If we think about learning in any sense, what is more appealing – long, text-heavy pages of information, or shorter bits of text accompanied by imagery, be it in the form of videos, images, graphs etc? Most people relate better to text accompanied by visual aids which help them to grasp what they are reading. A visual aid is something that supplements words with a picture, chart, illustration or video.
Video-based learning is based on the principle of learning, through seeing. It is fast becoming a popular way to train and educate people, because it is interactive and thought-provoking. With most people spending their time in the digital realm, video-based learning makes sense in terms of overcoming real-world studying constraints, such as time and attention span. It is something that can be used in conjunction with other study methods to create a holistic online learning space.
Video-based learning comes in various forms – from home videos to professionally shot videos, to videos full of text and videos that speak volumes with no words needed. Learners will benefit differently from various forms of video content – it is finding the right mix for your staff or clients that is the hard part.
These work well for organisations that are very hands on, such as factories. Create short videos to send to your staff in order to show them how to assemble a product or how to use a certain machine in the factory. Videos in this sense, are the perfect tool for learning and teaching, as a manual on how to do it just wouldn’t have the same effect.
Share a motivational video with your staff about someone that has succeeded or overcome in one area of their lives. Better yet, get someone to film you telling your life story and how you got to where you are today – your staff will love that. Real-life scenarios or people have a greater impact in motivating others, than say, some non-fictional story.
Introducing yourself or a person in the company to staff members, can easily and very effectively be done through video – especially if that person is not in the same office or province as everyone else. Introductory videos are very popular with the induction process and usually involve introducing a CEO or team of managers to the new team member.
Screencasts have become a very popular way of tutoring of late. They are really effective at showing someone how to use a program or showing staff how to correctly file on their computers for example. Screencasts can easily be recorded on a computer through programmes such as Quicktime, while the person giving the lesson talks their learner through the process.
Informative videos do just that, they inform, but lots of information can tend to be boring and can cause disinterest very quickly. Informative videos should be kept shorter and to the point, to grasp your audience’s attention. If there is a lot of information to get across, try cutting your videos into chapters or a series of videos.
Make use of animated characters and objects to convey your message. This will cut your costs of using actors if need be and will also give a nice contrast to your video with a mix of animation and real-life. Of course you can also create your entire video as animation – this will be lots of fun for your learners.
Whatever kind of video you are creating, you will need to take into consideration the use of audio, text and graphics and how much or how little you will use them. Audio, unless spoken clearly and in a way that people understand, can often confuse the whole video, so use it wisely. Text in videos is usually also used sparingly in order not to divert from the purpose of the visual, but if it is used, make sure you use it as emphasis for something or to aid your learners in remembering something. Graphics can be great in boosting the message of a video, but can also look cheap and forced if not done correctly. Use them where necessary and they will enhance your video message.
With the ever increasing number of people using a computer and the busy schedules that most people have, video-based learning has really become a popular method of teaching and learning. It can be extremely diverse and beneficial to the learner and definitely an option to be considered for your next employee course or lesson.
Remember that with OnRamp, you can upload any of these videos! It’s easy-peasy, can add such value to your Playbook and can also make your overall training more effective.
To chat more about videos on OnRamp, drop us a mail: ashleighv@onramp.co.za