What should be considered when designing learning?

• Who is the target audience? Is there more than one target audience? (Pro tip: there often is :-))
• What can, or does, the target group know now, and what do they need to learn?
• What is the target group's background and motivation for learning?
• What context should the learning take place in? When and how should participants use the learning material? Should it be integrated into a busy everyday life, where the idea is that participants can educate themselves when they have breaks? Or can they take longer out of the calendar to learn something? Do they have access to a computer, or should it take place on a mobile phone? Do they have the opportunity to learn/practice while they work (situated learning)? Is there a need for participants to be able to communicate with each other or with a teacher? Etc. etc.

Only when you have made it clear what the answers to these questions are, can you move on to finding different types of methods and media , as they each have advantages and disadvantages.

It is important to realize that learning new things is often tiring, and to consider how best to ensure that you support the target group's motivation to learn. Boring e-learning or PowerPoint slides may work well if the target group is highly motivated, but otherwise it is usually not conducive to the target group learning anything.

At the same time, you must of course choose a medium that suits the content to be conveyed and the context in which it is to be included. If the target group needs to learn some technical terms, it may be possible to do so alone at a distance using e-learning, podcasts or manuals, but if they need to learn something more complicated, such as conducting MUS interviews, we must expect that some practical training in doing so will be necessary, as well as the opportunity to ask questions of a teacher or a fellow student.

Do you want to? learn more?

If you are interested in reading more about motivation and learning, these articles may interest you.

• Self-determination theory. The most important theory you need to know about learning.
• Coercive design – how not to design e-learning .
• Your brain is NOT a computer - Predictive Coding

If you want to know more about digital learning and e-learning, you can start with our E-learning FAQ

... and are you looking for help developing exciting e-learning , or would you like to learn how to create exciting e-learning yourself - then give us a shout.