How do you create videos for your e-learning?

How do I create videos for my e-learning?

Videos are an important part of e-learning. They allow you to present your content in an engaging way. No more dusty textbooks, and a much better chance that students will actually remember the course material. In this blog, we’ll tell you exactly what to look out for to create effective and impactful videos for your e-learning.

Determine which learning objective the video supports

Think carefully in advance about which learning objective each video supports and what goal you want to achieve by presenting the video.

If you use microlearning in your e-learning, keep the videos short and punchy. You can also choose to use longer videos if that better suits your type of training. Just remember that "less is more": you obviously don't want the student to drop off halfway through the video. The same rule applies here: set clear goals and ensure the video aligns with them. Once the goals are met, the video is finished.

Do you already have videos, or do they need to be developed?

You may already possess some videos that you know you can use (with some adjustments) for your e-learning. There is software that helps you make your video suitable for e-learning.

If you don't have existing videos yet, they will need to be developed. Start small. With a phone, a quiet room, and a written script, you'll get further than you think.

Make the videos accessible

When you add videos to your e-learning, you naturally want them to be accessible to everyone at all times. The beauty of e-learning is that students can learn anytime, anywhere.

For example, in a busy train carriage (where they use subtitles because it's too noisy) or in a quiet carriage (where they use subtitles because it's too quiet to turn the sound on).

In other words: make your videos as accessible as possible. Not just for people on trains, but also for people who may have visual or hearing impairments. You can do this by:

• Adding subtitles.
• Integrating various contrast options so that the videos can be viewed in brightly lit or dark environments.
• Ensuring that the videos can be viewed on any device (laptop, tablet, phone) and are therefore suitable for different screen sizes.

Another important way to make your videos accessible is by using natural, conversational language. Make the viewer feel like you are talking directly to them and guide them through the material in clear, simple steps.

Integrate ‘calls to action’ to keep the viewer interested

Unfortunately, in practice, it sometimes happens that students start a video and then walk away to do something else, while still wanting to check the "complete" box for their module (or sometimes this is checked off automatically once the video ends).

This is obviously not the intention. How do you ensure the student stays engaged and maintains interaction with the video?

You can add a number of interactive elements to your video for this purpose:

• A short quiz
• Links to external resources where more information about the topics in the video can be found
• A brief evaluation moment, where the student can provide feedback on what they have learned, or on themselves (for example: how could you apply the knowledge from the video while working on this specific task in your job?)
• Offering various follow-up options. You can ask the student what they would like to learn more about and then provide the video that matches this choice. This gives the student freedom of choice and makes their learning process feel more personal and individualized.

Optimize your video scheduling

To maintain the viewer's interest, it is important not to wait too long before the first interaction with the video.

Schedule this 1 to 2 minutes after the start of the video. For example, you could choose to create a 1-2 minute video, insert a short quiz (or other call to action), and then start a new 1-2 minute video.

The exact timing naturally depends on the length of your video and whether you are using microlearning.

Use the first interaction as a moment for reflection: how can this video work to the student's advantage? Why should they really keep watching? How is this video relevant to the student's daily work practice?

In short, to make effective use of videos in your e-learning, the following points are essential:

• Determine which learning objective the video supports
• Determine whether you already have the videos (and they only need to be adapted) or whether you still need to develop them
• Ensure the videos are accessible by, for example, using subtitles, high contrast, and conversational language
• Integrate ‘calls to action’ to keep the viewer interested
• Include a clear schedule for the video and the interaction moments

Finally, creating videos for your e-learning can be a time-consuming process. That is why it is valuable to ask students for feedback: were the videos valuable? What did they learn from them? And how could they potentially be improved?