Learning and development professionals can no longer avoidthe truth—“one size” never did fit all learners. While rapid development toolsthat spit out eLearning aimed at large groups of employees are tempting (andeasy) to use, modern learners need more; efforts to personalize learning are takingon new urgency.
The good news is that most eLearning developers—and thelearners they serve—are already using tools and technologies that canpersonalize eLearning. Here are a few suggestions.
“Plus-one” thinking offers personal choice
Designing content for learners who have differentpreferences and who access and use learning at different times and places is afirst step toward personalizing eLearning.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aims to create learningenvironments where all individuals can thrive and learn. In “Design for Access to Enhance Accessibility—and Engagement,” Learning SolutionsMagazine describes the UDL-inspired concept of “plus-one” thinking: Forevery element of instructional content, add one additional format. Givinglearners choices about whether to read a text entry or watch a short video, forexample, or whether to play a game or study an infographic, allows learners toaccess learning materials when and how they choose, a key element ofpersonalized learning.
Content curation furthers personalization—and fosters collaboration
As learners increasingly seek personalized learning—and turnto online resources to find specific information they need—content curation isa natural strategy for personalizing eLearning and training. Providing learnerswith a variety of high-quality content and offering them choices about whichresources to use allows them to forge a personal learning path. The curatedcontent should, of course, include resources in different formats—text, video,games, infographics, and more—to reinforce the plus-one approach topersonalizing learning.
L&D doesn’t have to do all of the work here, either.Encouraging employees to curate content and share with colleagues can enhance learning and performance across a team or department while also fosteringcollaboration among employees.
Providing resources that are useful in the workflow aidslearning personalization—and boosts performance—by providing all employees withcontext-specific tools and content that are available during each individual’smoments of need.
Chatbots drill learners on weak areas
Chatbots are taking on a growing role in drilling learnerson information, teaching facts, and supporting learners in remembering trainingand applying it on the job. “Chatbots are actually great for personalizedlearning because the user experience of chatting feels very personal,” saidVincent Han, the CEO of Mobile Coach.
Using chatbots can enhance personalization at both thelearner end and the instructional end:
- A chatbot can be personalized according to thelearner’s preferences as to when to send content and reminders. The chatbot canalso “be designed to be programmatic, meaning they can push content, reminders,learning exercises to the learner via chat,” according to Han. “Thus, they canbe programmed with multiple tracks, with each track catering to a learner typeor a personal objective or topic the learner selects.”
- Today’s chatbots are versatile and intelligent;they can “learn” from an individual employee’s responses, creating adaptivelearning. “Chatbots can be designed to adapt to a learner’s level ofproficiency. For example, if a learner answers several quiz questionsincorrectly, the chatbot can adapt to the appropriate level of difficulty,” Hansaid via email.
A learner can take advantage of both the “push” and “pull”aspects of learning individualization with a chatbot to prepare for, say, animportant sales meeting. The learner can choose the timing of contentdelivery—pull—and the topic area for review; the chatbot will target—push—contentbased on where that individual has shown gaps in knowledge.
Assessments are ripe for personalization
In addition to personalizinglearning, technology can also help L&D create assessments that are targetedto individual learners. One way to personalize assessments is to ask learnersto prepare short videos explaining a concept, as explained in “Video Offers a New Twist on Learner Assessment.” Each learner can take a uniqueapproach to answering the question. Content developers can take individualizationeven further by targeting the questions or concepts that learners are asked to demonstrateto their individual needs or job roles.
Video assessments can replace formal assessment in otherways: Prosell Learning developed trainingfor Comcast that personalized learning and assessment using mobile tools,including video. New hires and experienced service engineers alike demonstratedtheir mastery of skills using photos and video of themselves applying theskills. They also responded to personalized prompts, delivered via mobiledevices, that asked each trainee to reflect on learning and apply it to his orher own daily work responsibilities. Read more in “Comcast Uses Mobile to Deepen Learning and Verify Skills.”
