The Learning Sweet Spot
There is no ONE right way to design a learning experience. Just like a recipe, a learning experience needs to be tweaked depending on the context.
Compare these:
Teaching cooking to a 5-year-old child vs teaching cooking to an 18-year-old heading to college
A college student tutoring math in their free time vs a full-time high school math teacher
A YouTube channel on how to play the guitar vs a guitar teacher taking classes online
The sweet spot of learning lies at the intersection of 3 things -
The Learner
The Designer, and
The Subject Matter
In this article, we'll explore how the synergy between these three elements creates the most effective learning experiences while asking thought-provoking questions along the way.
Learner 🧑🏻🎓
First up, let's get to know the star of our show – the learner. Who are they, and what makes them tick?
Who is the learner?
What is their age, gender, and background?
What's their level of education, and are they working professionals or students?
How much time does the learner have to dedicate to learning?
Designer 🧑🏻🏫
Our designer is the master chef in our recipe, working within certain constraints to create a delightful learning experience. A designer includes constraints of the organisation, instructorsn and format.
How much time & budget is there to design the experience?
Who will be the instructors for the course? How much time do they have?
What technology & tools are available for designing the learning experience? Think LMS, communication platforms etc
Is there a specific format/ platform that the experience needs to be for? (E.g. If you work for an app, you will need to design a course that can be administered through it)
Subject Matter 📒
Lastly, let's dive into the subject matter, the heart of our recipe.
What are the learning outcomes of the experience?
What is the depth and complexity of the subject matter?
What should the the sequence of the different topics be?
What is the most challenging part of the subject matter?
Now, let's see how these intersect with each other -
Learner 🧑🏻🎓 + Designer 🧑🏻🏫
How is the learner coming to the learning experience? Do they pay for it directly? Is it a compulsory training?
Why is the learner motivated to be a part of the learning experience?
What are their learning preferences?
Designer 🧑🏻🏫 + Subject Matter 📒
For the subject matter, what formats work best?
What are inherent mindsets related to the subject matter that needs to be kept in mind?
What kind of people/ experts are best suited to teach this?
Are there specific prerequisites that the learner needs to know before delving into it?
Subject Matter 📒 + Learner 🧑🏻🎓
What prior knowledge are the learners coming with?
What real-world scenarios and case studies can be integrated to make the subject matter relatable?
How does the depth and complexity of the subject matter match the learner's current knowledge and learning pace?
🌰 In a Nutshell
In the world of learning, where these three elements converge, magic happens.
Start by understanding each element, and as you mix them, you'll create an unforgettable learning experience!