It’s easy to think that any type of multimedia experience is engaging. And while that’s somewhat true, does the content actually enhance learning, or is it simply serving as a form of entertainment?
Creating multimedia content requires careful consideration. Its job is to support learning to make it more effective and memorable.
1. First, apply best practices
To create content that truly works, there are some key best practices to follow. So, let’s dive into what they are and how you can apply them:
Align content with learning goals
Before you even think about the types of media you want to include, you need to have a clear goal in mind.
What are the learners trying to achieve? What is the objective of the training material?
Once you have answers to these fundamental questions, you can choose the right media formats to support the learning process.
Incorporate universal design and accessibility
You must ensure your multimedia content is accessible to all learners, regardless of their abilities. This isn’t simply a best practice – it may even be a legal requirement.
For this, you can apply something called Universal Design (UD). These are principles that ensure all learners have an equal opportunity to engage with the content.
Some examples of UD include:
- Ensuring all content is compatible with screen readers
- Providing transcripts of videos and audio content
- Using visual aids such as graphics and infographics
- Including adjustable content such as text scaling and pace control
- Enabling interactive elements to be controlled with both keyboard and mouse
Let’s not forget the importance of mobile-friendly design, too.
Mobile phones account for over 56% of the time we spend online, so it’s likely your learners will use their phones at some point to access the learning material. 1
If the content doesn’t work seamlessly on mobile devices, your learners will end up frustrated and will drop it faster than a hot potato.
Break the content down
Think about the length of most media content we consume.
The average length of a YouTube video is 11.7 minutes 2. A TikTok lasts a mere 35 seconds 3.
In short, modern content is, well, short.
Each module – no matter the media type – should focus on one objective and be concise. Eliminate the fluff and make sure the information is easily digestible.
Microlearning is an excellent instructional design strategy to use for this purpose.
Create a clear navigation path
Part of UD is ensuring a consistent and predictable content layout for an easy navigation.
It’s also common sense.
No one wants to engage with a complex interface, and a cluttered space will detract from the learning experience.
Keep the layout clean and minimal. Make the learning path clear so learners know which step they are currently on, and which one they should tackle next.
Progress indicators are also extremely helpful for learners. And, they can be a great way to keep the momentum going and the motivation levels high.
Give time for pause and reflection
If you try to cram too many objects into a box all at once, some of them are bound to fall out.
It’s the same for our brains, too.
Stuffing them with too much knowledge gives us cognitive overload making it super tough to retain the information.
Give learners a chance to pause and take a breath. Use reflection points, such as questions, self-assessments, or brief exercises that encourage learners to internalize the content before they move on to the next piece of information.
Provide immediate feedback
No matter which media types you use, you must provide ongoing feedback as the learner moves through the modules.
We thrive on feedback. It’s necessary to understand how we can improve on what we already know, but also reinforces what we’re doing right.
Immediate feedback is particularly useful because it directly ties into the learning objectives. Learners can reflect on their actions on the spot, make adjustments, and try again if needed.
These feedback loops encourage continuous improvement because individuals can see how they are progressing in real time.
2. Consider your media carefully
While it’s important to keep content dynamic across different media types, you can easily overdo it.
It’s tempting to add loads of flashy graphics, cool animations, and other show-stopping formats. These can work – in the right setting – but most times, they’ll only distract or confuse the learner.
Think about your objectives and select media that prioritizes quality over quantity.
For example, a well-crafted video will convey the information more effectively than a collection of disjointed images interjected with GIFS.
Always ask yourself: Does this media choice help achieve the learning goals? Does it clarify or reinforce the material?
If the answer is yes, then it’s a good addition. If not, you probably need to ditch it and find a better fit.
Do you really need to use text?
Text does not make for a dynamic learning experience and using it as your primary media type will be, well, pretty boring for the learner.
While it’s fine to use snippets of text within the modules, think of them more as a supportive tool. For instance, as downloadable learning aids or transcripts.
Also, replacing text with something more dynamic increases engagement. For example, transforming a quiz into a drag-and-drop exercise is more interactive and fun for the learner.
Build and balance interactivity
Interactive media is key to engaging learners – if you strike the right balance.
Too much interactivity will create overwhelm while too little will underwhelm.
Additionally, each interactive element should build on the previous one. For example, you might start with a simple interactive quiz, and then progress to a more complex exercise.
Ultimately, each element should serve a clear educational purpose and contribute to the learner’s understanding of the material.
Incorporate gamification
Who doesn’t love a game?
Gamification has proven particularly powerful in boosting learner engagement, so it makes sense to incorporate it into your multimedia content.
Using points, badges, leaderboards, challenges, and more, creates an immersive and enjoyable learning experience.
3. Connect with the learner
Use storytelling
Stories are memorable. They resonate with us because they allow us to connect to the content on an emotional level. And, when emotion is involved, we become much more invested in the outcome.
For example, instead of simply presenting facts and figures in text format, you could instead create a video that illustrates the real-world impact of the concepts you’re teaching. This way, learners see the relevance of the content and how it will affect them.
“Talk” to the learner
Know your audience. Is the content aimed at young adults or is it for senior corporate executives?
Adapt the tone and style of your content to match your audience but remain conversational so learners feel like they are engaging with a live tutor. This way, they’ll relate to it far more than if you used stiff, impersonal language.
Be descriptive
Descriptive language brings concepts to life.
For instance, instead of saying, “Protect your passwords,” you could say:
“Think of your passwords as the keys to your house. Just as you wouldn’t give a stranger a spare key, you shouldn’t leave your passwords unprotected where anyone can find them.”
Using examples, metaphors, and analogies helps individuals visualize scenarios and understand them better.
Ditch the jargon and formalities
Which of these is easier to understand?
- Utilize the platform’s multifaceted functionalities to optimize operational efficiency.
OR - Use the platform’s tools to make your work easier and more efficient.
The first one is a mouthful, right?
Overly complex language and unnecessary jargon will confuse learners. Keep things simple and clear.
4. Bring the experience to life
Use scenarios and branching
Scenarios give learners a chance to see how their decisions might affect a real-world situation. More crucially, it provides a safe environment to fail and try again.
By using branching scenarios, learners can explore different outcomes based on their choices. Doing this will allow them to understand the consequences of their actions in a risk-free setting.
Incorporate the real world
Theory and practice will only go so far. Individuals also need to understand the relevance of what they’re learning in real-world situations
Besides branching scenarios, you can use real-life examples and case studies, or problem-solving exercises that mirror the challenges they might face outside of the learning environment.
Create adaptive learning paths
We’re all unique. Some of us find it easy to grasp concepts, while others need more of a helping hand.
Your content should, therefore, incorporate adaptive learning paths that adjust based on the learner’s performance.
For instance, providing additional support where needed or allowing others to advance more quickly when they can show they have mastered the concepts.
This personalized approach keeps learners engaged, ensuring they progress at a pace that is comfortable yet challenging.
Make it social
Humans are social creatures (mostly) and we need others around to bounce ideas and gain different perspectives.
In contrast, learning in isolation stifles creative thinking. We get stuck in our heads, restricted by our own thoughts.
Instead, you want to create a social environment that lets individuals share ideas, ask questions, and learn from each other.
Using a community platform like Circle is perfect for this because it contains plenty of features to encourage collaboration. Or, you could incorporate media such as webinars, Q&A sessions, and discussion forums into your content.
Final thoughts
We’re fortunate to live in an age where learning resources extend beyond textbooks and classrooms.
Instead, we have virtually unlimited media types at our disposal, allowing us to create rich, interactive learning experiences.
Yet, with this abundance comes the responsibility of using these tools carefully.
By thoughtfully integrating multimedia elements that align with the key principles of this article, we can create content that truly engages and connects with our audience!
By Janette Bonnet
Janette Bonnet is an experienced L&D professional who is passionate about exploring instructional design techniques, trends, and innovations.
References:
- https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview#:~:text=The%20vast%20majority%20of%20the,of%20the%20world’s%20web%20traffic. ↩︎
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1026923/youtube-video-category-average-length/ ↩︎
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1372569/tiktok-video-duration-by-number-of-views/#:~:text=In%202024%2C%20TikTok%20accounts%20with,around%2040%20seconds%20in%20length. ↩︎