Ten top tips for learning design
Motivation matters
Our motivation, tacit knowledge and expectations affect how we interpret learning and our readiness to learn.
Therefore,
- Tap into the intrinsic motivations of your learners
- Make sure you clearly tell learners 'what's in it for them'
- Find creative ways to grab their attention and keep it
Don't overload the learners
The brain is a machine with limited capacity.
Therefore,
- Chunk content so it's easy to make sense of
- Strip out redundant text, graphics, media
The transfer of learning from our working to long-term memory is called encoding.
In e-learning we make use of two channels to encode what we learn: visual and auditory.
Therefore,
- When using media, optimise the channels - don't bombard them
- Don't make the brain work out the interface when it should be focusing on the learning!
Get the right level of challenge
There's nothing more frustrating than a piece of learning that's either too easy or too difficult.
Therefore,
- Get the right level of challenge to stimulate your target audience
- Build in differentiation for your learners - i.e. help and extension activities around core tasks
- Ensure good progression of learning, i.e. tasks should become progressively more complicated with less scaffolding
Give meaningful feedback
We can learn from our mistakes. Meaningful feedback helps us progress.
Therefore,
- Use formative feedback to 'fill' the gaps in knowledge and skill
- Give meaningful feedback to help diagnose the learner's strengths and weaknesses
- Signpost learner progress, through the course and their learning
- Signpost where they can get further help, knowledge or skills
- Complete the circle - line managers should also give feedback when learners are implementing new skills on the job
Contextualise the learning
Theoretical knowledge can be encoded into long-term memory but it's not as easy to retrieve on the job.
If you contextualise learning in, for example a job environment, the environment triggers the new memories of learning back on the job. (Where it counts!)
Therefore,
- Make sure you simulate real tasks authentically
- Simulate the environment that the learner works in
- Use real case studies, worked examples
- If you can, use real people, their perspectives, their hints and tips and their stories in the learning
Practice makes perfect
It's an old adage but true - practice makes perfect i.e. rehearsal in working memory results in encoding into long-term memory.
Invest in practice!
- Give more practice to critical tasks on the job
- Space practice - i.e. little and often rather than all in one go
- Practice on and offline - encourage observations of new learning and skills
Give ownership to the learner
When you feel 'forced into' a piece of learning that's a one-size-fits-all solution - it's hard to personally invest in that learning. One-size-fits-all encourages a set of dependent rather than independent learners and thinkers.
You increase ownership by
- Allowing users to choose the level of detail or expertise to which they go (as long as a core path is covered)
- Socratic questioning techniques
- Building in differentiation
- Personalising the experience - by online coaches and guides
- Personalising the course environment or accessibility settings
- Allowing for reflection and self-questioning
Please note, complete novices may want a more structured approach. You could provide diagnostics that generate a personalised route through the learning.
Encourage social interaction
Social interaction has many forms.
Our social relationships bring a wealth of learning opportunities in our home, work or school life.
Discussion and critique encourages synthesis of knowledge into arguments, which results in deeper and more original mental processing.
Competition against our peers can increase motivation to learn.
It's important that your learning harnesses our social natures, whether on or offline
- Try using multi-player role playing in online games
- Use wikis and blogs to share good practice or critique
- Allow people to ask questions to someone about their learning either on or offline
- Integrate the e-learning into classroom or face-to-face settings
- Embed e-learning as a tool that's used in face-to-face team meetings, coaching sessions, buddy sessions, and in the workplace
Use a learner-centered approach
All the previous points are dependent on one thing - how well do you know your target audience and their environment?
Learners are the centre of our design process - they're the ultimate test of the success of the learning.
Therefore,
- Research your learner requirements, their motivations and expectations
- Make sure you understand what kind of learners they are
- Collect their stories to make the training authentic
- Work with subject matter experts to contextualise the learning
- Include your stakeholders in the research process and balance business and learner requirements
- Iteratively develop your product and trial before release
And finally, be humble. Evaluate your programme with learners and learn from your own mistakes.
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