How do people learn best – and what does this mean for in-company training? Anyone who develops educational media or plans training courses is often faced with the question: How can I reach people with different learning needs – in a way that something really sticks? The answer lies in didactics. More precisely: in understanding different learning types – and how to address them in a meaningful way.
Understanding learning types – for more effective training concepts
A lot has changed in in-company training. Where seminars with face-to-face teaching used to dominate, modern companies now rely on a wide range of learning formats – from interactive web-based training (WBTs) to videos and self-directed microlearning. However, this variety is only effective if it is used in a well thought-out and didactically sound manner.
The concept of learning types is not a rigid model, but rather a helpful tool. It helps to design learning opportunities in such a way that they appeal to as many people as possible – not by pigeonholing everyone, but by enabling diversity.
What learning types are there?
The classification of learning types is a didactic classic. Even if modern didactics no longer believes in fixed typologies, a lot of practice can still be derived from the idea. Here is an overview of the most common learning types:
1. the visual learning type:
These people learn via pictures, graphics, diagrams or visually prepared content. Clear structures, colors, symbols and videos help them to classify and retain information.
2. the auditory learning type:
They learn particularly well through listening – for example through spoken content, discussions, podcasts or videos with narrated text. What is important here is pleasant voice guidance and a comprehensible structure.
3. the motor or haptic learning type:
“Learning by doing” is the be-all and end-all for them. Learning success is achieved through active doing: clicking, trying things out, joining in. Interactive learning formats, exercises and case studies are particularly suitable here.
4. the cognitive or abstract-analytical type of learner:
This type loves to understand concepts, scrutinize content and process it systematically. They need structure, depth and points of reference for analytical thinking.
5. the communicative learner:
Exchange is a priority for them. They learn through discussions, group work or exchanges in forums. The joint development of content has a particularly lasting effect here.
Many people combine several of these types in them. Therefore, the more varied the learning offer, the greater the chance that it will be effective.
Digital educational media: full potential for different types of learners
Digital learning formats in particular offer enormous potential here – if they are implemented cleverly. A good WBT or interactive video can appeal to several types of learner at the same time:
- Visual: through clearly structured visualizations, targeted use of colors and explanatory animations that make connections visible
- Auditory: through high-quality speaker texts and sound design that emphasizes and supports rather than distracts
- Cognitive: through systematic content, additional work materials, transfer tasks and a final quiz
- Motor skills: through interactive elements – click surfaces, drag & drop, simulations or VR/AR exercises
- Communicative: through repetition of what has been learned, in collaboration with peer groups, or as a currently still rather experimental sequence: learning by explaining – AI tested for correctness
Good digital media don’t just tell stories, they activate them. And that is precisely the decisive difference.
In addition, digital media offer a decisive advantage: they can be flexibly integrated into everyday working life. Short learning units can be adapted to the attention span of the day, varied, interactive forms of presentation hold attention and motivating elements such as progress indicators, reward animations or certificates support sustainable learning effectiveness – for every type of learner.
Learning in transition – and what didactics makes of it
It is no coincidence that learning looks different today than it did 20 years ago. The abundance of information, the speed of the working world and the individualization of life paths have changed learning behavior. Where a one-day event used to be regarded as further training, today more is needed: flexible, targeted, sustainably effective learning – often in the middle of everyday working life.
Modern didactics responds to this. Interdisciplinary thinking is now the order of the day at university – but above all in practice: psychology, neuroscience, education and technology are intertwined. Terms such as learning path design, instructional design or learning experience design show this: The design of educational media today is a complex craft – but one that pays off.
What does this mean for companies?
If you want to promote learning success, you should not only plan content, but also experiences. This doesn’t mean that every training course has to be a firework display – but it should be appropriate. Suitable for the target group, the situation, the goal.
A good learning program…
- offers different approaches for different types of learners.
- allows flexibility in use – in terms of time and method.
- activates instead of just informing.
- accompanies the learning process – for example through reflection impulses, repetitions or micro-assessments.
In short: didactics is not an end in itself. It is the tool that makes learning not only possible, but effective.