Judy: You were in a mood last week
Nick: Yes, but I found a course that I really enjoyed
Judy: Not a company one.
Nick: No, it was a training company specialist in eLearning.
Judy: What was different
Nick: They had interesting activities before, during and after the actual training Modlettes
So, what is the key to motivating learners and ensure they remain engaged throughout the course?
The trick is to line the design with elements that promote motivation before, during, and even after course completion.
Today we’ll discuss things to do before:
- Begin by laying the groundwork and building an expectation of what’s to come.
This can be done by a pre-work activity, such as a short video to introduce the content.
Also, an engaging title can be a good warm-up.
- Communicate expectations and goals before the Course starts
(Resources: Two Types of Opening Lines that Invite Learners Into Your Modlette – Modlettes)
Share with learners what they can expect. By doing this you are already motivating the learners to meet standards, and excited about achieving goals. Tell them what they will learn or be able to do differently.
- Know your audience
A thorough assessment can provide keys to what factors will motivate them. This knowledge can be factored in to build emotional connections between your audience and the content, thus strengthening intrinsic motivation. Perhaps include a set of semi-personal questions with pre-work.
- Take your audience’s opinion
Not only will asking your learners who and what they want to learn improve engagement in the training but they feel their opinion matters. They will then be more likely to take the training seriously.
They are valued and feel an effort has been made that is of use to them personally.