Combining learning strategies with learning technology creates interactive, engaging, and impactful learning experiences. This mix of eLearning technology and strategy delivers better knowledge acquisition, skill development, and performance outcomes.
The Importance of Learning and Technology Partnership
Combining the right learning strategies with appropriate technology-driven immersive learning can enhance the effectiveness of organizational training and development efforts. Using this approach of leveraging learning technology and strategy can help organizations create highly engaging, interactive, and impactful training experiences for their employees. The results: Improved knowledge acquisition, better skill development, and overall org-wide performance improvements.
Role of Technology in Interactive Learning
Some of the ways that technology delivers interactive learning include:
Engaging Collaboration
Technology plays a crucial role in creating interactive learning experiences. It does so by providing the tools and platforms that enable learners to actively engage with the content. These resources help drive more interactivity among learners.
Learner-centric Design
L&D designers and developers can use eLearning technology to help learners take responsibility for their learning. Learner-centric design elements, such as:
- personalized experiences
- self-paced learning
- use of collaborative communities
- personal goal setting
- tailored access to curated resources lists; and
- learner-focused feedback mechanisms help learners become more accountable and responsible for their learning journey.
Personalized Learning Journeys
eLearning developers can customize learning as per the needs of each learner. Technology provides access to targeted knowledge, personalized learning activities, and measurement of growth patterns. Therefore, learning technology can provide personalized learning experiences tailored to each learner’s needs and preferences. Adaptive learning platforms help assess the learner’s current knowledge and skills, identify areas for improvement, and deliver targeted content and resources. Technology also helps by empowering learners to take ownership of their learning and create unique learning paths.
Interactive Learning Platforms
Interactive learning platforms, including experiential learning platforms, Learning Management Systems (LMS), Video Management Systems (VMS), and AI skills and coaching platforms, empower students, enhance engagement, and foster personalized learning experiences. Experiential learning platforms provide hands-on and immersive learning experiences that lead to better immersion and engagement while AI skills and coaching platforms leverage artificial intelligence to provide personalized learning support and targeted feedback. These platforms use advanced algorithms to analyze students’ performance, identify areas of improvement, and offer tailored recommendations.
Social Platforms
When integrated with social platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, eLearning technology can enhance global peer-to-peer collaboration, expand learning communities across geographical boundaries, increase engagement, and provide authentic experiences to worldwide learning audiences. For instance, instructors and coaches may use Instagram channels to provide prework for courses, which would then facilitate individual learning groups to collaborate and engage with each other. Social platforms also enable learners’ seamless interaction with other SMEs to enhance their learning experiences and outcomes.
Effectively Utilizing Learning Technology in Design
When designing eLearning courses, the effective utilization of learning technology can greatly enhance learning experiences. The following are the key factors to consider in the design process:
Understand Learning Technologies that Increase Engagement
Learning technology tools transform traditional learning into an interactive, personalized, and collaborative experience. An understanding of learning technology is critical to inspire learners to actively participate and excel in learning. By harnessing the power of learning technologies, such as multimedia, gamification, adaptive learning, and social interaction, designers can create a vibrant learning ecosystem that maximizes learner engagement and promotes long-term knowledge retention.
Plan for Design and Delivery Based On The Targeted Audience and Aligned Learning Modalities
Align technology design elements based on your learning objectives and audience analysis. For example, younger audiences would prefer mobile learning and shorter, interactive solutions. The learning technology tools used, therefore, must best suit your needs. These may include multimedia elements (videos, audio, animations), interactive simulations, gamification elements, virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), social learning platforms, and mobile learning apps.
Prepare Learners for New Technologies Through Interactive Learning
Leverage shorter and demonstrative learning, such as microlearning modules, to introduce new concepts. Utilize the chosen eLearning technology tools to create interactive and engaging content. For example, incorporate multimedia elements to present information in a visually appealing and dynamic manner. You can also use gamification techniques, like quizzes, leaderboards, and badges, to promote learner engagement.
Consider Accessibility Requirements
Pay attention to accessibility guidelines. This ensures that the eLearning technology you use, in designing and developing eLearning courses, enables learners with disabilities to effectively engage with your content. This may involve providing closed captions for videos, using alt text for images, or offering design features with enabling technologies such as screen reader compatibility.
Strategies for Technology-Driven Immersive Learning
For better learning effectiveness and higher engagement, L&D designers may combine a range of immersive learning technologies with a blend of learning and delivery strategies. The following are examples of technology-driven immersive learning strategies:
Active Learning Approaches
Scenario-based learning (SBL) technologies employ active learning principles by integrating interactive and experiential components into the learning process. Instead of relying solely on the passive transmission of information, SBL promotes deeper understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, collaboration, and application of knowledge in real-world contexts.
Gamification
The implementation of gamification empowers L&D designers to seamlessly blend various immersive learning technologies, resulting in enjoyable educational experiences. This unique “learn while you play” approach of merging fun with learning captures a learner’s focus. It also simultaneously stimulates their cognitive abilities, boosts motivation, fosters engagement, and guarantees the successful completion of their educational endeavors.
Story-based Learning
Incorporating narratives as a learning strategy catalyzes bringing a fresh perspective into the learning environment. It compels learners to reassess and reconsider their preconceived notions about a subject matter. The integration of story-driven immersive learning technologies not only enhances the allure of the learning process but also facilitates improved retention and heightened recall, thus introducing a captivating dimension to the overall educational experience.
Microlearning
Bite-sized learning nuggets are highly effective for delivering training. It results in captivating an audience and delivering engaging learning experiences. The implementation of microlearning technologies, specifically designed to deliver such content, is a great strategy to facilitate on-the-go learning and learning anywhere, using small-footprint devices like smartphones and tablets. These are ideal for creating immersive learning experiences through virtual reality (VR), game-based content, and extended reality (XR) learning.
mLearning
The versatility of this learning technology makes it ideal for today’s learners who are looking for anytime/anywhere learning. Where time is at a premium, the modern learner actively seeks out easy-to-understand, flexible learning that adapts to their preferred learning schedules. Mobile learning technologies seamlessly blend learning experiences across various contexts and devices. They also enable social learning, on-demand learning, and community-based learning. They’re great at harnessing a diverse array of immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and gamification. The result is an impactful training approach that captivates learners.
Future-proof Learning
The goal of futureproofing one’s learning technology platform relies on building a robust tech-driven learning ecosystem with maximum flexibility. This means building learning platforms that use modern, resilient, scalable, and dynamic technologies. By staying ahead of the eLearning technology curve, organizations can keep pace with rapidly changing business and technology landscapes. Futureproofing also allows businesses to foresee and proactively respond to these changes, ensuring that the organization remains relevant within its competitive landscape.
Final Thoughts
Learning technology empowers educators and ID professionals to create personalized interactive learning experiences. These experiences actively involve learners, promote engagement, and enhance knowledge acquisition and skill development. By combining a range of eLearning technology, and leveraging various technological tools and learning strategies, learning becomes a more immersive, dynamic, and effective process.
Read More
- eBook – Imagine, Experience, Connect – Driving Value Through Immersive Learning
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- Accessibility in Learning Design – Delivering Inclusive Learning Programs for Your Workforce with Accessibility in eLearning
