E-LEARNING GUIDELINES

E-learning problem  They are properly designed in terms of graphic design, typography, and grammar. But they are boring. Boring instruction Lack of Results Minimal funding

E-learning problem  Doing something is better than nothing  Nobody checks = (Bonk 2002) 60% of e-learning programs are not formally evaluated

E-learning myths 1. Everyone knows boring is bad. Why? Bad isn’t acceptable, but boring is. 2. E-learning is boring by nature

Myths 1. It costs a lot of money to create exciting e-learning experience. Ineffective training is costly. 3. It could be boring but effective. Boring and effective are mutually exclusive in learning.

Myths 4. The absence of complaints is a win Entertainment = students’ satisfaction Entertaining doesn’t mean good instruction They enjoy lots of laughs and take home little-known facts

Why good e-learning costs less  Shorter learning time = less time away from productive work.  Adapts to learner’s needs = no waiting for fast learners (back to work)  Ensures learning = No sliding by (no repeating)

Why good e-learning costs less  Generates positive attitudes = learning will be applied on-the-job  Provides consistent quality = does not have bad mood, headaches, or late night out.  Allows instant update = not the same old things  Is available 24/7/365 = No need to wait for the next workshop/training course

Why good e-learning costs less  Treats all learners objectively and fairly = Blind to racial, cultural, and sexual differences (flourishing hidden talents)  Easily provides data = Easy & fast program evaluation

Why good e-learning costs less  Low cost delivery = fewer travel, fewer instructors, automated administration, no classroom supplies  Allows options = Not all students have to take the same road. (sequential/learner control - Audio/video)

Primary components of e-learning 1. Learner motivation 2. Learner interface 3. Content structure 4. Navigation 5. Interactivity

Motivation  With no fuel, it doesn’t matter how well your car designed, nor how spacious is the trunk.  The more motivated to learn, the stronger the focus and the greater the readiness to do what’s necessary to accomplish the task.

Learner Interface  Going to start to shutdown your computer.  Moving your disk to “trash can” to eject it.

Learner Interface  When the consistency of conventions is broken, even a single one, learners become uncertain about whether other conventions are also inconsistent.  Therefore, even a single interface error (e.g., a wrong link) may lead to widespread user anxiety and discomfort

The primary roles of interface design Minimize memory burden. Learner interfaces should be meaningful without having to memorize symbols, terminology, and procedure. Example, use a magnifier to represent zoom in/out We are not interested in teaching learners to remember the details of the e-learning interface

The primary roles of interface design  Minimize errors. Good interfaces provide strong cues that help prevent errors.  Minimize effort. Ideally, learners can perform each function with a single command (click).  Promote unused features. Hidden features obviously increase the memory burden but it isn’t always possible to keep all features visible.

Effects of poor interface design  Repeatedly distract the user’s attention  Make text difficult to read and graphics ineffective  Cause branching to the wrong information or exercises  Confuse learners about their progress and their location within the application  Make useful activities too bothersome to complete

Effects of poor interface design  Obscure access to needed information  Make comparisons difficult  Slow interactions  Debilitate feedback (Good Job, You Rule, Correct)

Content Structure Which one?  Content-centric design  Learner-centric design

Content-Centric If  learners only need dissemination of information  Learners are highly motivated  The information is readily understood  Skills can be learned without guidance  Each step can be prompted and guided as it is performed.

Learner-Centric Design  Mystery novels vs. textbooks. Which one more easily attracts readers?  Learner-centric designs focus on creating events that continuously intrigue learners as the content unfolds

E-learning vs. textbook  We can’t see all the content of an instructional application on the screen at one time  We cannot tell how long each task will take  We cannot assess e-learning so quickly  W cannot say if they’re small, medium, or large, well illustrated, highly interactive, truly individualized.

Navigation services Overall the ability to  Go Back and review  Go back and try different answers or options  Skip ahead, preview, and return  Design a progress indicator  Bookmark and return to points of interest or concern  Call up services such as glossaries or examples  Restart and resume where you left off

Interactivity  Actively stimulates the learner’s mind to do things that improve ability and readiness to perform effectively

The purpose of Interactivity  To wrestle learners’ intellectual laziness to the ground  Reawaken their interest in learning  Strengthen their ability to learn  To provide an optimal learning environment

Interactivity is not the same as  Navigation  Buttons  Scrolling  Browsing  Info retrieval  Paging  Morhping  Video  animation

Interactivity Example

EAP dilemma (Employee Assistance Program)  We’ve spent a lot of money on theses employee handbooks, and nobody’s reading them.

Content-Centric approach  Let’s put the book online  We’ll start with a menu. The learner has full control! It’s totally interactive.

Content-Centric approach  We will put some nice graphics to attract attention.  We will also add a posttest to make sure learner has actually learned

The obligatory meaningless posttest

PlayPlay the sample