Click, Swipe, Learn: Crafting Interactive Content That Works

Most training looks polished yet forgettable; this one shows how to make learning unforgettable by design. This episode breaks down five practical strategies that turn passive content into active skill-building: set laser-clear objectives, transform quizzes into decision practice with rich feedback, build shallow but meaningful branching scenarios, introduce lightweight simulations that let learners try again without fear, and bake accessibility and UDL into every step so engagement is equitable, not exclusive.

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Crafting Interactive Content Diagram 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & Episode Roadmap
• 0:59 Set Clear Learning Objectives
• 2:00 Quizzes Beyond Recall
• 2:43 Branching for Real Decisions
• 3:45 Simulations Build Confidence
• 5:07 Accessibility and Inclusive Design
• 6:01 One Small Change Challenge
• 6:35 Recap & How to Support

Transcript

Jackie: 0:00

Hello, and welcome to the Designing with Love Podcast. I am your host, Jackie Pelegrin, where my goal is to bring you information, tips, and tricks as an instructional designer. Hello, instructional designers and educators. Welcome to episode 67 of the Designing with Love Podcast. In this episode, I'll share tips on creating engaging content, such as quizzes, simulations, and branching scenarios that keep learners motivated so they can apply what they learn to their personal life or professional work. Each section of today's episode follows the same structure. First, I'll start with a quick insight, then share some actionable tips you can use right away, and finish with a real life scenario to bring it to life. So, grab your notebook, a cup of coffee, and settle in for the next few minutes as we explore how to create engaging content for your learners. Strategy one, start with clear learning objectives. Interactive elements should always connect to the learning goal, not just be bells and whistles. Here's some actionable tips. Begin with verbs from Bloom's taxonomy, like apply, analyze, or evaluate to guide which type of activity fits best. Ask a question like, what do I want learners to do with this knowledge? That answer helps shape the interactivity you build later. Here's a real life scenario. Imagine you're creating a compliance training on data security. Instead of asking learners to recall a definition, design a short scenario where they decide the safest way to handle a USB drive. That's directly aligned with apply safe data handling practices. Now that we've talked about starting with clear learning objectives, let's explore how quizzes can do more than just check recall. They can actually reinforce learning and promote application. Strategy two, design quizzes that go beyond recall. Quizzes are more effective when they help learners practice rather than just test memory. Here's some actionable tips. Use case-based, multiple choice questions like, what should you do in this situation? Always provide meaningful feedback that explains why an answer is correct or incorrect. Let learners retry so they can learn through iteration, not pressure. Here's a real life scenario. In a customer service training, instead of asking, what is our refund policy? Give a short customer dialogue and ask, what would you do next? The feedback then explains how that ties back to the policy. Quizzes are great for practicing specific knowledge, but sometimes learners need to see how their decisions play out in a real world context. That's where branching scenarios come in. Strategy three, craft branching scenarios for decision making. Branching scenarios immerse learners in decision making and show consequences in a safe way. Here's some actionable tips. Keep the branching shallow but meaningful. Three or four decisions are plenty. Focus on realistic challenges learners will actually face. Show both positive and negative outcomes so learners understand the ripple effect of their choices. Here's a real life scenario. Picture a leadership training where a manager must handle a team conflict. The learner chooses to A, ignore it, B, confront one person, or C facilitate a team discussion. Each path plays out differently, showing what effective versus ineffective leadership looks like. Branching scenarios simulate choices, but for even deeper practice, simulations give learners a safe place to try skills, see consequences, and build confidence. Strategy four, incorporate simulations to build confidence. Simulations let learners practice in a safe, controlled environment without fear of failure. Here's some actionable tips. Start small with role play or dialogue simulations before moving into more complex builds. Think of the 4C ID model here, where you move from simple to complex learning tasks, gradually adding authenticity and difficulty. Provide clear feedback and let learners reset to try again. Use multimedia such as video, audio, and visuals intentionally. Make sure not to overwhelm the learner. Here's a real life scenario. In a healthcare training, learners practice diagnosing a patient using a symptom checklist and dialogue simulation. They might choose the wrong test at first, but the simulation guides them with feedback so they can try again until they're confident. As powerful as simulations can be, they're only effective if all learners can engage with them. That's why accessibility and inclusive design are essential considerations. Strategy five. Keep interactivity accessible and inclusive. Engagement only works if everyone can access the content. Here's some actionable tips. Always test activities with screen readers and mobile devices. Offer alternative pathways like transcripts or simplified navigation. Avoid click fatigue. Here's where clarity and flow matter more than flash. Think of Universal Design for Learning, known as UDL principles here. Learning should be designed so it's accessible to everyone, no matter their level, ability, or context. Here's a real life scenario. In a global onboarding module, you create an interactive branching activity and provide a text-based version so learners with limited bandwidth or accessibility needs can fully participate. Wonderful. So now that we've explored five ways to bring interactivity into your designs, you don't need to use them all at once. In fact, starting small is often best. So here's my challenge for you. Take one module you've already designed and enhance it with just one new interactive element. Maybe it's a decision-based quiz question, a short branching scenario, or even a lightweight simulation. Small changes like this can make a big difference in learner engagement that your learners will certainly appreciate. As a recap, here's what we covered in the episode today. Start with clear learning objectives. Make quizzes more about application than recall. Use branching scenarios to bring decision making to life. Incorporate simulations to build confidence. And always keep accessibility and inclusion in mind. If you found today's tips helpful, I'd love for you to share this episode with a colleague or leave a review. It really helps other instructional designers discover the podcast. You are also welcome to check out the interactive resource that was developed to accompany this episode and to take your learning even further. The link to the resource can be found in the show notes. As I conclude this episode, here's an inspiring quote by Benjamin Franklin. Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. Thank you for taking some time to listen to this podcast episode today. Your support means the world to me. If you'd like to help keep the podcast going, you can share it with a friend or colleague, leave a heartfelt review, or offer a monetary contribution. Every act of support, big or small, makes a difference, and I'm truly thankful for you.