Do we believe the Goldfish myth? “That today’s people have a shorter attention span than a goldfish.”
This theory is often put forward in training and development circles to justify low learner engagement and retention.
But how can this be? It’s nonsense and I challenge anybody to measure a goldfish’s attention span.
According to a 2018 Prezi study, 56% of professionals rate their ability to give a piece of content undivided attention as greater today than one year ago.
So, how do your e-Learners feel about being credited with the attention span of a goldfish.
According to Chris Willis, Director of Product Content in a virtual session at HR Com’s Inspire Conference:
5 Things Your Remote Learners Want You to Know:
- I think training is boring
- I wish learning were easier to access and take
- I need training that’s relevant to my job
- Don’t train me on what I already know
- I’m willing to learn, but you need to make it more engaging.
Let’s consider some of these statements.
In the Prezi study I mentioned above, 49% of professionals admitted they’ve become more selective about the content they consume.
This is important for points 1 and 5. We have all experienced some type of stale, boring training in our lives.
Employees hold preconceived notions about training – its your job to challenge those notions and develop a learning solution that will engage them in unexpected ways.
Learners need to be engaged and motivated before they can apply higher-order creative thinking skills to the content. They’ll understand the information and be better able to apply it to real-life situations they encounter at work if they think deeply about the content during training.
How Can I Engage My Learners?
- Dialogue
- Story
- Visuals
Conversational scenarios, engaging narration to videos, or even a quirky character can add some stimulating dialogue and draw learners in.
In the same way, a relevant story can be the hook that catches an otherwise reluctant audience.
Your Learners Expect Great Visuals:
In this world of addictive mobile games and amazing special movie effects, your course must look good.
Pre-built templates and stock pictures libraries provide a good start and an easy way to put together a design that stuns. Even better are pictures from your company or industry.
When delivering training to remote learners, these elements are even more critical. Today’s learners are dealing with more distractions than ever and they need engaging, relevant content that will help them succeed.
Sign up for a free trial with Modlettes (www.modlettes.com) and get access to the six media that will help you create engaging eLearning.