Have you ever heard any of these phrases?
- “Give them what they need to know, not everything there is to know.”
- “More involved, more learned."
- “Learner-led versus leader-led.”
- “Telling ain’t training!”
These phrases are used to describe best practices in the design of formal learning sessions, but what do they really mean? Better yet, what can you do as an instructional designer to make sure these sentiments are represented in your designs?
Throughout my 30 year career in training and development, I’ve relied on tried and true principles that help participants achieve learning transfer and their organizations achieve demonstrated results. These principles relate to understanding the adult learner, the organization in which they work, and the learning methods and media that best support deeper learning.
For example, when I look at learning designs, I can quickly determine their potential impact or lack thereof. I ask myself, are the objectives truly stated as outcomes versus activities? Is there sufficient time for application? Are there ample opportunities to encode new knowledge and skills into long-term memory?
Regardless of the delivery platform—face-to-face, synchronous, e-learning, or even one-on-one instruction—designs need to represent these principles and many more.
Join me for the next Designing Learning Certificate program, January 11–13, in Las Vegas, to learn more about specific techniques, tools, checklists, and templates that support effective instructional design practices and processes. I look forward to seeing you there!
