In my last blog I compared Litmos features to some of my favorite romantic comedies and I’m excited to keep the momentum going around all things love and Litmos. In honor of our upcoming webinar, “How to Lose a Learner in 10 Days,” I wanted to explore some best practices that make your learning program shine in the eyes of your learners. And of course, I’ve added a rom com twist!

Clueless – Are Your Learners Lost?

Is there anyone more iconic than Alicia Silverstone in “Clueless”? Her portrayal of Cher, a wealthy and popular high school student, is an essential contribution to modern pop culture. While we may not all relate to her opulent lifestyle in the movie, Cher’s big heart and willingness to admit that she doesn’t have all the answers, makes her a relatable character. The movie shows that having everything you want doesn’t make you any less clueless. Good experiences and guidance are key to finding your way.

The same could be said about your learning program. You might have your LMS in place and your courses set up, but there are many factors that could make your learners say, “as if!” A messy and confusing UI won’t encourage your users to want to learn. But custom branding, establishing workflows, and making sure the platform is easy to use, is a key part of giving learners a positive experience. Additionally, using different modalities of learning, like mobile learning, helps keep your learners engaged and informed.

Learning with Benefits – Gamification

For the sake of my job, and the fact that this will live on the internet, I am not going to describe the plot of this film reference. It was just the best title for me to use so I could talk about gamification. If you can think of a romantic movie I could have referenced, please let me know. But for now, this will do.

All I will say is, people want to get something out of their learning and people love to play games. Gamification greatly benefits your learners as it empowers them to act freely, show competency, and work together. It acts as a motivator, it makes learning fun, and keeps them engaged. What’s there to lose?

Shakespeare in Learning – Content for the Masses

In “Shakespeare in Love,” the titular character suffers from writer’s block, but is inspired when he meets the beautiful, but betrothed, Violet. Their romance ultimately inspires one of his most well-known plays, “Romeo and Juliet.” Throughout the movie Shakespeare and Violet go through many obstacles to bring the play to life, but in the end it’s a huge success due to Shakespeare’s ability to write content that appeals to all types of people.

In the case of your learning content, you should take a page out of Shakespeare’s scroll. Content that can be easily consumed by a variety of people will be a huge benefit to your program. Using an off-the-shelf content library will save you time and money in the long run, while still providing your learners with relevant and digestible content.

You’ve Got Mail – Drip Learning

“You’ve Got Mail” is a movie I could reenact word-for-word. Tom Hanks plus Meg Ryan plus an online romance between two people who don’t know they are business rivals equals the romantic comedy of my dreams. This late 90’s film is filled with internet connection nostalgia and it’s a great example of how technology can connect people in a way they didn’t think they would. Through the power of email, they are able to connect on a deeper emotional level through bursts of small information about each other, rather than their in-person relationship which is a disaster due to their preconceived notions of each other and the fact that they are professional rivals.

This same methodology can be applied to your learning instance. Research shows that combining learning elements with automated drip learning encourages repetition and deepens learning retention. Giving your learners continuous microbursts of contents enhances their engagement and benefits your program goals.

My Best Friend’s Learning Program – Are You and Your Learners Aligned?

Why are all of the romantic comedies from the 90’s so good?  In “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” Julia Roberts plays Jules whose best friend (and ex-boyfriend), Michael, is marrying a young woman named Kimmy, much to her dismay. Hijinks ensue as Jules tries to break up the wedding in the hopes that he will choose her to live happily ever after with. Jules is typically successful in her plot to destroy the couple due to misunderstandings, miscommunications, and the fact that all three characters have different objectives and goals.

While it might not include holy matrimony, this sort of situation happens all the time in learning. The expectations you have for your learners isn’t aligned with their goals and vice versa. If you’re not on the same page, the learning program is doomed. It’s important to get feedback in order to provide them with learning they want, and what they need.