Counting Down My Top 10 Favorite Learning Experiences and Sharing Advice for New L&D Professionals
- May 25
- 3 min read
#8: Developing a Social Media Strategy
Recently I wrapped up an article series focusing on the four essential elements of impactful learning experiences. When facilitators execute these elements successfully, learners leave their training sessions feeling informed, engaged, entertained, and inspired.
I was eager to author another series but was drawing a blank on a topic. As I began reflecting upon my early years in the postsecondary classroom and more recent years in corporate training spaces, several learning experiences stood out to me.
While a late night talk show host gig is probably not in my future, I decided to compile a list of my top 10 favorite learning experiences.
I hope that by sharing my work, I spark your imagination, inspire you to experiment with new approaches, and encourage you to pitch audacious ideas for your learning projects. At the end of each article, I‘ll offer a few suggestions for you to consider.
#8: Developing a Social Media Strategy
In 2014, I contracted with an international client specializing in human development, education, training, and consultancy to design a two-day instructor-led course on developing and implementing a social media strategy.
After several rounds of email consultations to better understand the client’s needs and determine the precise approach to achieve their goals, I designed the Developing a Social Media Strategy course.
The course consisted of five modules:
Module 1: Introduction
Module 2: Overview of Popular Social Media Platforms
Module 3: 10 Steps to Creating an Effective Social Media Plan
Module 4: 7 Steps to Implementing Your Social Media Plan
Module 5: Social Media Successes and Failures
I delivered the following course materials to the client electronically in editable format:
A Facilitator’s Guide for each module including a list of materials needed, preparation tips, a talk track, and detailed activity instructions
A comprehensive 200-page participant workbook
Visual aids including PowerPoint presentations and handouts
Marketing materials to promote the course
Why This Experience Makes My Top 10
Reason #1: The participant workbook was loaded with interactive elements and features to help learners engage with the content.
We know session participants are more successful at embedding their learning and retaining information when they are actively involved in the learning process. When they are not merely passive consumers of information. But are instead intentional contributors engaged in a free flowing exchange of knowledge, experiences, ideas, and insights.
One of the more overlooked tools a facilitator has at their disposal to promote learners’ active involvement is the humble but mighty workbook. A well-designed workbook beckons its users to record their answers to questions, jot down impressions from the instruction, and memorialize Eureka moments generated by the discussions.
Writing by hand engages the brain in a powerful way that typing does not.
Writing supports memory recall. It promotes understanding of complex material as learners capture notes in ways which support their mental processing style and learning preferences.
In designing the participant workbook for this session, one of my goals was to provide a diverse range of opportunities for learners to purposefully connect with the content.
Quizzes and Fill in the Blank Activities
Module 1 opened with a fun multiple choice quiz about social media statistics. Learners had the option to complete the quiz independently, with a partner, or in a group.
The quiz exercise was later followed by two fill in the blank activities focusing on the 15 business benefits of using social media (shown below) and the 12 reasons why social media campaigns fail.
Social Media Platform Screenshots and Questions for Reflection
Module 2 included an overview of the 10 most popular social media platforms. A bit later in the session, learners would work in groups to develop a social media strategy for their fictitious company. The material covered during this module would prove helpful as group members assessed which platforms their company should use to accomplish its campaign objectives.
The participant workbook included a screenshot of each platform’s home page and the synopsis from its About description. Appearing on the next page was a table displaying the platform’s logo and highlighting quick facts about when it was started, its founders, and its headquarters. The table also included valuable information about how the platform was used, and its usage statistics, user demographics, advantages, and disadvantages.
On the following two pages were screenshot examples from well-known companies, groups, or individuals. Learners were encouraged to browse the sites and record their impressions in the space provided. Specifically, what they liked and didn’t like. And which elements they might choose to incorporate in a social media site for their own business.
Read the remainder of this article for free on Medium here.
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