In the modern corporate world, the way employees learn and develop is becoming increasingly digital. With new technologies and platforms emerging, organizations must keep in mind that an inclusive course design is a must.
For those unfamiliar with the term, inclusive course design means an eLearning course creation that caters to people of different backgrounds and abilities.
In other words, the learning experience should be accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their learning style, language, literacy skills, disability, and other factors.
Research suggests that employees with a greater sense of inclusion at work report 167% higher eNPS scores.
(eNPS=Employee net promoter score. It refers to the likelihood a current employee would recommend your company as a great place to work.)
Moreover, a strong sense of belonging and inclusion among employees results in a 50% lower risk of turnover.
And it all starts with learning.
So, as organizations strive to create equitable learning experiences for all, the importance of understanding and considering the needs of diverse learners and organizational culture is paramount.
To help ensure success, this article will outline best practices and principles for inclusive course design in corporate learning and development.
So, Why Is Inclusive Course
Design Important For Corporate Learning And Development?
Here are just a few of the key benefits.
First and foremost, it helps ensure that all employees have access to the same learning materials, regardless of any special requirements or disabilities.
This ‘level playing field’ approach is key to creating an environment of fairness and equality in the workplace, allowing all employees to contribute equally to their learning.
Secondly, an inclusive approach to course design helps foster an organizational culture of inclusivity and acceptance, promoting a sense of belonging and encouraging collaboration and creativity among all employees.
Finally, an inclusive approach to course design ensures that the eLearning course is engaging and motivating for all learners. Fostering a positive learning experience can help to ensure that employees remain engaged and motivated throughout the training, leading to higher levels of knowledge retention and improved performance.
Best Practices And Principles For Inclusive Course Design
Understand Your Learners And Organizational Culture
Corporate learning and development professionals should strive to ensure that the content of the course is relevant to the learners’ needs and that the course design takes into consideration different learning styles, backgrounds, and abilities.
This requires understanding the learners and the organizational culture.
- Who are your learners?
- What is their experience with learning?
- What do they already know?
- How, when, and where do they access learning?
- What is the organizational context?
- What has been successful in the past regarding course design?
- How does the organization envision the future of elearning and training?
- What values do you want to promote through your course?
- Are there desired cultural changes?
It is important to consider the learner group’s diversity and ensure that the course is designed to be inclusive of all types of learners.
Consider The Resources And Assessments To Include
In addition to the learning experience, it is important to consider the resources and assessments you can include in the program.
Providing diverse and varied resources will help ensure that all learners can benefit from the course.
If you’re teaching a course about diversity, for example, make sure that you’re using images of people from all different backgrounds to demonstrate the importance of inclusion.
This can also help to create a more inclusive learning experience for your learners.
When choosing scenarios for your course, it’s important to think about the experiences that the learners you’re targeting have had. For example, if your course is aimed at Gen Z, they may have different experiences than someone who is older.
Make sure that you’re including scenarios that are relevant and appropriate to the audience you’re targeting.
Create Flexible Learning Experiences
Finally, it is important to create a flexible learning experience that caters to the needs of the learners.
This can be done by offering courses in different formats, such as self-paced ones, allowing learners to access the course anytime and anywhere they need it.
Make sure that your course design is accessible to all learners. Ensure that the course is easy to navigate, with no technical barriers that could prevent learners from accessing and completing the material.
Include audio, visual, and written content in your course to ensure that learners of all literacy levels can understand the content.
Ensure that the course is interactive, with opportunities for learners to ask questions, engage in discussion, and collaborate with other learners in the platform (or otherwise.)
Consider the different devices that learners may use to access the course and ensure that the content is optimized for all devices.
Finally, include a variety of assessment options throughout the course to ensure that learners can demonstrate their understanding of the material.
Bottom Line
Creating an elearning course that is inclusive and accessible to all learners requires thoughtful course design and dedication to creating a course that meets the needs of your learners.
By ensuring that the course is well-designed, interactive, and accessible, you can create a course that is both enjoyable and educational for your learners.
By following these strategies, you can create a course that caters to the diverse needs of your learners while also providing a flexible learning experience.
A well-designed elearning course that takes into account the needs of all learners can help to ensure that your course is successful and engaging for everyone involved
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