We have our share of problematic elearning audiences. After all, according to a study conducted in Deloitte, the modern learner is easily distracted, overworked, and impatient – but they have a deep thirst for learning.
This poses a challenge when it comes to creating online courses for them to learn from. Obviously, the need to provide the courses is there. However, you also have to consider the personalities of the audience that you are trying to teach. To make the learning experience successful, you have to deliver the lesson in such a way that will appeal to the personal preferences of the learner. Otherwise, the lesson will be lost on them.
There are two problematic elearning audiences that you need to get to know. Let us discuss the both of them to determine the best strategy to teach them.
Diverse Audience
The first problem is having a diverse audience. It is obvious that you need to get to know your audience. But if they are a varied group (like a global team), how will you know which preference should be followed? You cannot incorporate all of their preference in the course because that might compromise the actual content. So what can you do to engage this diverse audience to make sure their elearning experience will be as successful as possible?
First of all, you may want to think about giving personal pathways. That means creating a course with different sections that learners can go to at their own pace. Allow them to go back and forth between sections. Creating a menu should help them navigate with ease. That way, those who need a longer time to understand a particular section can take their time without feeling like they are dragging the whole learning process down.
The sectioning will also help you remove or alter information without touching the whole course. This will help you personalize the course according to the specific audience that you want to teach.
Passive Audience
Usually, these are the people who are not really interested in learning – but are forced into it. The aversion to learning is probably caused by a bad learning experience. Sometimes, it might even be because they do not think the lesson is valuable to them.
If this is the type of elearning audience that you are faced with, there are a couple of things that you can do.
Obviously, you need to make sure that the lesson is relatable and valuable to the audience. You need to make sure that this is clear to them. Start the course my asking a question that you know they have asked themselves. Or you can provide them with a scenario that they are familiar with. If they can identify themselves with the lesson, you know that they will pay more attention to it.
In case you are faced with an audience that has a bad elearning experience, you need to make them look at the lesson as a valuable resource – not a course. Keep it short and available as needed. Another thing that you can do is to make the learning experience fun. Use variety – as long as it is relevant, of course. You can make use of stories, characters, games, and rewards. These will make the learning process more appealing.
Consider these tips when you are creating elearning courses for problematic audiences. Engaging them is very important. Your inability to engage the learners might compromise the effectivity of the course.