Here are seven reasons why DVDs are better than video tapes:

1) DVD videos are random access.  Video tapes are linear.

You have to watch a video tape from beginning to end.  There is no menu to select chapters or subjects you want to jump to.  You can't easily jump back to repeat something you just missed.  Those are very important differences, especially for educational videos.

2) DVD videos are interactive.  Video tapes are not.

All you can do with a video tape is start or stop it to answer a question.  You can't give your answer to the machine.  A DVD can actually quiz you and then give you a different response according to the answer you select with the remote control.  Interactive games can be created on a DVD.  You can only look at a video tape, but you can't interact with it.

3) DVDs can access the internet.  Video tapes can't.

DVDs can be made even more interactive by adding web access when they are played in a computer DVD drive.  Menu selections can send the student to various web addresses for more information.  You can even set up an interactive quiz with online grading and responses.  Video tapes can't even come close to that.

4) DVD videos have better quality video and audio than video tapes.

Both picture and sound are better on a DVD.  A side-by-side comparison with a good TV monitor and speakers shows a vast difference in quality.  DVDs even have surround sound.
 
5) DVDs are less likely to be damaged by the machines that play them.

DVD videos can be scratched, but with proper handling they are probably less prone to damage than video tapes.  VCRs have been known to "eat" video tapes.  Playing DVD videos does not cause deterioration as it does with video tapes.  Video tapes are always scraping across the playback heads in the VCR.  The recorded surface of a DVD is only touched by a beam of light in the DVD player.  Video tapes can be partially or completely erased by magnetic fields from motors, hard drives, computer monitors, etc.

6) DVDs take a lot less shelf space to store.

Just compare how many VHS video tapes you can put on a shelf with how many DVDs will fit on the same shelf.

7) VCRs are becoming obsolete while sales of DVD players are increasing.

You don't want to get stuck with a bunch of VHS tapes when your player wears out and you can't buy a new one.

Those are some reasons why DVD videos are better than VHS video tapes.  For educational, training, or instructional videos, the interactivity is the most important advantage of DVDs.  That is why the School of DVD eBay store sells DVDs for learning and not video tapes.