Is An Evidence-Based Teaching Strategy What You Need?
In my previous articles on custom eLearning solutions, I have touched upon the Q&A model to create engaging custom eLearning solutions. Another strategy that I have seen working well is using evidence-based strategies. Evidence-based strategies are numerous such as 'show and tell', using graphics to present complex information, providing unique learning experiences, and providing plenty of practice through activities with associated feedback. These strategies are often employed in the K12 and corporate classroom training sessions.
When it comes to creating custom eLearning solution for corporate eLearning, we need to be judicious in the use of evidence-based strategies. In my experience, I found activity-based teaching methodology works well to elicit the right response as well as make the courses memorable.
Evidence-Based Strategies Explained
Evidence-based teaching refers to the methodology that is based or derived from objective evidence found through educational research, according to which instructors or teachers are wary of their learning design.
For example, if learners are a group who require more assistance based on past performance, then extra practice is provided to them. Also, the instruction is designed to help the learners cope up with a complex subject.
In the world of online learning or custom eLearning solutions, the evidence-based strategy would be to use design methodologies that have worked well in the past with a certain type of learner groups.
Data may be gathered from learner performance, learner feedback, or the feedback from Subject Matter Experts on the strategies that are working well.
Learnability testing can be used to gather data on the effectiveness of instruction, but that is outside the scope of this article, and I will write about it in a future article.
Activity Based Teaching Or Instruction Methodology
As explained in my previous article on the Q&A model, I found questions and activities working well in improving the memorability of courses. Activity-based teaching methodology refers to a design approach, where we use activities to elicit the right response from the learner. We encourage learners to perform a series of activities and learn through practice and not provide heaps of content on them. These activities can be anything from simple agree/disagree to complex flowchart animations. The principle of activity-based teaching is to help the learner understand the concept deeply through practice. Learning content or core content is still provided to the learner in initial slides or through a read tab/button. However, in this methodology, the emphasis is more on activities.
Let’s take a look at a case study to understand more about this concept.
Case Study
In this course, we applied the read, learn, and apply the model to teach an interesting subject. Normally, this strategy is employed in teaching complex applications. We allow learners to go through the simulation of the working of an application, and then we provide them with ample practice.
We followed the same strategy in teaching how to work with process diagrams. In this course, we gave basic concepts of the process diagram in the teaching part and allowed them to have ample practice in the trial and the test part of the course.
The idea was to empower learners to make decisions and learn the concept of building flowcharts correctly in a safe environment.
Conclusion
To conclude, in this short article, I showed how activity-based teaching strategy can be effectively used to create an engaging course. Sometimes, we don’t really need to have a lot of unnecessary click-based screens that neither make sense nor take the learner through a meaningful learning path.
A simple activity with agree/disagree can be far more engaging than a complicated activity if it is framed well and flows well. The ultimate purpose of any learning content is to help the learner remember the content and apply them to their jobs.
With custom eLearning, the possibilities are many, and that is why at Tesseract Learning, our ID strategists engage with Learning and Development managers to develop the perfect custom eLearning solution.
Learn more about how Tesseract Learning is helping with impressive custom eLearning material, or leave a comment below with your feedback and suggestion.
Suggested further reading:
- Using effective Q&A model to create an engaging custom eLearning courses with mini-cases
- Story-Based Learning: How Good Storytelling In eLearning Can Engage Learners In A Meaningful Way
