Video now represents more than 80% of online training content. This format has become an almost automatic reflex for corporate training managers. However, cognitive science reveals a troubling paradox: watching is not learning.
So is the training video really effective? When to use it, when to avoid it? This article deciphers what scientific research teaches us about video learning, and allows us to discover alternatives to improve the impact of your educational devices.
Why has video become the king format in training
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a trend that is already well under way around the world. Faced with the urgent need to digitize courses, video has emerged as the ideal solution. Accessible, standardized, it makes it possible to broadcast identical content to thousands of learners simultaneously, whether in person or in distance learning.
There is no shortage of advantages of this type of format. Instructional videos reduce travel and animation costs for trainers. It offers great flexibility: each employee follows his course at his own pace, when he wants. Video content also benefits from a dynamic and modern image, especially among younger generations who are used to social networks such as YouTube for example.
But is this popularity based on real efficiency? Or simply on ease of production and a flattering perception?
What cognitive science reveals about video learning
The myth of effective passive learning
Watching a video on a screen places the learner in a passive position. However, research shows that this passivity interferes with understanding and remembering. As early as 1990, Furnham, Gunter and Green compared three different formats: printed text, audio, and passively viewed video. As a result, the text always prevailed.
The problem? The transitory nature of audiovisual information. A piece of data appears on the screen, then disappears a few seconds later, replaced by another. The learner experiences a flow imposed by the director of the content, without the possibility of dwelling on complex points. This observation applies to a documentary as well as to a video editing tutorial.
The ICAP model Of the researcher Michelene Chi (2009) clearly prioritizes modes of cognitive engagement. From the least effective to the most effective: passive, active, active, constructive, interactive. Classic video is at the lowest level. A meta-analysis published in PNAS (Freeman et al., 2014) confirms this gap: students in passive learning score 6% lower and are 1.5 times more likely to fail. These data concern all professions and all higher education institutions.
The forgetting curve: looking is not enough to remember
As early as 1885, Hermann Ebbinghaus theorized the famous forgetting curve. Without reactivation, we lose 50% of the information learned in two days. After six months, this rate reached 90%. Video, a linear format by nature, does not incorporate any active recovery mechanism. Filming an expert explaining a procedure is not enough to guarantee that the learner will know how to reproduce it.
The Karpicke and Roediger Study (2008) demonstrates the importance of this recovery. People who practice reminder exercises regularly remember 80% of the information after one week. Those who simply reread or review a video recording: only 36%. The gap is considerable for any professional activity requiring a sustainable increase in skills.
When the video really works (and when it fails)
Video is not inherently ineffective. Its effectiveness depends on the educational objective aimed at and on its integration into a larger system. Here is a detailed description of the use cases.
The video is great for:
- Demonstrations of technical gestures: camera shooting, equipment handling
- The observation of human behaviors: sales techniques, customer relationships, the manager's posture in a situation
- Emotional content: storytelling, corporate culture, internal reporting, employee testimonies
- Onboarding: team presentation, virtual tour of the premises, immersion in the work environment
The video shows its limitations for:
- The acquisition of complex factual knowledge requiring in-depth processing and learning planning
- Procedures to remember over the long term: compliance, data protection, regulations, employment law
- Skills that require practice and personalized feedback from the trainer
- Regulatory training where long-term retention is critical for employment
A professional video editor, for example, doesn't become an expert in motion design just by watching a comprehensive training course. He must practice on editing software, receive accurate advice and develop his own creative style through various projects.
Alternatives to video for effective training
Effective training involves going beyond the video reflex. Several approaches, validated by research, offer superior results depending on the context. These resources make it possible to meet the different needs of learners.
The interactive microlearning Break the apprenticeship into short modules of 3 to 5 minutes. This format naturally incorporates spaced repetition and maintains attention. Interspersed quizzes and exercises transform the passive learner into an actor in his training. It is an option that is easy to launch and manage on a daily basis. The result: better retention and an increased ability to apply what has been learned.
The situations and practical cases place the learner in front of concrete problems to be solved, as in a practical workshop. This approach activates the constructive mode of the ICAP model. Immediate feedback makes it possible to correct mistakes and to anchor best practices. Learning becomes experiential, and therefore sustainable. It is ideal for quickly becoming operational on a new position or a new function.
Adaptive learning personalize the course according to the level and needs of each person. Unlike standardized “one size fits all” video, it adapts in real time thanks to artificial intelligence. An employee who already masters certain concepts moves forward more quickly. Another person experiencing difficulties receives targeted remediation content. This customized training meets growing business demand.
How to use video intelligently in your training
Video is still an important medium, provided it is used correctly. Here are the best practices for making your content really effective.
Limit the duration
Attention drops drastically after 5 minutes. Choose short videos of 2 to 5 minutes that target a single educational objective. Beyond that, cut into several sequences with a script and a precise technical division.
Integrate interactivity
A quiz every 60 seconds maintains engagement and forces active recovery. Studies show a significant improvement in retention with this approach. It's the key to adding value to your training videos.
Give priority to individual viewing
Group live broadcasting (training room, split screen) places learners in passive mode. Individual viewing allows you to pause, go back, and adapt at your own pace. Each person can thus identify the points that need to be studied further.
Take care of the visual and sound quality
A good microphone is more important than a high-quality camera. The lighting must be sufficient to guarantee a professional look. These technical elements directly influence the attention of the public.
Systematically combine application exercises
The video introduces a concept, the anchor exercise. This combination harnesses the principles of active recovery and fights the forgetting curve. You can share these exercises via your website or your LMS platform (Learning Management System).
Think sequencing
Video works best at the beginning of the journey to explain and contextualize. The anchoring and validation phases require other methods: quizzes, scenarios, practical cases from daily professional life.
The Didask approach: combining video and cognitive science
At Didask, we offer a platform that combines educational efficiency and ease of creation. Our platform automatically structures your content to maximize retention. It is an expert service that helps training managers create high-quality courses.
Video finds its right place in optimized courses. The authoring tool combines it with application exercises, spaced flashcards and realistic scenarios. Adaptive learning personalizes the experience of each learner thanks to its advanced functionalities.
The training video is not good or bad in itself. It is its use that determines its effectiveness. Used alone and passively, it produces disappointing results despite the limited disadvantages of production. Cleverly integrated into a multimodal system, it becomes an asset for developing skills.
The challenge for training managers: to go beyond the video reflex to design truly effective courses, based on what science teaches us about learning. It's a matter of strategic choice for any organization that wants to follow industry best practices.
Do you need to create really effective training courses?
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