Videos, Bite-Sized Learning Units, Interactivity, and Gamification
Founded on the newest insights and research within online learning innovation, it’s clear that bite-sized learning units that offer short video instructions and have elements of interactivity, are a strong guarantee for the highest possible online learning effect for multiple types of learners – academic as well as non-academic. In addition, as a producer of learning content, the bite-sized educational approach with short videos makes it extremely easy and fast to create and edit content.
Finally, a video combined with engaging gamification elements can make it even more fun to learn – learn faster – and increase impact even further! As a learning professional, you will most likely be dealing with busy time-pressurized learners who are trying to manage their business affairs while taking a course and the bite-sized approach makes it more attractive for your learners to learn.
Microlearning: The Latest “Buzzword”
In the eLearning and instructional design realm, micro-learning is the latest buzzword. Microlearning refers to an educational approach that offers bite-sized, small learning units with just the necessary amount of info to help learners achieve a goal. According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, learning in bite-sized pieces makes the transfer of learning from the classroom to the desk 17% more efficient.
Reason being, each chunk of learning content addresses only 1-2 learning objectives. Traditional courses yield 4-5 learned takeaways.
Video Is an Essential Online Learning Technology
For decades, videos have proven to increase learning and appeal to a diverse group of learners. Today, we have very good evidence for how to create a video to improve learning. Maybe the biggest empirical study to date with data from 6.9 mill. video watching shows that less than 6 minutes is the optimal length for instructional videos. At 5 minutes, the video watching begins decreasing. Another newer study showed that the value of video for learning effectiveness was contingent upon the provision of interactivity. Students in the eLearning environment that provided interactive video achieved significantly better learning performance and a higher level of online learning satisfaction than in other settings.
All in all, video is an essential online learning technology. Listening and watching instead of reading, videos support different learning styles and are especially good for non-academic learners. But the videos need to be designed the right way.
