Video lectures are also often called asynchronous lectures because there is no scheduled time and you can watch them on your own schedule. They can be good. They can be ok. They can be terrible. It is also possible to have videotaped tutorials and labs. Sitting in front of the screen, headphones on (perhaps) trying to stay focused, trying to get the good stuff from the lecture or session. In a week, or over a term, this can be rough; especially for the dry, monotone, read from the slides/notes type of presentation. As the term drags on, can be ok, or can be brutal. We are not sure how many students really really enjoy learning this way, but some will.
There are many styles of taped lectures. For example, the video might be a recording of a live session (online or classroom). These tapes will have a different look, feel, and dynamic than a passive lecture without any student participation. And, it also depends on Bloom's levels of learning; is the objective just memorization, regurigatation, recipe recitation, or are the learning objectives more complex like comprehension, deeper understanding, learning how to apply, analyse, synthesize, and evaluate. If the learning objectives are at the foundational levels of facts, knowledge, and information; there is probably a best practice for that. If it the objectives are more challenging, a different best practice. Since a course might have objectives at both levels, the following cover both.
Try to watch videos on a real screen; not your phone
If there are handouts or slides; skim them before watching the video
If there are no handouts or slides; run through the video once on high speed to get a feeling of what is in the video, what is going to be covered
Use the PAUSE button, REWIND, no harm in watching sections more than once
Watch a bit, pause, summarize in your own words, make summaries of the key bits as you go
Write your notes when you think of them because you will forget them later
As always, write your notes in your own words, make diagrams, sketches; copying verbatim has little value
For a critical class, play the tape again and compare your notes; make sure that you did not miss anything
Do not binge watch video after video, watching class after class without a major break; work on a project, assignment
Do not stare at the screen longer than 15-20 minutes at a time; pause, get up, walk around, breath, drink, etc.
Make a list of what you are confused by, not sure about, what you have questions about; try to figure them out yourself, on your own
For questions that you are not able to sort out; get help and use any office hours or TA help that is available to sort it out
Get help as soon as possible on a topic and test your knowledge ASAP between videos in a course; do not let them pile up