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Why are Videos Good For Learning?, if we were at a party, and you asked me, this is what I would say:
Oh, you know! They make boring topics interesting, they let you listen and watch instead of read, you are in control of the content, they provide a flexible convenience, and they are accessible to people with various learning differences.
Why are Videos Good For Learning?
The five reasons I listed above are how I would explain them at a cocktail party or a family gathering. The learning and development industry would answer, “Why are videos good for learning?” with terminology, explanations, and examples. So, since you are not talking to me at a party, cocktail, or family gathering, let me put my industry nerd hat on and elaborate.
Engaging and Interactive
Videos feature multimedia elements like icons, graphics, and images in motion, or animation. The motion paired with sound effects and music makes the learning video feel like a cartoon or a commercial or something you’d watch on TV. Thus, the boring topic becomes more interesting. The content becomes interactive when the call to action or the learning prompts ask the watcher (learner) to do something. The ever friendly Matt Pierce explains, How to Create Engaging Videos.
Multimodal Delivery
Videos are good for learning because they let you listen and watch instead of read. Multitasking has a bad name in the learning nerd world. Some argue that there is no way to multitask and be good at all the things you are doing at the same time. I say this is Banana Sandwiches! I’ve raised two incredibly successful young men and taught countless other young men and women who have been multitasking since they were young. People can work out, do chores, or play a game while they consume learning video content. This is why videos are good for learning. As a creator, our audience is multitasking, so give the audience what they want! This is where infotainment was born!
Autonomy
Videos are good for learning because they put the learner in control of the content. Videos can be paused, replayed, and reviewed as needed, allowing learners to review specific sections or take notes. This can aid in retention and understanding. Since the video is not live, or synchronous (super learning nerd term) the learner can regulate their own learning based on how and when it aligns with their needs and wants.
Convenience
Videos are good for learning because they allow the learner to interact with the information. Direct instruction in the form of a classroom, webinar, or scheduled training session, is often at odds with what the individual wants to do with their time. Thus, videos can be viewed on demand, allowing learners to learn at their own pace and schedule. This can be particularly useful for learners who have busy schedules or prefer to learn in a self-paced environment. Paired with autonomy, videos become one of the single most important learning tools for the driven and/or busy learner.
Accessibility
Videos are good for learning because they are accessible to a variety of learning differences. Videos can be made accessible to people with disabilities, such as closed captions for the hearing impaired, audio descriptions for the visually impaired, and transcripts for those who need them. This can also be a matter of legal compliance so that everyone has equal access to information and opportunities. Making a video increases your audience since you’ve delivered a multimedia experience that accommodates the readers, watchers, and listeners.
Read more about how to make audio and video accessible
In conclusion, this blog post explains that videos are a great medium for learning because they can make boring topics interesting, allow for multitasking, provide autonomy to the learner, offer convenience, and are accessible to a variety of learning differences. The post elaborates on these reasons, providing a detailed look at the benefits of videos as a learning tool. The post emphasizes that videos can be described in learning industry terms such as engaging, interactive, allowing for multimodal delivery, promoting autonomy, and accessibility. I encourage you to use videos in your training and teaching plans. Make a video and then share a link with me.
