12 Psychological Facts You Must Consider to Create Effective & Engaging eLearning Courses

You’ve fussed over how much information to include, employee activities, quizzes, debates, and other elements of your online classes. Regrettably, there is a sense that you can improve it further. You do not want your workforce to despise their duties and projects and find it difficult to understand even the most fundamental ideas. Recognizing the primary psychological facts that drive the brain — basic principles of how humans receive and remember knowledge will make your elearning courses much more efficient than you’ve ever dreamed. The human mind is an infinite expanse of intricate ways and processes.

It is not necessary to specialize in psychology to develop outstanding online courses; instead, consider the following 12 psychological facts for improving your eLearning courses:

12 psychological facts to create a successful eLearning curriculum

Our brain’s psychological facts — capabilities and constraints influence how we learn. Specialists, including neuroscientists and psychologists, have begun incorporating research on the human brain in digital training.

More precisely, psychologist, Dr. Susan Weinschenk extrapolates UX design concepts from studies and information about the mind. This article extends the psychologist’s understanding of psychological facts to online corporate training.

We at PlayAblo think that to build a good eLearning experience, we must first comprehend the underlying principles and concepts of learning. Many opportunities are lost by eLearning developers who do not consider the psychological facts of the brain.

1. People prefer not to perform or study more than what is necessary

People will exert the minimum effort needed to accomplish a goal. Learners prefer to gain the knowledge they require as soon as possible and return to their jobs, particularly in eLearning.

Our brains are built on interesting psychological facts — they can concentrate on or absorb a finite amount of data. Individuals given excessive amounts of that quantity may become less imaginative, less efficient, and less capable of making wise decisions.

What you may do is: 

• Create your curriculum to allow students to complete it at their own pace.
• Give them tidbits of knowledge and will enable them to decide whether they wish to study more.
• Give them the information they require before releasing them. If not, people might choose to disregard it or drop the program.

2. Giving students more than they require only complicates the learning process

Individuals are limited, especially when it pertains to learning. According to cognitive scientists and their research on psychological facts, the quantity of data the brain can comprehend in one go has a specific limit. When an informational piece reaches the mind and receives appropriate focus, the long-term memory processes it and stores it along with relevant information. Concepts that are alike are put together. Because of this, individuals can benefit from learning techniques like chunking.

Conversely, storing additional knowledge might be exceedingly challenging if there isn’t any critical information to retain. Therefore, it’s possible that your trainees won’t even remember the disconnected material in the coursework. Ensure your program’s target audience can connect the various bits of content.

Some other options are as follows:

• Include only essential information. 
• Deliver education in an enticing, brief material bursts.
• Utilize opportunities for microlearning.
• Improve Skimmability: Put your main arguments and attention-grabbing phrases in a section’s initial and final sentences because people rarely read everything and give the most attention to these sentences.
• The data should be readable. Use brief sentences and headings, for example.

Keep eLearning content readable, or don’t use texts at all

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3. Human learning is based on spatial practice and retention

Among the most crucial psychological facts is that — it is almost impossible to understand something and retain it for the rest of your life. However, this element of education is frequently overlooked in this fast-paced business and tech-driven world. Knowledge is swiftly lost when we understand something and retain it for sufficient time to pass an exam unless we continue to practice it once we have learned it regularly.

Solution: Include a recap of the preceding portions within each of the shorter, trainable sections when developing your e-learning courses. When learners reach the last sections, this staggered exercise will ensure they still recall everything they were trained on in the earlier sections.

4. Each person has a unique learning style

We discover from a young age that we learn certain subjects better than others. For instance, you might have met a few people who excelled in science and mathematics but utterly failed in English or the arts.

Yes, each person has a unique learning style. Many individuals learn most effectively visually by observing how something is performed or conveyed. Others learn through writing and reading about a topic, whereas some are more prone to conceptual learning. Others still may learn by doing things by themselves and getting their hands dirty.

Solution: Make sure your elearning provides a diversity of content. Offer a lot of textual material but also a lot of visual and auditory aids, in addition to any practical hands-on activities.

5. Information organization in our brain is based on how it was learned

This is among the most potent psychological facts — when our brain saturates with information, it cannot process anything. It’s crucial to understand that the sequence in which things are learned matters just as much. How knowledge is stored, preserved, and recalled later is determined by the sequence in which it was acquired. 

This is visible in the systematic approach we learned to answer math problems. We would never arrive at the correct solution if we did not implement the stages correctly. Ensure that there’s a hierarchy of organization when creating your online programs.

6. The use of positive reinforcement is effective

While we can assert that learning is rewarding in and of itself, one of the plain psychological facts is that our minds yearn for praise. We frequently require extra incentives to increase our enthusiasm and spur us to take an active role in the educational process. Real-world advantages may be the most crucial factor, but providing your students with encouraging feedback is essential.

When completing a project, they may receive recognition or praise as positive reinforcement. Additionally, you can create a game where players level up when they achieve a certain level on a segment. Each of these provides individuals with the immediate enjoyment they require (which relates to the rapid gratification we previously stated) and the long-term advantages they will experience by learning new information or abilities.

7. Learners want to visualize how to implement learning in real-life

To feel fully driven, our minds need to be aware of the immediate advantages of what we’re going to learn. Even if long-term benefits are valuable in many ways, one of the essential psychological facts is that — our human nature is driven to seek quick gratification. Hence, you should let your students know what they can anticipate doing or accomplishing after finishing the eLearning course.

Creating learning goals, performance targets, and educational objectives for your lesson plan is an innovative method. Be as precise and thorough as you can. Inform students of the specific skill sets they would be gaining, the significant concepts they would be learning, and—most notably, what they can accomplish from all this newfound information.

You can also wish to summarize each assignment or practical application for the topic in bullet points. For instance, if you’re producing an eLearning course to aid your learners in learning a specific skill, highlight how this range of skills can be implemented in both professional and personal situations, or outline the possible advantages they might experience by mastering this expertise. They will be encouraged and motivated to study. As a result, they make the most of their eLearning experience.

8. People are innately curious and crave knowledge

People are naturally curious; they enjoy learning and discovering things that extend beyond what the human eye can see. Documentary films are the most popular streaming genre is no accident.

Inquisitive people ask more queries, explore more, form more connections, and put more effort into learning. They are also more content they are with their careers.

To get the learner’s focus or pique their interest, eLearning developers can tickle and excite their enthusiasm. Start the lesson, for instance, by posing a query. People are more likely to desire to discover the solution to a question if it is engaging.

Students will be motivated to enroll in the program and keep looking for solutions if they cannot respond to the opening question. This will encourage them to commit right away.

It’s a brilliant idea to pose a problem at the start of an online learning course. The ease with which trainees can leave the screen full of bullet points is reduced.

9. Humans are communal beings who benefit from group learning

Give trainees the chance to join a group because they will always strive to use tech to be communal. There is strength in numbers. When someone learns in a team or with a different individual, at least 3 things can occur. They can collaborate, compete with one another (and so aim to perform better), or operate independently while pursuing shared objectives with other employees.

However, the type of interaction is not so relevant. The essential psychological facts at work here are — learners can successfully receive and give feedback to keep themselves driven to study or, at the very least, complete their work. Folks look to other people for advice on what to do, particularly if unsure. Create forums or blogs with remarks in your online courses to allow your employees to interact.

10. When individuals concentrate, they’re not distracted

If we let it, our brain’s design allows us to focus on no more than three to four things at once. This requires course developers to consider another of the essential psychological facts — the biology of focus and create eLearning to minimize distractions.

Here are some suggestions you can start using:

• One goal per module: each module should have a distinct, well-defined single goal.
• Summarize: Write a brief synopsis or outline of the course’s portion, or present the information visually. Include the key points you want to cover.

Designing for variable memory spans while we’ve concentrated on getting learners’ attention, just because they do so doesn’t guarantee that they’ll keep it. You can plan your lessons in gaps to accommodate the attention’s natural ebbs and flows. Change the content presented every five to ten minutes to re-capture their interest.

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11. The mind connects colors to meaning and emotion

It’s fascinating to delve into the intricate workings of the human brain, particularly its propensity to associate various hues with specific connotations and emotions. For example, the color red, universally recognized, can evoke a sense of importance or, interestingly, connote a negative association, such as a bad connection.

This phenomenon extends beyond personal perceptions and finds a significant application in the realm of advertising. Advertisers, recognizing the profound impact of color psychology, employ meticulous planning to strategically incorporate specific colors into their campaigns.

The goal is not merely aesthetics; rather, it’s a calculated effort to leverage the psychological associations linked to colors and influence consumer behavior. Successful campaigns, often driven by a nuanced understanding of color psychology, can significantly impact a company’s revenue by shaping how its brand is perceived.

Solution: This understanding of color psychology is not limited to the advertising domain; it holds immense potential in educational settings. By applying these insights, educators can enhance the effectiveness of their teaching materials, particularly in online programs.

The solution lies in consciously using color to draw attention, simplify the comprehension of text, and evoke emotions conducive to learning. Integrating color strategically into educational content can transform it into a more visually engaging and emotionally resonant experience.

Whether it’s highlighting key concepts, organizing information, or creating a visually cohesive learning environment, the application of color psychology empowers educators to create online programs that captivate attention and optimize the learning journey.

In essence, the journey from understanding the nuances of color psychology to its application in educational materials represents a powerful tool for educators seeking to elevate the impact of their online programs. It’s an acknowledgment of the profound connection between visual elements, cognition, and emotional responses, ultimately enhancing the educational experience for learners.

12. Certain periods during the day are better for the brain than others

The intricacies of individual learning processes are fascinating, and one key aspect that significantly influences learning outcomes is the optimal learning period. It’s a well-established fact that every learner operates on their unique internal clock. For some, peak performance is attained during the early hours of the day, while others may find their cognitive faculties sharpening in the afternoon, evening, or even during unconventional hours.

This variability in optimal learning periods prompts educators and instructional designers to consider the diverse chronotypes among learners. A one-size-fits-all approach to scheduling and delivering educational content may inadvertently overlook the individual nuances that influence peak cognitive functioning.

Solution: The solution lies in recognizing and embracing the diversity of optimal learning periods among students. Rather than adhering strictly to traditional timetables, educators can introduce a more customizable module timetable. This approach allows students to engage with learning materials during the periods when their cognitive functions are at their peak, thereby enhancing overall learning and knowledge retention.

1. Recognizing Chronotypes:

• Understand the concept of chronotypes, acknowledging that individuals have different internal clocks governing their alertness and productivity.
• Recognize that some learners may be “morning people,” while others perform optimally in the afternoon or evening.

2. Flexible Learning Schedules:

• Implement a more flexible learning schedule that accommodates different optimal learning periods.
• Provide students with the autonomy to choose when they engage with specific modules or learning activities.

3. Enhanced Engagement and Retention:

• Leverage the advantages of customizable module timetables in promoting enhanced engagement with educational content.
• Capitalize on students’ peak cognitive functioning during their preferred learning periods to optimize information retention.

4. Empowering Students:

• Empower students to take control of their learning experience by allowing them to align their study sessions with their natural energy peaks.
• Foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for learning, contributing to a more positive and proactive approach to education.

Benefits of Customizable Module Timetables:

Implementing customizable module timetables in educational programs offers a multitude of benefits:

1. Improved Learning Outcomes:

• Students are more likely to comprehend and retain information when engaging with educational content during their optimal learning periods.

2. Increased Motivation:

• Empowering students to choose their learning times fosters a sense of autonomy and control, leading to increased motivation.

3. Enhanced Productivity:

• Customizable schedules enable students to align their study sessions with times of heightened productivity, resulting in more efficient learning.

4. Tailored Learning Experiences:

• Recognizing and accommodating diverse optimal learning periods contributes to a more personalized and effective learning experience for each student.

Conclusion

Even if you aren’t a psychology major, having a basic understanding of several of the psychological facts underlying learning can assist you in creating an online program that will encourage and motivate your learners when they complete it.

Ad: PlayAblo’s Enterprise-Grade Micro-Learning platform is built for millennial learners. Micro-Learning, assessments, and gamification features ensure learning outcome measurement and sustained engagement.
Find out more and request a custom demo!