Of all the advancements made in the training and education field, few have had as much potential as modern eLearning design. Electronic learning is the modern process by which individuals receive instruction through digital resources.
Creating lesson plans with precise and repeatable practices makes eLearning publications an obvious advantage in technical work; however, there are potentials and pitfalls in this space. Get the most bang for your buck by following these techniques as you develop your next eLearning course.
Know Your Audience
Given the hands-on work of a technician, it may feel as if there are better ways to learn maintenance and repair techniques than in front of a screen. While many technicians learn best in a real-world setting, there are certain situations where eLearning can prove to be insightful. One example is understanding the functions of an engine from the inside. Learning this information would be otherwise impossible in a real-world setting.
For best results, eLearning should be supplemented with hands-on training, taking the digital lessons directly to the project. Many eLearning courses are self-guided, allowing technicians to do it at their own pace. This approach can ensure they internalize the information before moving on to the next part of the course.
Curate Content
The content of your eLearning courses doesn’t have to come from a single source. It is best to search the vast resources already at your fingertips. A good way to identify content for your curriculum is to search for a problem you want your course to solve and ask yourself the following questions:
- Are the solutions you find helpful?
- What resources are they drawing from?
- Could this information be presented in a way that provides more clarity?
If you find information that adds value to your instruction, check back regularly for any updates. Even the smallest improvements on the initial resource can greatly enhance your instructional design for eLearning with minimal effort on your part.
Differentiate “Need to Know” from “Nice to Know”
The internet is an endless sea of information, but that doesn’t mean all the information belongs in your lesson. Overloading an eLearning course with superfluous data or facts will likely be more of a distraction and lead to mental fatigue for your learners. Your lessons should be quick and focused, providing the precise information technicians actually need to know to improve their job performance.
Determine what content is essential to understanding the lesson and discard facts that might be interesting but ultimately unnecessary. Information that is ‘nice to know’ but not ‘need to know’ can be provided as an optional addition for those who want to get more out of their lessons. Doing this can provide additional learning opportunities and help you identify learners who want to dig deeper.
Consider Microlearning
When distraction is the enemy, microlearning can be your best friend. Breaking complex ideas into smaller, manageable chunks can turn a mountain into a molehill. This technique works great for anyone struggling with a lesson, but it is especially valuable for learners with attention issues.
Microlearning can also ensure the content comes across quickly, increasing the odds that the information will stick in people’s minds. This approach can also prevent information overload. Small steps such as these can lead to giant leaps in understanding because of your eLearning course.
Spaced Learning
Various teaching methods exist, but none are as tried and true as spaced repetition. Often we need to visit ideas multiple times before they take will root, but repeated attempts in a brief timeframe can be exhausting and discouraging. On the other hand, spaced learning is similar to watering a plant. Too much water is overwhelming, and too little is stifling, but a little at a time is the perfect recipe for growth.
Spacing out the repetitive information included in your eLearning course can help increase information retention. Your trainees will develop neural pathways that will build a path to success, allowing them to easily recall information they gained in your online training.
Evaluate and Iterate
Testing isn’t just for your learners because without testing the efficacy of your eLearning program, you cannot make adjustments to it. Incremental changes are necessary so you can customize your program over time. These changes allow you to fit the needs of your technicians and adapt to various levels of understanding.
Your eLearning course should also take advantage of the best medium, a living lesson, instead of having just static text on a page. By measuring the outcomes of your eLearning publications, you can fine-tune your engine for peak performance.
Conclusion
With these techniques in place, your technicians will be prepared to get the most out of their online training. For a headstart on the most comprehensive eLearning courses available, contact GGS today. Using virtual and augmented reality, GGS brings visual design for eLearning to the next level. Our resources are aimed at a global market and we use cutting-edge technology, giving you the best eLearning courses for the modern workforce.
When you’re ready to benefit from the world of possibilities and precise standards that eLearning can provide, GGS has everything you need to succeed. Ask about our custom eLearning content development services and trust us to be your eLearning service provider.
