A video is one of the best tools of e learning for kids – especially with the new generation today. They are a highly visual group thanks to being born during the digital age. Their minds are stimulated by what they see more than what they hear or feel.
Using a video in learning is usually deemed effective across all age groups. A video combines visual, auditory, and emotional stimulation for its audience. It can effectively convey a complicated topic or idea without being too overwhelming for both instructor to teach and student to absorb. This is also a great way to engage the learners. It is easier to find association with what you see rather than what you hear. That association will improve the retention rate for the learners. When visual and auditory is combined, there is a 70% absorption. It is more effective when you are also to trigger an emotional connection in them.
When using videos in e learning for kids, there is a three-step process that will make it more effective as a learning tool.
Step 1: Make an introduction of the video.
This is a discussion that you need to make with the students. The best introduction is to discuss the concept that they are supposed to learn from the video. This part does not have to be long. A few minutes of introduction should suffice. Make sure you clearly state what the viewers should expect from what they are seeing. State the title of the video and a short description of what it is all about. You can do this without revealing too much of the storyline. You should also set the rules while you are in the introductory phase. For instance, if you want to discourage questions during the video, you need to state this fact with your students. If you want to discourage note-taking, then make sure the students know about it. But if these are allowed, then make sure to mention it as well.
Step 2: View the video.
Once the introduction is over, it is time to view the video. If you are not viewing the video together, make sure that the online video can be accessed and viewed easily across several platforms or portals. If you will allow questions during the viewing, pause the video and attend to the question. Try to shorten the discussion until after the video so the rest can enjoy the video. Take note that some kids learn more if they view the video continuously. Engagement is good but there it has to be established with the video as well. This can only happen if the student can view it with as little interruption as possible.
Step 3: Reflect first then discuss the content of the video.
There are two ways that you can go about this step. First is to allow them to reflect individually and then discuss the topic as a group. The second is to group the children and then let them reflect as a group and then discuss the video as a whole. This will allow engagement to continue. The important thing is to allot adequate time for reflection before you discuss the video. This will give the students enough time to ponder on what they have viewed and collect their thoughts before it is discussed with the group. If it is a complicated video, you may want to view it towards the end of the class. Once it is done, you can assign a short task and a series of questions that they can reflect on at home. Then the discussion can happen the next time you meet.
These three steps should help you utilize videos effectively for e learning for kids. There are various tools that you can also use to make learning for the children more fun. The more they enjoy the learning process, the more they can be trained to explore and create their own learning initiatives.
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