When it comes to technology-related things, there’s always more to learn. From regular professionals to teenagers, anyone can benefit from a tutorial on things like hardware maintenance and software application. In particular, knowledge of software can be very beneficial, with benefits ranging from increased productivity to cost savings.
However, one issue is that tutorials can be boring and unclear, but they don’t have to be! So whether you’re looking for tutorial teaching methods for the benefit of your employees or your students, here are some top tips.
Video Tutorial
Video tutorials are now commonplace for a reason; a recording of someone demonstrating how to use a specific software has several draws for a student.
For one thing, it’s a visual demonstration, and that is often easier for countless students to understand compared to written instructions. Second, a video tutorial can be rewound, paused, and replayed as much as it’s needed for understanding to be grasped. Plus, they can be accessed from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
There are different forms of video tutorials such as pre-recorded videos, live streams, or screencasts. Regardless of what method you decide to use, you want to keep in mind your target audience, and their level of knowledge. It’s also important that the tutorial is well structured, with a logical progression of topics and the use of simple language so that learners are not overwhelmed.
Gamification
If you’re looking for a teaching method to really engage your audience, gamification is ideal for you because it is a method of using game elements to make the learning process more enjoyable. For teaching software application, it means an easier time for students in understanding and retaining complex rules.
How can you gamify your tutorials? Try:
- Awarding points and rewards to learners for completing tasks or achieving specific goals
- Dividing the learning process into levels or stages with learners needing to complete particular tasks or demonstrate certain skills to move on to the next level
- Creating a sense of competition such as the highest scorers getting achievement badges
Case Studies
Presenting learners with real-life scenarios that must be solved with software works as a teaching method because it gives learners practical experience and problem-solving skills that they can apply.
For example, say you’re teaching the use of project management software. You can present learners with a case study involving a project that they must plan and execute using project management software to streamline tasks.
When teaching the application of software using case studies, you want to consider relevance, realism, and complexity enough to be challenging without being discouraging.
Tutoring learners about software is a worthwhile endeavor so to make sure that your efforts are effective, try using video tutorials, gamification, and case studies to make lessons engaging and easier to understand.