Bret,
Oh I remember those hot/cold rooms too!!
Shelly Crider
Jim,
Just be aware of color blindness in a few students.
Shelly Crider
Jim,
Good point! Some classes are an absolute must for look and feel!
Shelly Crider
Richard ,
It is the first step in understanding the content.
Shelly Crider
I would disagree with the statement, I feel the look and feel is more important. If I understand the question correctly the “look and feel†refers to the learning environment and it’s the environment that sets the tone for learning. I can remember taking classes that were face-to-face where the room was either too hot or too cold or there was construction noise that interfered with my ability to focus. In the case of an online course, if the LMS is difficult to navigate, or the internet connection is continually disrupted it will likewise interfere with the learners ability to focus. It’s really very straight forward in my opinion, if the course is not properly set up and managed, the learner has very little chance of acquiring the knowledge and skills they are there to master.
I teach in the Visual Communications program and the look and feel of the interface is especially important because it's a visually oriented program. Simple thing like making the subject of announcements a variety of colors and also placing well designed visuals into the announcement area is especially important. I've even figured out a way to place animations into the announcements areas. It does make a difference.
I teach in the visual arts so the look and feel of an online course is especially important visually. I tend to add color and as many visuals as possible.
I agree simply because it provide you with a foundation of what is expected in learning how to navigate using online software, equipment, and the day to day possible operation that may be needed in the work place. It is very important to understand the look and feel of online training.
George,
This is an excellent post. Wouldn't you like to see your students post to discussion like this??
Shelly Crider
Jerri,
The first term student does need to be able to see results right away!
Shelly Crider
Aretha,
There have been times when even the coloring has thrown me off! It was simply too busy for me to concentrate!
Shelly Crider
I like the way the instruction looks at the “look and feel†of the online course. We have been updating the platform at an online school I teach at over the past year to make the ease of navigation more intuitive. The content can be amazing but the student has to get there to experience it. In my experience online, the more help there is in the navigation of the site (classroom), the better, and it should be clear in the marking of tabs what information is available. Of course once all the bells and whistles are identified and have ease of access and use, the student should understand the requirements of the assignment and how to properly submit them. One example that comes to mind is on the instructor side, but could be experienced by the student as well. That is, an assignment is submitted but not saved in the submission file unless that step is manually executed. The same happens with grades…..but the “unsaved data†signal is at the top or bottom of the page and could be out of view if the page is not scrolled. Leave the page and the “data†is gone. Automatic save must be employed here.
In the planning of the classroom, room for additional add-ons of the instructor can be of tremendous help to the student. These would include instructions in text, PPT and/or video formats to preclude pitfalls, provide explanations of concepts, and items that are of interest to the student. These are above and beyond announcements.
The look and feel of the online classroom can be as inviting as a brick and mortar classroom if there are tools that can make the students’ academic life easier present. Discussion Boards and chats accomplish this, but so do more informal DB forums I call the Lobby and the Coffee Shop. I also have tried to be “live†during office hours not only in the text chat mode, but in a chat room with the student’s mike active. (These are not recorded.)
I have read several other ideas on this forum that I will take away from the course.
I totally agree especialy for those students who have not had previous interaction with computer based learning activities. I have had many students who either have not had an interest in technology or not had the opprotunity and come to us with minimal skills. It can be quite a daunting experience to navigate a LMS when you are not even proficient in managing basic skills like Word or email. It becomes critically important that the student can "see" and navigate easily so as to not become so overwhelmed at the start that they stop before even beginning "school".
I agree that the look and feel of an online course is as important as the knowledge and skills it is designed to impart. I have taken and continue to take online course to further my education and have found that presentation is everything. The structure and navigational integrity is extremely important especially to those that have never taken an online class before. Every instructor wants their student to feel comfortable when taking on an endeavor that could potentially be intimidating.
Rashunda,
Transferring knowledge must be the bottom line. Students can love a class, but if the information did not get to them, it was just another fun time for them.
Shelly Crider
Steven,
This is very well stated. There must be a nice balance.
Shelly Crider
I totally agree that the look and feel of an online course is as important as the knowledge and skills it is designed to impart. I had the opportunity to take an online course several years ago and knowing how to navigate through the course, such as locating tests, assignments, and discussions was important for my success in the course. It was my first time taking an online course so initially I was nervous. Once I felt comfortable with the design of the course I was able to successfully complete the assignments. If the instructional content was not directly correlated with the how the classroom was set up I think that my experience would have been different and not as successful.
My view is, that the look and feel of an online course, while very important as to the relationship to of the design and knowledge and skills the university wishes to provide, must be supported by the technology that keeps the two working together.
Professional structure and the robust nature of the environment must be free of technical issues that prohibit and frustrate either instructors or students.
Further, if an online course is not designed to look and feel like the quality of education that is intended for presentation and use by students and faculty, the ongoing success for the university, the faculty and the student/customers will suffer.
On-line courses need be as good as the quality, successful businesses that transact between themselves and their customers, in our case students, in order to obtain and maintain loyalty and ongoing relationships. In summary, students deserve the best possible environment for the attainment of knowledge or they will go elsewhere.
Catherine Affiong ,
When a student gets the feel and knows they are really understanding the platform, then they feel they can accomplish the topic.
Shelly Crider
wyshondia,
Simple, but not too simple as we need to push students just a little as well.
Shelly Crider
