Trainers and managers have known for decades that employees who are motivated to learn will more effectively consume training materials and perform better at their jobs. But what exactly motivates employees today? And what are the best ways that eLearning courses can impact and motivate modern learners, including millennials — a group that will make up more than half of the workforce by 2020? The truth is that people are motivated in different ways. It’s very tough to find a “one-size fits all” training solution that will meet the needs of your employees’ various personalities and personal drivers. However, eLearning and training professionals can consider these common sources of motivation to design engaging online learning experiences that keep students wanting to learn more:

Are your eLearning courses GREAT or just "good enough"? With so many poorly designed and written courses out there, it can make a mediocre design look decent. However, setting yourself by being one truly high-quality course producer means you’ll be in more demand, command better pay, and be more effective.

eLearning designers are often the unsung heroes of effective online learning experiences. They have the powerful role of being the ones that build the content provided by the subject matter expert into a robust and engaging narrative for the learner. However, getting there isn't easy. If you are just starting out, you aren't going to become an expert on day one. But if you follow some expert advice, your road to success will be much smoother. This is a compilation of some things we wish we knew when starting out as a new eLearning designer.

There is a simple way to design effective eLearning courses about any subject: brain-based learning. This instructional approach was defined by Hileman in 2006 and has since inspired many “brain-compatible designers” — those who seek to understand the principle and reasoning behind their teaching.

The quality of instructional design is often gauged on three things: effectiveness, efficiency, and cost. Effectiveness has to do with how well the instruction enables learners to achieve stated goals or expected outcomes. Efficiency deals with the energy and time invested to complete the instruction while cost covers all expenses incurred for its design and delivery. These are good points, to begin with. It's equally important, however, to zero in on the details involving the design and development of quality instruction. As with any other good design principles, there are human characteristics deeply involved here. Richard Buchanan, a professor of Design, Management, and Information Systems, said it best: “a good design can be defined not only to be creative, stylish with an extraordinary visual look, but it must consider human engagement in its activities.” Follow these five golden principles to help you achieve high-quality instructional design:

Take a moment to step back from your role as an eLearning designer, instructor, or course developer and focus on yourself as a learner. Answer these questions: How do you learn best? What learning activities are the most motivational to you? How do you interact with other learners? What do you struggle with when learning new information or mastering a new skill? Understanding your own learning preferences is an excellent place to start when considering the benefits of a learner-centered eLearning model.

The brain is constantly on the lookout for ways to improve by obtaining new knowledge and skills, even before birth. Unfortunately, retaining information can be challenging, simply because instructors and course designers do not always use methods that facilitate remembering. The following seven points look at key principles from neuroscience research paired with tips that will allow course creators to achieve effective eLearning courses.

The workplace in the modern world is changing: from the way we work, the behavior of employees, and even learning habits; nothing is unfolding as it used to be. Going even further, demographic changes in recent decades mean that a new type of worker is here, with needs and characteristics very different from previous generations. All these factors, combined, mean that the traditional learning methods (depending mainly on instructor-led format) may not be effective anymore in today's business environment. Workplace learning must evolve along with the changing needs of the workforce and the fast-paced economy.