Did you know that using real-life scenarios will help improve a lot of things in your elearning course? Believe it or not, by simply using real-life situations, your course will enjoy a lot of benefits.
But before we discuss them, let us define what real-life scenarios are in relation to your course content.
This is when you use specific scenarios that employees can relate with. For instance, if the elearning course is a customer service training for the crew of McDonald’s, you need to provide them with realistic scenarios that can happen during one of their shifts. Allow them to practice on scenarios that involves a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets. Do not give them examples of how customer service is done in WalMart. That is not a real-life scenario. Any example that you will use can be in the form of a graphic comic strip of a series of photos shot in an actual McDonald’s restaurant. That is how you utilize this idea in your elearning course.
Now let us discuss how realistic scenarios can help improve your training course in terms of making it relatable, engaging, memorable and empowering.
- It is centered on the learner. When you use real-life scenarios, you are naturally making your course learner-centric. You are forced to look into the background, behavior and expectations of the participants in your elearning course. That is how you can come up with the scenarios that you need to use in the training.
- It encourages the learners to participate. Since your learners can relate to the course you have created, you also have captured their interest. Regardless of what you discuss with them, they will not zone out on you. They know what you are discussing in the lesson because it is something that they can identify with. Because of that, any activity that you will present will be easy for them to engage in. You do not have to force them into is because they will be naturally interested in it.
- It increases the retention rate. Another improvement that your elearning course will have is an increase in its retention rate. Because your learners can relate to the course and they are encouraged to engage in every activity, you will make your course easy to remember. The learners do not have to take too much effort in the retention of the lesson because the scenarios that you are using will become real to them when they implement what you are trying to teach them.
- It empowers the learners. When the learners understand the lesson and when they are able to participate, you will help make them feel empowered. The knowledge or experience that they have serves as a foundation for the real-life scenario that you are using in the course. The feeling of having the basic knowledge will boost the confidence of the learners to take control of their learning. When they encounter the scenarios that are relatable to them, they will have the ability to make the right decisions to practice what they are learning. This will help them feel empowered during and after the learning process.
The beauty of using real-life scenarios in your elearning course is also in the immediate implementation of what you taught them. As soon as they go back to their workplace, they can apply what they learned. This will boost retention and the effect of your course even further. That means they will become productive as soon as they go back. After all, new knowledge and skills usually result in a more productive employee.
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