Transcript E-learning: • Instructional Design • Visual Design

E-learning:
Instructional Design
Visual Design
Instructional Design
The design of teaching and learning. How do you set up, structure
and design the learning experience.
In previous session we discussed two broad approaches to learning:
Behaviourism and Constructivism
Behavioursim: routine tasks, memory tasks, repetition, memorising
Examples: spelling, some maths, learning objective facts, chemistry, some
medicine, engineering, most hard sciences
If you wanted to teach the appropriate subject using behavioursim, how
would you go about setting up the learning experience?
How would you go about testing if learners have learnt?
What kind of e-learning would you design?
Answer this question and you have done very
well for assignment 1.
Answer:
Tick lists, yes/no answers, multiple choices, no discussion, no elaboration,
not open to multiple perspectives or multiple and diverse answers.
There is a place for behaviourism but if you choose to develop
a prototype based on this instructional approach, then you need
to think of the appropriate subject matter, how you will structure
it and what kind of questions you will provide to test if learners have learnt.
Constructivism: critical thinking tasks, multiple answers and perspectives
available and valid, not one answer but many options
Examples: interpretation of history and events, art and design, abstract
concepts, drawing, anything that involves critical thinking and multiple truths,
the arts
If you wanted to teach the appropriate subject using constructivism, how
would you go about setting up the learning experience?
How would you go about testing if learners have learnt?
What kind of e-learning would you design?
Answer this question and you have done very
well for assignment 1.
Behavioursim
Constructivism
Tick box answers
Yes/no answers
True or faulse
Open ended questions
Group work
Many valid answers
Hints for assignment 1:
- Pick the instructional approach you want
- Think of a topic or theme that is appropriate for this approach
- Write the questions and answers based on the instructional approach
Next:
Think of the function of the e-learning experience:
Web Enhanced (optional)
Aim: To support and enhance current course
Online component is not a required element of the course
Web Focused (integrated)
Aim: To deliver or transfer some elements of course online
Online component is a required element of the course
Web Driven (web based)
Aim: To use VLE as primary course delivery mechanism
Online component the main element or complete course
Visual Design
When meaningful content and strong Instructional Design are combined
the learning experience is taken to a higher level of enjoyment and
effectiveness, helping to create a bridge between the
human-computer interaction, a bridge between people and machines.
Rules for good design:
http://www.wbtic.com/primer_rules.aspx
Balancing visual and structural complexity in interaction design
http://www.guuui.com/issues/04_03.php
Paper is passive, it does not encourage retention. Web displays can be
dynamic, to keep user attention, can request a response, require user activity.
With abstract content the web can use graphics, simulation or video to
explain difficult ideas
But getting an overview is difficult with a small screen, so emphasize the
domain structure by Contents, maps, and good page labeling ...
Users have the same comprehension from a screen as from a printed page,
but read 30% slower
Very large characters are slower to read, very small ones are impossible (but
should be flexible for visual impairments)
Page Structure
The use of colour
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to enhance learning, colour can be used to
– emphasize relationships
– differentiate items, highlight
– strengthen layout
learners prefer colour and it may help retention
moderate use of colour directs attention to novel material, and learning
improves
but used indiscriminately, it distracts
users prefer about 7 colours. More than 7 make screens slower to use and
harder to understand
Colour in foreground
and background
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Strong contrast between foreground and background is important.
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One test is: 'would there be enough contrast on a monochrome screen?’
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Many authors prefer no colour (white) as the background
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Often use cool, pastel, or grey backgrounds
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Avoid ‘hot’ colours (e.g. pink, magenta) for foreground text or background
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On a black background, a green, white or yellow foreground is clearest (but not
as clear as black on white)
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Remember - many people have red/green colour blindness
Screens per page
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Typically main pages would be 1, 2, or 3
screens deep, with different content on
the screens.
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Vertical zones of different types of
information.
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Documents to be read or printed would
be longer, with vertical structure made
clear.
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Only the first screen is seen as the page
loads – that is what you must use to
capture the reader’s interest.