Five steps to get engaged learners.
How to engage participants into any learning experience has become an increasingly important question, especially with the digitalisation of learning opportunities in the last 18 months. Inevitably, we will achieve the engagement of our learners only when both the content we present, and the way we present it, are relevant for them. These first six months on the job have proven critical to pinpoint how to reach this objective of engagement for our clients and their participants. Here are 5 simple steps that you can take:
Start by understanding what the ‘experience’ needs to be about. What is the problem we are trying to solve or the opportunity we are trying to maximize? Identify your user group and ask yourself what they need/what they are missing. With what knowledge, skills, competences should they leave the learning experience?
Once the problem or opportunity is clear and your audience is set, you should turn to analyse your stakeholders. Who has an interest in the learning experience you are trying to build? Stakeholders can be important allies in the implementation of your project, but they can also have a negative impact if not managed properly. For this, you should think about prioritising them according to the influence they can have on your activity. Depending on their interest and influence, stakeholders can help you understanding what educational offer is relevant.
I did not mention a ‘training’ or a ‘workshop’ or any other specific type of learning experience so far. This is because different styles and methods will apply to different needs. Before finetuning what you are going for, you might want to brainstorm, writing down all that could be applicable. Do not think about constraints at this stage. There will be time for that (actually at next step). And don’t forget: written materials like guidelines or problems to solve can also be an important part of the learning experience! It is not all technological tools and glamour 😊
Now is the moment to generate ideas: ready, set, go! Take your brainstorming and start piecing what your learning experience will be about. Your choice of solution will also depend on the time and the resources (both human and monetary) that you have available. And let’s not forget the target audience! Different methods will apply to different people, so the more you know about them, the better.
Finally, the last step is to ask your stakeholders for feedback. They are the one interested (potentially also financially) in the project and they will be able to help you finetune your idea. Ask them about deep feedback like:
Will the proposed approach successfully address the needs of the target group(s)?
Does this fit with the busy schedules of the target group?
Are there any parts of the idea that need to be refined?
Then integrate their input, finalise your approach and…you are ready to go!
Enjoy your next learning experience adventure!
