For every self-paced e-learning course out there in the workplace, there are at least ten consumer video tutorials online (I made that figure up - but there are clearly lots more). You hardly ever see e-learning used as a medium of choice outside work but you’re beginning to see a much greater interest in video at work. What am I saying? That video has really arrived and we should take it seriously as a self-study medium.
But I’m not completely stupid. I know that e-learning and video are very different media and, as a result, work in different circumstances. Most e-learning is aimed at imparting knowledge or, to a lesser degree, cognitive skills. On the other hand, while video can be used to put across more general principles as well as to deliver presentations, discussions and documentaries, it’s at its best when it’s showing you how to do something. And not surprisingly, that’s what most of those YouTube videos do.
Clearly a video used alone cannot check understanding and doesn't track progress, so it’s not the ideal compliance tool. But it is more engaging, more versatile and less impersonal. It can be used to trigger interaction, both individual and group - and can be blended with more reflective materials such as web articles, blogs and PDFs.
So I reckon we’ll see an even greater use of video in the workplace. Learners like it (why is not always true of e-learning) and it’s much easier to produce than it ever was (though not trivial - I’ll be returning to that soon). While there are some niches where e-learning is irreplaceable, I won’t be unhappy to see other media come alongside. After all, I started my interest in media and technology with corporate video many moons ago and so for me it’s just another turn of the circle.
No comments:
Post a Comment