How Do You Tailor E-Learning Content for a Diverse Audience as An Educational Technologist?
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How Do You Tailor E-Learning Content for a Diverse Audience as An Educational Technologist?
In the dynamic realm of e-learning, professors are often challenged to cater to a wide array of student backgrounds and learning styles. We've gathered insights from educators, including a Rensis Likert Professor and an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling, on how they personalize online education. From engaging learners with interactive webinars to applying Bloom's Taxonomy for diverse thought processes, here are four enriching experiences these professionals shared.
- Engage Learners with Interactive Webinars
- Create Culturally Immersive Courses
- Diversify Content for Student Engagement
- Apply Bloom's Taxonomy for Diverse Thought
Engage Learners with Interactive Webinars
Learning is always a personal journey where learners learn in their own way and at their own pace. I find that when conducting virtual webinars, I need to stop frequently and ask for comments or questions verbally or in the chat. When my ideas answer participants' questions, they have more impact.
Create Culturally Immersive Courses
As a co-founder of an online Spanish school, I encountered a fascinating challenge when tailoring e-learning content to a diverse audience for a specific course. We were approached by a multinational company with employees from various cultural backgrounds who wanted to learn Spanish for business purposes. To address their specific needs, we developed a culturally immersive course that went beyond language instruction. We incorporated authentic business scenarios, role-plays, and cultural insights to help learners navigate professional interactions effectively.
We collaborated with native Spanish-speaking professionals from different industries to provide industry-specific vocabulary and practices. The result was a dynamic and engaging learning experience that not only taught the language but also fostered cultural understanding and enhanced their business communication skills. It was rewarding to witness the positive impact our tailored e-learning content had on this diverse audience as they gained confidence and fluency in Spanish while bridging cultural gaps in a professional setting.
Diversify Content for Student Engagement
A challenge I find in tailoring e-learning for diverse audiences is working to ensure that everyone feels engaged and appropriately challenged by the material. In the asynchronous online classes I teach as a professor, I respond to this challenge by diversifying the content and activities I share with my students. For example, I use case studies grounded in different cultural frames of reference. I also invite personal reflection through journal prompts and provide opportunities for peer engagement through discussion boards. The goal is to provide multiple methods of instruction to ensure the learning experience resonates with a diverse range of students.
Apply Bloom's Taxonomy for Diverse Thought
Diversity comes in many forms, and one of those is the diversity of thought. I've written e-learning content using methodologies to appeal to a broad range of learners. One technique is to apply Bloom's Taxonomy to the content you create. It's a framework for categorizing educational goals into six categories: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Some learners are better at memorization, while others excel at processes or analyzing results. By applying Bloom's Taxonomy to your content, you'll stimulate a diverse range of learners who gravitate towards one learning method or another. Additionally, when students practice each of the categories, they develop a more robust understanding of the material.
