7 Tips to Keep Adult Learners Engaged with Online Training
Delaney Caulfield
You may think that just because someone has signed up for an eLearning course, whether it’s mandated or not, that would mean that their attention will be engrossed by your content.
However, that’s simply not the case. If you want to keep adult learners engaged, you must put the work in. Slapping some words and images on a screen (à la PowerPoint) just won’t cut it.
Adult learners want to know exactly how your course will directly benefit them and help them meet their goals. Make that clear at the start of the course to capture their interest and get them motivated to continue. Once you’ve done that, follow these tips to keep those adult learners engaged with your online training course.
1. Relevant content
Adult learners are interested in highly relevant content, so wandering off topic is a quick way to lose their attention. Stick to valuable information that relates to the learning objectives and provides more context for whatever skill set they’re trying to improve on. Don’t waste their time with information that isn’t useful or doesn’t relate directly to their goals. You’ll be competing for their attention against a myriad of distractions, so don’t give your learners a reason to withdraw from your content.
2. Storytelling
A quick way to get your learners engaged with your online content is to build an emotional connection with them. Storytelling gives you the power to draw learners in and get them to relate to the subject matter on a deeper level. For adult learners, a compelling story can also increase knowledge retention. It’s an effective way to marry education and entertainment. If you’re uncertain of, or just not confident in, your storytelling ability, consider checking out these tips to help you.
3. Activities
Keep your learners engaged by testing their competency and problem-solving skills through activities. By creating realistic scenarios, you can encourage learners to activate their critical thinking abilities and have them draw on their own experiences. This will be more impactful than information alone. According to the principles of adult learning, adults like to blend their previous professional and personal experiences into their learning process. Which makes activities the perfect avenue for them to do exactly that. It gets the learners engaged and active in their education.
4. Short and sweet
Don’t overwhelm the learner with an excessive amount of information. Instead, break up your content into bite-sized modules to reduce the likelihood of learner fatigue. Small bits of information are easier to comprehend and retain than a large block of text is. Plus, as your learners complete each module, it will build their confidence and inspire them to continue.
5. Collaboration and community
Having adult learners share and discuss their ideas, and the course content, with each other not only increases their engagement, but encourages collaboration. By giving learners the opportunity to interact with their peers it can also enhance comprehension and retention of the content, create a sense of community, and encourage the development of soft skills. Consider using discussion forums, social media groups, or Q&A sessions to support your learners in this way.
6. Self-direct
Adult learners do their best when they can make their own choices about their learning. If possible, allow them to choose their learning path, explore at their own pace, and complete modules in the order they want to do them in. By providing options, learners will be responsible for directing their own learning which will keep them engaged with the subject matter.
7. Visually stimulating design
The visual elements of a course can be just as important as the content itself for adult learners. Font sizes, graphics, and choice of media will all have an effect on whether the learner stays plugged into the course or loses interest. Choose visually appealing images and an accessible font to entice adult learners to stay engaged with your course content.
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Delaney Caulfield
Delaney graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Cultural Studies. After working in an assortment of industries, she spent nearly a decade sharpening her writing and editing skills in the fast-paced field of journalism. Now she works as an Instructional Designer with BaseCorp where she enjoys flexing her passion for learning and creativity.