From “Correspondence courses” back in the day to “Online Learning” now—we have more ways to learn than ever before. You might wake up early to memorize Spanish vocabulary, watch courses on your commute, or sign up for free webinars on weekends.
Yet, many of us have tried various methods only to find none of them stick long-term.
Is a learner’s mid-course abandonment truly just a matter of their “motivation” or “willpower”? From an Instructional Designer (ID) perspective, I suspect much of this dropout isn’t due to a lack of determination, but because the design isn’t optimized for how modern brains work.
Here are three ID strategies to prevent learners from giving up and guide them toward the finish line.
1. Overcoming the “Free Trap”: Designing Psychological Investment
The biggest “benefit” of free e-learning is also its biggest curse: the casual mindset of “nothing to lose.” Humans possess a psychological tendency called Loss Aversion—we hate losing what we have more than we like gaining something new.
- The 500% Rule: A few years ago, when I took a paid online course, I pushed through thinking, “I paid for this, I have to get what I paid forrrrr!!” If it had been free? I would have given up. 500% lol.
- ID Strategy: You don’t need to charge exorbitant fees, but creating “skin in the game” is a valid strategy. Ask learners to input their own goals (“What do I want to achieve?”) or take a pre-test at the start. By creating a sense of vested interest, it becomes “a waste to quit now.”
2. Breaking the “One-Hour Barrier”: Dopamine Chunking
Let’s be real—people, including myself, are getting less patient. We want solutions now. Telling those “Chop-chop type of people” to “sit down, open your laptop, and concentrate for an hour” is basically Mission Impossible.
- The 5-Minute Shift: 60 minutes all at once is daunting. But 12 sessions of 5 minutes each? That feels doable. It’s the same 60 minutes, but the delivery changes the mindset.
- ID Strategy: Use Quick Wins. At the end of each 5-minute chunk, include a micro-quiz or an instant output task. These small successes trigger dopamine, creating a chain reaction: “I did it! Let’s try the next 5 minutes.”
3. “Uh…Who am I with?”: Creating Social Presence
The hardest part of self-study is the isolation. Even if you like studying alone, there are moments where you just want to call out, “Hey, is anyone there?” lol.
- The Human Connection: Even without real-time interaction, you can design Social Presence.
- ID Strategy: Conversational Tone: Use “Why not try this?” instead of dry, academic facts.
- AI as a Companion: Humanize AI beyond a search tool. Position it as a Study Buddy who encourages you. And you never have to worry, “Is it okay to ask for feedback at 2 AM?” lol.
Summary: Design that keeps pushing you forward
It’s not the job of an Instructional Designer to preach “Get motivated!” Our job is to strategically create a state where learners think:
“Yeah, yeah. What’s next?” “Oh my goodness, I’m finished already?”
When we combine Efficiency (AI) and Expertise (SME) with a design that stays close to the Learner’s Heart, learning truly leads to results.
For your next course, instead of believing in “willpower,” why not try believing in “the power of design”?
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