How Video is Beneficial for Online Learning?

“It has been said that 80% of what people learn is visual”.  Allen Klein

Visual learning has been a debatable topic over the years. While some say that videos put learners in a short-term passive role affecting their interactivity, others believe that visual learning provoke discussions and turn them into quick learners.

Before discussing further, have a look at the statistic below.

The popularity of YouTube is quite evidential as there are over 1 billion active users globally. Every minute, approx. 400 hours worth of video content is published on this platform by various users. The advent of mobile devices has facilitated people to spend most of their time in watching videos for entertainment and accessing visual information. Further, the average time spent on YouTube is 40 minutes per mobile session. 

All this has made it obligatory for the e-learning industry to adapt to these transforming habits of the learners where they need everything on their fingertips. Those who support interactive eLearning are vouching for videos in online learning courses as one of the most important trends.

As such, it can be said that videos encourage learners to analyze and think extensively. Further, videos can be re-watched multiple times, as and when needed and comprise of smaller chunks of information. This helps learners to absorb such information easily. With videos, learners are emotionally engaged as visuals have a long lasting and deeper impact on the viewer.

Key Benefits of Videos in ELearning

• Videos are explanation-friendly; describing complex concept becomes easier with them.  
• Videos aid in capturing attention quickly.
• These keep the learners engaged with their course.  
• Videos help learners store information easily.
• These are an effective tool for reinforcing the information that has been taught orally.
• Videos are great tools for starting discussions.
• Videos help in enhancing the entire learning experience by inviting the e-learners to think and analyze.
• Simulations that are highly used in training courses on processes can realize the full potential through videos.

But… Beware when you use Videos!

While videos can be great for elearners, if they are not produced well, they can have negative impact on the viewers, too. It is a must that the videos you use as online tutorials are interactive otherwise they can bore the learners. This in turn can cause them to lose their interest in the course material. The interactivity of videos make the learners concentrate, think, evaluate, act, and interact with them.

Moreover, videos should be created with proper bandwidth. If they are not compressed properly, playing those over a low bandwidth can cause issues. It is also necessary that the videos are created with high quality graphics and features like audio narration, gripping script, etc. If not, these issues can distract the learners.

The Bottom Story

To conclude, it can be said that video tutorials are very significant tool for delivering course content for many. Considering all the above benefits of videos, the value of video content cannot be ignored.  The interactive nature of nature these videos makes it easier for the learners to learn and understand things quickly. It is the visual image that makes the instructor a real person with whom the students are able to make a connection. Several research also support the effectiveness of videos in creating a sense of presence that further supports cognitive and social presence. In short, video support the various factors that are critical components to a successful learning experience.

Article Credit: startup simba