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My hot take on optional challenges is cooling off

When I design learning experiences in a corporate setting, I'm doing so with certain expectations in mind. The foremost one being that if I build it, I expect participation. This represents a fixed mindset. Every aspect of my lesson needs to be experienced, otherwise the learner won't succeed. Optional content often feels like wasted effort, or at the very least, something that won't yield consistent results. But this course (and the articles I've read along the way) challenge that mindset.

Dennen et al. (2024) examined a system of optional embedded microlearning challenges (OEMCs) designed to promote self-directed learning. The findings showed that the learners who opted in reported high levels of enjoyment and perceived value. What stood out to me was that these low-stakes, optional activities encouraged deeper engagement despite not being mandatory. In fact, learners engaged in these optional challenges because they wanted to! The rewards weren't mind-blowing (a digital badge or a token), but allowing the learner an amount of autonomy to engage in a relevant activity sparked motivation. This threw a bucket of cold water on my hot take that optional challenges were a waste of ID time.

My takeaway is that everything doesn't need to be graded or mandatory to be meaningful, and that deep learning experiences don't need to be forced onto the target audience. Optional challenges can foster curiosity and leave space for learners to engage in ways that resonate with them. In a workplace setting, this might translate to bite-sized, "Did you know..." learning prompts that tie into real job tasks. The challenge for me, aside from moving beyond my preconceptions, is ensuring that whatever challenges are relevant, engaging, and have some level of quantifiable ROI.

Comments

  1. Content CreatorJune 7, 2025 at 5:45 PM

    Quantifiable ROI...you nailed that one. How do you convince a client to increase billable hours to allow for investigations of optional educational routes. In a top down change model, this would be a tough sell. However, in a bottom up change model in which the power and ideas rest in the bottom levels this would be POWER in a bottle. When integrated with badged extrinsic incentives, you now have LIGHTNING in a bottle

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