Questions That Drive Learning
Let’s have a look at one learning theory that has its basis on actual brain research. This theory describes learning as a cycle and explains that our brain asks 5 questions as it travels through each of the 5 phases of this cycle. Everyone goes through this cycle while learning new things, knowingly or unknowingly. Knowing how the brain works in relation to learning can give new insights into eLearning professionals, which is why this article will explain what these 5 questions are, what they mean, and how eLearning professionals can use them to their advantage.
1. Why
The first time a learner encounters the subject they’re supposed to learn, their brain asks the question "Why?" Why is this important? Why is it worth my time? Why should I learn this? This means that an eLearning course should be able to answer this question to the learner within the first minute. Listing the objectives of the course or module in a clear, precise manner will ensure that the first question in the learning cycle is answered, and the brain can move on to the next question.
2. What
The second phase is the "What?" phase, where the brain asks questions like: What is this? What should I know about this? What will be achieved by learning this? Which is why in this phase, when the learner has understood why learning about a particular subject is important, an eLearning course must begin to explain what the subject or skill at hand is, and what will learning this subject lead to. Once the eLearning program has begun explaining the skill to the learner, there’s another question that pops up in the learner’s mind. What else can I learn about this? Thus, it is important to provide resources to the learner in an eLearning course for further learning, in every step of the way.
3. How
This is the phase where the learner has had a bit of information about the subject or skill they’re learning and their minds move to "How?" As in, how can I apply this skill? How is this skill useful? How does it work? Thus, in this phase, the eLearning module must explain the applications of this skill, perhaps using video demonstrations or step-by-step infographics.
4. Where
Once the learner has had a good grasp of this concept explained to them in the eLearning course, the brain moves on to the next question, which is "Where?" Where do I apply this skill? Where do I go from here? Where can this skill take me? In this phase, it is important that an eLearning course explains in detail the places and instances where this skill is useful, what to be done after applying this skill, and how this skill advances their professional or personal life.
5. If
Finally, at the end of the course, the learner has learned all it had to offer on the subject. The learner’s mind then goes to the final phase of the cycle, which is "If?" For example, if I do something different, will the results be any different? If I apply this skill in the real world, will it work? If this doesn’t work, what will I do? At the end of the course, there are always questions, and these are questions that need to be addressed by an expert. The "if" questions result in innovative techniques by learners in order to do a specific task, make accommodations to theoretical knowledge in order to turn it into usable knowledge, and learn from their mistakes.
When eLearning is created with this learning cycle in mind, learners get answers to all of their questions and thus no phase is skipped, which results in complete learning.
Originally published at cblpro.com.
