Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello and welcome to
the Designing with Love podcast.
I am your host, jackiePellegrin, where my goal is to
bring you information, tips andtricks as an instructional
designer.
Hello, gcu students, alumni andfellow educators, welcome to
episode 42 of the Designing withLove podcast.
(00:22):
In this episode, I will coverhow you can leverage the ARCS
model when designing adultlearning experiences.
Before we dive into the ARCSmodel, here's a question to
think about.
Have you ever designed alearning experience that didn't
quite click with your audience?
If your answer to this questionis yes, then stay tuned to
learn more about how you canleverage the ARCS model to
(00:45):
create meaningful learningexperiences.
The ARCS model was developed byJohn Keller in the early 1980s,
with its first formalintroduction in 1983.
All right, so now that you knowwho developed the model, let's
take a few minutes to define themodel and why it is best suited
for adult learners.
(01:06):
The ARCS acronym represents aspecific area that is important
to adult education.
Here's a breakdown of theacronym A is for attention
Capture and sustain thelearner's interest.
Some ways to achieve this areto use surprising facts,
thought-provoking questions,stories or multimedia to spark
(01:27):
curiosity and keep learnersengaged.
R is for relevance Connect thelearning to the learner's goals,
experiences or real-world needs.
Some ways to achieve this areto show how the content applies
to their job, personal growth orprevious knowledge to make the
learning feel meaningful.
C is for confidence Helplearners believe they can
(01:51):
succeed.
Some ways to achieve this areto set clear objectives, provide
supportive feedback and offerachievable challenges to build
self-efficacy and reduce anxiety.
S is for satisfaction Ensurelearners feel a sense of
accomplishment.
Some ways to achieve this areto reinforce progress with
(02:12):
recognition, rewards orreal-world application to make
the learning experiencerewarding and worthwhile.
This model is well-suited foradult learners because it aligns
closely with the coreprinciples of adult learning
theory and addresses thechallenges adults often face.
Great.
So now that you have a solidunderstanding of the ARCS model,
(02:35):
I will briefly discuss whymotivation matters in adult
learning.
As I mentioned in episode 41titled Light the Fire, don't
Fill the Pail Adult LearningSecrets.
Adult learning theory refers toa framework of principles and
models that explain how adultslearn differently from children.
This theory emphasizespractical application and
(02:58):
drawing on life experiences.
Some common challenges that canoccur are competing priorities,
lack of engagement andmotivation gaps.
Some ways to address thesechallenges are to involve
learners in the content creationprocess, make the learning
meaningful to their personal andprofessional life, engage
learners throughout the learningexperience and provide fun and
(03:22):
interactive opportunities tobreak up the content.
All right, so, now that youhave a solid framework for why
motivation matters in adultlearning, let's take a deep dive
into the ARCS components withsome practical tips.
Attention the two differenttypes that relate to attention
are perceptual arousal, whichcomprises of surprise and
(03:43):
curiosity, and inquiry arousal,which comprises of questions and
problems.
Several strategies you canincorporate are storytelling,
humor and interactive media.
Some examples of thesestrategies are to share a
personal story with yourlearners, share a lighthearted
joke or include some interactivemedia that relates to the
(04:05):
content.
Relevance One specific way toincorporate relevance is by
aligning content with learners'goals, job roles and prior
knowledge.
Several strategies you canincorporate are relatable case
studies, personal goal settingand real-world examples.
Some examples of thesestrategies are to tie in adult
(04:27):
learning principles such asself-directedness or
experience-based learning.
You can learn more about somespecific examples of these
principles that I covered inepisode 41.
Confidence One specific way toincorporate confidence is by
setting clear learningobjectives and scaffolded
success.
(04:47):
Several strategies you canincorporate are practice
opportunities, feedback andincremental challenges.
Some examples of thesestrategies are to address
imposter syndrome or fear offailure in adult learners by
letting them know they're makinggreat progress along the way
and that if they don't getsomething right the first time,
(05:07):
they can try again.
Satisfaction One specific wayto incorporate satisfaction is
by making learning rewarding,both intrinsically and
extrinsically.
Several strategies you canincorporate are badges, praise
and applied success is to makesure to end the experience on a
(05:27):
high note by incorporatingelements such as an inspiring
quote or call to action thatwill make the experience
memorable Great.
So now that I have provided youwith some practical tips that
you can apply with one of yourcurrent or next projects, I will
briefly review some keybenefits of using the ARCS model
(05:47):
in instructional design.
Key benefits of using the ARCSmodel in instructional design
Benefit number one increaseslearner engagement and
motivation.
Why this matters Learners wantto feel like their time is not
wasted when completing courses,which is why engagement and
motivation is vital to thesuccess of any course.
Benefit number two leads tobetter knowledge retention and
(06:09):
application.
Benefit number two leads tobetter knowledge retention and
application.
Why this matters asinstructional designers, we want
our courses to not simplyengage learners and provide
information in the moment, butwe want the content to be
applied on the job or in a reallife situation.
Benefit number three createsmore learner-centered,
empathetic design.
Why this matters when creatingcourses for learners, you don't
(06:32):
want to center the learning onwhat the instructor or
facilitator wants.
Instead, it's important todevelop learning experience that
are learner-centered andempathetic to what the learners
need and want out of theexperience.
Benefit number four reducesdropout rates in online and
workplace learning programs.
Number four reduces dropoutrates in online and workplace
(06:53):
learning programs.
Why this matters.
The last thing you want is tospend time and energy to create
a course and then have it sit ona shelf and not go anywhere or
have high dropout rates.
All right.
So now that I have provided youwith several benefits of using
the ARCS model in instructionaldesign, I will take a few
minutes to give you a practicalexample of how you can
incorporate the model intodesigning a leadership skills
course for a company.
(07:14):
Here's the scenario youcurrently work as an
instructional designer at aFortune 500 company.
The learning and developmentdepartment has asked you to
design a leadership skillse-learning module for the
employees at the company.
The course will be madeavailable in the online course
catalog for current and aspiringleaders to enroll in and
(07:36):
complete in an asynchronousformat.
Now I will break down each ofthe elements of the model by
providing a specific goalapplication steps and why it
matters.
Attention what's the goal stepsand why it matters?
Attention what's the goal?
Capture the learner's interestfrom the start.
Here's the application steps.
(07:56):
Number one open the course witha short, dramatic video of a
real-life leadership crisis,such as an urgent workplace
conflict.
Number two follow it up with aprovocative question such as
what would you do in thissituation?
Why this matters this createscuriosity and a desire to engage
with the material Relevance.
(08:17):
What's the goal?
Make the content personallymeaningful.
Here's the application steps.
Number one allow learners tochoose a leadership path based
on the field or position.
Number two include case studiesand examples that mirror the
challenges they face in theirroles.
Number three have them reflecton their own leadership styles
(08:40):
and apply concepts directly totheir workplace.
Why this matters Adults see theimmediate value in connection
to their professional goals.
Confidence what's the goal?
Help learners believe they cansucceed.
Here's the application steps.
Provide clear learningobjectives and a preview of the
(09:00):
skills they will master.
Number two use interactivescenarios with guided feedback
to let them practicedecision-making in low-risk
environments.
Number three include progressbars, checkpoints and
self-assessments throughout thecourse.
Why this matters thisscaffolding boosts learner
confidence and reduces anxiety.
(09:22):
Satisfaction what's the goal?
Make learning rewarding andfulfilling.
Here's the application steps.
Number one end each module witha real-world challenge they can
solve with what they've learned.
Number two provide digitalbadges or a certificate they can
display on LinkedIn.
Two provide digital badges or acertificate they can display on
LinkedIn.
Number three invite learners toreflect on their growth and
(09:44):
share wins in a coursediscussion or a Slack group.
Why this matters Learners feela sense of achievement and
ownership over their development.
So, after sharing this scenariowith you, reflect on the
following what elements willensure this e-learning module is
engaging and effective?
Great.
(10:04):
So now that you have a practicalexample of how the ARCS model
can be applied when developingan e-learning module, I will
share three tips forimplementing the model for your
next project.
Tip number one start by mappingARCS to your learning
objectives.
To do this, you can take a lookat the learning objectives you
have developed to see how youcan align them to components of
(10:26):
the model.
Tip number two collaborate withSMEs to bring relevance in
real-world context.
The best way to be successfulwith this is to ask your SMEs
throughout the process how thecontent can bring relevance in
real-world context to thelearners in meaningful ways.
Tip number three evaluatelearner feedback through the
(10:48):
lens of ARCS.
To do this, build thecomponents of the model into
your learner feedback mechanisms, such as surveys and interviews
.
I hope you have found thisinformation about how to
leverage the ARCS model toelevate adult learning helpful
as you design and developlearning experiences for adult
learners.
(11:08):
As a recap, this episode coveredwhat the ARCS model is, why
motivation matters in adultlearning, practical tips,
benefits of using the model ininstructional design and some
quick tips for implementing themodel in your next project.
I would encourage you to reviewyour current or upcoming
projects that you are designingfor adult learners with the ARCS
(11:31):
lens in mind.
Please share your feedback orstories of using the ARCS model
by sending me a text message.
You are welcome to review theresource I created at the link
provided in the show notes,which includes an overview of
what was covered in the episode.
In addition, please check outmy blog site, which is also
provided in the show notes.
(11:52):
As I conclude this episode,here's an inspiring quote from
Benjamin Franklin "'Tell me andI forget.
"'teach me and I remember.
"'involve me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn.
Yay, thank you for taking sometime to listen to this podcast
episode today.
Your support means the world tome.
(12:13):
If you'd like to help keep thepodcast going, you can share it
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offer a monetary contribution.
Every act of support, big orsmall, makes a difference and
I'm truly thankful for you.