How to Build a Learner-Centric eLearning Experience

The rise in eLearning across both corporate settings and schools is undeniable. It’s estimated that half of all K-12 schools will offer some form of eLearning, and the global corporate eLearning market will grow steadily at around 11% per year.

Despite this growth, there’s no universal eLearning approach. Each course and project brings its own challenges, and each has its own group of stakeholders. However, one key element that must always be prioritized is the learner—the person who will ultimately engage with and benefit from the course.

The success of any eLearning initiative often depends on how well learners engage with the content and how effectively they can apply that knowledge. Ensuring the course is designed with the learner in mind is critical for achieving successful outcomes. Below are some key strategies to implement a learner-centric approach in eLearning design.

1. Optimize for Accessibility Across Devices

Courses are now consumed across a range of devices—smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. Instructional designers must create eLearning that works seamlessly on all of these devices. By ensuring a responsive, flexible course design, it becomes possible to engage learners on any platform, making the course more accessible and increasing overall engagement. This also enables the opportunity to personalize the experience, as learners can interact with content on their terms.

2. Use Branching Scenarios for Personalization

Personalized learning is key to improving engagement and retention. While fully individualized experiences may not be feasible, courses can be adapted to fit different learner cohorts through branching scenarios. For instance, in a classroom context, different prompts or paths within a course can be offered based on a learner’s interests or choices. This helps learners stay engaged and increases their retention of the material by providing content that is relevant to their needs.

3. Integrate Gamification

Gamification brings an element of fun and engagement to learning. By incorporating features like rewards, progress levels, and checkpoints, learners can track their journey and feel a sense of accomplishment as they progress. This motivates them to continue engaging with the course. Gamification helps create an immersive experience that reinforces learning through positive reinforcement. Companies like Growth Engineering have already fully embraced this, enhancing learner connections to course material through game-like experiences.

4. Break Content into Digestible Segments

With decreasing attention spans, long lectures or long tasks are no longer effective in keeping learners engaged. Instead, breaking down the content into smaller, bite-sized sections improves retention and engagement. This approach, known as microlearning, offers learners more control over how they proceed and allows them to absorb information in short, focused bursts.

5. Move Beyond Traditional Slide-Based Learning

The shift in eLearning tools has opened up new possibilities for course design beyond traditional slide-based content. A slide-by-slide presentation can feel restrictive, offering little opportunity for interactivity or exploration. Instead, modern tools like HTML5-based authoring tools and platforms like Adapt allow for more flexible, engaging designs. These tools foster an interactive, agile learning environment, which encourages deeper learner engagement and enhances the overall experience.

6. Incorporate Continuous Learner Feedback

While internal course reviews measure technical aspects like accuracy and functionality, it’s the feedback from learners that truly drives a learner-centric approach. Gathering real-time feedback through surveys or platforms like zipBoard allows instructional designers to understand how learners are interacting with the content and what could be improved. Collecting ongoing feedback helps ensure that learners’ needs are met and allows for iterative improvements throughout the course development process.

7. Foster Social Interaction

Learning as part of a community helps increase engagement and knowledge retention. For many learners, the social aspect of learning—discussing concepts with peers, asking questions, and collaborating—is crucial to the learning process. Incorporating forums, discussion threads, or collaborative elements within the course can simulate a classroom-like atmosphere. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) like Coursera excel in this regard, encouraging peer interactions that complement individual learning.

Conclusion

Adopting a learner-centric approach is essential for the success of eLearning projects. When learners are actively engaged and involved in the learning process, they are more likely to succeed. Implementing these strategies into your eLearning design can enhance engagement, foster a deeper connection with the material, and ultimately improve the effectiveness of your courses.