This section shows how to improve transfer of learning by applying instructional design principles.
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Prompt learners to connect prior knowledge to new concepts.
Example:
Microsoft Planner is like a digital sticky note board.
Rationale:
Learners are more likely to understand and remember information when it’s linked to existing knowledge.
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Organise content into sections.
Example:
Instead of teaching writing emails as one block, break it into sections such as:
- Plan
- Draft
- Review
Rationale:
Organising content into sections makes it easier to understand and remember.
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Use short cycles of explanation, practice, and feedback.
Example:
Explain the process for logging a customer request, let learners practice, provide feedback, then ask them to complete another attempt to apply the feedback.
Rationale:
Practising shortly after explanation helps learners use new information before forgetting it. Short cycles also make skills easier to learn by breaking them into smaller parts.
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Teach the underlying principles behind the content.
Example:
A person who understands the principle of multiplication can solve more problems with less support than someone who memorises specific answers.
Rationale:
Workplace problems rarely appear in exactly the same way, so learners need principles they can adapt rather than single solutions.
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Use stories to explain concepts.
Rationale:
Stories are more engaging and make concepts easier to understand and remember.
Notes:
Where relevant, focus on one named person and a specific moment. For instance, “Sara, a 9-year-old walking 5 km for water” is more emotionally influential than “3 million children lack clean water.”
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Use a visual framework to structure the content.
Example:
The food pyramid uses a simple visual structure to organise nutrition advice. The categories and pyramid shape help people understand what to eat more of, what to eat less of, and how the parts relate to the whole.
Rationale:
A visual framework helps learners see how separate pieces of information relate to each other, which makes the content easier to understand.
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Use analogies to explain ideas.
Example:
To explain specific versus vague feedback, use an analogy like this: Specific feedback is like a GPS. Vague feedback is like someone saying, “You’re heading north.”
Rationale:
Analogies connect new ideas to something familiar, making abstract concepts easier to understand and quicker to explain.
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Use familiar reference points.
Example:
Instead of saying “1 billion is 1,000 times more than 1 million,” compare 1 million minutes (about 2 years ago) with 1 billion minutes (about 1,900 years ago, around the time of the Roman Empire).
Rationale:
Large numbers are hard to comprehend.
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Pair examples with counter-examples.
Example:
This slide shows an example of poor posture alongside an example of correct posture.
Rationale:
Performance depends on knowing both what to do and what to avoid.
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Use multiple modes to explain concepts (e.g. visual and verbal).
Example:
Explain the process verbally, show it in a diagram, and then demonstrate it with a video.
Rationale:
Presenting the same concept in multiple ways makes it easier to understand, remember, and apply.
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Use prompts for learners to create self-explanations.
Example:
Learners explain in their own words why one email is clearer than another.
Rationale:
Explaining something in your own words requires deeper thinking, which improves understanding.
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Ask small groups to teach one concept to the class.
Example:
Split learners into small groups, give each group a concept or section to explain, ask them to prepare a presentation, and then teach the class.
Rationale:
Teaching something strengthens understanding and retention.
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Use social learning activities.
Example:
Learners work in pairs to solve real scenarios and share one recommended action.
Rationale:
Social learning helps learners refine their thinking, learn from others, build confidence, and strengthen application.
Notes:
Social learning can sometimes drift into off-topic discussions. Use templates to keep these activities focused.
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Link learning to emotion, not just logic.
Example:
When teaching customer service skills, show that a frustrated customer may not be angry at the agent — they may be worried, confused, or under pressure.
Rationale:
Emotion makes content more memorable and helps learners interpret behaviour accurately so they can choose a better response.