The document categorizes different types of e-learners and provides strategies to maximize their learning potential. These include enthusiastic learners who require motivation to engage, shortcutters needing structured content to deepen their knowledge, spoon-fed students who benefit from guidance in exploring external resources, and technophobes who thrive on encouragement and simplified interfaces. For each type, specific approaches are suggested to enhance their online learning experience.

1. TYPES OF “PROBLEM”
E-LEARNERS AND HOW
TO DEAL WITH THEM
THE ONE WITH GREAT
INTENTIONS
WHO? This character is enthusiastic and
excited but when it comes to actually
completing online modules, they fail at even the
first hurdle of logging in.
HOW TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN THEM:
Expect that you will have to sell your learning
content to them. An enthusiastic person like this
one will have many different interests competing
for their time. When you release a new course,
create a short description that tells the learner
how much of their time they will need to spend
and give them two or three returns they will gain
from investing their time.
THE SHORTCUTTER
WHO? This E-Learner is their own worst enemy.
In their constant rush to the next achievement to
add to their trophy cabinet, they have little more
than superficial knowledge in any particular area.
HOW TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN THEM:
Firstly, you can make it mandatory to spend time
on each page of learning. Secondly, consider
integrating assessments into the learning content
to identify knowledge gaps and diagnose
additional learning material to fill those
knowledge gaps. Last but not least, try to create
spectacular E-Learning content that distracts
them from racing on.
THE SPOON-FED
STUDENT
WHO? This individual has always consumed superior
quality, highly personalised learning content, which is
certainly no bad thing in itself. However, because
they have always been looked after so well, they
tend to lack the initiative to further explore external
learning content that would supplement and
improve their learning experience.
HOW TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN THEM:
The first step to creating a great E-Learning
experience for this student is to communicate
expectations. We recommend that you include
regular prompts throughout your E-Learning course
that refer learners to relevant websites or repositories
of valuable information. Consider creating a social
platform for learners to communicate and grapple
with difficult questions.
THE TECHNOPHOBE
WHO? Often, but not always, this person is of an
older generation and has limited experience with
technology. They are timid as a mouse around
the computer and if they had their way, they
would print out the whole E-Learning course and
complete it manually.
HOW TO BRING THE BEST OUT IN THEM:
The greatest tool at your disposal for a
technophobe is buckets full of encouragement.
Every time they complete a task, make them feel
like a champion. User interfaces should be simple
and intuitive. If your organisation has a high
concentration of technophobes, consider
introducing blended learning or providing
equipment so that these E-Learners can meet in
groups and help each other out with the
technological side of things.
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