We live in a connected world where there is so much opportunity to learn and take part in courses online. But how many of these courses are designed with people in mind?
In a fast-paced world, people may complete courses in a tick box manner in order to get a certificate. However, courses should be adding value to our lives, helping us perform, shifting our perspectives and making lives better.
In terms of course experience, we’re all multifaceted and we need a holistic approach to learning that meets more than just intellectual requirements.From an Applied Psychology perspective, a more human-centered approach to online learning means designing courses to meet people’s needs. This post will explain what that means and why understanding ourselves and others is an essential life skill.
What is a human-centered approach?
Human-centric learning and teaching means building courses that meet people’s intellectual, emotional and social needs. There are many different ways to approach this, but essentially, it means doing proper research to find out how people consume content, what they want to learn, and which active learning methods are effective in online skills development. .
Research firm Accenture recently released a report called Technology Vision 2024, which discusses how technology is evolving to become more “human by design”. However, while technology can help us create more immersive and targeted experiences, we still need to do the groundwork to ensure that what we build is fit for purpose.
For example, meeting practical needs like having an effective online platform, engagement opportunities to learn from others, and relevant content is essential. People-centric design also means meeting social and emotional needs, which social learning allows for. Social learning is where you can engage with your peers, share ideas and learn about others’ perspectives.
For example, online learning communities are established on virtual platforms to cater to the human need to interact with others and discuss ideas while completing a course. Technical functionality like chat boxes or forums makes sharing information easy, with the ability to respond and engage with other people’s feedback and input.
Technology also allows for easy interaction with short course facilitators and breaks down communication barriers between those running the course and those completing it. It’s also easy to submit assignments and take part in assessments online, which is convenient and allows for more efficient course administration.
At SACAP Global, when completing a short course in Applied Psychology, Communication, People Management or Business Management, we think it’s imperative not only to take in information on an intellectual level but to learn through interaction and by putting theory into practice.
Understanding humans: ourselves and others
A human-centered approach offers many benefits, but why should we want to understand ourselves and each other better in the first place?
We might feel disconnected from each other as we increasingly engage through screens and technology. However, there is always still a person, or people, behind every piece of software or hardware. People have many emotional and physical experiences and ways of making sense of them.
In our own development, we can learn a lot from reading and building self-awareness. Understanding ourselves and others grows as we interact with others.This intrapersonal and interpersonal awareness is critical to prevent and manage conflict, ensuring harmonious and respectful relationships.
The content of the short courses is also imperative. Are we completing online courses just to tick a box, or does the content add value to our lives?
At SACAP Global, we focus on developing academically robust short courses and workshops that can help us better understand people – and ourselves. By offering a range of online courses you can explore interesting psychology topics such as mental health, relationships, counselling, communication and more. We can help you develop critical soft skills that enhance your personal and professional competency.
In a constantly changing world, developing a foundational approach to dealing with ourselves and others is more critical than ever. Therefore, these courses can help you have a better life.
SACAP Global’s human-centered online courses
All of our short courses are grounded in Applied Psychology. These include contemporary topics such as Development Psychology, Social Psychology, Mental Health, Business Management, Communications, Coaching and Human Resource Management.
Our short online courses balance psychological theory and practical skills to help you grow in your chosen career path. We offer many specialised courses, so you can hone various skills and make an impact.
Designed to help you enhance your own life, we offer online micro-credentials, short courses and workshops. Our team of academics and experts consistently develop and update courses in multiple areas. Some of our most popular courses include:
- Intro to Human Behaviour
- Effective Interpersonal Communication
- Fundamental Counselling Skills
- Managing and Preventing Anxiety
- Enhancing Mental Health
- The Art of Motivation: Empower Self and Others
- Building a Positive Self-Esteem
Start your human-centered learning journey today
SACAP Global makes learning accessible to anyone, anytime and anywhere. We also offer courses throughout the year. Our courses are designed to ensure that you receive the full benefit of social learning, by interacting with fellow learners for the duration of the course.
All you need to join is a willingness to learn and a reliable internet connection!
For more information about our psychology short courses, browse our course list.