Design for learning

How do actors learn their lines? How do musicians learn reams of music? I'm in awe of the memory and the ability to perform under the pressure of an audience. I believe these talents can be learned, and it may be the dedication and perseverance that count most towards success in these fields. In all fields of expertise, learning is necessary... and often frustrating. There may be lightbulb moments when things just fall into place, but often, learning is a task we just have to knuckle down to.

We will all have different motivations. We all have different ways that make learning more palatable: visual, aural, sensory intelligences for example. And some productivity techniques may also help.

The job of the training designer is to align with the learner's objectives and make the journey to those objectives as comfortable and interesting as possible, whilst bearing in mind that all learners are different. So this may mean coming at the topic from a number of directions, using a variety of presenttion techniques. It's always a fascinating challenge. Take a look at "the Feynman Technique of learning" for more thoughts (not necessarily Richard Feynman's) on this.