Understanding the online Learner Part 1 and 10 tips for making Successful Video tutorials

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Understanding the On-line learner (Part 1)

Reference for site below 

The On-line learner of today falls into three categories: 

• The worker and professional looking to upskill and improve
• The Student
• The Interested

All of these categories will possess attributes such as being Self-motivated and self-disciplined, have good time management skills and be open minded.  They will also have virtually unlimited internet access, and will have some competency using computers.

This is the first of a three part series, and over this and the next few posts we will look at each of these categories in turn.  Having a better understanding of your on-line learner will help you produce better on-line courses and improve your marketing ability and awareness to get students to your courses and completing your courses.

The worker and professional looking to up-skill and improve opportunities, will mainly look at shorter on-line courses.  If the education is self-funded, accreditation will be less of a deciding factor, and social proof will play a significant role in deciding on a course provider. Websites such as Coursmos, Skillshare & Udemy, offering courses of varied length on almost any topic will thrive from these on-line learners.  However these courses lack interactivity.  They are mainly video based, with notes to download and non-compulsory quizzes. There is no requirement to interact with other students or the educator. There is also very little or no time restraints on completing the course. With no driving force other than ambition and interest, this type of learner has a high non completion rate.  This is not down to lack of ambition, but lack of time as this learner also works and may even have a family, unexpected life changes also plays a part.  Misunderstanding on the course content will also lead to drop outs and poor quality course will also play its part.  In addition to this, spontaneous purchases, due to clever or not so clever marketing, will also result in a high number of drop outs.

On the other hand, if the education is funded by an employer, accreditation and certification become more of a deciding factor.  These type of courses involve more interaction, maybe delivered on-line via webinar and live presentations, with additional reading material and assignments. Corporations are now including gamification is their training packages. MOOCS and opening learning environments are slowly becoming popular with these learners and the completion rate and pass rate by these learners is considerably higher than those we discussed above. Established Colleges, universities, third level education providers and professional educators and trainers which were traditionally classroom based learning, have done well with these learners.  They tend to host their courses on personal platforms and they use their reputation and social media to attract learners.

So why is this?  Is it because there is a third party financial supporting this on-line education giving you an obligation to complete it?  Or is it because the education is delivered differently?  It is widely accepted that interaction will increase the course completion rates and if you deliver a course on-line to any learner, this is where I would now focus some time and energy.  No matter what people think of technology, learners are people, and people thrive people and interaction.

There are so many ways you can include interaction with your course.  However there are so many ways, I will leave it for another blog post.

As always I would love to hear your comments, feedback or questions, so please don’t be shy and post in the comments below.  Next week we will look at the Student.

NLM, P. (2015) Understanding the on-line learner. The Excel Club – Offering Certified CPD for professionals[blog-site]. Retrieved from

https://becominganonlinetrainer.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/coursmos-micro-teaching-for-on-line-educators-micro-learning-for-a-new-generation/

10 Tips for Making Successful Video Tutorials

Making video tutorials can be a scary process for those of us that are camera shy or not use to public speaking.  With training websites such as SkillShare and Udemy having a quality review process before publication, the standards are constantly increasing. This in turn improves the learning experience for students and learners.  You can even see with a quick comparison on YouTube, better quality video tutorials, get more views than the poor quality tutorials. So below is my 10 tips that you can follow to help you make successful video tutorials:

1. Watch other tutorials, you will soon see what is good and not so good.
2. Ensure that you are using a quiet room. Your students and learners only want to hear you, not your dog.  A room with carpet will reduce the echo.
3. Use a backdrop, a few yards of white material will not cost you much, and illuminate this from both sides. If you can, also illuminate yourself.  Try to avoid harsh shadows
4. When setting up your camera, place it on a tripod and keep the lens at eye level.
5. When capturing sound, it is a good idea to purchase an external mic. The camera mic or your Laptop mic will not be the best quality and it is an investment worth spending.
6. Script, and when you script demonstrate enthusiasm. Use words that show you are passionate, such as Amazing, Awesome, and Extraordinary.  Show personality.  Keep it short. Remember people that learn on line have much distraction.
7. Rehearse, rehearse in front of the mirror, friends, the camera. Rehearse until you are comfortable with your script, your tone, your body language, your timing. Again, show personality.
8. You are now ready to record your video tutorial. If you require props, ensure that they are all positioned accordingly.  At this stage, recording the video should take only 1 or two takes.  Enjoy, remember, your learner wants to watch you.
9. Once you have recorded your video, you may need to do some editing. If you are demonstrating something, it might be a good idea to zoom in.  It is also a good idea to have different camera angles.  Ensure that you include some onscreen action such as passionate body language, or if you are using screen capture, drawing or underlining.
10. Opening clips with simple graphics, and a closing clip containing your name and other details with simple graphics can also be added on editing.

Some simple things to remember is that a training videos should be simple, straightforward, concise and easy to understand.  But remember, if you are making a living from this, keep the student wanting more!

NLM, P. (2015) 10 Tips for making successful tutorials. The Excel Club – Offering Certified CPD for professionals[blog-site]. Retrieved from

https://becominganonlinetrainer.wordpress.com/about/