Educational Videos for eLearning Platforms
One of the major changes brought about by the digital age is the way people access education. Sitting in a traditional classroom is no longer mandatory; more and more we see people taking online courses, taking exams via a virtual platform, and even defending theses through video conferencing. However you look at it, eLearning platforms have become an essential aspect of the online teaching and learning experience. And thanks to educational videos, such as tutorial videos or whiteboard animations, information on almost any topic can be quickly delivered and processed when the student wants it.
That said, not all videos are created equal. You need to understand the elements that make these videos work to get the most out of them. So, if you’re a teacher looking for innovative techniques to engage your students or are considering a different approach to improve your online classes, read on! In this article, we’ll discuss five ways videos can be a valuable resource for your virtual classroom and the benefits of using videos as part of your teaching strategies.
5 Ways Videos Can Be Invaluable to Your Teaching Strategies
1. Accuracy and information provision
Educational videos are the perfect device for more accurate information delivery in a shorter amount of time. By creating a script before you create your video, you can make sure what you say goes according to plan without worrying about forgetting important details or running out of time. Let’s take a math class as an example. You can create a 15 or 20 minute video for each module, combine it with some quizzes and additional lectures, and use video conferencing to answer any questions the students may have.
In addition, since the information is delivered in less time than a traditional lecture and in an asynchronous manner, the lesson as a whole is not only more accurate, but also leaves more time for other topics in the lesson schedule. There are no interruptions and the class debate is saved for Zoom meetings.
2. Occupation and involvement
Videos are a much more attractive method of information delivery than the alternatives. While allocating long lectures has always been the traditional way of teaching and learning outside of the classroom, students don’t always have the time or inclination to continue. This, combined with teachers from different subjects assigning different texts each week, means that students rarely keep up with the material.
With videos you take a burden off the shoulders of your students and you provide information through a medium that they have much more to do with. Plus, watching a video is less tiring than sitting for hours trying to understand a chapter from a textbook. Even if the topics covered in the video and in the textbook are the same, a video can explain them in simpler terms, use visual resources to illustrate examples, and generally facilitate understanding. Making a video with an engaging story that your students can relate to is always more engaging than just giving them a 50-page text full of technical terms and situations they don’t yet understand.
3. Accessibility and Availability
One of the most remarkable features of educational videos is how the content remains easily accessible to all students (as opposed to in-person lessons), which can be invaluable to people trying to realign their study schedule with other responsibilities. A common example of students who benefit from these accommodations are people who also work. Whether they have a 9-to-5 office job or work part-time shifts, they still have to spend most of their waking hours at work. And in most cases, the ability to join Zoom meetings is out of the question.
Let’s go back to the calculation example, let’s say you choose to use a short . to upload interpreter video about solving equations, instead of a mandatory Zoom call. This way you ensure that your working students do not fall behind with the teaching material and content; since the video is available at any time of the day, students can watch it in their spare time or during their work breaks.
Working students aren’t the only ones who benefit from that explainer video; students with disabilities may have a harder time meeting online or just attending class at specific times, even after schools choose to go back to face-to-face teaching [1]. By using educational videos, the students can still learn the content of the class and get through the school year with their peers.
4. Versatility, creativity and flexibility
Since the medium appeals to multiple senses at once, the efficiency and effectiveness of videos are virtually unparalleled. Not only do these videos allow you to tell and characterize stories to engage students, but you can also use visually appealing tools like animation to help you communicate abstract concepts that are more difficult to understand. After all, an animated video shows the etymology and phonetics of a word, with a narrator pronouncing it clearly, while transforming the letters of the objects they represent will be much more memorable and immersive than just staring at the text on a blackboard. to look.
While time and resources always define the limits of what you can achieve, it’s worth bearing in mind that videos are often scalable and evergreen. This means that, while daunting at first, developing a particular high-quality video is an endeavor that will continue to deliver reliable, desired results as long as the information in it is relevant and useful to students!
5. Scalability and longevity
Last but not least is the scalability and longevity of educational videos. In simple terms, scalability refers to the ability of a given system to handle growing amounts of work by adding resources to it. Remember you don’t have to do everything at once! You can build on your previous videos throughout the school year as you go through the lesson content week after week. Slowly but surely you create individual pieces that eventually become part of a cohesive set.
As for longevity, once a video is created, students can use it indefinitely as long as it’s available and relevant. And future students can also use it; there is no need to recreate videos for the same class year after year if the educational video has already been created and explains the necessary concepts perfectly. In this way, educational videos become a permanent source for both teachers and students, as long as the content does not need to be updated.
Conclusion
While education methodology is always evolving and trends are constantly changing, it is safe to say that eLearning platforms and the kind of educational content that comes with them are here to stay. So while it’s up to you and your organization to determine the best way to get started, educational videos are a powerful tool that you can’t ignore.
Fortunately, after reading this, you’ll have a better understanding of the range and potential uses of this powerful medium (and probably have more than a few great ideas on how to use video to enhance your eLearning platform!) put ideas to good use and start developing high-quality educational videos that help your students learn and make your organization stand out!
References:
[1] Celebrating World Autism Awareness Month: How does e-learning empower students with disabilities?