LMS: Improving Learner Engagement

By CIOReview | Friday, August 3, 2018

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Learner engagement deals with the learners’ degree of attention—what heightens their curiosity, interest, and passion while learning something new. Investing in a Learning Management System (LMS) that has features to make the learning experience informative, accessible, and fun not only increases learner engagement but also aids in making the learning environment enjoyable. The following points should be kept in mind while designing a learning strategy that promotes learner engagement:

Accessibility: Learning and Development (L&D) requires a learning strategy that allows learners to access their training programs through the device of their choice, as and when convenient to them. This ensures that they feel less pressurized to learn, and allows them to access their training program when they are able to imbibe the learning material better.
Gamification: Good gamification strategies, which engage the employees actively, increase their recall and retention capability. Incentivizing performance with points, badges and the like, helps L&D provide value to its employees.
Adaptive Learning: As Artificial Intelligence can identify the needs of individual learners and tailor learning models accordingly, it allows users to explore topics in detail before testing their knowledge. A subset of AI-based learning, adaptive learning, emphasizes the customization of design and delivery of learning, depending on each individual’s requirements and performance, which is tracked in real time. Offering personalized learning allows the platforms to recognize and embrace user diversity, which is an essential part of a learning ecosystem.
Informal Learning: Allowing learners to decide what they want to learn within reasonable guidelines is an impactful training strategy. It encourages employee engagement by making their training an opportunity to understand and explore, rather than an obligation.
Blended Learning: This popular fusion combines several learning forms—formal and informal, in-person and digital, in-class and independent. It not only personalizes their learning experience but also puts learners in charge of their own development. L&D can make learning available to learners as and when needed using these solutions.

Engaged learners retain knowledge better and pass it on to co-learners. As the effectiveness of learning programs is judged by learners’ attendance, performance, and participation, it is essential to pay attention to learner engagement.