Learning Conversations

I often get people asking me for support as they begin to develop some sort of online learning capability.

As with all aspects of teaching and learning - it's more an art than a science, but there are a number of key starting points:

Know your brain science

This applies to all forms of teaching, whether online or offline, but it's vital that we build our interventions on what research (not anecdote!) tells us about how the brain works.

I'd recommend every teacher/tutor/learning designer take a look at Brain Rules. You can start with the videos, but to get most value, it's probably better to get the book.

The most important from our perspective are:

• Rule #4: We don't pay attention to boring things
• Rule #5: Repeat to remember
• Rule #6: Remember to repeat
• Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses
• Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses

Don't go too quickly

The online environment, as a space for formal learning, is new and strange to many people. It has different rules & conventions ( aka Netiquette). It also is potentially a very isolating space. These factors combined mean that many learners will choose to drop out before you've even begun to get them involved in learning anything.

If you follow Gilly Salmon's 5 stage model for supporting learners, you will be more likely to achieve some form of success. It's designed for Higher Education, but still applies in corporate learning & development. Stage 1 (Access & Motivation), in particular, cannot be ignored - whether you're designed self-study materials, or trying to build a community of practice. If your learners cannot easily get to where you want them to be, or have nothing to motivate them to get there, then you might as well give up now.

Consider what you're trying to achieve

If all you're doing is wanting to make information available, then don't hide it away inside a SCORM elearning package. Put it somewhere where it can be easily found.

If you're wanting to change behaviours or develop skills, then build your learning design around practise and making mistakes.

Cathy Moore is the person I turn to for advice on learning design. Her practical Action Mapping planning process makes far more sense than just focussing on transferring knowledge (which is nigh-on impossible in your time frames anyway (see Brain Rules above).

And, if you're looking for where this works for real, look at her extensive list of examples.

Become an expert

Whatever tools you are using, whether Moodle, Wordpress, Articulate, Captivate, Webex etc - or any combination of them - you need to spend time learning how to get the best out of them.

Don't be satisfied with how you're doing things - as there's always room for improvement. And there are plenty of people out there sharing their knowledge of what worked for them.

It's up to you to build your network of trusted advisors, and even begin to share your own learning journey, so other people can learn from your mistakes.

A few places to start:

The Rapid eLearning Blog - written by Tom Kuhlmann from Articulate - but it's not about Articulate per se. What he writes applies to anyone creating self-study learning materials.
Onlignment - a collection of UK-based experts in online communication. Get hold of their eBooks. They're free!
Internet Time Alliance - an international team of experts in social and informal learning
Stephen Downes - an amazing curator of useful information around learning technologies
Elearning Learning - an actively curated collection of ideas and information from across the online learning world