Best Ways to Create Engaging E-Learning Courses
In the world of LMS, traditional means of learning get replaced by a self-serving, all-inclusive platform that allows the learner to access all the classroom elements from one digital location. Our current world of remote-everything and social distancing has almost made this form of education a mandatory platform.
As convenient as it may sound, it’s hard to replace the human-to-human connection provided by an in-person learning experience that traditional classrooms offer. However, we are faced with perhaps seeing a permanent restructuring of the way courses are taken.
Instead of grasping to the conventional teaching methods and creating a two-tiered system of learning, it could be time to embrace the future; and many people have! Despite the promising outlook some people place on remote and e-learning environments, there remains one common factor plaguing this education sector.
The lack of human-to-human contact can leave students bored and unstimulated. How do we solve this issue while retaining the option to function from a completely remote platform?
There needs to be a large amount of emphasis on creating engaging courses for LMS platforms. Keeping students stimulated mentally is the only way to ensure a steady interest and remaining focused on course material.
Engaging courses can be delivered to students by manifesting some ingenuity and a little creativity. Continue reading for some of the best ways to create attractive e-course material.
1. Use Headlines to Grab Students Attention
The headlines of your course should grab attention. Headlines typically highlight the core matter or pertinent details regarding a course. Did you know that you can control human emotions through the proper use of headlines and other dynamics?
Why do you think people are so intrigued or become so emotional when they read books? Words have this effect on people by pulling heartstrings and triggering other powerful feelings. The same can be done with the headlines of your course.
Examine the following three headline styles and how they use powerful emotions to translate energy.
- Benefits
People are naturally attracted to things that might benefit them. Use emotional statements to convey the benefits of your course through your headline.
Let’s say the e-course is about woodworking. Instead of the title reading, “How to Start Woodworking” or “A Guide to Woodworking,” try something like, “How You Can Start a Business by Mastering Woodworking.” Another idea would be something like “Ways to Build Your Own Home by Learning Woodworking.”
- Solution
Emphasize a problem and show people the solution. People taking e-courses usually are in search of an answer for some problem. It would help if you took advantage of this scenario.
Instead of using a headline like “Making Carpentry Repairs,” try this instead, “How to Fix Any Wooden Furniture or Structure.”
- Curiosity
Curiosity is always a great way to make people interested and get them engaged. It’s typical human nature to seek the end of something or move on to the next step.
Instead of titling the course “Examples of Completed Woodworking Projects,” use a title like, “You Won’t Believe What We Created with Woodworking Techniques.”
2. Put Learners in Real Life Situations
Don’t be afraid to use reality when you’re crafting your course material. Using real-life situations can be one of the most effective ways to keep students engaged in learning.
Let’s stick with the woodworking theme. If you were developing a woodworking e-course, you could sprinkle real-life situations or problems that learning woodworking skills could fix.
For example, you could write a story about someone with a family member who uses a wheelchair. It’s going to cost them thousands of dollars to order and install a custom wheelchair ramp.
If you were familiar with woodworking, you could build them their wheelchair ramp. You could save them money and display how much they’re valued by building a handcrafted ramp.
This type of outline pulls on heartstrings. Examples like this keep people emotionally engaged in the material.
3. Make Them Laugh
Laughter is a universal language. You would be hard-pressed to find anybody in this world who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh. Throw in some humor throughout the course.
Not only does this keep learners engaged, but it could brighten their mood and add positivity to their day. A positive mind is more open to learning and cultivating new ideas.
4. Use the Story Model
Creating a story model could make it more entertaining to create the course as well. Weave a story throughout the lesson to keep learners engaged from beginning to end.
Develop a story about someone who creates a business to accomplish a goal or solve a problem. They decide to start a woodworking business to remedy a negative situation in life, earn money to support their family, or accomplish a goal. People love listening to a good story.
5. Get Socially Active
Using social media is an excellent way to keep your learners engaged while encouraging them to take an all-inclusive learning approach. If it’s a woodworking course, students can post their projects and things they’ve created on social media pages like Facebook.
You can create a group dedicated to the woodworking class. Twitter can also be an efficient way to use live updates to make the class more exciting.
Hopefully, these examples have demonstrated that it’s not difficult to make small changes to a course that significantly impact the way the course is digested. These changes can be implemented for no additional cost as well.
Creating a more engaging course or adding exciting elements can also positively benefit the person creating them. Making the creative process more exciting and engaging for the instructor translates into the same effect for the students.
Evolving the way remote learning and LMS strategies are implemented is the best way to ensure these learning methods continue to be accepted. Establishing exciting new ways for students to learn opens new avenues for success, leading to longevity.