Why learning designer is a rare Pokémon
And how to create a WOW learning experience
In the market of hot pot restaurants in Vietnam, Haidilao stands out as a prominent restaurant due to its customer service. The quote below captures its essence:
"You will have 'noodle masters' who will prepare handmade noodles by twirling them in front of you in an elaborate display coupled with music. Young children get pleasantly surprised with simple toys at the dining table. The staff's attention to the customers is warm and exemplary. In a hyper-competitive hot pot industry with low barriers to entry, Haidilao’s extraordinary customer service has brought a refreshing and innovative approach to Chinese culinary service."
- An Extraordinary Story of Success - Haidilao: Take Care of Your People by Jason See
What makes Haidilao different is not just about cuisine; it's about creating a joyful and caring experience for the customer. I refer to it as the "Haidilao effect," which represents a dedication to customer experience.
Apply the Haidilao effect in learning design
In education, a teacher is much like a chef preparing a meal. They put their hard work into making quality content. However, a good product alone is not enough to compete in the market because it is already abundant. It's pretty easy for your customers to find a decent place to eat or good content to study. However, it is hard to find services that deeply care for the customers because people tend to want to talk about themselves rather than listen to others.
As a mentor, I sometimes find myself wanting to talk too much about the topics I am interested in. However, what I care about might differ from what students find helpful. It's Do Fuong, my learning designer, who occasionally reminds me that I must shut up! Be mindful of my student’s needs and understand their learning backgrounds.
While teachers want to fill students with the content they have, the role of a learning designer is to assist teachers in selecting content that matters and is meaningful for students, as well as crafting a ”Haidilao learning experience”.
So, thank you, Fuong!
Making good services is challenging. In high-quality courses, the classroom needs the teacher - the one making quality food, and the learning designer - the one who creates the “Haidilao effect”. By taking care of students, learning designers can improve the class quality because they make suggestions for the teacher based on student feedback.
Honestly, I believe that learning designers maybe even more important than teachers and harder to find in the marketplace. They are rare Pokémon. If you find them, please always keep them by your side.
Thank you once again, Fuong. You are my Pikachu!
If the class doesn't have a learning designer and the teacher lacks pedagogical expertise, the learning experience will quickly fall apart.
In some classes that I have taken, professors kept talking, and students did not find it meaningful. It is painful to watch. Professors feel upset when students don't seem to care about the learning content they work hard to create. Students find themselves lacking in attention because the class content is either too difficult, challenging, or too boring, leading to low motivation and performance.
Everyone suffers.
Again, that is why learning designer is a rare Pokémon; you should keep them by your side. If they exist in your class, they might be the ones who create true gems of learning because the student learning experience goes far beyond classroom content. Learning designers can make students feel a sense of belonging and accompany them on a transformation journey.
Example of the Haidilao effect in class
One example is the "Writing on the Net" course, taught by Akwaaba Tùng and Tuấn Mon. Do Fuong helped Tùng & Tuấn design a unique experience called "Thử thách viết trong 30 ngày" (30-Day Writing Challenge). This learning experience fosters a community where students share the same struggle - the fear of publication. They write every day together, publish together, and celebrate together when completing their learning journey.
Here is the video that I made about the 30-Day Writing Challenge at MỞ:
Various aspects of learning design also take place. Students receive emotional support from their peer mentors and advice from their teachers. After each class, the product team of Do Fuong takes student feedback seriously to make adjustments and create a better learning experience for the students.
Together, these elements create the "Haidilao effect" at MỞ. One of my friends who took this course, who is currently studying for a Ph.D. in learning design in the US, told me that MỞ offers one of the best online classes on the market.
To know more about Do Fuong and MỞ
If you're interested in learning design, I highly recommend following my friend, "Do Fuong," who works as the product manager and learning designer at MỞ, by subscribing to her Substack.
If you want to experience the "Haidilao effect" at MỞ and overcome your fear of writing, you can contact Tùng and sign up for the "Writing on the Net" course. To read the student work and see the transformation journey of the students from this class, you can simply click on the tag #WOTN3 on Facebook or Instagram.
The next blog
As a student, you can implement the Haidilao effect in your class. I will write in the next post about my experience as a teacher assistant at Fulbright, working with my professor to improve my class experience.
Thank you!
Hoàng Long