Designing e-learning for maximum motivation

What follows is a series of notes from a Designing e-Learning for Maximum Motivation webinar by Ethan Edwards of Allen Interactions.

Introduction

“The goal of e-learning is to create meaningful performance change in the learner.”

Organisations choose e-learning for other reasons (cost, access etc.), but Learning Designers should remain focused on the performance change.

Learner motivation

Most learners aren’t intrinsically motivated.

• Media/animation isn’t enough.
• Learners want the shortest, least painful way through a course. They look for shortcuts.
• Traditional path: read text without purpose, unhelpful feedback, memorise trivia, long unbroken narratives.
• “Expedited” path: Hit next without thinking, random actions, guessing without consequence. Most people will pick this path in traditional e-learning.

LDs need to create experiences where learners won’t aim for the expedited path. We want active involvement in meaningful tasks (task-oriented, not content-oriented). We need tasks that require attention, where guesses are unproductive, and failure leads to a dead end rather than default completion.

Six rules to create motivation

1. Just say less

• Learners are motivated by tasks, not being recipients of lectures
• We need formal objectives, but we don’t need to tell learners what they are
• Make content-heavy resources available, but only when users choose
• Don’t include things just because they matter to the SME

2. Make it more challenging

• Include achievable challenges with appropriate risks
• This isn’t just about making it harder, but providing something that makes the learner think
• Withhold information until learner asks for it; ambiguity isn’t always bad

3. Delay judgment

• Contrary to what we usually think, give learners time to think and correct before providing feedback e.g. include an “I’m ready” button

4. Content-rich feedback

• Wait until they are engaged and interacting before providing content
• Put content in feedback instead of up front e.g. to see the consequences of their actions
• Naturally chunks content based on actions
• Safe failure – learners are most motivated when they’ve just made a mistake. Interest is high after you make a wrong choice; you want to know where you went wrong

5. Create levels of difficulty

• Increase challenges as their skills develop
• Vary how much help is provided
• Learners need a sense of accomplishment

6. Give more control to learners

• Prevents the feeling that learners are the “victims”
• Give learners responsibility - pace, sequence, help, choose when to be tested etc.