Instructional Strategies

Build an Online Learning Community
Cafeteria Learning
Culturally Responsive Practice
Scenario-based Learning
Student-centered Learning
Experiential Learning

1. Build an Online Learning Community

1. Set up the Community Guidelines

In order to make sure the learning community makes learners feel supportive and eager to participate, it’s important to set up the online learning community guidelines. Develop online community guidelines which emphasize that any inappropriate or mean-spirited users will promptly be removed. Let your learners know that you are available to discuss any issues they might have with another individual, or set up a flagging system which can call attention to those who violate your policies.

2. Set Well-Written Netiquette Rules And Enforce Them

Well-written netiquette rules can help your learners get the most out of their online learning community participation. Specify how online learners should resolve conflicts that arise in the online learning community and how violations will be handled.

What are the repercussions 反响 for offensive behavior?
How many strikes lead to an online learning community ban?
What support resources are available to your members?
Can members file a complaint via a contact form?

3. Know Your Online Learners' Needs

Learners are more likely to participate in your online learning community if it offers them real value. They're there to get specific information and to build skills. Therefore, audience research is a crucial part of the process.

Before you can create an online learning community that meets their needs, you have to know what those needs are. Conduct surveys, polls, interviews, and online pre-assessments to identify their goals and expectations. The trick to this is dividing your online learners into groups and then creating personas for each. For example, more experienced online learners have different needs than newcomers. It's impossible to please everybody, but you can come close by collecting online learner feedback.

4. Pick The Right Online Collaboration Platform

Social media sites, blogs, online forums, and Project Management tools are just a few of the options. And even these have sub-categories that you need to consider. Many social media platforms offer closed groups and pages.

Think about the level of collaboration your online learners require and which eLearning activities you'll integrate. For example, blogging is usually the ideal choice if you're using writing prompts to fuel the online discussion. While Facebook and Twitter are great for sharing quick links and taking polls. The key is to make your online learners comfortable by using a tool they're already familiar with. However, it should still satisfy the learning requirements.

5. Create A Central Hub

You need a place where everyone can get the latest news and access your online learning community resources. An eLearning blog, forum, or website serves as a central hub for your online learning community. Rather than being dispersed all over the internet, they can gather in one centralized location and share their thoughts. This is also the place to post your support contacts, as well as links to all of your online platforms.

6. Cultivate A Personal Connection

Speaking of comfort, building a personal connection is crucial in an online learning community. Every member of your group has their own personality, experiences, and preferences. They are taking the time out of their busy day to participate in the online learning community. As such, you should take the time to get to know them, and encourage their peers to do the same.

Suggestion:

Set up an introduction board where everyone can break the ice and share their personal interests and ideas. Invite online learners to reply to comments and interact with their peers in a meaningful way.

7. Appoint Online Learning Community Leaders

Appoint a team leader who can oversee the online discussions and assign tasks. This individual can also give the other members of the online training team specific responsibilities or roles. Thus, they must be passionate about the topic and willing to support others. These individuals can also monitor the online discussions to ensure that everything is on track. For example, they're able to resolve conflicts by privately messaging the members involved and calming the situation. Becoming a leader should be voluntary, as it does take time, dedication, and commitment. In addition, host regular meetings to keep the online learners informed and get their honest feedback.

8. Create Sub-Teams/Groups

This approach is similar to a mentorship online training program. However, it involves a diverse group of individuals who can all share their personal insights and perspectives. For example, one of the teammates is in charge of taking notes and updating the group calendar each week. These online training teams focus on common goals or learning objectives. Thus, they are able to work together to achieve the desired outcomes and get a fresh perspective.

9. Offer Shareable eLearning Content

One of the most effective ways to grow online learning communities is sharing valuable information, such as tips and online resources. Most video sharing sites feature social media sharing buttons that make the process quick and convenient. Include links to your online learning community page in all of your eLearning articles and blog posts.

Suggestion:

Post a 3-minute task tutorial video and encourage online learners to share it with their personal learning network.
Offering a free eBook or report that directs readers to your online forum and blog.

Resource:

Christopher Pappas (2016) 8 Tips to Build An Online Learning Community

Christopher Pappas (2016) 7 Tips to Support Online Learning Communities

Even when given the choice of which activity to complete during training, learners should reach the same learning destination.

2. Cafeteria Learning/Choice-based Learning

Cafeteria Learning objectives also referred to as Choice-based Learning objectives.

Cafeteria Learning is an approach to learning that enables instructional designers (chefs) to apply content (ingredients) to a variety of interchangeable activities(recipes), resulting in an informal classroom workshop in which each learner builds a customized learning experience (meal).

Ensuring the learners gain consistent knowledge (nutritional value) from these meals, is one of the greatest challenges to designing effective Cafeteria Learning.

What follows are 4 quicks steps for creating learning objectives for cafeteria learning/choice-based learning.

Clarify content

SMEs and IDs share a common goal: creating a dynamic learning experience that captures the audience’s attention and makes a meaningful difference.

A well-designed learning experience should limit itself to only the content that will achieve the desired goal.

Understand your role:

IDs often are not the experts in the content areas they write about, nor should they expect to become experts. Learn as much as possible about the subject to create a meaningful learning experience for your audience.

That will enable you to organize and create a fabulous learning program.

It’s mostly about respect

Regard SMEs as the true experts.

By building mutual respect, you’ll improve access to reliable resources for accomplishing your goals.

Guide the Conversation

If multiple SMEs are involved and they’re saying different things, actively listen to seek clarification and consistency.

Identify the learning outcome
Identify the learning objectives
Allow for choice

Regardless of what activity the learners choose, they all should lead to the same learning objective. That is the beauty of choice-based learning: It lets people construct their knowledge in an exploratory and self-directed manner, following unique learning paths within a defined framework.

All the paths you created to lead to the same destination by asking learners to reflect on what they’ve learned during the workshop.

The choice is the component that most distinguished Cafeteria Learning from lecture-based learning models and enhances the learning process.

A well-designed choice-based workshop creates a learning environment where all learners reach a similar destination regardless of the path they take.

4. Scenario-based Learning

Image Resource: Reddit

I've transferred this web page into two printable guides based on the roles: Instructional Designers and Subject Matter Experts.

Please click on the links below to view and download the guides:

5. Student-Centered Learning

6. Experiential Learning

Experience as a source of Learning and Development.

David Kolb proposes that to gain knowledge from an experience, learners must:

Be willing to be actively involved in the experience.
Be able to reflect on the experience.
Possess and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience.
Possess decision-making and Problem-solving skills to use the new ideas they’ve gained.

So when you begin writing learning objectives, you should determine what knowledge, skills, and attitudes learners will need to demonstrate your stated outcome.

“At the end of the workshop, learners will be able to explain three strategies to implement brain-based learning principles.”

Resource: < Writing Choice-Based Learning Objectives> By Jillian Douglas and Shannon Mckenzie.