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Explore the elements from Brian Washburn’s book
What’s Your Formula? Combine Learning Element for Impactful Training

text tools
text tools

Text Tools

(TEK-st TOO-ls)​

Solid Elements

SOLID

What is a Text Messaging for Training?

Text tools are software allowing learning program designers to send SMS-based messaging, information, or activities to participants before or after training programs.

Other Common Names

Other common names for lesson plan include:

  • Text messaging
  • WhatsApp
  • Direct messaging

 

Key Properties

The element text tools is characterized by:

  • SMS-based technology
  • Distribution of content, website links, or quiz questions to learners
noun texting 3240408

Resources From The Train Like a Champion Blog

  • How many unread emails do you have in your inbox at any given moment? Now think about how many unread text messages you have. My guess is that you read your text messages with much more immediacy than you do your emails. For that reason, element 38 can be a powerful way to distribute content or remind people about your topic. Using text tools can also be a controversial element if it’s not implemented with care because some learners may decry it as an invasion of their personal space."
  • "Since many learners carry SMS-enabled devices this element can easily deliver information to them in the flow of their daily routine. In fact, in areas where internet bandwidth is spotty or nonexistent, this is not just a nice-to-have tool, it can sometimes be the only means of delivering content, at scale, over large geographic regions. This is especially important to keep in mind when an estimated 3.8 billion people on this planet (many of them in the developing world) are not connected to the internet at all (ITU 2020)."
  • "While text messaging may be a convenient, direct line to learners, it may also be a little too convenient. Before you choose to push information out this way, you’ll want to be sure you have permission from your learners (text messaging has long been considered someone’s personal space) and their organization (pushing work-related material to someone’s personal device can violate organizational policies and may require employees to be compensated for work that is performed outside normal working hours)."
Whats Your Formula book
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CLOSELY RELATED ELEMENTS

learning boostsLearning Boosts

Well-timed text messages to remind participants of your content, point them toward job aids, or augment what they’ve studied are all examples of how text tools can be leveraged to boost retention and adoption of new concepts.

35 MicrolearningMicrolearning

Providing small bites of information via SMS may be all your learners need.

assessmentAssessment

Post-testing at the end of a training program can yield a data point that isn’t necessarily an indicator of learning or retention because little time will have passed from the end of instruction and the time learners take the test. Using text tools to send several quiz questions in the days or weeks following a learning experience can offer a more realistic indicator of how much your learners have actually retained.

learning objectivesLearning Objectives Taxonomy

Regardless of the actual content you plan to push to your learners, it’s important to ask yourself: Will sending this text message help my learners demonstrate their ability to do something new, differently, or better? In other words, will it help accomplish the learning objectives that have been established for this experience?

instructional designInstructional Design

Putting together a coherent campaign of messages will depend on how well you’ve analyzed the needs of your learners and their ability to use their device, as well as how well you put together and execute the messaging and distribution of engaging, relevant content.

Other Sources of Information on Text Tools

checklist

Download the Element Sanity Check

Even if you haven’t yet purchased the book (what are you waiting for?!) you can get access to worksheets that will help guide you through the use of the elements of amazing learning experiences.