Basics for Creating Effective Educational Videos

It’s a fact that most (65%) people are visual learners. This means that if you want to convey important information and ensure that your target audience retains as much as possible, you should use visuals for instruction.

In this digital age, there’s no better visual tool for education than educational videos. Why? People today spend a lot of time watching TV as well as videos on the internet. Billions of video footage is consumed daily on YouTube by internet users. Videos offer a quick and easy way to obtain information. It also helps that many videos are also entertaining.

Steps to an effective educational video creation

The technology to create educational videos is now widely available. However, there’s much more to effective educational video creation than setting up a camera and capturing an instructor. You need to take the time to ensure that your production is high quality and engaging in order for viewers to not only pay attention to the end, but also retain as much information.

The following are some steps to take for the production of effective educational videos.

1. Determine the purpose of the video

Begin with the end goal in mind. What do you hope to accomplish with this film? Is this video for training new employees? Do you intend to show your customers how to use your product or service?

Deciding your goals for your video will help you determine the best way to present your content. The style of presentation will affect how viewers interpret information and whether you will achieve your goal or not.

2. Plan, plan, plan

Planning is the most critical step in the production of any type of video. It is even more important for educational video creation. Planning includes various activities such as:

• Coming up with a storyboard
• Determining the length of the video
• Determining the best style of the production
• Setting a budget
• Choosing a location
• Deciding on a shooting or production schedule and much more.

Proper planning will help to eliminate time wastage as well as the risk of going over budget. Make planning a priority for a successful video production.

3. Understand the basics of effective educational videos

There are various principles to apply when creating instructional videos. You will have to consider factors such as the length of the video, the volume of information you should convey as well as how to segment the video for the best effect.

The following are some factors to consider for your production:

• Keep it short – If your video is an hour long, you’ll probably have lost more than three-quarters of your audience after the first 10 minutes. Keep your video as short as possible.
• Stick to the essentials – Limiting the information to only the essentials will not only help to keep the video short but will also help you avoid bombarding your audience with too much information. It doesn’t matter how interesting the information may be; you risk overloading the viewer with information and therefore not meeting your goal. You can provide a link that viewers can use if they want more information later.
• Break down information – This will ensure effective learning. Use segments to make the material more digestible.
• Include visuals – These may include charts, tables, images and motion graphics. These are effective ways to improve the efficiency of the presentation. They help engage viewers to better understand your message.
• Use conversational language – Limit the use of academic language. This will help your audience better understand the concepts you are trying to explain. Use language that you would use in a natural conversation.

4. Practice, practice, practice

There’s no easier way to fail than to show up on the day of the shoot and expect great results without planning and practicing. Practice makes perfect. If you want high quality, you should ensure that you have various practice runs prior to the actual shoot. This will ensure that you get the best results with minimal need for retakes and editing. It also ensures that you can get the best result by making corrections and adjustments prior to the day of the shoot.

5. Consider the learner’s experience

The quality of your editing won’t matter if the viewer has a poor experience. Ensuring that the viewer can understand the information and actually have a positive experience is key. This should be the focus of your editing.

You should consider the platform that the viewers will use. For example, if the learners will be using the web, then the video should be compressed to ensure quick loading and high quality playback. Ensure that the videos are easy to access and watch.

Conclusion

Videos are important and effective tools for education. However, a lot of thought and planning is required to ensure that you will achieve your goals. Following the steps above will help to improve your chances of success.