If you’re new to eLearning, you might assume that different types of eLearning content are all much of a muchness. Click through some slides, answer a few questions, get your certificate. Job done.
But eLearning is far more varied than that. The format you choose can make the difference between training that actually changes behaviour and training that people click through while only half concentrating.
So let’s look at the different types of eLearning content and when each one can work well.
Custom eLearning courses
This is what most people picture when they think of eLearning. These are instructionally designed courses built in an authoring tool like Articulate Storyline, featuring a mix of text, images, video, animations and interactive elements.
Good interactive courses don’t just present information. They engage learners through exploration and making decisions. Think scenario-based questions, interactive diagrams and knowledge checks throughout.
Works well for: Compliance training, onboarding, process training and any situation where you need to track completion and assess understanding.
Microlearning
Microlearning delivers content in short, focused bursts. We’re talking three to five or 10 minutes, sometimes even less. Each piece tackles one specific topic or skill.
This approach works brilliantly for busy learners who can’t carve out an hour for training. It’s also ideal for reinforcement, helping people remember or put into action what they’ve learned by revisiting key concepts over time.
Works well for: Just-in-time learning, refresher training, mobile learning and performance support.
Video-based learning
Video remains one of the most engaging ways to deliver training. It could be a talking head expert, an animated explainer, a screencast demonstration or a professionally produced drama.
The key is keeping videos for learning focused and purposeful. A 20-minute lecture rarely holds attention, but a well-crafted three-minute video can be incredibly powerful.
Works well for: Demonstrating procedures, storytelling, expert interviews and content that benefits from showing rather than telling.
Animated explainer videos
Animated explainers use motion graphics, characters or visual metaphors to break down complex ideas. They’re particularly good at making abstract concepts concrete and turning dry topics into something genuinely watchable.
The animation style can range from simple whiteboard drawings to polished motion graphics, depending on your budget and brand. What matters most is a clear script and visuals that genuinely support understanding rather than just looking pretty.
Works well for: Introducing new concepts, explaining processes, communicating change, marketing training programmes and making technical topics accessible.
Scenario-based learning
Scenario-based learning puts learners in realistic situations and asks them to make decisions. Done well, it creates a safe space to practise skills and experience consequences without real-world risk.
This approach is particularly effective for soft skills, customer service, management development and any training where judgement matters more than memorising facts.
Works well for: Sales training, difficult conversations, customer interactions, health and safety decision-making and compliance scenarios.
Gamified learning
Gamification adds game elements like points, badges, leaderboards and challenges to training. Full game-based learning goes further, building complete games around learning objectives.
When used thoughtfully, gamification boosts engagement and motivation. The danger is adding game mechanics as a gimmick without connecting them to genuine learning goals.
Works well for: Competitive environments, long-term programmes, voluntary learning and younger audiences.
Simulations
Simulations recreate real-world environments or systems for learners to explore and practise in. This could be a software simulation showing exactly how to use a new system, or a complex business simulation where decisions play out over time.
They’re resource-intensive to build but incredibly effective for high-stakes training where practice matters.
Works well for: Software training, equipment operation, medical procedures and technical skills.
Social and collaborative learning
Not all eLearning is solitary. Discussion forums, peer feedback, group projects and social learning platforms let learners share knowledge and learn from each other.
This approach recognises that people often learn best through conversation and collaboration, not just consumption.
Works well for: Leadership programmes, professional development, knowledge sharing and building learning communities.
Mobile learning
Mobile learning (or mLearning) is designed specifically for smartphones and tablets. It’s not just about making content accessible on smaller screens. It’s about designing for the mobile context, with shorter interactions.
Works well for: Field workers, retail staff, deskless employees and any learner who needs training on the go.
Blended learning
Blended learning combines online content with face-to-face training. Rather than choosing between digital and in-person, you get the benefits of both.
A typical blended programme might use eLearning to cover foundational knowledge, freeing up classroom time for discussion, practice and application. Or it might flip things around, with learners completing activities online after an in-person workshop.
The blend can also include virtual classrooms, coaching sessions, peer learning and on-the-job practice. The key is designing each element to complement the others rather than just bolting things together.
Works well for: Leadership development, technical training with practical components, onboarding programmes and any learning that benefits from human interaction alongside self-paced content.
Ready made eLearning courses
Not every organisation needs custom-built training. Ready made eLearning courses are pre-built, ready to deploy and cover common topics like health and safety, compliance, wellness and professional development.
The advantages are speed and cost. You can have training live in days rather than weeks or months, at a fraction of the price of custom development. The trade-off is that ready made content may not reflect your specific processes, culture or terminology. However, courses can be tailored for your organisation.
Many organisations use a mix, buying off the shelf for universal topics and investing in custom development where their specific context really matters.
Works well for: Compliance basics, general professional development and situations where speed or budget is the primary concern.
Choosing the right eLearning format
The best eLearning projects often blend several of these approaches. There is not one best type of eLearning content. A compliance programme might combine a core interactive course with microlearning reinforcement and scenario-based assessments.
The key questions to ask are always the same. What do learners actually need to do differently? How will they access the training? And what will genuinely help them learn, not just complete a course?
When you start with those questions, the different types of eLearning content serve individual purposes. Talk to us about your specific requirements and we can advise on what would work well for you.
