How Gardening Makes You a Better eLearning Designer

Amid the pandemic, I hopped on the veggie-growing bandwagon. Why? Beyond fresh produce backup and a therapeutic escape, it unexpectedly schooled me in patience, adaptability, and a garden full of skills. Now, imagine how gardening can cultivate a green thumb for eLearning designers.

Patience and Perseverance

As anyone who has tried to start a backyard garden can tell you, it requires patience and perseverance. I had to wait for seeds to germinate, plants to grow, and crops to ripen. In eLearning design, it’s essential to be patient and persistent throughout the process. Building effective eLearning courses takes time and effort, and success may not come overnight.

Planning and Organization

To be successful at gardening, you must carefully plan and organize! You need to decide what plants to grow, which plants can be planted with each other, determine the right soil conditions, schedule planting and harvesting times, and create a layout for the garden. Similarly, eLearning designers should develop a clear course plan and structure, define learning objectives, and organize content logically and coherently.

Adaptability and Flexibility

Gardening often presents unexpected challenges like weather changes, pests, or diseases. To succeed, you must adapt your strategies and find creative solutions. eLearning designers should be flexible and adaptable. They may need to adjust their instructional approach or address unexpected learner needs.

Nurturing and Engagement

Just as your plants require care, water, and sunlight to thrive, learners need nurturing and engagement to maximize their learning experience. eLearning designers should create interactive and engaging courses that foster learner involvement. Incorporating multimedia, interactive activities, and assessments can help create an engaging learning environment.

Feedback and Iteration

Gardening involves continuous observation and feedback. You need to monitor the growth of your plants, assess their health, and make adjustments as needed. eLearning designers should seek feedback from learners and stakeholders. By collecting and analyzing data, they can identify areas for improvement and iterate on their courses to enhance the learning experience.

Sustainability and Continuous Improvement

Sustainable practices such as composting, water conservation, and crop rotation are essential for long-term success in your garden. eLearning designers should strive for sustainable practices in course design. They should focus on creating courses that are accessible, inclusive, and adaptable, ensuring continuous improvement based on learner feedback and changing needs.