For businesses choosing the correct learning management system for their employees and the organisation can be intimidating. There is an array of components that the organisation must consider; from costings and reporting to integration and record management. One component that is arguably the most important for businesses is the content creation features. Organisations must understand that not all people learn in the same way, and all different learning styles must be considered. All types of learning styles from visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic must be catered for with the creation of content to ensure your learners are engaged and comprehend their training materials to the best of their ability.
Bland and unengaging content is among some of the most common UX issues when it comes to learning management systems. Within the article we are going to take you through some the solutions to avoid this for your organisation. We are going to look at the different ways people learn i.e visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic and how this can be applied in your content. We will delve into the creation features, as well as their capability and usability; what really to look for when choosing the best learning management for your business. We will look at how the creation of interactive assessments can instil confidence in learners and align their learning and retention constructively. We will finish by discussing the importance of feedback on content and how it can improve the takeaway of the course and leave opportunity for reflection.
Learning Styles
As we mentioned, organisations must understand and take into consideration that not all people learn in the same way. To run successful training courses online, organisations need to understand and adapt their content to Fleming’s VAK (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic) learning styles. Beginning at the base level of how best your employees learn then you are already one step ahead in creating content that everyone can engage with. Not only this but your employees stand a better chance of retaining the knowledge from their training. Below is the breakdown of each learning style, the strengths of each and some tips on what to include in your content to help employees with that learning style learn and retain.
Visual:
According to Fleming, visual learning is a teaching and learning style in which ideas, concepts, data and other information are associated with images and techniques. Simply, visual learners would prefer to see the material to learn from it.
Strengths:
Follows direction easily
Objects are easily visualised
Sense of alignment is accurate
Has excellent organisation skills
Tips on what to include for content/learning:
Accompanying study notes for online training.
A copy of the presentation, and any material which can always be accessed
Diagrams, images, graphs
Study guides
Ability to complete training alone
Auditory:
Auditory is a learning style in which people learn through listening. An auditory learner depends on hearing and speaking as the primary style of learning. Often, auditory learners have difficulty with instructions that are written. Simply, students have to hear information to truly absorb it.
Tips on what to include for content/learning:
Ensuring voiceovers on presentations are clear
Making voice recordings of notes
Reading assessments and exam questions out loud
Studying with a partner or group
Strengths:
Can easily understand changes in tone of others voice
Group work
Telling stories
Oral Assessments
Solving difficult issues
Kinesthetic:
Kinesthetic is a learning style in which learning takes place by the learner carrying out a physical activity rather than listening to a lecturer or watching a demonstration or videos. Practicing simulations or techniques are learning is an excellent way to retain information for the kinesthetic learner. Kinesthetic learners tend to want to move while learning.
Strengths:
High energy
Excels in sport, art or drama
Quick reception
Good with experimenting or acting out simulation
Tips on what to include for content/learning:
Create a model
Demonstrate a principle
Practice technique in assessments
Engage in hands on activities
Encourage studying while standing/moving
Each individual or learner is different and does not necessarily fit into one learning style. Some people can be a mix of one style, two styles or, in fact, all three. Therefore, it is imperative you’re creating well rounded content that can engage any learner with a particular learning style. Encourage each learner to user their strengths to the best of their ability.
This lead us to our next point, as an employer what can we do to ensure we have engaging content for all learning styles? As we mention when choosing a learning management system we need to ensure the content creation features can go above and beyond to cater for our diverse employees and their abilities while learning. For example, the importance of effect training and learning material is of vital importance. Read our article HERE on the various training material’s SAFEWARE can offer you as a business. I am going to briefly run through some of the most important capabilities of your training content creation on the learning management system.
After having looked at the learning styles we must cater for as a business we need to ensure our learning management systems can create and host video content, presentation style content complete with voiceovers, SCORM compliant interactive content, blended learning that smoothly incorporate a transition between the classroom and online learning.
The way in which we deliver assessments, the features they have and the feedback on such can be harnessed advantageously for learners and their differing styles. A learning management system needs to be able to offer a variety of assessment methods. Everything from multiple choice questions to single answer, true or false, fill in the blank to essay styles must be included. The option of creating simulations as a form of assessment, and uploading our written work is another excellent form of assessments. Offering feedback at the end of each assessment can instil confidence within the learners and aligning their retention of knowledge constructively. It leaves opportunity for reflection and takeaway of each training session.
Feedback is extremely important for learners. A learning management system that provides an option for discussion boards and comments can ensure maximum engagement between learners and with the instructor. It offers a more well-rounded experience and learners can come away after absorbing more content and with clarity.
For businesses choosing the correct learning management system for their employees and the organisation can be daunting, but taking the time to understand your employees and their learning styles and using this to create a more engaging form of content is of mutual benefit.
If you are having trouble with choosing a learning management system and wish to get more information the SAFEWARE team would be delighted to assist and offer a free demo of our platform.
Sources:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317305325_Styles_of_Learning_VAK