What Social Media can Teach us About eLearning Design

In today's digital age, one of the most popular and addictive platforms is social media. According to a study, people spend more time on social media than eating, drinking, and socializing combined (Osman, 2017).

Social media is known for its exceptional engagement, and it's no accident that it has captivated the majority of the population. We can learn a lot from social media when it comes to engagement and how to apply those lessons to our learning solutions.

The secret to social media's engagement lies in a model called "Hook," created by Nir Eyal. This model consists of four parts: trigger, action, reward, and investment. In this blog, we'll be diving into each of these stages and providing practical tips to apply them to your learning solutions.

1. Trigger The first stage of the hook is the trigger, which acts as a prompt telling us what to do next (Eyal, 2015). Triggers can be either external or internal, with internal triggers being critical for forming long-term habits. Internal triggers are associated with memories and happen with little to no conscious thought, promoting an urge to act (Serenity at Summit, 2014).

   To create internal triggers in your learning solutions, consider providing learners with the learning content when they need it, making the resources only accessible when necessary, and creating a direct association with a memory.

2. Action The second stage of the hook is action, which is the simplest action a user can take to bring them closer to a reward (Cowan, 2016). To make the action effortless, make the appearance of buttons consistent, and make the course instructions stand out from normal text.

3. Reward, the reward is the good part of the hook and is what motivates the user to continue. In the context of social media, rewards can be likes, comments, and shares. In eLearning, rewards can be progress tracking, badges, and certificates. The key to an effective reward is to make it tangible and meaningful to the learner.

4. Investment The final stage of the hook is investment, which refers to the user putting something into the experience to make it better for the next time. This could be something as simple as creating a personal account or leaving a comment. In eLearning, investment could be saving progress or creating a personal project.

In conclusion, the hook model provides a roadmap for creating engaging learning solutions. By following these four steps, you can create a hook that will motivate learners to engage with your content and make their learning experience memorable and fulfilling.

At Educate Studios, we believe in the power of engagement and strive to create learning solutions that are not only effective but also enjoyable. Contact us today to find out how we can help you create your next eLearning project.