Maximizing Learner Engagement With Training Videos
Online learning is a popular training method among learners, giving them the opportunity to learn on their own terms. However, when an eLearning course offers little to no variety and interactivity, it can get dull. For this reason, we suggest you start using the cutting-edge technology you have at your disposal to create immersive training videos that exponentially increase online learner engagement. If you don’t know where to start, we got you covered. In this article, you will find 7 insider tricks that will make your first attempt at video production a success.
7 Tips To Create Immersive Training Videos
1. Keep Your Training Video Short
With the attention span of online learners being at an all-time low, optimizing the duration of your training videos becomes a top priority. Opting for a quick animation that lasts a few minutes will significantly increase the possibility of your video being watched in its entirety. On the other hand, if your learners have to watch a 30-minute long video, it’s very likely that they will quickly get bored. Therefore, make sure to split your long-form content into snappy videos that will help learners progress by keeping them engaged.
2. Put Emphasis On The Quality
It goes without saying that the success of a training course is directly related to its quality. This, of course, refers to providing your audience with evidence-based information that will add long-lasting value to their development. But there’s more to it. The way you present your content is also important. Make sure any audio you have added is clear, free from distracting background noises, and balanced in volume. You can even consider working with a professional voice actor to ensure that the voiceover is not monotonous but rather maintains learner attention.
3. Support Content With Visual Cues
If your training video mostly contains slides of text and voice-over narration, you might want to rethink your strategy. For learners to not lose interest, you will have to accompany your content with captivating graphics, such as images or animations. It doesn’t have to be overly sophisticated as long as it gets the message across in a more creative way. Another visual cue you should consider are subtitles. Not only do they facilitate learning on the move (e.g., during a noisy train ride), but they also make your training videos accessible to learners with hearing difficulties. Just as before, make sure your visual elements aren’t blurry, hard to read, or overcrowded.
4. Make It Interactive
A video embellished with high-quality images and audio might be a good starting point, but it takes more to keep the interest of online learners alive. Besides, you can’t have an immersive training video without some interactive elements. Thankfully, there are many choices, from surveys and gamification to branching scenarios and choose-your-own-adventure experiences. By sprinkling some of these interactive activities into your normal content, you ensure that viewers have fun while expanding their knowledge base.
5. Use Additional Material
Training videos are undoubtedly great tools for online learners, as they allow them to learn new skills in a quick, interactive, and entertaining way. But that doesn’t mean you should let them do all the work. For learners to make the most out of your training program, you must pair videos with additional resources. These could include simulations or real-life practice, guides, games, podcasts, and more. Any additional material you can think of will help in diversifying your content, increasing engagement, and promoting the incorporation of new skills into the learners’ everyday lives.
6. Update Your Content Frequently
A mistake that designers often make when developing immersive video experiences is not making their videos editable. However, it would be a total waste of resources if you were to produce a video only to have it be irrelevant a few months later. The rapid changes that almost all industries are facing make frequent updates a synonym for quality. Therefore, ensure that you’re able to upgrade your video content, and do so frequently so that your learners always have access to the most recent information.
7. Use Data To Optimize The Experience
In such a data-driven world, it only makes sense that data analysis will play a crucial role in the effectiveness of your training videos. Setting up quantifiable factors that you can measure throughout your video training program will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, which elements drive learner engagement, as well as how you compare to your competitors. All in all, data analysis gives you the tools you need to make informed decisions that will optimize the training experience and add the most value to your learners’ development.
Conclusion
Online instructors and Instructional Designers are always looking for ways to make eLearning more engaging and fun for online learners. Training videos can create learning experiences that are captivating and educational without being one-sided or monotonous. Follow the tips we shared in this article and create your own immersive training videos to keep your learners engaged and motivated to participate in the learning process.
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