The video tutorial is more or less on its way to replacing the written article. When doing research in previous years, or when learning a new subject, people had to go to the library and look up information in books. Even in the past decade, the internet was eliminating books but retaining importance of the written word. Now articles are getting shorter, language less complex, and video is beginning to take over articles in the same way that television took away a large readership of newspapers.
So why are video tutorials so popular? There are many reasons but the main one is the visual demonstration they are able to provide. An article can be well written and clearly explain a topic or a process, but in many cases a picture or a short video on the same subject will eliminate any confusion and misinterpretation. With more complicated subjects, and especially ones related to computer work, graphs and images, screen shots can help make the material being taught so much easier to understand.
Studying with a video tutorial also offers a greater deal of flexibility than any other method. While working with tutors in person or in real time online can give you a significant amount of support, it does require setting aside a set amount of time to ensure that you are prepared for the session and can get there in time. With a tutorial video, you can study whenever it is convenient for you, even late in the evening if that is the only free time you have. Videos can also be paused for breaks more easily than if you are working with a tutor.
Video tutorials are also popular because they tend to be short and to the point. While a tutoring session can be for one or two hours, most videos are less than twenty minutes in length. This makes studying a lot more productive and enjoyable. If the tutorial is dragging, then whoever is watching the video may not bother watching all of it and will instead find another one. The attention span of most people seems to be a lot shorter than before and so these instructional videos really need to be engaging and delivered as quickly as possible. Sessions on multiple topics can be broken into several short lessons.
Free online tutoring is on the rise with many experts sharing their knowledge through the video tutorial format. The many conveniences that these videos offer and the ability for tutors to explain concepts through moving images and other graphics has led to a boom in this particular industry. As technology continues to develop, it is highly likely that these learning videos will become more interactive and offer a better learning experience.
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Education • September 30th, 2009 •