How to tailor your e-learning programmes to suit different learning styles | Virtual College

Summary: The type of learning style people respond to can vary dramatically, so companies should be looking to tailor and personalise their approach to e-learning accordingly.

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Photo: Patrick Hebbert

"When developing an e-learning solution for your business, it's likely that your instinct will be to opt for an approach that broadly caters to the needs of the greatest number of learners, with material that delivers effective learning for the whole organisation" notes Patrick Hebbert, Bid Writer at Virtual College.

Photo: Virtual College

However, you'll quickly realise that this is much easier said than done. In reality, creating a truly universal learning and development programme is complicated by the fact that different people have different approaches to learning, meaning that what works well for one individual won't necessarily lead to the same level of engagement for another.

For compliance and training managers, this can be a challenge to account for, but the flexible nature of e-learning means that it is possible to tailor your strategy to meet everyone's needs. By considering how different personality types absorb information, you produce a bespoke solution that combines a variety of materials - from text-based information to videos, downloadable resources and bitesize content - that can cater to each of these styles.

In doing so, you can ultimately achieve much better results than you would by trying to impose a one-size-fits-all approach.

Active vs passive learning
One of the most significant differences between different types of learner is the division that exists between those who prefer to learn actively, and those who prefer a more passive approach.

Passive learners tend to respond better to being provided with material to read over and process in their own time, or to be briefed on what they need to know in a non-interactive lecture-style format. Activer learners, on the other hand, like to go hands-on with the material, to take part in discussions and illustrative exercises, and to learn through collaboration and conversation.

Most research indicates that active learning methods tend to be more effective for a greater percentage of people, but preferences for both styles do exist and should be accounted for when developing a bespoke solution that meets everyone's needs...

How bespoke e-learning can deliver the best of all worlds 
Trying to account for all of these differences can feel like an impossible task, but by investing in a high-quality bespoke e-learning solution, it is possible to deliver a multifaceted training approach that caters to the needs of every learner.
Read more...

Source: Virtual College