Geerte,
I like how you said to retain attention. This is a good point, as we can have students read, but are they truly retaining is the question!
Shelly Crider
This is an interesting question. I started teaching online ten years ago. I can remember having to write up my courses in html code so that an outlined list of modules would appear. Even in this rudimentary classroom, I would add colored fonts so that the modules were distinct from each other, thinking that the appearance did indeed matter and students would be more engaged. Do you remember when you were a kid and they had those reading sets? Each level was a different color and you would try to get that next color? I based my design on this concept, that students would like to advance to that next color/unit.
As the classroom technology advanced, I would add color to my announcements and pictures to my posts. I won an instructor of the year award for these "innovations" but then was asked to take every picture and modification out since the additions could impact bandwidth of my classroom.
I am still confused as to whether appearance is important to learning. Did the students in the early classes learn any less than in those in the more engaging classroom? In one case, the questions are exactly the same now as they were then, only the delivery is different.
I have mentored other faculty and seen their classrooms. Without any color or pictures, these classrooms look and feel very boring. I think that color and pictures, as well as an engaging tone and some subtle humor do make the classroom more inviting. Because of this, students will be more comfortable in the classroom, will enter it more often maybe even just to see what it is new, and will not find it such a chore to get through.
In the end, I would say that the look and feel are not AS important as the knowledge, but makes gaining that knowledge and honing those skills easier to impart.
Worse than that, Lyn, is the presenter who just reads all those words!
Do you hate that?
I always use my slides to mark a few key points. Then I embellish those points with additional explanation and details.
Hi David,
I am with you on this one. I have had students present incredibly beautiful and fanciful papers, with pictures, formatting, links, audio, you name it. If the content is not there, I could not care less about how pretty the thing is or how innovative.
The information imparted is more important, though presentation engages the reader. I would say this applies to the classroom as well.
The information and knowledge needs to be first, packaging second.
Jane,
The bottom line is comfort for our students. They need to be able to absorb the information given to them. There are some classes that a lot of info is given to the student in a short amount of time.
Shelly Crider
The look and feel of an online course should mimic a traditional course. I enjoy learning online because it provide the students with hands on material that could be easily accessed with digital media. Student’s area able to learn in almost any setting without being tied down to classroom setting.
I agree. If a course is difficult to navigate or not logical in structure it makes it a much more difficult process for students. Literal is better in the online setting to help students to better locate what they need to complete the course.
I have to agree the look and feel does make a difference. I have taught course with audio and moving parts which got the attention of the students better. I have found when I use ppt. with audio, I get better assignment grades than those prior to using the voice ppt. I use graphics and videos to illustrate my point. Students seem to love that over reading pdf files.
I agree that the feel of the online course has to be as inviting as a face to face course.
Yes I agree that the look and feel of an online course is as important as the knoweldge and skills. We have become a generation of visual learners. We like things that are appealing to the eyes. In a viral environment, appeasing the eyes is the gotcha statement in the class.
Patricia,
We have a higher pecentage of visual learners. I am glad use use the audio feature of ppt.
Shelly Crider
Camesha,
Most of us do love visual information!
Shelly Crider
I agre the look and feel of an online course is as important as the knowledge and skills it is besigned to impart because most students are visula learners. Appeasing their visual palette grabs the students attention and keeps them interested. Image is everything.
I totally agree. The instructor helps create the feel, just as our teaching/learning style are implemented in the online course.
The basic information is given to the student, but it is up to the instructor to help create that ambience. Nice word to use with an online course! But it is so true.
I do not agree that the look and feel of an online course is as important as the knowledge and skills it is designed to impart.
I am involved in quantitative analysis. Sounds dry but it is actually quite exciting. Virtually every discipline requires an understanding and utilization of the concepts, theories and applications covered in my courses. It is important to keep the content flowing, to illustrate the concepts and to provide a step by step example of the application of the concept in typical environments.
Animations, videos, artwork, etc. can be useful, but nothing actually compares with the students learning by doing, setting up and solving problems.
I agree. The integrity of the information and interaction level of the student should correlate with the manner in how the course imparts information. The reason for this is that learners use various methods to absorb information. Something that is more visually appealing will typically cause the student engage in the material more effectively, learn more easily, and navigate the information more efficiently. Therefore, the look of the online course becomes a critical component of the level of interaction and learning. In addition, an online course that is organized and simple to navigate helps student to understand what is expected and nagivate the course so that they do not miss anything.
I think both the visual aspect of an online course and the content are important in creating an online course. I can't say they are equally important, nonetheless if the student isn't attracted to the content then the acquiring of knowledge may suffer.
I like adding short videos to presentations to spice things up. I took an online course in which the instructor was seen as he read and elaborated on the PowerPoint presentation, it kept my attention more than just reading a plain PowerPoint.
Darlene,
The instructor can make or break a class as quickly as the look and feel. Good point!
Shelly Crider
Jeffrey,
Too much of a good thing is just that, too much! We have to find a happy middle.
Shelly Crider
ILEANA,
Seeing is believing! Seeing your instructor do anything gives you a better feel that you have an actual real instructor!
Shelly Crider
