Myth: More Content Means More Learning

Welcome & Series Framework

Hello, and welcome to the Designing with Love Podcast. I am your host, Jackie Pellegrin, where my goal is to bring you information, tips, and tricks as an instructional designer. Hello, instructional designers and educators. Welcome to episode 141 of the Designing with Love Podcast. Today we're continuing our series called Myths in Instructional Design in Education, where we unpack common beliefs that shape how we design, teach, train, and support learning. In the last episode, we challenged the myth that learning styles should drive design decisions. We talked about why design should be guided by evidence, goals, and learner needs instead of fixed learning style labels. In

The Myth of More Content

this episode, we're looking at another common myth. More content means more learning. This myth can show up when we feel pressure to include everything learners might possibly need to know. But more information does not always lead to better understanding. Sometimes more content creates more confusion. So grab your notebook, a cup of coffee, and settle in as we explore this topic together. Before we jump in, here's how this series will work. Each episode will focus on one common myth, why it has lasted, what we know instead, and how we can make stronger design decisions moving forward. Today's myth is more content means more learning. At first, this idea can sound responsible. After all, we want learners to be prepared. We may think if I include more examples, more readings, more videos, more slides, and more resources, learners will have everything they need. And sometimes, additional content can be helpful. But the problem begins when we confuse access to information with actual learning. Learners do not learn more simply because we give them more to read, watch, or click through. They learn when content is clear, relevant, organized, connected to a goal, and supported by practice, feedback, and reflection. More content can support learning when it is purposeful, but content overload can make learning harder. So

Why Content Overload Feels Safe

why has this myth lasted for so long? One reason is that content feels productive. When we add another article, another video, another slide, or another resource, it can feel like we are making the learning experience stronger. But adding more does not always mean designing better. Another reason this myth persists is that subject matter experts often know a lot. Because they understand the topic deeply, it can be hard for them to separate what is essential from what is interesting. Everything can start to feel important. This myth also persists because designers and educators may worry about leaving something out. We may think, what if learners need this later? Or what if someone asks about this? So we include more just to be safe. But when everything is included, learners may struggle to identify what matters most. If everything is emphasized, nothing is emphasized. Here's where we need to shift the conversation. The issue is not that content does not matter, content absolutely matters. The issue is that content alone does not create learning. A more accurate way to think about it is this.

Cognitive Load & Working Memory

More content does not automatically lead to more learning. Learners need the right content, organized in the right way, connected to the right goal. Cognitive load theory helps us understand why this matters. I've talked about more deeply about cognitive load in a previous episode called What is Cognitive Load and Why is it important? So I won't repeat that full explanation here. I'll link that episode in the show notes if you want to revisit it. But the conversation is important. Learners have limited working memory, especially when they are learning something new. When we overload learners with too much information, too many choices, or too many competing details, they may spend more energy sorting through the content than learning from it. That does not mean we should oversimplify everything, it means we should be intentional.

Design Moves for Learning Clarity

So what does this mean for us as instructional designers, educators, trainers, or learning leaders? It means we need to move from content coverage to learning clarity. Instead of asking what else should I include, we might ask, what do learners need in order to reach the goal? Instead of asking how much content can I provide, we might ask, what content will help learners understand, practice, and apply? One helpful design move is to sort content into categories. What is need to know? What is need to practice? What is nice to know? What can be provided as a job aid, optional resource, or reference? This shift can make the learning experience clearer without removing rigor. In fact, clarity often increases rigor because learners spend less time guessing what matters and more time working with the ideas that matter most. The goal is not to make learning thin. The goal is to focus on learning. Here's today's myth reset. Instead of believing more content means more learning, remember that learning improves when content is focused, organized, purposeful, and connected to practice. Learners do not need everything all at once. They need a clear path through what matters most. This week, look at one lesson, module, slide deck, handout, or training experience and ask yourself, is this content helping learners move toward the goal or is it adding unnecessary noise? That question can help us design with clarity instead of clutter. Today we challenged the myth that more content means more learning. We looked at why this belief has lasted, what it gets wrong, and how we can replace it with a clearer and more intentional design approach. Your myth reset challenge this week is to review one learning experience that may feel content heavy. Ask yourself, what is the main learning goal? What content is essential to that goal? What content do learners need to practice with? What content could become an optional resource or job aid? And what content could be removed, shortened, or moved? Then choose one improvement you can make. Maybe you shorten a slide deck, simplify a module, move extra details into a reference sheet, cut a repeated example, or replace a long explanation with a practice activity. The goal is not to remove value, the goal is to reduce clutter so learners can focus on what matters.

Myth Reset Challenge & Next Myth

In the next episode, we'll continue the series by looking at another common myth. Assessments must be tests to be valid. Before I conclude this episode, here is an inspiring quote from Maya Angelou. Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. That quote is a helpful reminder for this myth because many of us have added more content with good intentions. But when we know that too much content can overwhelm learners, we can make better design decisions. We can focus the learning experience, reduce unnecessary clutter, and help learners spend more energy on what matters most. If this episode gave you something to think about, I'd love for you to share it with another educator, instructional designer, trainer, or learning leader who is ready to rethink what really works in learning. And don't forget to check out the companion myth reset case file for this episode. It will help you investigate the myth, review the design shift, and apply this week's challenge to your own course, lesson, module, or training experience. Thank you for joining me today as we open another case in our myths and instructional design and education series. As you move through the week, I hope this episode encourages you to pause before accepting a familiar belief as fact. Sometimes the best design decisions begin when we question what we have always assumed to be true. Until next time, keep learning, keep questioning, and keep designing with love. Thank

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