- Gamification: Enhance engagement through gamified elements within videos.
- Continuous Assessment: Embed interim knowledge checks and end-of-video assessments for ongoing evaluation.
- Branching Scenarios for Decision Making: Offer complex, decision-based learning paths that adapt based on learner choices.
- Supportive Learning Aids: Include quick reference guides, ready reckoners, and concise learning summaries within video content.
What Tips and Strategies Can Make Your eLearning Videos Engaging for Digital Learners?
Transforming eLearning videos into highly engaging resources requires innovative strategies. Here are 6 tips to help you enhance the impact of your videos:
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Spark Curiosity with Previews:
Use short, intriguing previews or teaser videos at the beginning of your course to spark curiosity. This approach leverages the innate human desire for exploration, setting the stage for learner engagement.
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Attention Analytics:
Utilize analytics to understand which parts of the video captivate learners the most. Adjust content based on this feedback, focusing on sections that maintain high engagement.
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Dynamic Visuals and Graphics:
Incorporate vivid graphics, high-quality video, and captivating animations to make your content visually appealing. This approach helps in sustaining interest and enhancing the learning experience.
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Optimized Audio Quality:
Ensure high-quality, well-synchronized audio. Avoid overwhelming background music during narrations and use narrators with clear, engaging voices to maintain learner focus.
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Storytelling and Real-world Relatability:
Integrate storytelling into your videos. Create narratives around relatable scenarios such as workplace challenges or real-life case studies. This method helps in contextualizing learning and making it more applicable to the learner’s environment.
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Microlearning Integration:
Use micro video modules to narrate a story or a case study, allowing learners to digest content in manageable segments. This approach is particularly effective for complex topics, breaking them down into simpler, more understandable parts.
What Are the Major Benefits of Video Based Learning?
In today’s fast-paced digital era, video-based learning stands as a beacon of innovation in educational strategies, catering to a diverse range of learning needs and styles. This multifaceted approach offers numerous benefits:
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Flexibility and Practicality:
Video-based learning transcends traditional boundaries of time and location, offering unparalleled flexibility. This adaptability is crucial for accommodating the varied schedules and lifestyles of modern learners, ensuring that educational opportunities are always within reach.
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Microlearning and Engagement:
With attention spans dwindling, video-based learning emerges as a champion of microlearning. Short, engaging video content caters to this need, providing bite-sized learning that is both effective and captivating.
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Customizability and Interactivity:
The customizable nature of video-based learning, augmented by interactive elements like hotspots and branching scenarios, significantly enhances learner engagement and retention, making education not just a task but an experience.
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Cost-Effectiveness:
Video-based learning proves its worth as a cost-effective alternative to traditional classroom settings. This approach reduces logistical expenses and provides scalable solutions, particularly in corporate training environments.
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Accessibility and Technology Integration:
Leveraging technology, video-based learning breaks down barriers to accessibility. This approach, empowered by the internet and various digital tools, ensures that learning is not confined to a specific place or group, but is universally accessible.
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Experiential Learning and Retention:
By combining text, visuals, and audio, video-based learning fosters experiential learning opportunities. This multimodal approach significantly enhances information retention, turning passive viewing into an active learning experience.
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Multigenerational Workforce Appeal:
In an era marked by diverse workforces spanning multiple generations, video-based learning stands out for its universal appeal, engaging everyone from Baby Boomers to Gen Z with equal efficacy.
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Leveraging for Various Learning Needs:
This flexible educational tool seamlessly adapts to various learning requirements – from formal training and informal learning to performance support, making it an indispensable asset in modern L&D strategies.
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Alignment with Current Media Consumption Trends:
Reflecting the popularity of platforms like YouTube and TikTok, video-based learning aligns with contemporary media consumption trends, resonating particularly well with the younger demographic.
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Integration with Social Learning:
Video-based learning enhances social learning strategies, facilitating knowledge sharing and discussion among peers, thus fostering a collaborative learning environment.
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Augmenting Traditional Training:
Offering a blended approach, video-based learning complements traditional training methods, catering to diverse learning preferences and enhancing the overall educational experience.
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AI in Video Development:
The advent of AI in video production democratizes content creation, enabling rapid and customized video development, making it accessible even to those without technical expertise.
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Content Update and Management:
The dynamic nature of video-based content allows for easy updates and management, ensuring that learners always have access to the most current and relevant information.
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Leveraging Interactive Videos:
Interactive videos enhance learning effectiveness by engaging learners through interactive activities, making the learning process more immersive and impactful.
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Microlearning Videos:
The trend towards microlearning videos addresses the need for concise, focused content that aligns with modern attention spans and busy schedules.
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Exploring New Age Formats:
The exploration of innovative formats such as 360-degree videos, VR, and AR, propels video-based learning into a realm of immersive and experiential learning experiences, offering learners a glimpse into the future of education.
What Does the Future of Video Based Learning Look Like?
Video-based learning, already a staple in learning and development (L&D), is poised to become even more pivotal in the future. Moving forward, the shift towards hybrid workplace models, accelerated by post-pandemic changes, emphasizes the need for flexible, accessible learning strategies. Video-based learning is uniquely positioned to meet these demands, offering engaging, versatile, and effective training solutions that resonate with a diverse workforce.
Looking ahead, the integration of advanced technologies like AI, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality in video-based learning will further enhance its effectiveness. These innovations promise to create more immersive, interactive, and personalized learning experiences, adapting to the evolving needs of learners in various industries. Consequently, video-based learning is not just an optional tool but a cornerstone in the arsenal of corporate learning programs, essential for addressing the dynamic challenges and opportunities of the modern workplace.
Parting Thoughts
In summary, video-based learning is a vital component of contemporary eLearning, offering significant advantages in flexibility, engagement, and adaptability to diverse learner needs. It aligns perfectly with modern digital trends and the requirements of a hybrid work environment. The integration of technologies like AI, AR, and microlearning in video-based learning is enhancing its effectiveness and appeal across a multigenerational workforce. As we look forward, video-based learning is poised to become even more crucial in learning and development, evolving with technological advancements to offer immersive, personalized learning experiences. This makes it an essential element in corporate training strategies, adept at meeting the dynamic demands of today’s learners and the evolving landscape of the workplace.
