Instructional designers use videos to take their eLearning courses to the next level. Videos provide visual and audio elements that can set the tone for your eLearning better than text; however, it is important to use videos appropriately in order to meet the goals of your eLearning training. Videos can be used to introduce learners to a topic, or throughout a course to immerse the learner in the content.

Finding or Creating the Perfect Video

Creating a storyboard and developing your video from scratch is the best way to ensure your video directly addresses your learner’s needs; however that may not always be feasible. Whether you are finding a public video on the internet, searching through your companies files, or creating a new video from scratch, there are a few things to keep in mind.

In a Webinar, March 3, 2021 - Conversations on "Using Videos to Make Learners Cry, Laugh, and Engaged, Ray Jimenez recommends rating videos in three areas:

• Is it engaging? Videos should make you feel excited about what is coming next. If the video makes you feel like it is time to take a break and go get a glass of water before the ending, then it is not going to be useful.
• Is it useful? All content in your eLearning courses should be useful, and that stands true when using videos as well. Make sure your videos have a script that are directly related to the key competencies in your eLearning course.
• Does it meet the goal? Videos should be relevant to the content, directly related to the learning outcomes, and overall, they should add value to the course you are creating.

Tips for Effectively Incorporating Videos in eLearning

• The video tells a story - Many instructional designers recommend adding stories to courses and videos to add an emotional experience for the learner. Evoking emotion is one way to make a learner more engaged with the learning process.
• The video presents a problem that the learner needs to solve - Within the video you may present the learner with a choice, problem, or decision to make. This adds an emotional and interactive element to the video by giving the learner a task to accomplish or the think about.
• The video is interactive - Presenting a problem to the learner is one way to add an interactive element into a video. Additional ways to do this are to pause the video to ask a question, add an interactive multiple choice or drag and drop question,
• The video is short - Long videos tend to be boring. Short videos with bits of useful information will be the most beneficial

Remember that addressing learning outcomes is the top priority when it comes to any element of a course. Videos are a great way to engage learners and immerse your learners in the content of your course. If you need help creating the perfect eLearning curriculum for your workforce, [company_name] is here to help. Contact us today for your free consultation.