When Learners Don’t Show Up: Handling Disengagement

Empty seats are just the visible problem. The real question is what’s happening underneath them.

Whether it’s a virtual session where half the room has their camera off and one eye on their email, a self-paced course that nobody finishes, or a classroom where people are physically present but clearly somewhere else, disengagement is one of the most persistent frustrations in L&D. And it’s easy to blame the learners, but disengagement is rarely about the person in the seat, it’s about everything around them.

This conversation is about getting past “learners aren’t motivated” as an explanation and looking at the design, context, and organizational factors that either support or undermine learning engagement.

What We Will Discuss

• What the research says about why adults disengage from formal learning
• Design decisions that either invite learners in or push them away
• How leadership behavior before and after training shapes whether learners bother to engage

Come Ready to Contribute

What’s the most effective thing you’ve done to pull disengaged learners back in? Bring your real-world experience and let’s learn together.

Can’t Make It In Person? No Worries, We’ve Got Your Back! Register And Receive The Following:

 Access to the Learning Rebels resource page with all the extra goodies

 Copy of the video recording

 Copy of the chatbox transcription

 Copy of the full session transcript & summary

 Additional resources such as books, articles, and handouts