Mary Kay,
It can be very scary for a beginner!
Shelly Crider
I completely agree. It is imperative for an online course to have a look and feel that is inviting as well as having the knowledge that needs to be imparted to the student. If there is no draw to the course then the incentive to keep coming back to it dwindles over time. I have found that when we introduce our online courses the students seek out the areas that are most interactive. This shows to me that the online venue needs to be interactive and inviting for all components.
Does anyone disagree or have further insight?
Mike,
I had the same experience at an online school and only made it through one course. I then switched to another online school and found the courses very interactive. It has made continuing my education much more helpful. Keep shopping around and don't give up. The better courses are out there.
Matthew,
Interactive is nice, make sure students are learning the material and not just the fun of technology. There are times when I have had students forget what they are in class for!!
Shelly Crider
I agree because it increase the level of engagement from the learner.
Andre,
That is our bottom line....we want engagement!
Shelly Crider
The Look and Feel of an Online Course is very important. Take for example, the visual. If the content is not well organized students can get lost in the classroom. A Roadmap, somewhat like a weekly syllabus, should be used to keep students on track and engaged. The weekly assignments, discussions and tests should be easily located to promote student success and eliminate frustration.
I agree with this statement. I feel its important to have an online course that is appealing to learners visually. Personally, I feel more connected to the material and find myself looking to explore further within the content. Also, when an online class is visually appealing it sends the message, to me as a learner, that this course has CONTENT, CHARACTER, CREDIBILITY and FUNCTIONALITY.
I agree - both from an instructional designer perspective and a graphic designer perspective (I am both of those professions).
An online class has a lot of advantages and some disadvantages, similar to those experiences in a face-to-face classroom. However, the one of the main difference is that students do not have an instructor who is lecturing in front of them each week in an online course. In an online course, they complete these activities on their own and it is self-guided through the content. When a student accesses the course for the first time, they should feel comfortable. The look and feel should be personalized by the instructor and it should be easy to navigate and no distracting images or videos. The look and the feel should be clean. You don't want to overwhelm your online learner.
Michelle,
Good point on the self-learner. This is why you want to be able to grab the attention right away.
Shelly Crider
Marie,
If the class is not organized, how can we expect the students to be organized?
Shelly Crider
Bill,
I am glad you threw Character in there as it does make a difference!
Shelly Crider
Hi Shelly,
I believe the course outcomes are the most important element, but the look and feel is essential in reaching those outcomes.
The environment is medium that students use to navigate, participate and effectively use the information presented. There must be a logical connection and flow to the elements within the course that keep the students engaged and focused on the learning objectives.
Michael
Shelly,
I agree with this statement. You want the learner to feel comfortable with the course and information. You want them to be able to not only apply the information but feel comfortable and at ease with navigating through the material. If the technology is not user friendly; the learner may give up on the course.
Michael ,
Great post! I, too, believe that the course outcomes are what we want the students to take away.
Shelly Crider
LaToya,
We have all been in a website that technology is old or not friendly. There are too many others out there to select from.
Shelly Crider
disagree,online courses do not feel like anything, as long as the end result is the same, student pursue to do online work instead of a traditional school, two different places, 2 different "feelings".
Yes, I do agree with this statement. I think online courses should be very intuitive in order for students to quickly find relevant learning materials. If information is presented in a disorganized way, students may have trouble finding material and understanding how the material relates to the learning objectives. Similarly, in a ground classroom, it is easy to determine whether an instructor is prepared and organized. The instructor may be brilliant, but if the lesson is unstructured then the knowledge the instructor is trying to impart may go wasted. It's the same for the online class - structure breeds association with concepts and if there's a lot of convolution then students are more apt to get lost in the material.
Paul,
To keep students involved and make sure they complete the course, they will need to like the feel of the class.
Shelly Crider
Keith,
Excellent post! Getting lost in the material/knowledge is not a bad thing!
Shelly Crider
