how long should a video for an online course be?

by Chet Smitham 8 min read

How long should a video course be?

Aug 03, 2019 · However, statistics show that the average viewing time of online videos is between 2-9 minutes – and that number is getting lower all of the time! Therefore, if you want your students to get the most out of your videos, try your best to break your content down into videos within the 1-9 min timeframe.

How long should an online course be?

The study concludes, “A majority of students believed the videos helped them learn course content and that the videos were best kept to less than 15 minutes in length.” The methodology section has detailed information on producing videos for online courses.

What is the right video length for e-learning?

Use ONE learning outcome/objective/focus point per video. Some videos end up being one minute long, others 5 minutes, but the learner can pace themselves and digest that one main point that you want them to take away. Follow up with a discussion, reference to other material, quiz, or any type of crazy activity.

How long should a video be for student engagement?

Dec 14, 2018 · In other words, how much time do they want to spend on your online course? 50% of consumers say an explainer video -- one that talks about a product -- should be one minute or less. That time limit is unlikely to be viable for your lessons, but it gives you a nice jumping-off point for answering that question.

1. Keep to one key point per video

As online instructors we can often be tempted to over-deliver and over-explain (it’s that over-giving nature of an educator at work!).

Why you should make shorter online course videos

Shorter really is sweeter. There are a number of reasons for making your online course videos shorter, and some I discuss in this article too.

2. Make sure every video answers a question

People want information, they want practical tips, they want to know ‘HOW’ to do something, or exactly what steps they should take to get a specific result.

3. Try to answer the question in 2-9 minutes

I said earlier that there is no ‘right or wrong’ when it comes to video length – as if it takes 30 minutes to appropriately answer a question and it’s delivered in the right way, then so be it.

What is an online course?

An online course is a lot like an office meeting. If people feel like it could’ve been handled in an email, you’ve probably overthought it, cut into everyone’s lunch hour, and need to go back to your talking points.

What is learning curve?

A “learning curve” is more than just an idiom. It refers to the rate at which new knowledge is acquired and the expense of time in doing so. I.e., how hard it is for a beginner and an expert to pick up new information, and more to the point, how long it takes for both.

Who is Lauren Cochran?

Lauren Cochran is the Director of Content for Podia, an all-in-one platform where online courses, digital downloads, membership websites, and webinars – alongside their creators – thrive. Ironically, she gets tongue-tied talking about herself, and can usually be found with a to-do list in hand.

Is time a precarious resource?

Time is a precarious resource. We never get it back, and if we spend it unwisely -- especially other people’s time -- then we lose even more of it to regret.

How long should a video be?

Six minutes is just long enough for learners to absorb something of value, but not so long that they can’t watch it ( and complete a review quiz) during a coffee break.

How long can a TED talk be?

TED Talks and the 18-minute rule. Of course, you could take your cue from the guidelines from the world-famous TED Talks: No presenter, no matter who they are, is allowed to deliver a talk longer than 18 minutes. The rule has some pretty sound reasoning behind it. According to TED curator Chris Anderson:

What is social media?

Social media is a fantastic medium for sharing video. As you followers, subscribers, or (in the case of paid advertising) potential learners scroll down the news feed, you have the opportunity to catch their eye with content.

How long is a coffee break?

It’s the length of a coffee break. So, you watch a great talk, and forward the link to two or three people. It can go viral, very easily. The 18-minute length also works much like the way Twitter forces people to be disciplined in what they write.

Who is Laura from WordPress?

Laura is a marketing specialist with experience presenting at WordPress events in Ann Arbor and Vienna. She speaks Russian and German and holds a double MA (Hons) in History and Russian Studies from the University of Edinburgh.

How long should an online course be?

An online course should be as short or long as it needs to be in order to deliver the learning outcomes it promises. In practice, you might create a course that only has a few short 5 minute videos to teach something simple. For a more in depth flagship course you might make 25-50 video lessons each 5-20 minutes long.

How to make a course interactive?

Another way to make your course interactive is to add activities between presentations. So one section of your course may have 5 minutes of video. Then students are instructed to pause and complete a worksheet before returning to watch the remaining 5 minutes of video.

How long should a module be?

Each lesson of a module should be kept nice and short; just 5 – 20 minutes long. It’s best to create your courses with busy people in mind. A good amount of your students are likely people with full-time jobs and families to take care of. So it’s not convenient for them to sit down and watch a 30-minute video each day.

How to make a course fun?

Make your course an adventure. Give your students a reason to explore the course content. Even if that means making some kind of scavenger hunt to get them to go back and look at material multiple times to find a hidden word or something similar. Make them prove they understand.

Can you split a course into multiple sections?

It can be hard to accomplish. Instead of sacrificing quality content that you feel should be included, it’s usually worth splitting it out into multiple sections of the course. Worst case scenario, you can always attach extra material to the course in an appendix or “bonus section.”.

How long should an instructional video be?

How long should instructional videos be? The majority of viewers want informational and instructional videos to be less than 20 minutes, with a preference toward the 3-6 minute ranges.

Why do people stop watching videos?

People stop watching a video because they didn’t get the information they expected. Whether your video is a minute long or 30 minutes, if your viewers don’t get what they came for, they will click away. Be sure your video’s title accurately describes what your viewers will get when they watch.

How long does it take to make lasagna?

The amount of time you need depends on what you’re making. You can’t make a homemade baked lasagna in 10 minutes and you don’t need three hours to make a box of macaroni and cheese. The dish determines the length of time it takes to cook. Similarly, your content should inform the length of your video.

Who doesn't like to laugh?

Who doesn’t like to laugh? Humor can be a great asset to keep viewers engaged and entertained. But, be careful of being silly or too off-the-wall, which can make your content seem less useful.

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