Introduction
Think about the best learning experience you’ve ever had. What was it like?
Got one? I’ve asked this question dozens of times and gotten a variety of answers. Sometimes the answer is that someone was really passionate about what they were learning, but the most frequent answer is:
Nobody ever says, “I had the most amazing textbook” or “There was this really great PowerPoint deck!”
That suggests that a lot of what makes for a great learning experience is not about the content but about the way the content is taught. In fact, a class can cover the same material but be very different, depending on how the material is taught:
Tedious textbook + excellent teacher = Amazing!
Tedious textbook + OK teacher = Meh.
So what’s the special sauce? How are the two experiences different? When it’s two different teachers, some of the differences are due to personality or charisma, but those aren’t usually the only differences. And when it’s an elearning course, there’s no teacher at all. How is a really good elearning course different from just reading a textbook online?
Even more important, what’s the difference between a learning experience that’s effective and one that gets forgotten as soon as the learner is done? Even “amazing” classes are useless if the learner doesn’t do something different afterward. While some learning experiences are “learning for the sake of learning,” I won’t really address those in this book. (Disclaimer: I work with adult learners, usually in a professional setting, so while the book will address examples from multiple contexts, the majority will relate to adult workplace learning experiences.)
For me, the goal of good learning design is for learners to emerge from the learning experience with new or improved capabilities that they can take back to the real world and that help them do the things they need or want to do. If your learners are on a journey from novice to expert, how can you help them along that path?
This book looks at some of the things involved in designing great learning experiences:
If learning is a journey, what’s the gap between where they are and where they need to be? Sometimes that gap is knowledge, but just as often the gap can be skills, motivation, habit, or environment.
Chapter 2: Who Are Your Learners?
Your learners see the world differently than you do, and to design effective learning experiences you need to understand their view of the world.
The best learning experiences are designed with a clear destination in mind. Learn how to determine your destination with accuracy.
Chapter 4: How Do We Remember?
Learn about how the brain works to focus on and retain information.
Chapter 5: How Do You Get Their Attention?
Learn strategies for getting past the distractions and helping your learners focus their attention.
Chapter 6: Design for Knowledge
The most common type of learning experience focuses on teaching knowledge. Learn strategies to make this as effective as possible.
Skills require practice. Learn strategies for helping your learners get the practice they need to develop those skills.
Chapter 8: Design for Motivation
If you’ve ever heard a learner say the words “I know, but...” then you are probably dealing not with a knowledge gap but with a motivation gap. Learn strategies for getting your learners to not only learn more but also do more.
Sometimes the gap isn’t knowledge or skill or even motivation, but is rather a question of habits.
Chapter 10: Social and Informal Learning
When is formal learning not the answer? Learn about social and informal learning options.
Chapter 11: Design for Environment
Sometimes it’s better to fix the environment rather than the learner.
Chapter 12: Designing Evaluation
After you build a learning experience, how do you know whether it works? Learn ways to evaluate and assess learning.