In today's fast-paced digital age, the human attention span is often compared to that of a goldfish, famously pegged at just eight seconds.

However, a 2015 Microsoft study suggests this number might be a little more nuanced, pointing out that while our initial attention spans are short, our selective sustained attention abilities are stronger than ever.

This insight is crucial for training leaders and eLearning developers tasked with capturing and maintaining learner engagement in a world brimming with distractions.

Creating effective eLearning isn’t just about delivering content; it's also about mastering the art and science of capturing attention.

Every element of a course can significantly impact learner engagement and retention. Knowing what captures learners' attention and how to strategically integrate these elements can transform passive content consumption into active learning experiences.

In this article, we'll unveil ten critical elements that attract learner attention. By incorporating these into your eLearning courses, you can ensure that your content not only grabs attention immediately but holds it, enhancing the overall learning effectiveness and experience.

1) Solutions to their problems

Adult learners typically enroll in eLearning courses with a clear goal: they're looking to solve specific issues they face in their daily lives or careers.Understanding this motivation is key to capturing and maintaining their attention throughout your course. 

Scientifically, why does this approach work?

When content directly relates to an individual's needs or problems, it triggers a cognitive reaction that heightens focus and engagement. This is based on the principle of 'value-based attentional capture', where our brains prioritize information that we perceive as immediately valuable or beneficial.

By framing your course content as a direct solution to their problems, you tap into this automatic attention mechanism, ensuring learners are not only drawn in but also retained.

Here are our key tips to make eLearning content more attention-grabbing by focusing on solutions to learner problems:

• Identify Common Problems: Start by understanding the typical challenges your learners face. Tailor your course content to address these specific issues.

• Adopt a Learner-Centric Approach: Constantly ask, "What’s in it for them?" This approach ensures that your content directly responds to the learners' needs, increasing its relevance and engagement.

• Frame Content as Solutions: Present your course modules as actionable solutions. Use phrases like “How to overcome…” or “Steps to solve…” to make it clear that your content provides answers.

• Use Strategic Headlines: Introduce each section with a compelling headline that acts as a hook. This draws attention and sets the expectation that following content will be beneficial.

• Position Headlines Effectively: Place headlines in the upper left corner of your course interface. Since this is where eyes naturally go first, it ensures maximum visibility and impact.

• Keep Headlines Clear and Direct: Create headlines that are simple, concise, and directly related to the content. Effective headlines promise real value, encouraging learners to engage deeply with the material and reinforcing their decision to participate in the course.

Read more: These 27 Questions Will Help You (Really) Know Your Learners

2) Comparisons

When creating eLearning courses, leveraging the power of novelty can be particularly effective in capturing and retaining attention.

Scientifically, our brains are wired to prioritize new, unusual, or unexpected information. This phenomenon, known as the "novelty bias," means that when something stands out from the norm, it triggers the brain's reward centers, making it more engaging and memorable.

Carmine Gallo, a renowned communication expert, highlights this by noting, “Our brains are trained to look for something brilliant and new, something that stands out, something that looks delicious.”

To maintain learner engagement over extended periods, it's crucial to continuously introduce fresh concepts or perspectives. However, it's important to balance this novelty with relevance to ensure that the content remains focused and pertinent to the course objectives.

Here are our key tips on using comparisons to maintain attention without deviating from the course topic:

• Introduce Surprising Comparisons: Draw analogies that are unexpected yet relevant to the topic. For instance, comparing a complex business concept to a simple everyday activity can spark curiosity and make the content more relatable.

• Use Metaphors and Similes: These are powerful tools to make complex or abstract information more tangible. Describe a difficult concept by comparing it to something familiar, like explaining a technical process as “sifting flour” to imply the removal of unnecessary elements.

• Leverage Pop Culture References: Relating course content to popular movies, books, or current events can make learning more engaging. For example, comparing leadership styles to those of well-known movie characters can make the content more accessible and entertaining.

• Incorporate Visual Comparisons: Use graphics, charts, or side-by-side images to illustrate comparisons. This not only breaks the monotony of text but also helps in visual learning, making complex information easier to digest.

• Consistently Update Examples: Keep your content fresh and exciting by regularly updating your examples and comparisons. This keeps returning learners engaged and gives them a reason to pay attention.

Additional read: Why More Instructional Designers Should Harness the Power of Visual Metaphors

3) Visuals

Visuals aren't just eye candy; they're your secret weapon in the battle against the dreaded wall of text.

Think about it: when was the last time you got excited about reading a dense, jargon-filled course? Probably never, right? That's because our brains are wired for the quick, vivid storytelling that visuals provide.

As a training leader, you know the drill: keeping learners engaged is half the battle. That's why slipping in visuals can feel like a minor act of magic. They break up monotony, clarify complex ideas, and, let's be honest, give everyone's eyes a much-needed break.

So, how do we harness the power of visuals without falling into the trap of using them as mere decoration?

Here are some actionable tips:

• Choose Images That Work Hard: Use visuals that add real value and context to your content, not just pretty space fillers. Ask yourself, does this image make the content clearer or more memorable?

• Embrace the Power of Infographics: Got data? Turn those numbers into a story with an infographic. It’s like a cheat sheet that makes stats and processes instantly graspable.

• Let Videos Do the Heavy Lifting: When you need to explain something complex, why not show a short video? It's like bringing in the cavalry when the going gets tough.

• Use Diagrams to Connect the Dots: Diagrams are great for showing relationships and hierarchies. Think of them as your visual whisperers, helping to make the connections that words alone can struggle with.

Also read: 6 Ways Color Psychology Can Be Used to Design Effective eLearning

4) Questions

Asking questions in eLearning isn't just a teaching tactic; it's a brain engagement strategy.

Scientifically speaking, when a question is posed, it activates a cognitive function known as "inquiry-based learning." This approach triggers the brain’s natural curiosity, making learners not just passive recipients of information but active participants in their learning journey.

When learners engage with a question, they're prompted to explore, hypothesize, and apply their knowledge, which reinforces their understanding and retention of the material.

Moreover, answering questions can stimulate a sense of achievement and autonomy, enhancing the overall learning experience. It’s like turning the learning process into a series of mini-challenges that the learner gets to conquer. This not only makes the process more interactive but also more rewarding.

Here’s how to effectively incorporate questions into your eLearning courses to maximize engagement and learning outcomes:

• Start with a Hook: Begin modules or lessons with a provocative question that taps into your learners' curiosity or challenges their preconceptions. This sets the stage for active engagement right from the start.

• Embed Questions Throughout: Don’t just save questions for the end. Intersperse them throughout the content to keep learners on their toes and actively thinking about how to apply what they’re learning.

• Use Different Types of Questions: Mix up the types of questions you use. Include open-ended questions to encourage deep thinking, and multiple-choice questions for quick reviews and self-assessments.

• Encourage Reflection: After presenting new information, ask reflective questions that require learners to think about how they can apply this knowledge in their own contexts. This helps personalize the learning experience and solidifies understanding.

• Create Scenario-Based Questions: Use real-life scenarios that require learners to apply their knowledge to solve problems. This not only tests their understanding but also enhances their problem-solving skills.

5) Emotions

Tapping into emotions in eLearning isn't just about pulling at heartstrings; it's about making memories stick.

Think of the amygdala—your brain's emotion center—as a sort of sticky note area. When we feel something strongly, good or bad, that sticky note stays put. This is why we can all remember where we were when we heard shocking news, but might struggle to recall what we had for breakfast yesterday.

In the context of eLearning, leveraging emotions can transform a routine click-through course into a memorable journey. It’s about creating moments that resonate, making the content not just learned but lived.

Here’s how to inject a bit of emotional intelligence into your courses, without turning every session into a tearjerker:

• Pick Powerful Pictures: A well-chosen image or a gripping video clip can speak volumes. Opt for visuals that spark emotions relevant to the content—anything that makes learners sit up and take notice.

• Craft Relatable Scenarios: Nothing hits home like a scenario that could have been plucked from the learners’ own lives. These make the emotional connection instant and the learning deeply personal.

• Throw in a Curveball: Surprise your learners occasionally with an unexpected twist or an unusual activity. It’s like a wake-up call to their emotions and their attention.

• Prompt Personal Reflection: Ask questions that encourage learners to dive into their own experiences. This not only stirs emotions but also cements the learning points in a personal context.

Also read: Want to Design Emotional eLearning? Understand The Role of Emotions in Learning First

6) Stories

Why do stories captivate us so deeply? It turns out, there’s a scientific basis for why narratives are such powerful tools in learning. When we listen to a story, our brains don't just process the words; they simulate the events being described.

This phenomenon, known as neural coupling, allows a listener’s brain to turn the story into their own ideas and experience. Moreover, research shows that stories can activate the cortex extensively, enhancing both understanding and retention.

Here's how you can leverage the science of storytelling to dramatically improve engagement and learning outcomes in your eLearning courses:

• Start with Strong Hooks: Begin your lessons with an intriguing story that poses a problem or question. This approach can increase retention rates by up to 70% according to some studies, as it piques curiosity and primes learners for the material that follows.

• Create Relatable Characters: Introduce characters that reflect the diversity and challenges of your audience. When learners see themselves in the story, the connection is instant and powerful.

• Incorporate Emotions: Emotional content can boost memory retention. Infuse your stories with emotions by including personal triumphs, failures, or humorous anecdotes. Emotions serve as mental sticky notes that help recall.

• Use Visual Aids: Pair your stories with relevant images or videos. Visual aids can increase learning retention by up to 55% because they help learners visualize the story and connect abstract concepts to tangible examples.

• Integrate Unexpected Elements: Surprise elements in a story can help maintain attention. The brain is naturally drawn to novel stimuli, so introducing unexpected twists keeps learners interested and engaged throughout the course.

Read more: Humanize Your eLearning Courses or Risk Losing Learners

7) Contrast

Ever noticed how a pop of color in a sea of gray catches your eye? Or how a sudden change in music tone in a movie makes you sit up in your seat? That’s contrast at work, and it’s something our brains are inherently programmed to notice.

This isn't just about survival instincts from our hunter-gatherer days—our modern brains use contrast to determine what’s important and what can be ignored.

In eLearning, leveraging contrast can be a game-changer in maintaining learner interest and preventing the dreaded "zone out."

Here’s how to skillfully apply contrast without going overboard, because let’s be honest, nobody needs a neon assault on their senses during a training session:

• Vary Your Visuals: Mix up your slide designs slightly from one section to the next. A shift in background color or font style can signal a new topic or important point without being too jarring.

• Change the Pace: If your course has been heavy on information, throw in a quick interactive activity or a reflective break. This shift in pace re-engages the brain and helps prevent cognitive overload.

• Play with Formats: Been using a lot of text? Switch to an infographic or a short video. Alternating between different types of content delivery keeps the learning dynamic and caters to different learning styles.

• Use Inversion for Emphasis: Occasionally, invert the usual color scheme for slide headers or key graphics to emphasize their importance. This subtle tweak can make your learners take a second look and pay closer attention.

• Offer Interactive Contrasts: Provide interactive elements like quizzes or drag-and-drop activities sporadically throughout the course. This not only contrasts with passive learning but also actively involves learners in their own educational journey.

Read more: The Science Behind What Makes an eLearning Design Effective

8) Controversy

Have you ever tossed out a bold statement at the start of a meeting just to see everyone perk up? That’s the power of controversy—it wakes up the room.

In eLearning, starting with a startling fact, a provocative statement, or an unexpected conclusion can jolt learners into high alert. This isn’t just about being dramatic; it’s about leveraging the way our brains are wired to prioritize information that deviates from the norm.

 When we encounter something controversial or surprising, it activates areas of our brain that are responsible for emotion and memory, making the learning experience more vivid and sticky.

Here’s how you can harness the power of controversy to captivate your audience without crossing into sensationalism:

• Use Real-World Numbers: Incorporate specific measurements, like percentages or financial figures, to ground your controversial statement in reality. This not only grabs attention but also adds credibility to your argument.

• Reveal the Conclusion First: Start with the endgame. Present your conclusion upfront and spend the rest of the lesson walking your learners through the fascinating journey of how you got there.

• Challenge Assumptions: Pose questions or statements that challenge learners to reconsider their preconceived notions. This not only piques interest but also encourages critical thinking.

9) Brevity

Brevity isn't just a polite gesture—it's a necessary strategy for eLearning professionals aiming to engage busy adult learners.

With so much competing for their attention, learners gravitate toward content that gets to the point quickly and respects their time.

This preference for shorter content aligns with cognitive research, which suggests that concise and well-organized information is easier to process and remember. Given that the average attention span is dwindling, efficient communication that can be quickly absorbed becomes crucial in training settings.

Here’s how you can master the art of brevity in your eLearning courses to maximize learner engagement and retention:

• Lead with Key Points: Start your content with the most important information. This approach ensures that learners grasp the essential messages even if their attention wanes later.

• Utilize Bullet Points: Break information into bullet points to highlight key concepts. This format is visually appealing and makes it easier for learners to scan and retain important details.

• Organize with Clear Headings: Use descriptive headings and subheadings to structure your content logically. This helps learners navigate the material more efficiently and focus on what they find most relevant.

• Streamline Paragraphs: Maintain short paragraphs—ideally 3 to 4 sentences each. This helps in creating white space on the page, making the content less intimidating and more inviting.

• Incorporate Visual Aids: Whenever possible, replace text with diagrams, infographics, or videos. Visuals can communicate complex information more succinctly and engagingly than text alone.

• Provide Concise Summaries: End each major section with a brief summary or interactive recap, reinforcing key points without overloading the learner.

• Indicate Estimated Times: Clearly state the estimated completion time for each section. Knowing the time commitment upfront can help learners manage their schedules more effectively and reduce anxiety about lengthy sessions.

By prioritizing brevity in your eLearning content, you're not just cutting down words; you're enhancing learner focus, satisfaction, and ultimately, the effectiveness of the learning experience.

Also read: 

• Numbers Don’t Lie: Why Microlearning is Better for Your Learners (and You too)
• 4 Tips on How to Convert Long-Form eLearning Courses to Micro Lessons

10) Lists

Picture yourself in the grocery store with a shopping list. As you tick off items one by one, there’s a sense of clarity and progress, right? That’s the power of a good list.

Now, imagine applying that straightforward, clean structure to eLearning. By using lists, you bring that same clarity and step-by-step progress to complex information, making it easier for learners to digest and remember.

So, let’s chat about making lists work for your eLearning content. It’s not just about keeping things organized; it’s about making the complex simple and the overwhelming manageable:

• Preview with a List: Begin sections with a list that sums up what’s coming. It’s like showing a trailer before the movie starts — it sets the scene and builds anticipation.

• Simplify with Bullets: Dense paragraphs? Break them into bullet points. Each bullet is a mini-stop on the journey, making it easier for learners to catch their breath and take in the scenery.

• Guide the Eye: Use lists to create a natural flow of information. They’re like stepping stones that guide learners through the content, keeping them on track without getting sidetracked.

• Easy on the Eyes: Lists are a visual break in the text that can make your content look less daunting. Think of them as the whitespace in a busy painting — it gives your brain a rest spot.

• Step-by-Step: Tackling something tricky? Break it down into a list of steps. It’s the educational equivalent of assembling a piece of IKEA furniture — much easier with clear instructions!

• Check it Off: Try adding interactive checklists for a satisfying tick-off. Nothing beats the feeling of checking off tasks — it’s like earning mini-trophies as you learn.

Recommended read: Attention-Grabbing eLearning Design: 5 Techniques You Should Try