The Wordle Effect: Unpacking Strategies for Effective Learning Design
The Wordle Effect: Unpacking Strategies for Effective Learning Design
It all starts with a single, simple question...
👋 Hi there, welcome to The Learning Dispatch! We explore creative formats from the world of learning. Expect a note from us on Thursdays twice a month. Created by TeamLogiQ.
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Now, on to this week’s format!
📰 What’s the format?
Today we’re exploring Wordle, a word game.
Players are presented with a blank 6x5 grid and must guess a 5 letter word in 6 goes or less. There is only one word per day.
🎛️ What are the features?
Simple
Wordle is extremely simple to play. The designer, Josh Wardle, was very purposeful in choosing words that weren’t too obscure (he would ask his wife about each of the words and if there was any she didn’t know, it was out). The words are common, but not too common. The number of guesses is just right. It’s also very easy to join (there are practically no barriers to entry). And it only takes three minutes a day.
Social
Wordle reached millions of users around the world not by being a dopamine-boosting game designed for addiction. Once you’ve played for the day, that’s it. See you tomorrow. No infinite scrolling. No incentive to play with new words or improve your score. Scarcity makes it valuable, and since everyone is working on the same word on any given day, people want to share results with each other.
Sharable
In Wordle, your learnings journey become a product you can share. Players are able to post their scores, along with a visual representation of the path they took to guessing the word, without disclosing what the word of the day is. This suggests that the process is more important than the final outcome.
💡 Why is it effective for learning?
Wordle exemplifies several effective strategies that learning experiences can benefit from adopting:
✅ A single question and a clear objective
Games and learning experiences are nothing more than good problem-based learning with a clear objective where the constraints are revealed clearly and quickly. In Wordle the objective is simple: "What is the five-letter word?"
✅ A challenge
Wordle is a puzzle. Puzzles make players stop and think. Facing challenging problems forces your brain to look for solutions, potentially activating areas of the brain that may not be used otherwise. The harder the problem, the more active your brain is.
✅ Failure as something expected
Nothing happens if you mess up at playing Wordle. In fact, you’re expected to be wrong at first so that you can quickly adjust and learn.
✅ Effective Feedback
Mistakes are opportunities to learn. Good feedback guides you to the correct answer.
✅ Different paths to get to the same answer
The way in which the game is set up allows for enough flexibility and creativity as you move down the pathway towards the solution. Want to change the beginning word each time? Sure. Like to narrow in on vowels first then consonants? Totally allowed. You get to practice with a variety of ways to solve a problem.
✅ Autonomy, Belonging, and Competence
Autonomy when you chose when, how, and if you want to play.
Belongingness when you share your learnings.
Competence when you solve the puzzle.
🥁 Exploring an example
How are Wordle’s features applicable in learning contexts?
One example that came to mind as I was writing this is 100DaysofNoCode, a course that helps creators, career switchers and professionals get started in no-code. Every day, they send you a 30-minute bitesized lesson with a prompt to create a new project by learning a new tool.
Learners share their progress using the #100DaysofNoCode hashtag in Twitter and LinkedIn, and real projects are built through a process of consistent learning.
100DaysofNoCode is also simple, social, and sharable.
It’s simple because you have one mission per day and it takes less than 30 minutes to complete (and that’s it). And forget all the complicated tech jargon; every lesson is explained so that anyone can easily understand.
It’s social because everyone is doing the same lesson on any given day. This gives a sense that you’re tackling a bigger problem together.
It’s sharable because you’re encouraged to share your journey publicly through the hashtags (this is actually how Max, the founder, started learning himself!)
🏷 Summary
The simplest of games can hold profound lessons for learning design. Such a format works well because it combines several key elements. First, simplicity reduces cognitive load, making it easier for learners to concentrate. Second, the right mix of challenge and achievability fosters a state of 'flow,' enhancing engagement. Third, an environment where failure is expected and feedback is immediate and specific allows learners to adjust their understanding based on new information. Fourth, offering various ways to reach the same outcome encourages creativity. Finally, elements of autonomy, a sense of belonging, and the development of competence make the learning journey fulfilling for the learner.
👉 Coming Up Next
How can you use interactivity to help teach concepts? And how can you encourage learners to discover things about the concept for themselves, while promoting a more active form of learning than reading or listening? Stay tuned for our next edition of the Learning Dispatch.