Want your learners to feel accomplished, engaged, and actually apply what you've taught them? Then this episode is for you! In this solo episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra Meszaros is switching things up with a rapid-fire breakdown of 12 ways to ensure your learners take action at the end of your lessons.

Using a fun Hot Wheels-inspired analogy (thanks to her preschooler’s physics experiment), Cassandra explains why action is the key to real learning and provides practical, creative strategies to help course creators build in engagement, application, and accountability. Whether you’re designing a brand-new course or looking to improve an existing one, these ideas will help your learners stay motivated and get results!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why action-based learning is essential for knowledge retention and course success.
2. 12 creative ways to ensure learners take action at the end of each lesson.
3. Why even experienced learners (including Cassandra herself!) sometimes need structure to follow through.

Timestamps:

• [00:00] Introduction: Why action matters in learning (and a Hot Wheels physics lesson).
• [05:30] The quickest way to get learners to truly understand a concept.
• [06:50] 12 rapid-fire ways to get your learners to take action:
• [15:33] Recap of all 12 ideas – Pick the ones that fit your course best!
• [18:08] Challenge: Choose at least one or two of these ideas to implement in your course.
• [19:20] A personal story: How NOT taking action in a course slowed down Cassandra’s progress (and what changed the second time around!).
• [22:54] Final thoughts and reflections on January 2025.

Key Takeaways:

• Learners need action steps to truly retain and apply what they’ve learned.
• Small tweaks to your lessons (like adding reflection questions or checklists) can significantly improve engagement.
• Pick the right method based on your course style—some ideas work best for structured programs, while others fit more community-driven courses.
• Even experienced learners skip steps sometimes! But accountability and action make all the difference.

Call to Action:

• 🎧 Subscribe to Unlock Course Creation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite platform.
• 💌 Follow Cassandra on Instagram @Cassandra.Meszaros for daily course creation tips and behind-the-scenes content.
• ⭐ Leave a Review: If you loved this episode, share your thoughts and help others discover the show!
• 📲 Work with Cassandra:
  • Need expert guidance? Book a discovery call to map out your course strategy.
  • Have specific questions? Schedule an "Ask an Instructional Designer Anything" session.