Leverage Video to Boost the Power of Your eLearning Courses

Dozens of research studies on social media point to one undeniable fact – video is the most powerful social media tool today. For example, by 2022, video will account for 82 percent of all consumer Internet traffic, according to a study conducted by Cisco.

Further, in 2019, every second, nearly a million minutes of video content will cross the network. It would take an individual over five million years to watch the amount of video launched each month.

The rapid rise of video consumption is not just within social media either. The business world has recognized the power of video and is leveraging it for multiple uses – including corporate eLearning courses. By 2016, 83 percent of organizations are predicted to use video as part of their digital learning, according to the Ambient Insight 2012-2017 Worldwide Mobile Learning Market – Longitudinal Trends report.

Video Delivers Multiple Benefits

eLearning experts say that video delivers multiple benefits to online training courses including:

• Adding the power of visual stimuli to communicate
• Provoking discussions among students
• Inviting learners to analyze and think
• Delivering smaller chunks of information that are easy to absorb
• Emotionally engaging the viewers
• Encouraging students to re-watch them as many times as needed

Among the advantages of video is its ability to leverage the proven power of visuals to enhance learning. Research has proven that one of the easiest ways to ensure that learners store information in their long-term memory is to pair concepts with meaningful images.

According to educational consultant Dr. Lynell Burmark: “…unless our words, concepts, ideas are hooked onto an image, they will go in one ear, sail through the brain, and go out the other ear. Words are processed by our short-term memory where we can only retain about seven bits of information (plus or minus two) … Images, on the other hand, go directly into long-term memory where they are indelibly etched.”

6 Video Formats to Consider Adding to Your Courses

If your company is ready to leverage the power of today’s fastest growing social and eLearning medium, here are six formats to consider when creating videos for your company’s training courses.

1. Demonstrate Procedures. Videos are particularly effective when they incorporate immersive scenarios and high-impact storylines to provide a better sense of realism. Examples include demonstrating “how-to” or “how-to-not” to do tasks, such as customer service interactions and sales transactions.
2. Conduct Expert Interviews. A great way in inform and motivate employees to share two- to three-minute video interviews with experts in your industry, famous speakers, and your company’s leadership. They could share lessons learned, best practices, and on-the-job advice.
3. Motivate Employees. To introduce a product or program you want to get your learners excited about, an inspiring introductory or closing video from your company’s senior leadership is a great way to get them motivated about what they are learning.
4. Share Testimonials. Hearing firsthand from other about your company and training program benefits can be a great teacher and motivator.
5. Conduct Virtual Field Trips. To give employees access to parts of the company that exist in different locations, consider a virtual tour of the headquarters, facilities, or campus. It is great to introduce new employees and inspire pride.
6. Deliver Micro Lectures. These works particularly well in areas where students may need to watch the video more than once to retain a lot of complex information.

5 Training Video Production Best Practices

Here are five best practices for incorporating video into your training courses:

1. Keep Your Videos Short. Videos shouldn’t be too long. Instead, they should contain short chunks of information that is well focused and can be easily absorbed, such as emphasizing a key point. These to-the-point videos have a better chance of capturing learners’ attention and keeping them engaged.
2. Make Your Videos Interactive. Videos should be interactive to keep your employees involved and focused on the points you’re highlighting. If your videos cannot be interactive, then follow them up with brief summaries of your main points, so your audience can retain all the necessary information.
3. Produce Quality Videos. Your videos should be well produced, with good quality sound, imaging, and acting. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they should cost a fortune. But a good quality video with powerful content will keep your students focused, versus distracting them and inducing criticism.
4. Place Videos Well in Your Courses. Consider incorporating video in three points of your eLearning courses – in the beginning, the middle, and the end.
   • Beginning. Make a powerful introduction to demonstrate your commitment to the learning objectives.
   • Middle. Deliver an exercise such as a “how-to” demonstration.
   • End. Summarize your points at the end with a memorable closure to grab your students’ attention.
5. Employ Creativity in Your Videos. Dull videos will never be well received. Think about how TV programs are shot, their plot, background music, and editing. Different camera angles, smooth or more intense music, good actors who emphasize, good lighting, and a tight scenario will be the parameters that will make a big difference and a powerful impression.

Few tools can add more to your eLearning program than video can. Even short, low-cost videos can have a significant impact on how your employees learn and are motivated to do their jobs better. Take the advice of today’s leading experts on social media and eLearning – and leverage the power of today’s fastest-growing social media in your eLearning courses – video.