How to Design a MicroCourse: Learning Preferences

One of the greatest insights we can gain in life is realizing that other people often are not the same as us. They don’t always think or have the same motivations as we do. They often don’t have the same strengths (and weaknesses) that we do. They don’t always approach things the same way we do.

And they don’t necessarily all prefer learning the way we do. I may be very interested in a certain topic and be able to read or study it for countless hours. Others may have little interest in it at all. I may have an amazingly long span of attention. Most will move on from what you are saying or writing after a minute or two – maybe even after seconds.

So you might keep in mind the potential diversity of learners who could take your course. Some may want to do something with their learning. Some may want to reflect on it. Some may want to draw it. Some may want to share it with others. Don’t worry too much about it, but if you find it easy to vary your practice assignments (or get some good ideas from others), feel free to mix it up some.

Deeper Dive

In the 1980s, David Kolb formally introduced the concept of different learning styles (or “preferences”). His approach was a little complicated, but this video simplifies the different preferences down to four.

Four Basic Learning Preferences

Visual learners – prefer learning if they can see what they’re learning.
Auditory learners – prefer learning if they hear what they’re learning.
Reading/Writing learners – prefer learning by reading about something or by writing about it.
Kinesthetic learners – prefer learning by hands-on experience.

The more means of representation you incorporate into your presentation, the more likely that learning will take place.

So while traditionally we have had learners read and write a lot, this approach will only be highly motivating for a fraction of your potential audience. If you have some practice assignments that involve writing, push your audience to higher level Bloom’s activities like synthesis, analysis, evaluation, and application.

The video, with its audio, will help another segment of your potential audience. This is one of the greatest strengths of the Kingswood Learn platform. You should also refer your audience to videos on YouTube and other places, as well as podcasts, rather than simply giving them supplemental reading resources.

Finally, have them interact with others at various points. Have them use their bodies to go and do things. In this way, you will make it more and more likely that your microcourse has something for every appealing to every learner.