e-Learning Blog

E-learning, which is widely adopted by many companies, is sometimes not utilized or does not show effective learning results.
There are various factors that could contribute to this, and one of them is the quality of the learning materials. Let's first organize common challenges related to e-learning materials.

〈Shallow content of teaching materials〉

If the content of the teaching materials is shallow and lacks specificity, there is a possibility that learners will not be able to acquire practical knowledge and skills.

〈Content is outdated〉

If the content is outdated or not updated, there is a risk of learning incorrect information that is different from the latest facts and insights.

〈Unclear learning objectives〉

Unclear learning objectives and goals in educational materials can lead to confusion and even diminish the learner's motivation to continue learning.

Monotonous content

If the text is just listed endlessly, like monotonous content, it becomes difficult to attract the interest of learners and maintain their motivation for learning.

〈Technical issues〉

If the operability of the teaching materials is poor, or if there are many bugs or errors, learners may feel stressed and their motivation to learn may decrease.

These examples can be the cause of ineffective learning. In order to create high-quality e-learning materials, it is necessary to pay attention to avoiding such problems.

Based on the challenges surrounding e-learning materials mentioned above, what specific efforts should be made to improve the quality of the materials? The following is a summary.

●Utilizing Videos and Audio

By utilizing videos and audio, we can convey information from multiple perspectives and enhance the understanding of learners.

●Enhance Visual Elements

By utilizing graphs, charts, animations, etc., we can explain complex concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. This is effective when trying to help others understand content that may be difficult to imagine with just text or narration.

●Insert our own customized elements

By adding information such as internal rules and making case studies based on our own company's examples, we can customize the materials to our own specifications and provide learners with "high-resolution information" that can be applied in the field.

●Provide an interactive learning experience

By incorporating interactive elements such as quizzes, exercises, and simulations, we can improve learners' motivation and encourage participation.

● Clearly state the learning goals and objectives

By clearly defining the goals and objectives of learning, learners can easily understand what they should achieve. This will increase their awareness of learning and can be expected to concentrate on learning.

● Regularly update content

Regularly review and update content to align with the latest information and trends. By maintaining the freshness of materials, learners can acquire accurate knowledge.

By combining these formats, it becomes an even more comprehensive learning material, leading to improved learning effectiveness and motivation.

To enhance the learning effectiveness in e-learning, it has been found that video materials are effective.
In this chapter, we will look at the types of video materials in e-learning.

Types of Video Materials

・Lecture Videos
Videos where instructors and internal education staff explain the course content. It is common to see a general lecture style where the presenter explains while showing slides.

・Training Videos
Videos taken during group training sessions. They are often used for absentees to catch up on the material or for reviewing the content of the group training.

・Demonstration Video
A video that shows how to use the product and the technical procedures in action. It can help deepen understanding of "movement" and "adjustment" that are difficult to explain in words by watching the actual demonstration.

・Simulation Videos
Videos that simulate specific situations and environments, such as customer service scenes and troubleshooting. By replicating real experiences and situations, learners can deepen their understanding of learning and be able to respond to real-life situations.

・Animation Video
A video that uses graphics and animation to explain complex processes and concepts. It is useful for enhancing understanding and improving learning effectiveness by utilizing visual aids.

・Interview Videos
Videos that share knowledge and experience through interviews with experts and senior employees. You can obtain more practical advice.

These video materials are useful for effectively conveying a variety of information that cannot be fully expressed with text-based materials and documents.

There are several methods for creating video materials. Here, we will explain the main five methods.

〈1〉Live-action footage (camera shooting)

How to use a camera to film actual lectures and demonstrations. Instructors can directly explain to the camera, or use dramatic examples to showcase their originality.
On the other hand, filming and editing can be time-consuming, and the more complex the content, the more resources it will require.

〈2〉PowerPoint

PowerPoint allows you to insert images and illustrations, add animations, and embed videos, making it easy to create video materials. It is also attractive in that it has low production costs.
On the other hand, there is a tendency for the quality as a teaching material to be low.

Online Meeting Tool Recording Function

If you want to create video materials more easily, using screen recording functions such as Zoom or Teams is also an option. You can record materials shown on the screen during screen sharing without the need for editing later.
However, the recording function depends on the communication quality, so if the communication is unstable and the image or sound quality is poor, there is a risk of lowering the quality of the materials.

〈4〉Create with e-Learning Authoring Tool

Even without video editing skills, you can easily create video materials using e-learning material creation tools. The tools come with many templates and materials, allowing for more effective production.
However, some tools may have limitations on capacity and functionality. It is also important to have thorough security measures in place.

Request creation from a specialist

This is a method of ordering custom-made video materials from a vendor (sales company) that provides e-learning materials. Although it incurs costs, a major advantage is being able to create original video materials using the expertise of professionals. Additionally, unlike complete in-house production, the addition of a "third-party perspective" helps to minimize bias in the content of the materials.

There are pros and cons to each method of creating instructional videos. Consider these and choose the best approach for your company.

This time, we have explained how to create high-quality content on the theme of "video materials" for e-learning. Video materials, which combine various elements such as video, audio, subtitles, and animations, can have a high learning effect, but the downside is that they require a lot of time and effort in the production process. Therefore, it may be worth considering leaving some of the processes and materials to professionals.

Human Science, one of the vendors of e-learning materials, has a track record of producing over 2,700 e-learning materials since its service launch in 2000. In addition to video materials, we have provided services such as filming for group training, lectures, and internal meetings, as well as 360-degree camera filming and chroma key filming, to a wide range of industries and companies.

In addition, we offer optimal proposals tailored to our customers' needs, including planning and design of teaching materials, mobile compatibility with HTML5, and content migration for LMS replacement.

Please feel free to contact Human Science for inquiries regarding video learning materials and e-learning.

You can also view details on Human Science's e-learning site.

＞ eLearning Video Material Production
＞ eLearning Material Production