7 eLearning Content Curation Benefits To Consider
eLearning content curation involves wading through the massive amounts of information available online and pulling out what is relevant. The main challenge is that there is so much data available for any given topic. Thus, Instructional Designers may have trouble deciding what information to include in their eLearning course and what to omit. Too much information can overwhelm learners. Too little information can leave them with big knowledge gaps and unanswered questions. Below are 7 reasons why getting eLearning content curation right is so important.
1. Information Is Logically Organized And Grouped
A major component of eLearning content curation is organizing the information you find online. Sifting through the facts and stats to identify the essentials will help you define the structure. Then, you will be able to use this structure as a thread connecting each piece of the eLearning course. Getting the organization just right will make the information easier to digest and remember. This method is sometimes called content chunking. It makes big pieces of information easier for online learners to understand by breaking them up into smaller bits. You then group similar topics together to create an organizational structure that makes sense. Online learners will be able to build on their current knowledge base more easily using this method. You might even consider a categorized list that features the subtopics or ideas. This allows you to find eLearning content that fits each piece of the puzzle, instead of trying to cover too much ground while researching.
2. Online Learners Will Understand The Flow Of Your eLearning Course
A logically organized eLearning course will flow easily. If done correctly, your online learners can anticipate what information will be presented next based on common sense. This gives them more time to focus on learning instead of trying to keep up with big topic shifts. Your online learners will also appreciate the clear and logical structure of the eLearning course. For example, they can count on the fact that every eLearning activity or module builds on the previous topic or idea. Thus, they’re able to gradually expand their mental schema and immediately see the connection between related concepts.
3. Keeps eLearning Content Current
Information that is well curated is much more likely to be current. This does take work, as you will need to stay up to date with your online training resources. If you are creating an eLearning course and managing it over a long period of time, this step is simpler. If you are not, more planning will be involved. eLearning content curation will help you weed out any outdated thinking. The key is to check your links on a periodic basis and ensure that eLearning articles, videos, and other online training assets are still relevant for your online learners.
4. Enhances The Value Of Your eLearning Content
Well-curated eLearning content is going to be valuable to your intended audience. They need to know they can rely on the information presented in the eLearning course. Curating eLearning content means finding the best information from top sources and weeding out the rest. Do not rely on the first piece of information that pops up on a subject. Instead, look into each detail. As you begin to get a better sense of the topic, this task will be simpler to carry out. It is incredibly worthwhile, as anyone who takes your eLearning course will get the highest quality information available.
5. Improves Learner Comprehension
There won’t be large holes in the information if you curate your eLearning content carefully. You need to provide online learners with a complete picture of the topic. eLearning courses that skip over huge chunks of content are bound to confuse and frustrate participants, not to mention leave them with unanswered questions. This can lead people to assume the eLearning course was not well planned or researched. Curated eLearning content covers all the essential data points and gives online learners every critical piece of the puzzle they need.
6. Reduces eLearning Development Time
There is an abundance of content available online. You just have to find it, then sift through the data to find the most relevant subject matter. This saves you the trouble of having to create eLearning content from scratch. Instead, you can simply upload resource links or repurpose the online training materials to suit your needs. When necessary, don’t forget to credit the source when necessary to avoid copyright infringement. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend a great deal of time rewriting the entire eLearning module or activity and deal with the stress of legalities.
7. Maximizes Resources
Last but not least, eLearning content curation can help you cut eLearning development costs. You don’t have to design these resources from the ground up, nor invest in a more advanced eLearning authoring tool. As such, you have the ability to allocate your online training resources to other important tasks. For example, your L&D team can devote their time and energy to analyzing LMS reports. This allows them to pinpoint areas for improvement rather than spending hours creating online training resources that are readily available online.
eLearning content curation will enhance the real-world value of your eLearning course and make it more memorable. Clients will notice the high-quality eLearning content that you include. It will also lead to better learning outcomes for your online learners. They will be able to effortlessly learn from your eLearning courses. Carefully curated eLearning content will also build trust with your audience, as they know that the information they are being given is accurate and on point. Just be sure to take your time and research each topic thoroughly, providing only the essential information. You don’t want to flood online learners with so many facts and stats that they forget about the key takeaways.
How do you sift through all the available material and identify what really matters to your online learners? Which methods can you use to curate content more effectively? Download our free eBook The eLearning Professional's Guide To Becoming A Content Curation Hero to discover tips and tricks to become a content curation hero in your organization. You’ll also learn how to analyze and organize online training resources, as well as automate the content curation process.
