What is the optimum e-learning course video length?

20 minutes or less, optimally, less than 12.

Some good research has been done into the optimum length of online course videos (not live sessions e.g., via Zoom).

Commonly cited research from Guo (2013) suggests that instructional videos be 6 minutes or less. This was based on data from an EdX ‘Massive Open Online Course‘ (MOOC) and 6.9 million video views.

Lagerstrom (2015) points out, however, that MOOCs may not have the same level of student investment as other course types. His own studies based on two computer science courses at Stanford concluded that online course videos should be no longer than 20 minutes, ideally less than 12.

Tips for course videos

I recently attended Dr. Deniese Cox’s session at the VELG National VET Conference “10 Quick-Fire Findings from Research.”

Dr. Cox does some fantastic research into teaching and learning online (see TeachingOnline.com.au) and some tips she offered us in the session for course videos were:

1. Putting the duration of the video in the title results in 47-63% more views
2. It is much better to have the face and the torso of the presenter in the video (rather than just narrating slides)
3. The best performing camera format for the presenter is to have them visible with content (rather than separate to the content like a Zoom recording).

Guo, P. (2013, November 13). Optimal video length for student engagement. https://blog.edx.org/optimal-video-length-student-engagement (Retrieved 11 November, 2022)

Lagerstrom, L. (2015). The myth of the six minute rule: student engagement with online videos. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, 14-17.