Tools & Resources

1. Designing your LLL product based on the needs you have identified 

• What is your vision?
  See our Start your project page and the Online Learning Experience principles visual tool.
• What are some key education principles to keep in mind?
  Read Design foundations for education.

  Building on the key education principles identified in the link above: alongside student-centered learning and active learning (which are possibly even more important for adult learners), we would also like to highlight the concept of self-directed learning. Adult learners learn best when they have the freedom to learn in their own way, when learning is experiential (learning by doing), and when they understand why something is important to know or do (Knowles, 2015). In order to achieve the last point, try to always make the relevance and goal of learning content and activities explicit (Wozniak, 2020). 

• Refresher on Learning Objectives and their importance:
  See Bloom’s taxonomy explanation and verb table.

  Adult learning literature highlights self-directedness as a key principle. Allowing learners the flexibility to formulate their own goals (Wozniak, 2020), and pursue their curiosity (Brodén et al., 2024), motivates them and encourages them to connect new knowledge to their practical contexts. 

• Choose a delivery mode and format:
  Visit our Educational Formats.

  Whichever delivery mode you select, consider creating opportunities for discussion and knowledge exchange through group discussions, reflections, or seminar activities. Opportunities for exchange are at the core of LLL (Brodén et al., 2024) as they foster deeper understanding and professional growth. Equally important is offering content in varied formats, such as access to recorded lectures, to accommodate diverse learner needs and promote flexibility.

2. Creating the structure

In structuring your Lifelong Learning product, ensure the story you tell is grounded in real-world, authentic examples. Building the narrative around practical applications and organizational contexts helps learners relate content directly to their professional realities (Mozelius, Olofsson and Håkansson Lindqvist, 2022).

• Outline the structure of your course or product:
  You can use this Storyboard template as a starting point, though you may need to adjust it to suit your needs. 

  According to Collins’ (2004) principles of adult learning, when designing Lifelong Learning education, it may be particularly valuable to highlight the connections between participants’ prior learning experiences and the new information provided. Adult learners have a wealth of life and professional experience that is relevant to their acquisition of new knowledge. You can do this by assessing learners’ prior knowledge of a given topic (i.e. pre-knowledge surveys), using stories and case-studies to link theory to practice, and offering collaborative, authentic problem-solving activities.

• Design your Assessment
• Choose media types: Purpose of Media