Elizabeth,
Good point. When material is dry, the way the look of the class is....can be a saving grace!
Shelly Crider
I agree. If the proper look and feel is not there, there will be less desire to complete the course, in other words, a course will be deemed more desirable to take if the look and feel is welcoming and engaging.
And how does one do that? It seems that perhaps a strategy to use would be to engage the students in helping to prepare the lesson using technology. I seem to remember that if someone has to teach something, they learn it "better".
I have taken several online courses myself and initially I take a look at the LMS structure then I read the title and overview to the course which gives me an idea if I will be interested in the course itself. So I must agree that the look and feel of an online course is very important.
As an aesthetically oriented person I would have to say they are equally important. The look and feel of either an online course or a text/workbook can serve to draw me in or, in the case of material that is unappealing, act as a deterrent.
Wanda,
The platform can make or break learning for a student!
Shelly Crider
I agree! The reason why I say this is because I have completed two degrees online and one was a newer (at the time) more savvy platform. Several years later when I began the second online program I was a bit disheartened to see how antiquated the look and feel of the platform was. Many students complained and requested that it be upgraded and the semester or two prior to me graduating they upgraded it. We live a tech savvy world and many online students expect institutions of higher learning to keep up with whats going on.
Thank you,
Wanda
Keith,
Excellent post! Getting lost in the material/knowledge is not a bad thing!
Shelly Crider
Paul,
To keep students involved and make sure they complete the course, they will need to like the feel of the class.
Shelly Crider
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.
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".
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
Michael ,
Great post! I, too, believe that the course outcomes are what we want the students to take away.
Shelly Crider
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.
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
Bill,
I am glad you threw Character in there as it does make a difference!
Shelly Crider
Marie,
If the class is not organized, how can we expect the students to be organized?
Shelly Crider
Michelle,
Good point on the self-learner. This is why you want to be able to grab the attention right away.
Shelly Crider
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.
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.
