Breaking the myths in course design and facilitation
A recent career change that brought me into the world of facilitation has given me the opportunity to learn the art of facilitation itself, as well as how course design plays a key role in shaping impactful learning experiences. All in all, it was a truly eye-opening experience. Course design is about more than just delivering content; it’s also about creating an engaging learning journey that motivates learners to stay engaged and invested in the process. Along this new path, I’ve encountered several myths about course design that I’ve tried to dispel through experience. Here are some of the main misconceptions I’ve encountered.
Debunking 5 myths about course design
Myth 1: Content is the only thing that matters
One of the biggest misconceptions about course design is that it’s just about the content, and the more information you can cram into it, the better. In practice, this approach is far from effective. Think about designing your courses like a meal. It’s not about cramming too many ingredients into a sandwich in hopes of cohesive flavors. It’s important to understand how individual elements such as concepts, activities, and discussions work together to create a seamless and engaging experience. It’s important to curate content that will keep your learners engaged and interested, rather than overwhelming them with too much information. What makes a course truly impactful is a careful balance of quality over quantity.
Myth 2: One size fits all.
Another common misconception is that when designing a course, you should aim to make it suitable for everyone. The idea here is that if you create your course broadly enough, it will appeal to all learners. In practice, this often means that the course is of no use to anyone. The best course will be tailored to the specific needs, challenges, and interests of your target audience. To connect with your learners, your course must resonate with their unique experiences and expectations. Designing courses around your students’ unique learning styles, preferences, and goals creates a more meaningful and effective experience.
Myth 3: The more, the better.
A common pitfall in course design is the assumption that the more content and activities you include, the better the course will be. Overloading your learners is like trying to pour water from a firehose when you just need a sip. Too much information at once can be confusing and overwhelming, causing learners to lose focus and become disoriented. Instead, successful courses need to be focused, concise, and impactful. By carefully curating your content and structuring your lessons into easy-to-understand segments, your learners are more likely to absorb and retain the information you present. Less is often more, allowing space for reflection, discussion, and deeper engagement.
Myth 4: Once you have their attention, motivation becomes easy.
Capturing the learner’s attention at the beginning of the session is only the first step. Maintaining learner motivation requires continuous effort. It’s easy to think that if you capture students’ interest with an exciting introduction or engaging activities, they’ll stay motivated for the duration of the course. However, motivation is not a one-time thing. It is something that needs to be continuously cultivated. Effective facilitators and course designers know that staying motivated requires continued engagement, relevant content, and connections to the real world that make the learning experience feel meaningful. Providing opportunities for learners to apply what they have learned, providing regular feedback, and fostering a sense of community will all help keep them motivated throughout the course.
Myth 5: Behind the scenes work is minimal.
Those outside the world of facilitation and course design tend to assume that smooth, engaging sessions happen naturally without much effort behind the scenes. In reality, things that seem simple often take hours of preparation, research, and customization. Every well-crafted session is the result of thoughtful planning to ensure the content is relevant, the activities are engaging, and the flow of the session keeps learners motivated. The work involved in designing an impactful course goes far beyond simply providing information, it’s about creating a holistic learning experience that feels seamless and authentic to the learner.
journey of discovery
Through my continued learning experience in facilitation and course design, I have realized that great courses do more than just teach, they inspire, engage, and empower learners. Along the way, I have challenged many of the myths I once believed and challenged myself to think critically about what makes a learning experience truly impactful. Designing the course and facilitating engaging sessions has been a constant journey of discovery. It’s not just about transmitting knowledge. It’s about creating an environment where learners feel motivated, inspired and empowered to take action.
The key is to continue to apply these insights and principles as we continue to challenge norms and rethink how we design learning experiences. By doing so, you can create courses and facilitation experiences that leave a lasting mark on your learners, ensuring that they not only gain knowledge but also feel excited about their learning journey. .
