Reach Every Type of Learner By Blending Online Course Formats
One of the things I love about teaching online is the ability to incorporate different types of images, videos, sounds, and downloadable materials to bring your content to life! This opens up tons of options for accommodating different learning styles beyond just reading text on a page. And you don’t have to use fancy editing equipment or have any special skills!
But it can be tricky to figure out how to best blend all of the different ways people learn without making things confusing. You know that no two people learn exactly the same way. What clicks for one student could completely lose another.
Not so many years ago, experts believed that everyone had one dominant way of learning. Now we know that we use all of them at different times. It’s still important to offer a variety of techniques to not only help your audience learn but to also make it more interesting!
Finding that perfect mix of learning experiences is key for engaging and effective courses. People don’t use just one type of learning at a time. We’re using multiple. So layer your audio with interesting and helpful visuals, and give them something to write about to get them physically involved in learning.
The truth is, we ALL absorb new concepts better when they're presented in multiple ways tailored to our unique strengths. Like giving driving directions with visual maps AND written street names.
Blending instructional formats is key for illuminating your teachings to more individuals. But it's easy to get overwhelmed trying to master new technologies and modalities.
If you’re looking for even more guidance and ideas, check out Create to Captivate where we look at how to structure your course to make it engaging for your students.
Let's break down easy ways to incorporate varied learning experiences:
Appeal to the Ears
Share teachings via audio recordings to appeal to those who want to focus with their ears. Consider podcast episodes, guided meditations, or verbal demonstrations.
Having a good microphone is helpful but you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Experiment with what you currently have. If you are already recording client sessions or live webinars, go back to one of your recordings and take a listen.
If you hear a lot of echoing, take a look around your space. Are you in a big room with high ceilings? Try taking your laptop into a closet or a smaller space that has fabrics to absorb the echo. Close your windows, turn off anything that hums like fans or air conditioners, and wait to record until after your neighbor finishes mowing the lawn. (Doesn’t it just figure…any other day it’s silent except for the day you are ready to hit record!)
And always provide transcripts as well for those who prefer reading along.
Engage the Eyes
Speaking of transcripts. Those are great tools to include. Not only does it help those who prefer to read, but also helps when they need to find that example you said. It’s much easier to skim through text rather than trying to remember where in the video you said those prolific words!
While some absorb information well from walls of text, others need visuals to make connections. Add graphics, charts, photos, and videos for visual learners.
You can also use mind maps and visual organizers to help concepts click for your learners. Trying to connect two ideas? Literally, connect them with an arrow on the screen. To fully engage, try including handouts with the text you might fill a slide with so they can add notes.
Use videos when you can. This includes your lovely face. I know, it’s not always comfortable to be on camera. I get it, but people want to make a connection with you. Seeing your face is the best way to get to know you a little better. Use your personality and just be yourself!
Learning Shouldn’t be Passive
Include interactive elements like worksheets, journaling prompts, quizzes. Get hands-on learners actively engaged.
People crave tactile experiences to cement their learning. Build in interactive opportunities to learn. Even small things like highlighting and note-taking can help increase retention and engagement.
Provide a handout with blanks to fill in while they listen. Want them to do some thinking? Give a template with prompts so they can write down their ideas. For those who are better at typing, make sure you offer these as fillable on their computer.
Offer choice in how they access materials - text, audio, video. Let them control the pace too when they are listening or watching. Make sure there’s a way to change the speed. If they think you are talking too fast, they can slow you down or speed you up when needed.
Here's the deal-making some simple tweaks to use different teaching formats pays off big time!
When you share concepts in multiple ways, more people really grasp and absorb the wisdom because it clicks with how their unique mind works.
It also keeps a wider range of students engaged when you appeal directly to their different strengths. People learn better when you teach in ways tailored to them.
No need to master a million new technologies either! Just sprinkling in some podcasts, videos, charts, and activities can work wonders.
Meet students where they are. A little flexibility goes a long way. Then watch those lightbulbs flash as your teachings illuminate more minds!