Understanding Different Learning Styles in the Workplace (Part 2)

[Part 1 of this article appeared in the previous issue.]

Things Each Type of Learning Content and Approach Must Do

Keep in mind that while their modes of delivery may be different, all pieces of learning content must still do similar things. Regardless of their learning styles, all learners must be continually engaged and motivated to complete their learning tasks and to keep learning. According to Keller’s ARCS Model of Motivation, learning activities must:

Gain the learners’ attention—Learning activities must pique the learners’ curiosity or surprise them in some way, include real-world examples, or allow them to actively participate. If you don’t have your learners’ attention, it doesn’t matter what you’re trying to teach them.
Be relevant—Learning activities must be placed within the context of the learners’ existing experience or expertise, have a present worth, or exhibit some type of usefulness in the future. Learners will tune you out if they don’t understand why what they’re learning is useful or helpful to them.
Facilitate confidence—When learners feel confident in their ability to complete learning tasks and solve difficult challenges, they’re more likely to remain motivated to complete a course and learn any type of content. To facilitate confidence in your learners, help them define their own learning goals, offer them consistent and helpful feedback, and provide them with clear guidelines and objectives.
Produce satisfaction—For learners to feel satisfied that they’ve learned something, they must either immediately put what they’ve learned into action or they must receive praises or rewards for learning something (e.g., badges, certificate of completion). When learners aren’t satisfied with what they were supposed to have learned, they won’t be motivated to implement what they’ve learned in real life or complete similar learning tasks.

Best Practices for Creating Training Geared Toward Different Learning Styles

• Have each learner fill out a short questionnaire or a brief assignment before true learning begins so you can determine what their learning style is. Share these results with them, as they may not be aware of what they’re learning style is.
• Offer learning content for each training topic that’s available in all formats and types—for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Curate content from outside sources if you aren’t able to create all the formats yourself.
• Encourage open communication with learners throughout their learning experiences so they continue to feel motivated and engaged in their own learning process at all times.

As outlined above, successful learning and successful learning programs ultimately rely on addressing the various learning styles individuals experience, while maintaining a few common fundamentals.