Have you ever taken an online course where you speed through the material, take the quizzes and get it out of the way? We’ve all been there. Have you sat through a class lecture drifting off into your own world because of the teacher’s boring material and monotone voice? We’ve all been there, too.
Finding a balance between in-person and online learning is an ongoing challenge to many businesses and universities. eLearning is a valuable tool that can change the way people learn whether it be for their education, career or soft skills. A key factor to elearning is the way it’s being taught. Incorporating humanization to online learning makes a huge difference and keeps learners engaged.
Teaching through a screen doesn’t have to come off as robotic. Telling a story and connecting to the learner through your online course is vital to how the learner will engage. Every human has an innate desire to feel connected to other humans and by creating a story, your course is more relatable. If the topic is dry, make your visuals and voice stimulating enough to keep your learner engaged.
Realistic visuals and demonstrations are another important way to humanize your elearning course. Making the simulations as real as possible will allow the learner to put themselves into the situation more easily, rather than create it in their mind. A simple tip would be using videos of people demonstrating the course material and having different voices teach the learner. An example of course demonstrations is this sexual harassment prevention course where you see realistic scenarios unfold. Being able to relate to the people in videos is another way for the learner to feel connected to the course topic.
Most crucial of all to your learner is a real-life form of communication while taking the course. Your learner should have a source to reach out to when they have questions or concerns about their progress. Whether it be the course creator, their supervisor or the learning management system contact, a human contact is key to further expanding your course material. Technology often fails at times and having someone to help you along the way allows for an even greater course experience.
For other tips and tricks to humanize the way you conduct elearning, check out these blog posts here: