When was the last time you considered incorporating video into your learning? Consider Allison, a learning developer who needs to create content on handling difficult conversations. She’d like to make a video because she knows it’s an engaging and effective modality, but she’s concerned that it’s not worth the time and effort to produce it. She wonders if there’s a way to get more value out of her video. Fortunately for her, there are ways to not only double, but to triple the value of her video-enabling her to use it in more ways than she originally intended.
Let’s explore how she can do this.
Learning Content Using Micro Videos
Allison’s content on handling difficult conversations includes some tips, some do’s and don’ts to remember, and a case study to apply the concepts. Originally, she was going to make a single 5 minute video to cover these topics. However, she then decided to use MicroLearning design and make three videos that were each about 1-2 minutes long that explored her three topics.
Using a MicroLearning design has two primary benefits. First, she can place videos throughout her course. Her learners will now have engaging videos interspersed throughout the course, rather than just at the beginning. In this design, they can watch a video and then explore other content such as reading research, reviewing a diagram, or applying knowledge with interactive activities – then they watch another video. In this way, people learn the content and stay engaged throughout the course.
Another benefit is that micro videos can easily be incorporated into other learning experiences beyond learning the content in a traditional online or in-person course. Doing so increases the value of the original video because it is used for different purposes and is accessed at different times.
Learning Reinforcement Using Spaced Learning
After the content is initially learned, it can be reinforced by spaced learning (also known as drip learning). In this learning design, the content is reviewed multiple times with brief learning events over a period of weeks or months. The videos initially produced for the course can be reused to support learners’ knowledge and application of the content. Because the videos are short, an additional prompt, question, or content can be included with the video to create a slightly different learning experience.
Research reported by ATD has shown that spaced learning helps minimize the forgetting curve and keeps the key concepts top of mind. Note that this design often requires an additional service beyond a traditional LMS (Learning Management System) such as QStream that can schedule and deliver content while tracking learners’ progress over time.
Performance Support Using Augmented Reality
In the two preceding examples, the learning is pushed to the learner – either as an online course or as a learning reinforcement. However, there are times when people want to pull the content when and where they need it. This is known as performance support or “Just-in-Time” learning.
Imagine a scenario in which David, a manager, is in the break room and needs to have a difficult conversation with a colleague and wants to quickly refresh what to do to prepare for it. He’s already taken the online course, but that was seven months ago. He takes out his smartphone, opens an app, and scans a notecard, “How to Have Difficult Conversations” on the break room bulletin board. In an Augmented Reality experience, the notecard transforms into a one minute video about the do’s and don’ts of having a difficult conversation. Now he feels confident and prepared to have the conversation.
Tripling the Value of Your Training Videos
When videos are designed to be small and modular (using MicroLearning design techniques), you can leverage them in new ways. Videos produced for traditional learning can double or triple their value by being reused as learning reinforcement and performance support.
