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 Open ended questionsYes/no answers Group workTrue or faulse 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 designhttp://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

• 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

• Strong contrast between foreground and background is important.

• One test is: 'would there be enough contrast on a monochrome screen?’

• Many authors prefer no colour (white) as the background

• Often use cool, pastel, or grey backgrounds

• Avoid ‘hot’ colours (e.g. pink, magenta) for foreground text or background

• On a black background, a green, white or yellow foreground is clearest (but not as clear as black on white)

• Remember - many people have red/green colour blindness

Screens per page

• Typically main pages would be 1, 2, or 3 screens deep, with different content on the screens.

• Vertical zones of different types of information.

• Documents to be read or printed would be longer, with vertical structure made clear.

• Only the first screen is seen as the page loads – that is what you must use to capture the reader’s interest.