You either got it or you don’t. The best eLearning courses in the world are nothing without the right presentation. Part of the learning experience, in addition to the latest research, is designing a course that is functional and yes, fun. Instructional design (ID) or instructional systems design (ISD), is the practice of creating something not only effective, but efficient and appealing. It’s the same reason milk gallons have handles built right into the container. Instructional design not only creates great courses, but it creates ones that people enjoy taking because they combine basic learning principles with intelligent design. Read on to see how our instructional design is the cherry on top of an excellent e-learning experience.
The Design
First off, we are extremely proud of our designers. Extremely proud.
Comprehension
At SDI, we do our best not to torture our client’s employees. If we made our courses out of flashcards that would be terrible. Our courses are short (about 15 minutes), and make use of real-world situations, characters, and virtual interactions so the material can be absorbed and enjoyed. Deep down, most of us enjoy learning and the right engagement can make a world of a difference. Breaking down complex subjects into bite-sized interactions leads to greater user comprehension and memory.
Active Learning
We’ve all been through terrible training, whether it’s too long, too stale, or just too much. Incorporating animation, graphics, and stories into courses helps liven up material. We use the top four methods of learning–visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading–to weave together an active learning experience, or one that gets the learners directly involved in their lesson. This has been found to increase performance, so you don’t have to worry about retraining.
Application
There have been hundreds of books written on better work environments, onboarding, and pretty much every aspect of the work world—but not all of it is going to apply to the work you do every day. SDI aims to teach applicable knowledge, or the tough questions managers and employees are most likely to face. Most leaders don’t need to know what year the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) came to fruition. However, they should be aware of the nuances of onboarding and supporting employees with disabilities. Analyzing scenarios and interactive reading material does just that. Our courses are designed to be used, understood, and referenced time and time again.
Digitize
Where employees learn matters too. For some, trying to fit in lessons between tight deadlines and meetings may be too much. Or if there are only so many computers in a building, getting everyone through an onboarding series would take an intense level of coordination. That’s why effective courses are built on-the-go. SDI eLearning courses can be completed on any phone or laptop, so users are in complete control of their environment. Let workers chill out in the break area to finish training or even let workers learn right from home. Putting learners in control gives them confidence and assurance in their work.
Want to see it for yourself? Take a look at some of our courses on the SDI website. Our dynamic content library holds courses on safety, ethics, and personal growth for almost any work environment. Or, if you’re looking for something different, ask about our custom content.
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