Why Use Video for Learning?

Video has been a passion of mine for a number of years. Why? Because when it’s done well it’s so engaging. We know from research that our brains are hard-wired to take notice of moving images – it might be prey or predator (or even a potential mate).  We all now watch tonnes of online video – if I want to know how to do something I’ll generally search YouTube before I search Google. I find it frustrating, therefore, that we don’t use it more for learning purposes.

The historical reasons for this have been cost of equipment, the high level of skill required to produce it, low bandwidth / slow corporate networks, the cringe-inducing ‘corporate videos’ that we’ve all seen. These reasons are becoming eroded and it’s easier than ever to grab a camera and shoot some instructionally effective video.

Here are a few ideas on how video could be used for learning purposes:

• Guided tours of new products , equipment or facilities
• Providing tips from subject matter experts
• Providing strategic messages from senior managers
• Building branching video scenarios
• Showing examples of good and bad behaviour
• Using as a ‘spot the issue’ exercise.
• Having users shoot and submit their own video clips to demonstrate a skill or understanding.
• Giving cameras to new starters and asking them to shoot a two-minute video on an aspect of the organisation.
• Creating interactive video where objects and people in the video can be clicked on to launch more media.
• Tours of premises.
• Interviews with people from around the business.

…I could go on.

The best advice I can give you is to make more use of video. Get stuck in, experiment and see how you get on. It could be another valuable tool at your disposal.