Types of Instructional Videos Used for Teaching & Training

The use of video for teaching and training is a rapidly growing concept. Perhaps the insane growth of this industry is why so many different types of instructional videos are now commonly found across YouTube and on major search engines like Google & Yahoo. Producing different types of instructional videos that can be used for teaching and training is an important task that many brands are actively engaged in. If you’re considering instructional video content for your business, these are the types of instructional videos that you can choose from.

Lecture Videos

Perhaps one of the simplest to produce and probably the least engaging for your audience, lecture videos are incredibly basic. They generally involve an instructor that is lecturing or otherwise providing a presentation in front of the camera. Think of these types of instructional videos as similar to attending a college course. You sit, and watch the lecture unfold, but all that’s really happening is a teacher is presenting the information to you either after reading from a book, a script, or if you’re lucky, with the support of some visual PowerPoint slides that make the lecture appear much more up-to-date and engaging.

The simplicity of lecture videos make these types of instruction videos incredibly common, but not so incredibly valued by the student or audience. However, that’s not to say that lecture videos cannot be produced in such a way that the content becomes fun and inspiring! One major downside to lecture videos is the fact that they tend to be long and hard to sit through. With today’s short attention spans, students rarely engage in long-form lecture content.

Micro Videos

Micro videos are incredibly short and have a very distinct purpose in regards to teaching or training on a particular concept. These videos are usually 1 minute or less, and they’re incredibly focused. These types of instruction videos are used for a wide variety of purposes in business and in education, particularly as more educators and instructors turn away from longer form videos that are less likely to keep student engagement and focus.

With micro videos, training is provided in short bursts. A series of videos is thus used to train on a complex concept or to help students reach their educational goals. The use of micro videos allows for a more controlled learning pace in which students can engage in learning on their time.

Explainer Videos

The use of explainer videos to provide deep-level explanation of a concept or topic is a growing trend. These videos are often presented with animated features including whiteboard animations as well as many other visual formats. Explainer videos incorporate visually supportive content that can be used to create a metaphor that introduces a particular concept or which otherwise supports an analogy. With an explainer video, students are able to visualize the unique problem and the solution that makes most sense in the particular scenario. 

Explainer videos often incorporate the use of storytelling to provide appropriate messaging for the target audience. Because they are incredibly versatile and powerful, explainer videos are used for many different messaging and training situations throughout business, marketing, and education.

How-to Videos

How-to videos are some of the most popular across the internet. The driving force behind YouTube, accounting for millions of views on a daily basis, how-to videos draw the attention of a target audience that is looking for a DIY opportunity to get something, virtually anything, done. These types of instructional videos used for teaching and training provide step-by-step instructions that guide the viewer through the process required to achieve a specific learning goal. How-to videos can be used to demonstrate many different ways of achieving desired learning outcomes and are often used throughout business, marketing, and education to teach various topics.

Scenarios-Based Training Videos

Scenarios and simulation style training videos are interactive and increasingly gaining popularity. These types of instructional videos are used to teach in-depth concepts that require a more hands-on approach or the ability to think through complex scenarios and choose the desired path or outcome. Scenarios based training videos demonstrate various behaviors, and simulate a particular environment in which a certain choice or decision could have very serious positive, or negative, consequences. The learner is immediately able to interact with the video, and see the outcome of their decision-making – good or bad.

These types of videos are ideal for use in a variety of different workplace settings. They’re often used in aviation, workplace training, emergency training, and similar settings.

Screencast Videos

Screencast videos represent digital recordings of the computer screen as various steps or actions are taken. They are typically narrated to provide deep insight into the actions that the user is engaging with and are generally used for software or computer based training. These types of instructional videos are ideal for brands that provide SAAS, software brands, digital brands, and those that provide a multitude of online services or solutions.

As you can see, there are many types of instructional videos that can be used to teach and train diverse audiences. Give Beverly Boy Productions a call to learn more about producing any of these types of instructional videos for your business or brand. You won’t be disappointed!