E-Learning and the Blind Men’s Elephant: Why Partial Understanding is Dangerous

Beyond Ghor (Afghanistan), there was a city. All its inhabitants were blind. A king with his entourage arrived nearby; he brought his army and camped in the desert. He had a mighty elephant, which he used to increase the people’s awe.

The populace became anxious to see the elephant, and some sightless from among this blind community ran like fools to find it. As they did not even know the form or shape of the elephant, they groped sightlessly, gathering information by touching some part of it.

Each thought that he knew something, because he could feel a part. The man whose hand had reached an ear...said: “It is a large, rough thing, wide and broad, like a rug.”

And the one who had felt the trunk said: “I have the real facts about it. It is like a straight and hollow pipe, awful and destructive.”

The one who had felt its feet and legs said: “It is mighty and fi rm, like a pillar.”

Each had felt one part out of many. Each had perceived it wrongly.

When I read this ancient Sufi story (from Idries Shah’s Tales of the Dervishes. 1967), I reflected on many as aspects related to our day to day life. In the story, each person had grasped only a fragment of the truth, yet each believed they had the full picture. Similarly, when we do content development or e-learning development we often find ourselves in a situation much like the blind men of Ghor.

Each stakeholder whether the instructional designer, subject matter expert, project manager, or learner - touches only a single part of the learning experience. Each assumes they understand the whole. But just like in the story, where every blind man perceived only a fraction of the elephant, our partial understanding can lead to fragmented learning experiences.

The Illusion of Knowing in E-Learning

In instructional design, every stakeholder—whether an instructional designer, subject matter expert (SME), project manager, or learner—focuses on their own domain, assuming they see the full picture.

SMEs believe that content is king, assuming that packing a course with dense information leads to effective learning.

Instructional designers prioritize aesthetics, thinking engaging visuals alone enhance retention.

Developers focus on technical aspects like SCORM compliance and mobile compatibility but may overlook user experience.

Learners interact with only a portion of the content, forming an incomplete understanding.

Each perspective holds a piece of the truth. However, when these viewpoints are not aligned, the result is a fragmented learning experience.

Moving Beyond a Fragmented Approach

To avoid this “blindfolded” approach to learning design, consider these key strategies:

1. Align Perspectives from the Start

Bring all stakeholders together during the storyboarding phase to ensure balance—concise content, engaging visuals, and seamless interactivity. Early collaboration helps prevent misalignment later in the process.

2. Prioritize Learner Experience Over Content Dumping

Imagine a manufacturing company launching an e-learning program on workplace safety. The SME ensures every safety protocol is included, but the learner experience is overlooked, resulting in long, monotonous slides.

A better approach? Scenario-based learning. Instead of listing rules, the course presents real-world hazards, requiring learners to make decisions in a simulated environment. This enhances engagement and knowledge retention.

3. Break Content into Bite-Sized Learning

Many assume that low course completion rates mean the content is ineffective. However, long module durations significantly impact learner behavior. Instead of hour-long modules, microlearning snippets—short, focused lessons under five minutes—can enhance engagement.

Continuous testing and iteration based on learner feedback make the course more user-friendly.

4. Ensure Technical and Pedagogical Harmony

Consider a sales team that frequently travels and relies on mobile learning. If a course is designed with interactive simulations but is not mobile-optimized, it fails to reach its audience.

A holistic approach ensures:

• Content is mobile-friendly and accessible offline.

• Simulations function seamlessly across different devices.

• Learning is designed for quick, on-the-go consumption.

Moral of the Story

If the blind men in the story had shared their perspectives, they might have understood the elephant in its entirety. Likewise, successful e-learning design requires collaboration, learner feedback, and a holistic approach that integrates content, design, technology, and pedagogy.

The next time you create an e-learning module, ask yourself: Are we just feeling the trunk, or do we see the whole elephant?