Who Are Your Learners? - Lessons from Design for How People Learn - Chapter 2

In every great story, the protagonist's journey is shaped by their unique traits, motivations, and challenges. Designing learning experiences is no different. Learners are the heroes of their own stories, and as instructional designers, our role is to craft a narrative that guides them from their starting point to success. Chapter 2 of Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen dives into this essential question: Who are your learners?

This chapter isn’t just about understanding your learners—it’s about stepping into their shoes, uncovering their motivations, and addressing their challenges. And as Julie notes, without understanding your learners, "unfortunate things can happen."

Motivation: Why Are They Here?

Picture two learners in a training room. One is eager, passionate, and intrinsically motivated. The other is here because they have to be. These motivations influence how they engage with the material.

For intrinsically motivated learners, the approach is straightforward:

• Let them explore meaningful, real-world problems.
• Encourage peer learning by making them teachers of their own experiences.
• Provide the space for them to work on projects that resonate with their goals.

For extrinsically motivated learners, the task is more nuanced:

• Connect the learning to tangible, real-life benefits.
• Start with their pain points—what frustrates them, and how can this training help?
• Skip the theory; jump straight to practical, relatable examples.

Key Insight: Intrinsic motivation may not always be present, but you can spark it by offering challenges and puzzles that intrigue them.

Your Learners Want to Feel Competent

No one wants to feel out of their depth. Wary learners—those unsure about their skills or nervous about judgment—need an environment where they can build confidence:

• Leverage what they already know; build on their existing knowledge.
• Offer small, early wins to boost confidence.
• Allow them control over the pace or order of the material.
• Create safe spaces for failure, where they can learn without fear of embarrassment.

Key Insight: Success isn’t just about learning new things; it’s also about feeling competent and in control.

Your Learners Are Not You

Here’s a common trap: assuming your learners think, act, or approach problems like you do. They don’t.

• Their context shapes their experience. The tools, environments, and challenges they face might be entirely different from yours.
• Their knowledge differs. What seems obvious to you might be entirely new to them.

Understanding this gap is crucial. Use scaffolding—supportive structures that help learners bridge the gap from novice to expert. Start simple, then gradually increase complexity as learners gain confidence.

The Diversity of Learning Styles

From Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences to Kolb’s Learning Styles Inventory, learners bring diverse ways of understanding the world. While you don’t need to design a course that fits every theory, a good rule of thumb is to:

• Talk to your learners. Understand their preferences and needs.
• Observe them in action. What are their challenges? What excites them?
• Prototype early. Test your designs with them and refine based on feedback.

Final Takeaways: Designing for Your Learners

• Know their motivations: Are they driven by curiosity or obligation?
• Acknowledge their knowledge gaps: Provide structure for novices and autonomy for experts.
• Engage them meaningfully: Learning is not a one-way street. Create opportunities for interaction, feedback, and dialogue.
• Immerse yourself in their world: Theories are helpful, but nothing beats firsthand experience with your learners.

This is the art of designing transformative learning experiences—not just delivering content but crafting stories where learners emerge as the heroes of their own journeys.

Stay tuned for Chapter 3, where we continue this narrative and dive deeper into designing experiences that stick.

What challenges do you face in understanding your learners? Let’s discuss in the comments!

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