Step 2: Choose a Video Length


How Long Should Instructional Videos Be?

Empirical studies suggest that videos of shorter duration are often more engaging and more likely to be viewed in full.

How Long Do I Have Your Attention?

According to How Video Production Affects Student Engagement: An Empirical Study of MOOC Videos,  Links to an external site.it is recommended that videos should be shorter than six minutes in length. The study found:

"Video length was by far the most significant indicator of engagement [...] One hypothesis that came out in our interviews with video producers was that shorter videos might contain higher quality instructional content. Their hunch is that it takes meticulous planning to explain a concept succinctly, so shorter videos are engaging not only due to length but also because they are better planned [...]"

Other research suggests video length between 5-7 minutes long is also an acceptable time frame. By chunking groups of information into brief videos, students are given an opportunity to consolidate new information and easily revisit topics as needed if topics are broken into several short videos. Also, if a script is written beforehand, it is much easier to keep within the desired time frame. 


The Positive Impact of Concise Videos and Closed Captions

A second study, Leveraging Recorded Mini-Lectures to Increase Student Learning, Links to an external site. from researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Stout asked students about the impact videos have on their learning. The study concludes:

"A majority of students believed the videos helped them learn course content and that the videos were best kept to less than 15 minutes in length. The use of captions in the videos was deemed important for a variety of reasons, even though none of the students reported having a hearing disability."

Although there is not a one-size-fits-all time frame for all videos, studies suggest brief videos are significantly more effective. 

Quick Tip!

To keep within the time frame, consider writing out a script. This will be discussed in more detail very shortly. 

If the content exceeds 15 minutes, consider breaking up content into shorter subtopic videos. For example, if a video describes a lengthy process, create a short video per step or stage. 

 

Another Bonus for Short Videos

The shorter the video, the easier it is to update information!