Focus 'n Develop

Hands up who has been faced with a problem and turned to YouTube? I would take at guess that we all have at some point, and probably using a mobile device.

I think we can agree that Online Video Learning is here to stay. With YouTube being the 2nd biggest search engine, after Google, it is clear that people want to learn this way. However, L&D don’t seem to be adapting this trend for workplace learning, there are many potential reasons for this;

• Cost
• Poor reputation
• Unsure of effectiveness
• Lack of knowledge around production techniques
• Limited access to actors
• No skills in editing
• Unable the host video on LMS or intranet
• Fear of the unknown
• Lack of buy-in from business leaders

eLearning industry looked into The 4 Biggest Myths of Video Learning in 2016 and concluded:

The majority of people today are already learning via video on smartphones at home and maybe it’s time for forward-thinking businesses to now consider the new world of multi-device, bite-sized video learning.

The CIPD L&D conference 2017 and Learning Technologies 2018 both featured conference sessions focusing on video production for L&D which leads me to believe there is a demand for this skill. Through my interactions with other professionals on social media platforms this is an area which seems to be lacking in leaders, consultants and instructional designer and further development is required.

Having completed a degree in TV &Film Design I can assure you video production isn’t difficult and you don’t need expensive and state of the art technology, you have everything you need in your pocket. I know Apple provide free products which enable you to shoot and edit your own videos using the Camera and the iMovie app. I would expect a similar programme to be freely available on android.  Artists such as Beyonce and Selena Gomez are demonstrating that a music video can be produced and distributed using an iPhone and these videos will be watched by millions of people.

Once a business need has been identified, there is nothing stoping L&D professionals trying this media form to support training solutions. There are many resources available online to support free editing software, and ironically YouTube is a great place to start a video learning journey.

The views and opinions expressed in the resources shared are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views do not necessarily reflect those of Focus N Develop.