E-Learning Course Design That Works

Right problem, wrong solution

Been there done that, as they say. Like most people, our e-learning journey started by following the conventional wisdom. Lots of multimedia (budgets permitting) lots of abstract interactions. Have the learners doing something (anything) on most screens to avoid the boredom of dry, linear content presentation.

Over time, it became clear this really didn't solve the problem of boring, ineffective e-learning. Which set us on the road to thinking differently.

Interested? Below are some of the broad, underpinning principles we've learnt, which we now apply help to bust the boredom.

2. Avoid endless, mediocre interactions

As we learnt the hard way, dressing up a page-turner with lots of abstract interactions and multimedia is not a solution, either. Sure, you can make it look 'sexy' and clever - all those gorgeous graphics, all that dragging things across screens, all those animations and videos scattered here, there and everywhere.

The first couple of times your learners might be impressed. By the third or fourth time, they really begin to wonder "what's the point?". They soon understand this is just a ruse to distract them. A ruse to stop them recognising they are reading boring slides of page-turning content.

4. Create authentic tasks and interactions

Building on relevance, impact and purpose, we work to create interactions that reflect the realities of the learners' world. To achieve this we focus on several key factors:

Where will the learning be applied? The setting for the learning is crucial. In most cases, it needs to reflect the learners' day-to-day reality as closely as possible.

What do the learners need to do with what they've learnt? With an authentic setting established, your learners should face authentic tasks or activities that enable them to apply the skills and knowledge they need to learn. This is rarely about one-off quizzes and multiple choice questions. More about learning through multiple approaches and exploring alternative ways to apply knowledge and skills.

How can the learners judge their progress? Exploration is great, as long as you have appropriate guidance along the way. This is where clear supporting knowledge and meaningful feedback play a crucial role. Not the banal Correct/Incorrect feedback of conventional e-learning, but situational and instructional feedback that shows learners the real ins and outs of what they are learning.