Designing learning experiences that land

and last…

Relighting the ‘Learning Scientist’ in me.. as wait out the hours before the ‘Big Fight’

Below are some thoughts on designing learning experiences that will resonate with learners and stand the test of time. Much of what I will share below has come from the research of others that has found its way into my head. I would like to reference them all but with honesty I sadly have not committed the relevant names and dates to memory, just their principles (forgive me people).

Place big ideas/new information at the beginning of the day when people are fresh and more receptive to new material. Make sure you are interactive and allow for individual and group sense making. Follow this with application in the afternoon. Encourage lots of learner interaction using smaller groups – let them build, create, make, brake and re-build. In the afternoon make sure learners are given time and space to do something new with the material, and be active with it.

90 minutes is thought to be the maximum amount of time a learner can sit before needing a ‘physical’ break (a get up and move, toilet break, coffee, stroll). Within this, 20 minutes is the maximum amount of time a learner can spend covering one topic before they naturally disengage (there is a reason TedTalks are no more that 18min long). 10 minutes is the maximum time a learner can focus on one mode of delivery before turning off, so switch from tell, to ask, to debate etc.

Multitasking is the nemesis of learning, dividing your attention between two or more tasks mean dividing the quality of learning across these. So focus on one topic at a time as divided attention means a diminished quality of the experience, retention, output (so phones off people). Some things we can do to grab/keep attention; use relevant content that solves a current problem; chunk material (see principle 2) into digestible sizes; use purposeful novelty (not gimmicks) and make it social.

The more a learner associates new information with past knowledge the easier it will be to find that memory later . Give people time to discuss new ideas and associate them with past lived experiences. We want people to explore the new material, search for past relevant connections and share these in sense making spaces (physical and virtual ones). It’s not enough to do this internally, its better done with others. We want new connections to be made though these conversations.

There is a saying that ‘people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel’ (Maya Angelou), it is no different here. Emotions bind memories and they are the glue that helps new stuff stick, making them more easily found. Share stories in learning sessions, yours and theirs. Create emotional experiences that mix fear, fun and fright but note negative emotions can reduce creativity, innovation and risk taking so be careful with how you use these.

Spacing learning is invaluable, both within and between sessions. When we share new material with learners it can take time for it to land. So make deliberate space for nothing, the water cooler break is essential and should not be skipped or shortened. Give at least 15 minutes break every 90 minutes of your workshop and let people talk about other things (e.g. TV, hobbies, shared interest). This will rejuvenate their ability to learn and let new material settle/bind/build into new memories.

More important than any of these principles is the need to work with and not against the natural flow of energy. Acknowledge and recognise the energy of your learners – listening to their beat is be key..

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