Why course engagement matters
Everyone has had the experience of taking a required training that didn’t feel like a good use of their time. But that experience doesn’t have to be so painful.
Engaging training makes learners more motivated, and helps them to participate actively, which increases retention of the information. When learners are emotionally and intellectually invested in the content, they are more likely to internalize the knowledge and apply it in real-world situations.
Ultimately, focusing on learner engagement enhances the overall success of training programs, ensuring that the time and resources invested yield meaningful results.
Start with learning outcomes
- Orient your learners by setting outcomes at the start of your course, walking them through what they can expect to learn from your content.
- It helps to explain the intended result, not just how you plan to explain it to them.
EXAMPLES
- Outcome-based: This course will show you how to build a high protein lunch to keep you full for hours.
- Needs improvement: This course will show you a checklist to creating a fulfilling lunch and a video about preparing chicken.
Emphasize and edit
- If you don’t filter your content, learners will have to work too hard to discern the most important pieces. Learners want you to make the content clear, not work to cram more information in.
- Tip: Use color or bolding to emphasize the most important elements and don’t be afraid to repeat them.
Mix up your medium
- It’s difficult to focus on a block of text or a very long video. Vary your medium to hold the learners’ attention and create footholds for their memory.
- Good rule of thumb: For every text component, pair an image or video up to 3-minutes long. In videos over 3 minutes long, switch up the view–like from a talking head to a demonstration.
- Tip: People are wired to remember stories!
Practice makes perfect
- Most learners won’t retain the information without an opportunity to apply it. Adding knowledge checks (like drag and drop exercises, games, even short quizzes) throughout the course will keep learners engaged and reinforce learning.