So your company has taken the plunge and made a huge investment in a learning management system (LMS). Finally, learning programs are all set up in your LMS and staff members are engaged in learning and training. But are they really engaged? We’ve all seen the signs that make you wonder. Learners who appear bored and detached. Who don’t complete courses. Who, if questioned, come away not knowing any more than they did before they had the training.
It’s called D-i-s-e-n-g-a-g-e-m-e-n-t, with a capital D. In the realm of learning, this dreaded condition affects productivity, not to mention a company’s bottom line.
3 Signs of Low Learner Engagement
1. Low Retention Rates
Low scores on assessments or tests.
2. Low Completion Rates
On average, 8 out of 10 employees drop out of an eLearning program because they think it is too long, too boring or does not have enough action based learning and coaching.
3. Un-Accessed Content
The content has low rates of being accessed.
What is Learning Engagement?
Learning Engagement is the ability to motivationally and behaviourally engage in an effective learning process.
The Engagement Principle
It's no surprise that engaged learners—whether they are employees, clients or students—are happier, more productive and more committed to their projects and jobs. Generally speaking, the concept of “learner engagement” is based on two beliefs, that:
Learning improves when people are:
- Inquisitive
- Interested
- Inspired
Learning suffers when people are:
- Bored
- Disinterested
- Uninspired
3 Strategies to Improvement Engagement in Learning
1. Incorporate Microlearning
Microlearning is a way of teaching and delivering content to learners in small, very specific bursts with the learners having control of what and when they are learning. The approach involves short-term focused strategies, usually specially designed for skills based learning/education. Generally, the microlearning process can span from a few seconds up to 15 minutes or more. Additionally, this approach to learning is usually cheaper to build, quicker to deploy and can be used as a standalone asset or as a multiple micro-course.
2. Incorporate Gamification in eLearning
According to market intelligence company Newzoo, there are more than 2 billion video game players worldwide. There is no doubt about it, people are mesmerized with this medium and progressive educators have caught onto this game by incorporating elements of video gaming into their instructional design. The approach taps into the human reward centre to help build engagement. Often, it does not involve playing games at all but applies similar mechanics in a non-game context to engage users in solving problems and retaining material.
Gamification offers the eLearner the option to learn through failure as well, allowing them to learn by trying things, exploring if it works, failing and trying it again. For this to be most effective the failure should lead to a learning opportunity. If a problem is asked to be solved, and it is not successfully solved, there should be a lesson follow-up or the ability for the eLearner to attempt things again with maybe a hit or push in the right direction to be successful the 2nd or 3rd time through. People often fail in games but learn quickly by changing to solve a problem or meet a challenge. Engagement intensified!
3. Use H5P
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to easily build content in your LMS that will help boost engagement by incorporating media, added information and user interaction? But you’re not a graphics or content building expert and don’t have the budget to hire one? Well, don’t let that stop you. H5P (an abbreviation for HTML5 Package) is a plugin available for both Moodle and Totara Learn that empowers instructors, trainers and managers to become Content Kings and Queens. H5P enables the creation of interactive content including videos, presentations, games, quizzes and more.
H5P is:
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Free, open-source content collaboration framework based on JavaScript
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Easy for anyone to create, share and reuse interactive HTML5 content
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Mobile friendly and is built on responsive design
Training and HR teams constantly strive to increase learner engagement, as the path leads to improved productivity, higher learning retention, stronger commitment to projects and jobs and productivity in the workplace. Try incorporating some of the elements discussed above and get engaged with your learners!
To get even greater insight and "how to's", download our eBook and watch our on-demand webinar!
Our eBook, Getting Engaged: How To Make Your Learners Fall in Love with Learning:
Our on-demand webinar, How to Easily Create Interactive Content in Your LMS:
