What Not to Do in eLearning: Common Mistakes That Frustrate Learners

Tired of bad eLearning? Discover common mistakes like information overload, poor quizzes, and weak UX — and how to design better learning experiences.

Often I’m called in to evaluate eLearning programs. And more often than not, I notice the same patterns: well-intentioned courses that end up frustrating learners instead of helping them.

If you’ve ever taken an online course and found yourself sighing, clicking aimlessly, or wondering “why am I doing this?”, you’ll probably recognise some of these all-too-common mistakes.

1. Ignoring Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Being forced to repeat content you already know is demotivating. A good course recognises existing knowledge and builds on it, instead of making you re-do the basics.

“Why am I doing this again? Didn’t I already cover this last year?”

2. Hiding How Long the eLearning Will Take

Nested sections and unclear navigation make it impossible to see progress. Learners need to know how long a module is — otherwise they disengage before they even start.

“If I’d known this was going to take an hour, I would’ve set aside time. Now I just feel stuck.”

3. Poor Structure and Headings

With no headings (or titles that are too vague or too long), content blurs together. Clear headings guide learners through the journey and help them prioritise what matters.

If you opened your course for the first time, would the structure make sense without any explanation?

4. Cognitive Overload in eLearning

One page lists 10 examples. Another crams 14 elements into a single diagram. With no grouping or iconography, learners are left juggling too much at once.

“This is way too much to take in at once. Where am I supposed to focus?”

5. Overuse of Bullet Points

Bullets can be useful, but when every screen is wall-to-wall bullet points — sometimes even whole paragraphs — it feels mechanical and overwhelming. Learners need variety: visuals, icons, frameworks, or simple text.

6. Irrelevant Images

Stock photos of people smiling at laptops don’t add value. Every visual should reinforce learning, not distract from it.

7. Confusing Acronym Quizzes

Ever seen a question like this?

“What does OHS stand for?”

• Option A: Occupational Health and Safety

• Option B: Operational Health and Safety

• Option C: Occupational Hazard and Safety

• Option D: Organisational Health and Safety

  
  

Every answer looks plausible. Instead of checking knowledge, this format frustrates learners.

8. Obvious or Patronising Questions

Some questions are so simple they undermine the whole exercise. Sometimes the answer is even in the question itself:

“Which of the following is an electrical hazard: a faulty light switch, a leaking chemical drum, or poor posture at your desk?”

“Do they think I’m stupid? This isn’t teaching me anything.”

9. Poor Quiz Design and Feedback

Get a True/False question wrong? You’re forced to retry with the wrong answer still selected. Get one question wrong in a quiz? You have to redo the whole thing. That’s not feedback — that’s punishment.

What message are your assessments sending — “we want you to learn” or “we want to catch you out”?

10. Unclear Question Types

Multiple choice and multiple response questions look identical. Without radio buttons for single answers and checkboxes for multiple answers, learners waste energy figuring out the format instead of focusing on the content.

11. Bad UX in eLearning Interfaces

Instead of using standard design conventions, like an X to close a window, you see text that says “Exit.” Small breaks in familiar UX patterns add unnecessary friction.

Now for the Good News...

Better eLearning Is Possible!

None of this is inevitable. Well-designed eLearning can:

• Recognise what people already know and build from there.

• Guide learners with clear structure, navigation, and pacing.

• Present content in manageable chunks, supported by meaningful visuals.

• Use assessment that challenges without frustrating.

• Follow standard design conventions so the experience feels intuitive.

  
  

When those pieces come together, learning shifts from an eye-rolling compliance task into something that actually builds capability and drives performance.

That’s the kind of eLearning people don’t just complete — they remember.

👉 If your organisation is ready to move past “bad eLearning” and create experiences that truly engage learners, explore our learning design services.