Your learners are disengaged from digital learning. How can you turn things around?

Engagement Ignites Learning! ???? I'd approach re-engaging learners in digital learning as engineering a user-centric platform. Assess your learners' needs, similar to gathering requirements for a new system. Use gamification tools to introduce elements of fun and competition akin to engaging user interfaces. Incorporate multimedia elements for diverse learning styles, mirroring varied input methods. Apply microlearning principles to break down complex information, akin to modular programming. Encourage social learning, fostering community collaboration. Continuously evaluate and improve your digital learning content, ensuring iterative development and relevance.

Start by framing the problem, and don't stop with the first definition or explanation you come up with. When we say "learners are disengaged," how do you know? What does that look like? And what do they have to say about it? For example, MOOC learners famously have a very low completion rate of entire course experiences, but for many of them that's intentional and needn't be framed as a problem at all.

Design digital learning session, based on the Kolb's learning cycle and provide "food for thought" for all types of learners.

What learners, in what environment, attempting to engage in what kind of learning (degree of complexity/mastery) - how will they demonstrate transfer and does digital learning replicate any authentic experiences or lean into intrinsic motivators? The why or the question should be properly assessed before a solution is prescribed.

Understanding the needs of your learners is crucial to creating effective digital learning content. By taking the time to assess their goals, preferences, and challenges, you can tailor your approach to meet their specific needs. Are they visual learners who respond best to graphics and videos? Do they struggle with time management and benefit from clear deadlines and reminders? By addressing these questions, you can create content that not only engages your learners but also helps them achieve their desired outcomes. So, before you dive into designing or delivering digital learning content, take the time to assess your learners' needs – it's the key to creating a successful and valuable learning experience.

Gamification is a highly effective tool for increasing student engagement. Unlike traditional learning, where learners need to be focused and attentive, games allow them to learn unconsciously while having fun. The social aspect of gamification, where learners compete and collaborate with others, makes it even more motivating and engaging. Simulation, on the other hand, provides a safe, non-risky environment for learners to experience real-life scenarios. It can also be used to provide hands-on learning experiences that help professionals develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. Learning could be fun!

Make it memorable. Training that is reading paragraphs on a computer screen may cover the required topics, but if you want to get them to remember and use it, then make it a game or at least use colors and images. I like using gamification as it can make it engaging and fun, then you have the opportunity to make the learner a part of the process.

Make learning a fun and interactive experience by adding game-like features like points, badges, and leaderboards. Create exciting scenarios, simulations, or interactive quizzes to boost engagement and even spark a bit of friendly competition among learners. Don't forget to offer immediate feedback to celebrate achievements and reinforce positive behavior, making the learning journey both enjoyable and rewarding.

Levels, points and badges are great elements of digital learning. I would say that making the content shareable is also relevant when talking about gamification. This connection enhances the overall learning experience by creating opportunities for discussions, collaboration, and the exchange of insights among learners.

Follow-up on learning! Adding a ‘what’s next’ is vital for continuing to develop skills. Most trainers and trainees believe that training ends when the course is done, but no… that’s just the beginning! Encouraging follow-ups and knowledge checks helps fill out gaps that learners didn’t realized they had, only when they put into practice. Then, other training needs arise and development continues! ‘We Never stop learning!’

If you want to engage your audience, here are 3 things you must consider: 1?? Where does your audience hang out, go for information, or to solve problems? (HINT: It's probably not your LMS.) This will help you determine what format (i.e. text, images, video, audio) to use to engage your audience. 2?? What do you need people to do with this information? - remember something for next time? - do something specific? (and now?) - explain something complex 3?? Give people options to engage (versions that are text, video, and audio. Not everyone has the same amount of time. Learning styles is a myth (so ignore that advice)! While video might always seem like the "exciting" option, lean towards what format leads to the best outcome.

Multimedia elements can shape more tangible, relevant, and playful learning experiences. Ultimately, humans are story-driven creatures. Give us a picture and we connect better with those stories. Let me give you an example. If I tell you, hey, this is the most delicious pizza on the planet, it's got cheese, tomatoes, the works. It's crisp and hot out of the oven, covered in your favorite toppings. You're probably a little hungry, right? But also most likely wondering if I'm overselling it. Now, if I show you a picture of that same pizza along with the text and a graph showing past customers' satisfaction with it, your fingers are already pressing "Order" on UberEats and you're 10x more excited for dinner.

A video can say a thousand words. If you tell them in bullet point fashion and then show them, you can get comprehension. It can also be a chance to get the team and leadership involved by asking them to update the training. You want the mail room to get better at sorting or phone calls to get better engagement, ask the team to make a training video. You get updated training that they are engaged with.

Spruce up your learning materials by incorporating a mix of media, like videos, images, infographics, and animations – it's a great way to add some excitement and break the monotony of text-heavy content. Keep learners actively engaged by including interactive elements that encourage participation and hands-on learning experiences. And of course, always make sure that the multimedia you use is not just flashy but also relevant, supporting the overall learning objectives for a more enjoyable and effective learning journey.

Ever used LEGO blocks when you were a kid? 1?? They come in standard shapes and sizes (now they're all types) 2?? You can combine and reconfigure them to build anything you can imagine 3?? They are part of a larger plan (often the guide you use to snap all the pieces together). Every concept, skill, etc. is composed of these LEGO blocks and it's your job to figure out what does each block look like? For me, I always ensure that each block has: - a single, topic, skill, focus - a reason why (WIIFM statement) - provides an actionable next step (what do you DO with this information) One more reminder: don't build these in isolation or as one-off experiences. They should connect to the larger picture. ?? Just like building a LEGO set!

In Product Education provides a users a friction free approach to growing skills while learning on the job. Traditional SaaS learning methodologies, multi-hour in classroom or onsite trainings, are being disrupted. This is not just a function of our field, it is a function of the technology, apps, lifestyle that the modern worker is accustomed to. Designers and developers must consider how evolving workforce wants to absorb information. Break down education into specific in product workflows in pursuit of business success and embed directly in the product. By slowly teaching users through in product microlearning how to be successful in their job you facilitate knowledge retention and product adoption.

Okay, let's plug LinkedIn learning on this one. How they break it down into 2 to 5 minute increments helps the learner to pace themselves. On challenging topics, they can pause and walk through the information, perhaps even replay the chunk again.

Make learning more manageable by breaking down the content into bite-sized, easy-to-digest modules. Craft short and focused lessons that fit seamlessly into the hustle and bustle of your learners' busy schedules. Reinforce understanding and enhance memory retention by incorporating quick assessments or quizzes – it's a friendly way to make the learning process more engaging and effective.

Provide small wins to your learners to keep them engaged and encouraged through the learning journey. Checklists are a great way to make content more manageable.

People learn best from other people. The sooner we can move away from the learning person as the expert knowledge holder, the better the learning experience. Why? Often the learning expert is pretty far removed in context from the users we're trying to affect – their day-to-day jobs, the ins-and-outs of their desk work. So what should we do instead? 1?? Find expertise from within your user audience 2?? Figure out what they're doing 3?? Create forums and experiences to make that happen But, don't run away. It's your job to coach, frame, and structure these interactions so that everyone gets the most value out of attending a session like this. Categories you might recognize? - hackathon - show what you know - lunch and learn

A room full of team members wearing headphones, looking at a screen may get information out, but won't get it in use. Get the team to talk about what they are reviewing. How would they handle the customer issue? What is a good practice that they have seen on lock-out tag-out? Once a learner verbalizes what they are learning, the better chance they have to retain and use it.

I find that tapping into the natural competitiveness drives great results. I use gamification, but not to make it ‘pretty’ but to encourage the self driven need to do better!

Just-in-time learning is super useful for some things. If I cannot figure out how to use the coffee machine then I prefer the ones with a QR code on that give me video eLearning instructions - short and sweet!

Encourage lively discussions by setting up forums, chat groups, or social media communities where learners can easily connect and share their knowledge. Foster a sense of teamwork by introducing collaborative projects and group activities – it's a friendly way to promote cooperation and shared learning experiences. Additionally, spice things up by incorporating peer-to-peer learning opportunities, allowing learners to benefit from each other's unique insights and perspectives. Learning is more enjoyable when it's a shared adventure!

Making sure that digital learning serves a purpose. What does the employee have to learn to be successful at the end? You do not have one type of learner ever, so you could use a variety of resources that will reach several types of learners. Give your team a brain break. This will not only help them get a fresh start, but can find that engagement piece that we were looking for.

Keep things fresh and exciting by regularly checking how well your content is doing through analytics, feedback, and performance metrics. Stay on the pulse of relevance by consistently updating and refreshing your content. Don't forget to loop in your learners – they're the experts on their own learning experiences! Ask for their input to pinpoint areas that might need a little extra sparkle and improvement. Your commitment to making the learning journey awesome for them will surely pay off!

Most L&D people I know haven't a clue how to engage with their audience. The problem is generational, current L&D do not understand Gen Z (Zoomers) who are going to dominate the workforce in the next few years, yet L&D still prattle on about "Digital Learning" "Digital Content," Zoomers are so far ahead in the workplace they must wonder if they belong to another dimension. Oh, and now L&D have to contend with AI...er...sorry...you're already too late!

As an education leader you biggest competition is Google - if your users and therefore students are not empowered they will go to search. Once your users are on Google you now risk competitors information tainting their thinking. All resources and support should be available within the ecosystem that you develop to support these users. With the availability of LLMs and Generative AI this is more possible than ever. Including these technologies into vision and strategy for 2024 and beyond are critical for teams that will need to keep up with the pace of innovation these technologies will facilitate.

Address the disengagement with the person. Discuss the issues that they're facing as there could be useful insights that you've overlooked. These issues could also be affecting others in the same online classroom or course. An honest and open discussion can not only highlight what's not been working for some, but you can also gain insight into tools they they might prefer or think could work better. If approached in a constructive way it's a win-win.

Regardless of what kind of learning it is, if the content is not relevant to the student, it is bad learning. That's true K-12, higher ed, corporate training, and adult continued education. And it's true for virtual in-person, and e-learning. Understand your students, where they are in life, what meaningful, important, and relevant to them right now. Bring those elements into the learning. Don't talk with your middle schooler about inventory control management systems, and don't talk about the newest social media platform with your retiree students. Provide examples, stories, challenges, and practices that relate the subject or topic through the lens of that student. Once you do this, your students will engage with the learning.