Abstract

There is a significant rise in the use of videos. More and more people use videos not only as a source of information but also as learning tool. This article explores the future potential of explainer videos, a format that conveys complex facts to a target group within a very short time. The findings are based on an empirical study representative for the German and U.S. population (18+ years). In the first step, the status quo of the use of e-learning in general and explainer videos in particular is presented. Subsequently, the effectiveness and efficiency of five different explainer video formats are analyzed using an experimental test design for one topic (US presidential election). On one hand, all formats reach a favorable evaluation based on the perception of the respondents, with only a few differences between test groups. On the other hand, significant differences occur in terms of relative improvements in knowledge level as well as input/output-ratios. Thirdly, expectations of potential users regarding the design of explainer videos are determined.

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