7 Ways to Create Training Materials that Engage Employees with PlutoLMS

By combining interactive activities, discussions, quizzes, and resources, you can create a learning experience that keeps learners engaged and motivated. PlutoLMS is designed to support this by offering a range of content types that enrich learning, foster collaboration, and drive better outcomes.

Using multiple content types is more than just adding variety. It means designing learning experiences that cater to different preferences, helping learners grasp complex information more effectively. 

For example, some learners might grasp concepts better through interactive videos, while others may benefit more from quizzes and forums where they can exchange ideas with colleagues.

Each content type in PlutoLMS brings a unique advantage to your training. Let’s explore these tools and how you can use them to create comprehensive, impactful courses for your employees.

1. Interactive Content: Create Training Materials that Engage

PlutoLMS empowers you to design interactive, hands-on learning that keeps learners actively engaged. The platform’s interactive content authoring tool allows you to create a range of activities—like quizzes, videos, and games—all within the LMS. These activities turn passive content into immersive experiences and encourage real-time participation.

Interactive content shines in learning scenarios where active participation helps retain information.  For example, a workplace safety course could incorporate an interactive video where learners answer questions mid-video. This breaks down complex topics into bite-sized pieces and makes information more memorable.

Best Practices:

• Keep it Simple: Don’t overload interactive elements with too much information. Stick to one concept per interaction to avoid overwhelming learners.
• Emphasise Engagement: Create tasks that challenge learners—drag-and-drop exercises, interactive timelines, or branching scenarios that let them explore real-world situations.‍
• Encourage Reflection: Integrate self-assessment questions to help learners evaluate their understanding.

2. SCORM: Create Training Materials that Streamline 

SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a widely accepted format for learning content. It allows modules developed on different platforms to be used across LMSs, making it easy to bring existing materials into PlutoLMS.

SCORM works best for standardised compliance or policy training. Third-party providers of compliance courses in areas like data privacy or cybersecurity often use SCORM packages. 

These modules are structured, ensuring that every learner receives the same high-quality content, which is critical for policy adherence.

Best Practices:

• Test Compatibility: Ensure SCORM packages display correctly on PlutoLMS. Test across devices to confirm a smooth learner experience.
• Reuse Existing Content: If you already have SCORM-compliant training materials, take advantage of them to save time and resources.‍
• Ensure Relevance: Regularly update SCORM content to keep pace with policy or industry changes, so employees stay informed on the latest standards.

3. Page: Create Training Materials that Provide Rich Information

A Page allows you to embed text, images, and videos directly within PlutoLMS. It’s a straightforward way to deliver content without leaving the platform.

Pages are perfect for delivering information-rich content that learners can absorb at their own pace. This content type works well for foundational information that employees can reference.

Use Pages to present information-rich content like workbooks, procedural guidelines, or in-depth explanations. For example, a Page could provide detailed instructions for completing a quarterly report, complete with screenshots.

Best Practices:

• Organise Content Visually: Break text into sections with headings, bullet points, and images to improve readability.‍
• Embed Multimedia: Adding images, diagrams, or videos can make the information more engaging and accessible.

4. File: Create Training Materials that Meet On-Demand Needs 

The File feature allows you to upload important documents and resources that learners can download and refer to on demand.

Files make it easy to share guidelines, templates, or other static content in the form of PDFs, Word documents,  Excel sheets, etc. 

Files are best for static resources like handouts, templates, or quick-reference guides. For example, if you have a checklist for equipment maintenance, upload it as a file so employees have easy access when they need it.

Best Practices:

• Label Clearly: Use descriptive filenames and labels so learners know exactly what each file contains.‍
• Organise by Topic: Group files by subject to make finding resources easy.

5. Quiz: Create Training Materials that Reinforce Learning 

Quizzes are more than assessments—they help reinforce learning and provide immediate feedback to learners. This helps them identify areas where they may need more review and practice.

The Quiz tool lets you create assessments using a range of question types like multiple choice, true-or-false, and matching questions. 

Quizzes are a perfect way to evaluate comprehension and retention. For instance, a quiz at the end of a new product training program can help confirm that employees understand key product details. This will empower them to speak knowledgeably and confidently with customers.

Best Practices:

• Mix Question Types: Use a combination of question types—such as multiple choice, true/false, and short answer—to cover different learning points.‍
• Provide Instant Feedback: Allow learners to see answers immediately, so they can learn from mistakes on the spot.

6. Forum: Create Training Materials that Foster Community 

Forums provide a place for learners to discuss, debate, and explore ideas together. You can allow learners to share ideas and insights on various topics without needing to be online at the same time.

This collaborative learning builds community and allows employees to learn from each other, which is especially useful for complex or evolving topics.

Forums are a great way to foster peer-to-peer interactions. Use forums to foster discussion in leadership or soft skills training. Employees can share real-life challenges, solutions, and success stories, building on each other’s experiences.

Best Practices:

• Encourage Participation: Prompt learners with starter questions to initiate discussion.
• Assign Moderators: Having course facilitators or experienced employees moderate forum discussions can keep conversations productive and on-topic.‍
• Build a Knowledge Base: Forums can serve as a lasting resource where learners return to revisit discussions and access collective insights.

7. Feedback: Create Training Materials that Capture Insights 

The Feedback tool offers a straightforward way to collect insights on how learners perceive their training experience. You can create custom questions to understand how learners feel about the course content, trainers, and overall experience.

This real-time information helps you refine and improve your courses.

Feedback is ideal for evaluating the effectiveness of training. After a training program on new software, gather learner feedback to understand what they found most useful and where they felt they needed more support. This feedback can be invaluable for tweaking future training.

Best Practices:

• Keep Questions Clear and Concise: Avoid long, complex questions. Simple and direct questions yield more actionable feedback.
• Use Open-Ended Questions: Encourage detailed feedback with open-ended questions to understand what learners liked and what could be improved.‍
• Create an Open-Feedback Culture: Let learners know their input will shape future training, encouraging honest responses.

Tracking Activity Completion and User Progress

When you create training materials, it is important to consider how you will track learners’ progress and engagement with your content. PlutoLMS offers tracking tools to help you monitor how learners are engaging with each type of content. Tracking helps identify areas where learners excel or may need additional support. 

• Set Clear Completion Criteria: Define what counts as “completion” for each activity, such as passing a quiz or posting in a forum.
• Monitor Regularly: Stay updated with PlutoLMS reports that show who’s completed each activity and who might need a nudge to stay on track.
• Encourage Active Participation: Reminders of incomplete activities can help learners keep up with training requirements.

Best Practices to Create Training Materials that Deliver a Complete Learning Experience

Blend Content Types:

Mix videos, quizzes, discussions, and files to keep learners engaged. Blended content gives everyone a chance to connect with the material in a way that suits them.

Create Clear Learning Paths:

Guide learners through the content in a logical sequence. Each activity should build on the last, creating a cohesive learning journey.

Ask for Feedback:

Feedback isn’t just for learners; it’s also for improving training content. Use learner insights to refine your approach and ensure ongoing relevance and engagement.

By using the diverse content types available in PlutoLMS to create training materials strategically, you can build an engaging, adaptable learning experience that supports employees’ growth and knowledge retention. 

This approach creates an environment where learning is dynamic, effective, and genuinely enjoyable.