Designing for the new-age digital learning experience
- Feb 10, 2025
- 4 min read
With the advent of remote working, digital learning platforms have got a major boost and have shaped the learning of individuals as well as enterprises. These digital learning platforms have brought a variety of its usage from different age groups, genders, individuals, and organizations. It includes a number of learning alternatives to interest learners, as well as tracking and reporting systems that function efficiently. In this article, I will explore factors to keep in mind while designing for digital learning based on my experience in the learning domain.
Empathy
Empathy is an important part of the design thinking process. The goal is to create an engaging digital learning experience, improving learning outcomes and the quality of the learning experience. A big part of designing the user experience in a way that supports and enhances the cognitive and affective processes that learning involves. One takeaway is to empathize with the end users’ needs, considering their age group, gender, culture, location, context, etc., user goals, and level of experience with technology. However, it is equally important to understand the business stakeholders and find compassion for their unique and important position in creating a better learning experience since the major digital learning products are driven by businesses. As designers, it is vital to create a balance between business and end-user needs. At the same time designing an experience where the user feels engaged while they continue their learning journey, which in turn leads to better adoption and adaptability that is useful for the product owners.
Effective feedback and rewards system
Meaningful feedback is essential for keeping the users motivated and engaged with the learning content. Feedback is also a valuable tool for educators and content creators to assess the effectiveness of their learning content and processes. Hence, improving the learning experience for the end users will help them achieve their training goals. Apps like Duolingo & Altitude Learning use a rewards system effectively in the form of badges and progress bars to encourage user engagement. These apps make use of the Zeigarnik Effect, which works best when users are constantly shown their unfinished tasks, which they inherently tend to complete. Unexpected delights, appreciation by others, point systems, levels, badges, bonuses, score tables, and leaderboards are other ways to optimize and gain through reward. Some key points to keep in mind while designing the feedback and rewards are
Provide feedback that encourages learning and focuses on developing strategies for learning challenges.
Emphasizes effort, improvement, and achieving a personal milestone, is informative and not comparative.
Incorporates positive strategies for future success and completion of learning goals.
Personalization
A personalized experience is vital for keeping the user engaged throughout his learning journey as it is based on the specific needs of the user. AI tools can assist in self-learning through customized study schedules and personalized learning systems based on the specific needs of individual learners. It also identifies the knowledge and creates instructions, testing, and feedback systems for learners. AI also helps in providing course recommendations, interactive and intuitive content modules, nudge learning, adaptive assessments, reinforced learning, and more. They help the users in setting up a strategy to learn at their own speed, in their own time, and as per their requirements. Machine learning helps course creators individual lesson plans based on users’ individual needs and goes a long way in fostering differentiated and adaptive learning. Taking into account the learning habits and areas for improvement provide bite-sized lessons provide step-by-step tutoring assistance, to increase student engagement.
Drive Content Engagement
Content plays an important role in the adoption of the learning product. Allow the users to efficiently find the content through efficient search which motivates them to learn. Smart content consists of digital textbooks, guides, instructional snippets, and videos, as well as AI tools that create customized environments for educational organizations based on strategies and goals. Personalize and streamline content for different learning styles and paces to match diverse learning curves. Single Sign-On (SSO) access to the courses, and encouraging both offline/online learning also drive content engagement. Also, an omnichannel strategy should be devised to access the learning content on multiple screens ranging from web, tablet, or mobile phones.
Immersive learning through AR and VR
AR and VR are now being used extensively to help users directly connect to their mobile devices or laptops and access content interactively. Virtual learning environments provide real-life experiences and facilitate an immersive learning experience. Nowadays, VR headsets help students with ADD/ADHD by blocking out distractions and increasing attention spans. Additionally, interactive virtual simulations help the users learners in soft skill coaching, life skills, self-development, etc. As designers, it is important to understand the technical capabilities and use these emergent technologies to provide an immersive experience to the users. Some notable examples are The SkyView which app allows students to explore the universe using AR overlays of the night sky. In the app, anyone can point their mobile device upward to identify stars, constellations, planets, and even satellites. Similarly Mondly a VR app can provide an immersive language-learning experience without having to travel to a foreign country. The users can have real conversations with real people, making language learning more powerful and more likely to stick. Similarly, Google Arts & Culture offers VR tours to various places. Thus understanding and incorporating the technology is vital for both designers as well as product owners.
In conclusion, the right design should reflect both the needs and goals of the users as well as leverage the technology to create an engaging and immersive experience for the learners because today’s learners have devices ingrained in their lives and are naturally sophisticated consumers of digital product design. Many of them have been immersed in apps and digital games featuring engaging user experiences hence to captivate these users, the learning platform needs to offer the same level of engagement as the consumer apps which are both persuasive and engaging to use.
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