A Voice Over Insider’s Primer to eLearning Narration

eLearning is hot stuff! This $35B market is expected to reach $350B by 2025. (Nasdaq)
Sizzle. Sizzle.

What’s driving this growth? Digital technology, the speed of Internet and the ubiquity of wifi, mean learning no longer has to happen in a physical classroom with an instructor and (sometimes) somnolent lectures. Huge growth in the developing world and a shortage of teachers is a propelling global  force. Stats reveal eLearning saves money, increases learning retention and the amount of material students are able to digest, takes less time and even saves energy! eLearning is interactive, incorporates gaming, even wearable technology. It’s essentially any online environment where students take lessons, complete assignments, and take tests at their own pace from the comfort of wherever they happen to be. Because there is no live teacher it loses that top-down element and becomes one-on-one.  As such, the visual and audio elements of an eLearning program must do double duty to engage and inform and (even) entertain the learner.

Voice Over Work in Online Classes

Voice over work has become prevalent in eLearning. Without it, you’ve basically got is a slideshow. A lot rides on the voice over artist. You’ve got to present the lesson, tie together the graphic material and makes sure the learner “gets” the subject matter. For students who are auditory learners—that is, learn best by hearing—the voice over especially caters to their primary style of learning. If the company creating the lessons has considered the importance of audio, the student’s online class will be performed by a professional voice over artist with training able to speak knowledgeably about the subject to the intended audience and give justice to the creative vision of the instructional designer.

Professional Voice Actors & eLearning

Are you a new to narration? Or maybe you’re a veteran voice over artist considering a career path switch into the swelling market  of eLearning? Like any voice over work, preparing for your role as an eLearning voice over artist requires understanding the adjustment to make to match the medium, then some preparation and lots of practice. From commercials to cartoons, establishing the right approach requires imagining you’re in the head of your proverbial target audience. Online education is no different. Why does this student need this course? How can you help them not only understand, but retain the info? For eLearning, you are the teacher. Your role may be a professor, a peer, a doctor, manager or a next-door neighbor. Step into that character. Then work the script. A grasp of the subject matter, as well as your student and their goals – why they need to know what you’re teaching – will guide you to finding the right eLearning voice.

Your goal? Give your learner a great learning experience that also bolsters the reputation of your client. Tall order? Yes. Achievable? Yes! Key – practice, practice, practice. 😉