It is no surprise that the video tutorial is becoming one of the easiest and most popular ways to learn something new. Now with high speed internet connections and powerful laptops, it is expected that any research and studying online comes equipped with moving images and colorful graphics. Whether you agree with this supposedly “dumbing down” of information, tutorial videos are everywhere and they are helping a lot of people learn new subjects and processes, and taking advantage of technology to do so as well.
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.
In addition to the visual benefits, the video tutorial is also a more convenient form of tutoring than having to meet up with a personal tutor or visit a tutoring center in person. All your studying can be done from the convenience of your own home, and during the free time in your schedule. This is especially useful for people whose schedules are constantly changing to meet work or other demands, as they can still get all their studying done whenever they have free time just by jumping on the internet and pausing videos when they need to stop.
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.
Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed anxiety therapy as well as tips on the various anxiety disorder medications available at anxietydisordercure.com.