Working in eLearning design can be overwhelming; eLearning designers spend many hours struggling to come up with the best possible design. It may seem like adding more programs and apps to the designer's kit can't possibly be the solution, but well-structured time management and handy tools make the difference between eLearning projects that cost and eLearning projects that benefit.

One of the biggest issues in eLearning is distractions. The brain is constantly bombarded with stray thoughts even when users exert great self-control. The problem is yet more pronounced in mLearning, as devices themselves may cause distractions such as phone calls, email alerts, and the knowledge that the user could easily be doing something different. The average mobile user also has a short attention span — most people skim headlines and prefer bite-size content to long articles.

The brain is a complicated machine, capable of creating extraordinary works of art, solving complex problems, and feeling the deepest of emotions. At the same time, our brains function on a daily basis taking on more mundane and routine tasks that are just as important as building bridges or writing books.

Although infographics, charts, illustrations, and other visuals for eLearning will never replace quality content, they can often do a better job at explaining content easily. However, in order to become effective teaching tools, visuals must reflect the user’s cognitive architecture and add something meaningful to the learning experience.

We are now in the age of visual information where visual content plays a role in every part of life. As 65 percent of the population are visual learners, graphics are key to engaging students in eLearning courses.

The current era is often referred to as the Age of Information; however, it could just as easily be called the Age of Distraction or the Age of Interruption as, although humanity has never in its history been entirely distraction free, distractions have never been more rampant as they are today. Different forms of information are constantly battling for attention causing continuous partial attention to become commonplace. Thomas Friedman stated in 2006 “All we do now is interrupt each other or ourselves with instant messages, e-mail, spam or cellphone rings.”

Paying attention is a task people take for granted; they rarely stop to think about the complex neurocognitive processes involved. However, it is an important topic for eLearning developers who are often so concerned about the superficial elements of their courses and neglect to learn how the brain works. After all, paying attention is the first step in the learning process, so ensuring learners pay attention is fundamental.

Learning is evolving—in large part due to the Internet. Now you may already know about this. It's a fact you can't miss thanks to the proliferation of mobile educational apps, and courses suited to on-the-go learning.