Whether in education or business, short-form videos can deliver highly targeted messages that are captivating in their ability to engage an audience. Because of this, they are becoming increasingly popular ways for institutions and brands to communicate their value propositions.
Originally, videos were limited in their use to long-form formats that could deliver a persuasive or engaging lecture. While it can still be helpful to utilize this kind of video content for educational purposes, short-form, educational videos have been proving to be just as effective in delivering messages that motivate people.
How Educational Videos Can Be Used
Short-form, educational videos are quickly becoming a popular way to present content in the classroom. Whether in the form of a quick learning video or a teaching module, they are an engaging way to incorporate multimedia into your lessons. They can also make it easier for instructors to align their learning material with assessment and training information. When done correctly, short-form video content can also offer opportunities for meaningful collaboration and discussion.
What makes these videos work for educational purposes is their ability to engage students in a topic without taking too much of their time. While it will vary from topic to topic, the average length of a short-form video is less than three minutes. Compared to a lecture that can be upwards of 30 or 60 minutes in duration, this allows students more opportunities to digest and reflect on content in a meaningful way.
7 Benefits of Educational Video Content
There are many benefits to using educational video content within the classroom.
#1 Introduce concepts and key points in a concise manner, which makes them an excellent way to “preview” what students will be learning later in the lesson or module.
#2 Break down complex concepts into more easily-digestible material that can be shared with students, at any time.
#3 Share topical information that is relevant to the content of the video in order to tie it into the lesson plan of the day.
#4 Supplement long-form lecture videos (and vice versa) by providing additional information for concepts or topics that may not be thoroughly covered in the initial video.
#5 Highlight information that instructors want to make sure their students are aware of, without attempting to provide an entire lecture during class time.
#6 Make it easier for students to reference course content outside of the classroom, either as a study tool or as part-time homework assignments.
#7 Make it easier for teachers to align their learning material with assessment and training information.
Educational content in video form is extremely beneficial to students. Short-form videos are becoming the most popular educational video content. Long-form videos often lose the attention of students, especially those who are younger.
Who Benefits Most From Videos?
Any individual can benefit from the use of educational videos. They are particularly helpful in courses where a lot of information needs to be covered in a short amount of time, or in situations where students would benefit from supplemental support outside of the classroom.
Individuals who may want to make better use of these types of videos include:
· Instructors who want to ensure that their students are aware of certain key points that will be discussed later in class
· Teachers or instructors whose content is very complex or difficult to understand
· Instructors who encourage students to review course material outside of the classroom to better retain information
· Individuals who are looking to supplement their learning with educational videos
So, if you are an instructor or teacher, consider using short-form video content that is relevant and/or supplemental to the material you cover in class. It will help your students focus on specific information without taking up too much time before beginning an assignment.
Additionally, because these videos can spark meaningful discussion, they are greatly beneficial in classes that include group activities or case studies. This includes courses related to peer-to-peer collaboration and leveraging community resources. Anyone who wants to post course material outside of the classroom, either as a study tool or as part-time homework assignments, will find these videos to be especially helpful.
How To Keep Students Engaged With Video Content
One of the challenges with using videos in the classroom is that some students will immediately disengage when they begin playing. To avoid this, make sure to use video exercises or activities that require students to pay attention throughout the entire video. You can also ask open-ended questions that encourage students to reflect on certain key points presented in the video. This will help them to engage with the material being covered.
While there are many benefits to using educational videos in the classroom, one pitfall is that instructors may turn to lower-quality videos because they are less expensive or accessible. It can be tempting for instructors to explore video content from sources outside of the school or to turn to free sources on the web, but instructors must stick to high-quality content. Low-quality educational videos can result in poor learning outcomes for students, so be sure to do your research before diving into a new source of the material.
Videos will be the future of education. It’s hard to deny that they help students learn more quickly and effectively, using less time than alternative teaching methods. While they can come with some extra costs, they also help instructors to engage students and cover more material. If you’re not quite sure where to start integrating video content into the classroom, try using them as pre-class introductions or as a supplement for long-form lectures. Once you’ve seen how much it benefits your students and your teaching style, you may find yourself looking for new ways to use them in the classroom.
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