Engaging Learners with Different Styles in Online Courses

Learning flourishes when students are exposed to a rich tapestry of strategies that activate different parts of the brain and heart. Beyond memorization and review, innovative approaches like peer teaching, role-playing, project-based learning, and multisensory exploration allow learners to engage deeply and authentically. For example, when students teach a concept to classmates, they strengthen their communication, metacognition, and confidence. Role-playing historical events or scientific processes builds empathy, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Project-based learning such as designing a community garden or creating a presentation fosters collaboration, creativity, and real-world application. Multisensory strategies like using manipulatives, visuals, movement, and sound especially benefit neurodiverse learners, enhancing retention, focus, and emotional connection to content. These methods don’t just improve academic outcomes they cultivate lifelong skills like adaptability, initiative, and resilience. When teachers intentionally layer strategies that match students’ strengths and needs, they create classrooms that are inclusive, dynamic, and deeply empowering. #LearningInEveryWay

🌱 Facilitating workshops that accommodate different #learning styles - what am I learning as a facilitator and trainer? 🌱 I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it, but I am a big fan of diagnostic tools. You know, the Myers Briggs / Four Seasons / SDIs / DISC type tools. Yes, they can be reductive and put complex humans in boxes (this human is in a ENTJ / Spring / Red box for those who are on the same wavelength :). BUT I also find them helpful in opening my eyes to other people's needs and preferences that I might not otherwise consider. Many of us (as facilitators, trainers, mangers etc) will have a bias to designing content and using methods that speak to our own preferences, and can forget that what works for us won't work for everyone. One of the diagnostics which has influenced my work as a facilitator and trainer is the Honey and Mumford's learning styles inventory which identifies four distinct learning styles: activist, pragmatist, reflector and theorist. For each of these styles. I have sought over the years to build in methods and activities to my workshops which meet all of the learning preferences these ''types'' have. A few brief examples are below! 💡 Pragmatists: for this group of people who have a preference for practical application to real life scenarios, I will often include case studies and try to provide lots of examples from real life application. I might also encourage them to come with a personal project or example they want to apply the learning to. 🙌 Activists: they learn best through doing, and almost never read the rules. For this group I will try and provide opportunities to dive in and try out a new tool, or practice a new facilitation method. 📈 Theorists: for this group understanding the theoretical underpinning is super important to learning. I try and make sure I share links to any relevant literature or background documents that help build context and explain the logic behind the work and activities we are doing. ✏ Reflector: this group needs time to process and reflect, often both individually and as a group. I'll try and share materials and the agenda / questions in advance so they can think ahead of time and make sure there is ''silent and solo'' time in the session to gather thoughts and make sense of what we're learning. Unsurprisingly (perhaps) these four styles also align with Kolb’s learning cycle (image below) - so even if you have a strong preference as one of the “types” of learners above, integrating activities that support participants through the full cycle is a helpful way of supporting and embedding learning. Now when I am designing workshops or events, I think less in terms of the individual types, and how I can build the full learning cycle in. I'm curious to hear how other trainers and facilitators think about accommodating different learning styles: what have you found works? And what doesn't? #facilitation #learning #cpd #training

Another incredible Tuesday in our Expert Talk Series with GLDC (Global Learning and Development Community)! Huge thanks to our brilliant speaker Shubhangii Ppendharkarr for an insightful session on the 3 Pillars of Learner Engagement. This wasn't just about interaction; it was a powerful reminder that true learning sparks the mind, heart, and actions of our learners! Here are some Key Takeaways to Elevate Your eLearning & Training Designs: 1. Cognitive Engagement (The Mind at Work): It's about sparking curiosity and deeper processing. How to Design for It: Dive into case studies, thought-provoking scenarios, and open-ended questions that make learners think critically. 2. Affective/ Emotional Engagement (The Heart in Learning): Building genuine personal relevance and emotional connection. How to Design for It: Master the art of storytelling, infuse humor, create relatable characters, and showcase real-life impact stories. 3. Behavioral Engagement (Learning in Action): Getting learners to actively do something. How to Design for It: Incorporate quizzes, simulations, gamified challenges, and hands-on activities. The Golden Rule: Engagement is NOT just interaction. Clicking through slides or passively watching videos doesn't guarantee learning. The magic happens when all three dimensions are activated simultaneously. The Payoff of Balanced Engagement? Higher course completion, better long-term knowledge retention, greater learner satisfaction, and a clearer ROI for your L&D initiatives! A massive thank you to everyone who joined, contributed to the vibrant discussion, and helped make our GLDC a hub of continuous learning! Missed this session? Don't miss the next one! Join our Global Learning & Development Community to stay ahead in L&D strategies and connect with peers worldwide. You can message me to join our growing linkedIn group in the region 😀 #LearnerEngagement #eLearningDesign #InstructionalDesign #LND #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #HRCommunity #TrainingAndDevelopment #GLDC #ExpertTalkSeries #CognitiveEngagement #AffectiveEngagement #BehavioralEngagement #ROI #LearningStrategy #HumanResources #Upskilling #FutureOfWork

When you’re managing a global learning and development program, you quickly realize that people learn in all kinds of different ways. Add in varying personalities, cultures, and backgrounds, and you’ve got a lot to consider! The key to success is being thoughtful about these differences and finding ways to scale that meet people where they are. Here are three ways to make that happen: 1. Mix Up the Learning Styles 🎓 Everyone has their preferred way of learning—whether it’s watching videos, doing hands-on activities, or reading detailed guides. Offering a variety of formats (videos, interactive modules, etc.) gives everyone a chance to learn in the way that suits them best. For me, this looks like encouraging registration for all of our learning methods and not just on-demand or with an instructor. Books too! 2. Keep Cultural Differences in Mind 🌏 Culture impacts everything, including how we learn. Think about local customs, communication styles, and even language differences when creating content. The more relevant your program feels across regions, the more engaged your team will be. This can look like checking dates. For you know some places have Sunday - Thursday work weeks as opposed to Monday - Friday?! 3.Let People Personalize Their Learning 🔍 No two people have the same path. By offering self-paced courses and personalized learning journeys, you’re giving people the flexibility to focus on what matters most to them, making it easier to scale across a big, diverse audience. This was a big deal - especially rolling out artificial intelligence training. Everyone wants to learn it - but where an engineer starts isn’t where a project manager will. Running a global L&D program is all about understanding and embracing differences. When you take the time to make it inclusive and adaptable, that’s where the real magic happens. #LearningAndDevelopment #GlobalL&D #InclusiveLearning #ScalingWithDiversity

If your learners "aren’t engaging"... Maybe it’s not them. Maybe it’s the design. Here’s what I’ve seen go wrong (and how we can fix it): ❌ Courses that push information but ignore application ❌ Assessments that test memory, not mastery ❌ Slides that talk at learners instead of involving them Here’s what works: ✅ Scenarios that mirror real decisions ✅ Micro-practice and spaced repetition ✅ Reflection prompts, branching paths, job aids ✅ Giving learners something to do, not just something to watch Your learners want to grow. Let’s make sure our designs help them get there. 💬 What’s one learner-centered strategy you swear by? #InstructionalDesign #LearningExperienceDesign #EdTech #AdultLearning #LXD #IDOLAcademy #LearnerCentered

Many people believe live trainings work better simply because people can talk to each other face‑to‑face, but that’s not the real reason. In reality, their effectiveness comes from something else entirely, they naturally follow a powerful learning rhythm. Great offline trainings follow one simple logic: action → reflection → understanding → application. This is Kolb’s Cycle. And it’s incredibly powerful. The problem? It was almost impossible to implement it in online learning. That’s why 90% of online courses look like “interactive lectures”: nice slides, videos, quizzes. But that’s content consumption, not transformation. And now - the unexpected twist. For the first time, online learning has caught up with offline experiences. Because AI removed the main barrier: it finally allows learners to get experience, reflection, and practice in a personalized way. Here’s how Kolb’s Cycle looks in modern learning design: 1️⃣ Concrete Experience — action Essence: the learner must do something, live through a situation, face a task — ideally experiencing difficulty or making a mistake that shows their current model doesn’t work. How online: role-based dialogue, scenario simulation. 2️⃣ Reflective Observation — reflection Essence: pause and think — what happened, what actions were taken, and why the result turned out this way. How online: interactive reflection prompts; AI coach provides feedback based on performance and the learner’s own reflections. 3️⃣ Abstract Conceptualisation — understanding Essence: form a new behavioural model — concepts, principles, algorithms that explain how to act more effectively. How online: short video lecture, model breakdown, interactive frameworks, checklists, interactive infographics. 4️⃣ Active Experimentation — application Essence: try the new model in a safe environment and observe the result. How online: AI-based simulation, situational exercise, case-solving with the new approach; AI coach supports and adjusts. The outcome? Online learning stops being “content” and becomes a behaviour tracker. A course becomes a training simulator, not a film. Kolb’s Cycle finally becomes real in digital learning. Do you use this framework? What results have you seen?

We were wrong. What works in a room doesn’t always work online. When Jeff Gothelf and I started teaching online, we thought we could just adapt our in-person classes to video conferences. Turns out, that doesn’t work. We had to rethink how we structure lessons in order to keep people engaged, and create an interactive experience that actually helped them learn. Here’s what made the biggest difference: 1. Shorter is better (shoutout to Teresa Torres for this one) → People can sit in a room for a full day. They won’t on Zoom. → Schedule multiple shorter sessions instead of one long one. Keep them engaging—not just with the facilitator, but also with the content and each other. 2. Ditch lectures → What works in person often falls flat online. → We moved lectures to short pre-recorded videos as homework and used live sessions for discussion and exercises instead. 3. Use small breakout rooms → Large-group discussions rarely work well online. → Breakout rooms let teams collaborate and bring back key insights. 4. Cameras on, mics off → It sounds simple, but setting expectations upfront keeps energy high. → Everyone keeps cameras on. Mics stay muted unless you're speaking. 5. Choose the right tools → Mural/Miro for whiteboarding, Slack for between-class discussions, and Zoom’s breakout rooms for collaboration. → The right tools make workshops feel more interactive. Online workshops can be just as engaging as in-person ones—you just have to adjust for the medium. What have you seen work well?

Struggling to support learners with diverse learning needs? Here are 5 simple steps to help them out As a dyslexic specialist, I have assisted many teachers and schools in teaching in a highly inclusive manner. Here are five easy steps that I advise every teacher to follow 1. Explain Information in Different Ways: ↳ Use varied language and visuals to engage learners. ↳ Provide multiple explanations using different words and examples. 2. Put Abstract Concepts into Contextual Manners: ↳ Relate concepts to students' everyday lives. ↳ Connect ideas to familiar experiences or situations. Reason: Helps students to relate abstract concepts to their daily lives 3. Get Them Up Moving: ↳ Incorporate activities that encourage movement. ↳ Allow for short breaks to stretch and energize. Reason: Helps students stay alert and engaged. 4. Use Short, Bulleted Notes on the Board: ↳ Write brief points instead of lengthy paragraphs. ↳ Keep notes visible for easy reference and retention. Reason: Helps students who have trouble paying attention or understanding things quickly. 5. Create Short Video or PowerPoint Summaries: ↳ Make short videos or slideshows summarizing key points in lessons. ↳ Upload them online for students to access at home. Reason: Eases their worry about missing out on important learning in lessons. Innovating teaching methods can open doors for all learners, It paves the way for inclusive and transformative education. P.S. What's one thing you can do to make learning more fun and engaging for your students? Was this post valuable? Follow Shona for more such content on inclusive education

✨ Making Lessons Interesting: The Key to Engaged Learning ✨ One of the biggest challenges teachers face is keeping students engaged in the classroom. Children learn best when they are curious, motivated, and involved—and that can only happen when lessons spark their interest. Here are some simple yet effective ways to make lessons more interesting: ✅ Connect learning to real life – When students see how concepts apply to their daily lives, they are more likely to pay attention and retain knowledge. ✅ Use variety – Mixing teaching methods—stories, visuals, activities, and technology—keeps the energy alive and caters to different learning styles. ✅ Encourage participation – Discussions, group work, and problem-solving activities make students active contributors rather than passive listeners. ✅ Add creativity and fun – Games, role play, and projects bring lessons to life and make learning memorable. ✅ Focus on inclusivity – Every child learns differently. Adapting teaching strategies ensures that all learners, including those with special needs, feel included and confident. At the heart of it, an interesting lesson is one that values the learner’s curiosity and creates a safe space for exploration. When students enjoy the process, learning becomes meaningful, not just a task to complete.