Easy Ways to hold Your Online Learner’s Attention
Online learning opens up excellent possibilities for individuals to acquire distinctive ways to gain knowledge:
a) Now, individuals no longer have to fly for training or getting educated to any specific location. Instead, there are online programs offered by several international educational institutions that allow students (learners) to take up education at the comfort of their own homes.
b) Further, there are several training programmes online in relatively multiple disciplines being offered in various languages.
However, online learning presents extra challenges to both speakers and learners. Much like other types of education, eLearning keeps struggling to attract the attention of learners as the Internet is replete with distractions.
A recent survey carried out by Pearson India, called as “The Voice of Teacher Survey” pointed out that the extensive use of gadgets like mobile phones, tablets, iPhones and other electro-mechanical gadgets has led to a dramatic decline in the attention span of the learners.
In reality, learners can hold no more than 8 seconds of concentration on the same aspect.
As such it depends on a specific online training speaker and how well one can sustain the attention of learners.
For the same purpose, speakers are advised to take the following steps into consideration and adopt several presentation principles:
1. Brevity:
As per a study carried out by the American Press Institute, most learners comprehend information clearly if it is not longer than 8 words. As a result, complex 43-word structures are understood by less than 10 % of learners. It is therefore better to deliver knowledge in a concise and accurate manner, telling only accessible and relevant information.
2. Interesting Stories and Real-time Examples:
People memorize information more clearly if it is based on real examples of relevance. In this case, the knowledge provided appears to be more reliable. They show that the majority of doubts and concerns are quite common and that there are many solutions to the same problems. Stories and examples make it possible to consider the same issue from different points of view.
3. Control and Keep in Harmony with Target Audience:
As people are likely to get bored very quickly and lose interest easily, every speaker in online training should be like a psychologist. He/She is supposed to understand the mindset of the audience and take into consideration (in mind) that humans dislike monotony. As such, the speaker should always be supposed to be vigilant and proactive in keeping their learner’s attention.
A quality speaker feels the audience and takes control of any kind of vibration. And, if a change is noticed that the attention of your listeners is wandering, it’s time to change and adapt. The motive is that their brains require frequent stimulation to stay focused.
4. Quick Suggestible Changes:
While taking up the online learning session, make use of different learning material that suits your learners. Change slides frequently to grip the interest of learners. Trainers can start with a short video on the subject that contains relevant facts or a fascinating story. Then try to grab the interest by demonstrating some figures, illustrations, or graphical data etc.
Also, it’s better to change the delivery format. For instance, trainer’s may devote 10-minute time to a lecture, and then arrange a discussion, and then follow-up with some activity involving all the learners. Trainers may allow short breaks sometimes in between too.
5. Quiz:
A quiz is a great tool to keep the audience hooked onto. During the commencement of the training period, trainers can also let learners know that the training programme covers a quiz that they need to get through quiz-in order to move forward.
Learners, thus will have a compelling reason to listen to you. Such brain exercises keep learners active, give a boost to their brain memory and keep them focussed all the time.
6. Lists:
Numbered lists build a sequence of events, provide a mini-table of content, and set an up-front expectation that is extremely attractive to learners. Also, lists help to partition information into bite-sized chunks. They do as much to keep you organized as they do to generate reader interest. In brief:
- List-format makes it easier for your readers to read most of your content.
- It puts off distraction and helps readers go with the flow and read your full content.
- Give your learner a visual break.
7. Questions
Encourage someone to take an active part in learning rather than just passively absorbing data. Posing a question encourages individuals to think and reflect on what they are learning, which not only allows them to retain more data but also to learn strategies to use what they have learned.
8. Keep course videos short and record them and make them available for online review
- Similar to classroom learning, avoid dragging on. Keep lessons concise and up to the point with a considerable amount of time to discuss.
- Watching a screen can prove to be more draining than in-person lecturers. Therefore, prepare lecture plans that are a little bit shorter than in-person ones.
The advantage of online learning is that learners can watch it again and again even if they have missed something important. As such pre recorded lectures when made available on video-sharing platforms like YouTube, are a helpful resource. Alternatively, these can also be made available on the learners dashboard.
As an educational institution (be it School, College, Training Institute or Coaching center), do you find it hard to get your learner’s attention?
mPowerO has a tailored solution all you need to meet your requirements. We have helped launch a handful of successful online training programs. If you have the vision, we are armed with technology and expertise. Connect with mPowerO Today to find out more the same.
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