The evidence map

Does asking learners to explain why help them learn, and how should a course ask?

In practice: Ask learners to explain why or how in their own words, then let them check against a model answer; budget the extra time it takes.

Memory and practice Reviewed 7 November 2026 Applied in Formative Assessment Examples for Self-Paced Online Courses, eLearning Script Writing: How to Write Narration That Sounds Human, The Learning Pyramid: Where the Famous Percentages Came From

How much new content should one online lesson contain?

In practice: Keep each lesson to what a novice can hold at once, cut what adds effort but not learning, and let learners pace the segments.

Presenting information Reviewed 31 October 2026 Applied in Self-Determination Theory: Motivating Learners in Online Courses, Formative Assessment Examples for Self-Paced Online Courses, eLearning Script Writing: How to Write Narration That Sounds Human, The Learning Pyramid: Where the Famous Percentages Came From, Online Course Completion Rates: What the Data Says and What Moves Them, What Is Elaborative Interrogation? Getting Learners to Explain Why, Bloom's Taxonomy Examples: Using It to Design an Online Course, Are Learning Styles Debunked? What the Research Actually Shows, Writing Multiple-Choice Questions That Teach as Well as Test, How to Storyboard an eLearning Module, Screen by Screen, Microlearning Defined: What It Is and When Short Lessons Work, Characteristics of Effective Feedback: What the Research Says, How to Create an Online Course That Sells (and Teaches), Dual Coding Theory in Education: Making Visuals and Narration Work, How to Write Learning Objectives Learners Can Actually Meet, Entry-Level Instructional Design Jobs: What Employers Ask For

How should visuals and narration work together in an online lesson?

In practice: Explain a meaningful picture with narration at the same moment; keep on-screen text to key terms and cut decorative images.

Presenting information Reviewed 2 November 2026 Applied in eLearning Script Writing: How to Write Narration That Sounds Human, The Learning Pyramid: Where the Famous Percentages Came From, Are Learning Styles Debunked? What the Research Actually Shows, How to Storyboard an eLearning Module, Screen by Screen, How to Create an Online Course That Sells (and Teaches)

How do you build formative assessment into an online course with no teacher watching in real time?

In practice: Check understanding often with low-stakes tasks, explain every wrong answer, and use what the results show to decide what comes next.

Feedback and assessment Reviewed 9 November 2026 Applied in Self-Determination Theory: Motivating Learners in Online Courses

When should a course use short, standalone lessons, and how short should they be?

In practice: Use short, standalone pieces to deliver spaced review and quizzes; keep lessons that need sustained attention whole.

Course structure Reviewed 4 November 2026 Applied in eLearning Script Writing: How to Write Narration That Sounds Human, Online Course Completion Rates: What the Data Says and What Moves Them, Are Learning Styles Debunked? What the Research Actually Shows

What keeps learners motivated in a self-paced online course, and what does the research say helps?

In practice: Help learners feel capable first with early wins and clear feedback, then add real choices and contact with others; don't lean on rewards.

Motivation and engagement Reviewed 10 November 2026

Do learners really remember 10% of what they read and 90% of what they teach?

In practice: Don't quote the pyramid's percentages or rank formats by them; build retrieval practice, active tasks and explanation into each module because the evidence for those is good.

Myths and misconceptions Reviewed 8 November 2026

Should a course match its lessons to each learner's learning style?

In practice: Don't sort learners by style or build parallel versions of lessons; choose each format for the content, and offer captions and transcripts for access.

Myths and misconceptions Reviewed 5 November 2026 Applied in The Learning Pyramid: Where the Famous Percentages Came From

What kind of feedback actually improves learners' performance in an online course?

In practice: Effective feedback tells learners where they are going, how they are doing and what to do next.

Other principles Reviewed 3 November 2026 Applied in Self-Determination Theory: Motivating Learners in Online Courses, Formative Assessment Examples for Self-Paced Online Courses, The Learning Pyramid: Where the Famous Percentages Came From, What Is Elaborative Interrogation? Getting Learners to Explain Why, Online Learning Research: The AI Tutor Trial That Lowered Grades, Are Learning Styles Debunked? What the Research Actually Shows, Writing Multiple-Choice Questions That Teach as Well as Test