The importance of designing learner-centered content that listens as much as it teaches

Ever been on a tour where you didn’t get to ask questions?

You show up. The guide launches into a rehearsed speech. It’s packed with facts, but none of your actual questions are answered. You don’t get to stop, reflect, or explore. You’re just... along for the ride.

That’s what content feels like when it isn’t learner-centered.

And on Edovo, where there’s no live instructor and no hand-raising, the content has to do the listening. If the course doesn’t meet the learner where they are—emotionally, cognitively, and culturally—it might as well be speaking into a void.

The jargon you actually need to know

What the science says:
Adult learners are motivated by relevance, autonomy, and purpose (Knowles et al., 2015). When content is tailored to their lived experience, when it respects their emotional bandwidth and meets them with clarity and choice, it activates engagement and deeper learning (Hammond, 2015; Bransford et al., 2000).

For incarcerated learners, a learner-centered approach is especially critical—it builds trust, reduces shame, and offers a rare moment of agency in an otherwise controlled environment.

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Start with what they care about, not what you care about

We get it—you have amazing information to share. But if the first screen launches into theory without context, you’ve already lost them.

Try:

• “Have you ever felt misunderstood in a conflict?” before explaining communication strategies
  
  

• “You’ve got $40, five days till store—what do you do?” before defining budgeting
  
  

Relevance is the on-ramp to everything else.

Leave space for reflection before pushing forward

Learners need time to process, not just click. That means inserting reflection opportunities, not just questions with correct answers.

Try:

• “What does respect look like to you?” (open response)
  
  

• “Think back to a time you felt heard—what made it work?” (sentence starter)
  
  

When you center the learner’s voice, you strengthen their sense of self.

Build choices into the journey

On a platform like Edovo, learners can experience choice, if you design for it. You can build in moments of agency that signal, “This course is for you.”

Try:

• “Pick one of these values that matters most to you right now” (survey)
  
  

• “Choose one goal area to focus on: health, relationships, money” (multiple choice)
  
  

• “You can reflect in your notebook or write it here—your choice” (open response)
  
  

Small choices = big motivation boost.

The average person makes over 35,000 decisions a day. For someone who’s incarcerated, that number drops dramatically (sometimes as low as 8,000) because almost everything is chosen for them, from meals to movement to when they’re allowed to go to the bathroom. 

So when your course offers even one small choice, like which value to reflect on or which goal to start with, it’s not just engaging. It’s restorative. You’re helping rebuild a skill that’s been restricted: decision-making. And with it, a sense of agency.

Use “you” without judgment

“You” is powerful—but only when it feels supportive. Used the wrong way, it can sound like blame. And for learners with academic trauma or low self-trust, even subtle judgment can shut them down.

Avoid:

• “You should know this already.”
  
  

• “You need to control your reactions.”
  
  

• “You failed to meet your goals because you didn’t plan.”
  
  

Try instead:

• “A lot of people didn’t get the chance to learn this—let’s walk through it together.”
  
  

• “It’s easy to react fast. What would it look like to pause instead?”
  
  

• “Planning ahead is tough. Let’s build a strategy that works for you.”
  
  

Why it matters:
Supportive “you” language builds connection. Judgmental “you” language builds walls. Always ask: Does this sentence sound like something you’d say to someone you believe in? If not—rewrite it.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

Oops: Leading with abstract content that assumes shared experience
Fix: Ground the opening in the learner’s world before introducing new ideas
Try: “Think about your last conflict—how did you react?” before explaining de-escalation
Why it matters: Learners disengage quickly if the content feels disconnected from real life.

Oops: Using a rigid, scripted tone that feels impersonal
Fix: Write like a person talking to another person
Try: “You’re not alone in this—let’s walk through it together” instead of “In this unit, the learner will…”
Why it matters: Learners bring past academic trauma. A warm, human tone builds safety and trust.

Oops: Asking for deep reflection before the learner feels safe or supported
Fix: Scaffold reflection questions with sentence starters or relatable options
Try: “Which of these sounds most like you?” before asking for an open response
Why it matters: Vulnerability grows from confidence—not pressure.

References

(That References section at the bottom isn’t just for show—it’s where these ideas come from. Give credit to the experts, and if you’re ready to level up your content, this is your backstage pass.)

• Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. National Academies Press.
  
  

• Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain. Corwin.
  
  

• Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2015). Emotions, learning, and the brain. W. W. Norton & Company.
  
  

• Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The adult learner (8th ed.). Routledge.
  
  

• SAMHSA. (2014). Trauma-informed care in behavioral health services. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.