How To Update Online Learning Content - 3 Easy Tips

Refreshing and improving online learning content is essential to engaging learners effectively and helping to ensure their ability to integrate new knowledge and apply it in the real world.

Here are three ways to refresh your online learning content:

Update the material: Create audit cycles for your course materials and update your content with the latest information and relevant examples. Ensure that the content reflects current trends, industry practices, and research findings. Replace outdated references and include recent case studies or examples to make the content more relatable to learners. Relatability is vital so be sure to apply a DEI lens - feel free to apply the Ease Learning DEI rubric!
Bring content to life through multimedia elements: Enhance the effectiveness of your online learning content by incorporating multimedia elements. Learning through multiple senses increases retention and understanding of material. Be sure to include images, infographics, videos, and interactive simulations to present information in a more engaging and interactive manner. This helps to cater to different learning styles and makes the content more memorable. This is also very aligned to principles of Universal Design for Learning.
Intersperse interactive activities: Putting the learner in the driver’s seat intermittently is very effective and we refer to this as student centered learning. This means that learning is not passive where the learner is just receiving information, rather we are asking the learner to take a more active role. You might consider breaking up the monotony of text-heavy content by incorporating interactive activities and assessments. Use quizzes, polls, surveys, and discussions to encourage active participation from learners. Interactive activities can promote knowledge retention, critical thinking, and collaboration. They also provide opportunities for learners to apply what they have learned and receive immediate feedback.

Bonus tip: Invite in the learner's voice and actively ask for their feedback.This will help you to understand their preferences, any obstacles they are facing, and they may provide you with valuable insights for improvement. Their input should be a part of your audit cycles as you seek to make regimented updates and improvements to the content. Continuous improvement cycles will ensure that your online learning content stays relevant and effective. It is important to use data to inform instruction.

Ready to get started?

Laurie Pulido is Founder and CEO of Ease Learning.

Ease LearningJune 22, 2023