Designing Digitally
11/28/2018
You identify the learning goals of your employees, analyze their needs, and develop learning activities. But, that is not the end of the process. There is a crucial element that stitches the entire package together – and that is feedback. Effective feedback is a critical part of the learning journey. There is no way you can ignore it. Constructive feedback is important for enhancing learner performance.
A research undertaken by Helen Timperley and John Hattie tells us how to make feedback effective. Here are a few pointers on how you can ensure that your eLearning feedback serves its purpose.
Meaningful feedback is essential to keep the learners motivated and engaged. It helps the learners to get the most out of the course content. Relevant feedback helps them to improve their performance. Constructive and timely feedback encourages self-reflection and enhances retention of knowledge. You should consider gathering feedback from the learners too. It will help improve the learning design and enhance the experience for the learners.
You can provide feedback throughout the course duration. This ensures that the learners are on track and focused on the course. You can even provide consolidated feedback at the end of the course. Either way, make sure that it is relevant and immediate.
Here are a few pointers that you need to keep in mind in order to derive the most from the feedback you provide to the learners.
It is not enough to let the learners know whether they are right or wrong. For example, in a quiz, if you simply tell them that they are wrong then it serves no purpose. It is essential that you explain why they are wrong and how to arrive at the correct answer. It is even better if you provide real-life examples.
Relevant feedback demonstrates how the learning content impacts the lives of the learners directly. Focus on specific details if you want to avoid confusion and resentment. For example, in a branching scenario, the learner faces the consequences of all his decisions. If he makes a mistake, he is penalized for it. If he chooses the right decision, he gets awarded. All feedback should have positive words that encourage learners. Even in a short quiz, use encouraging words to provide greater engagement.
Instant feedback is far more efficient than the ones that come later. If you make your learners wait too long for feedback, they might lose the context. They may not even remember where they faltered or where they did well. If you do not want wrong behaviors to be committed to their long-term memory, make sure you correct them immediately.
If you focus only on learner errors, they will come out with less confidence after the course. Gradually they will tune out of the course. So, focus first on what went well. Recognize what’s working instead of what is not. As a result, your learners will feel that they have been productive and not wasted their time. Once you establish that, you can venture into the aspects that did not go as well.
It is critical that you include comprehensive feedback processes in your corporate learning courses. If you aim to create a truly engaging learning experience, then incorporate feedback as a key element in your course. When your learners receive constant feedback, it helps them understand and assimilate the content better. It also prevents wrong behaviors from being committed to long-term memory.
Designing Digitally, Inc. creates custom eLearning designed specifically for your training objectives. Our courses ensure strong retention of information and provide innovative ways to change learner behaviors. Each learning ecosystem developed by Designing Digitally is tailored to the customer’s eLearning specifications and needs.
To learn more about the solutions available with custom online learning and how it can improve your employee training experiences, book a free consultation or with our experts today.
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