I agree. The look and feel is incredibly important as it creates a true environment of learning. If the look is very complex like having too much content or multimedia distractions it overwhelms the students. If it is too simple and basic then the credibility of the course is questioned. It needs to have the right balance with the right technology tools such as video or audio to create the right interaction.
Carol:
I believe it is an unrealistic expectation to fully engage all students. A students may show all the signs of paying attention in a traditional classroom; however, that student's mind might be elsewhere.
The key is to make the learning experience engaging; be it for a traditional classroom environment or an online environment.
Satrohan
Many students get bored or distracted , on-line or in a in-person classroom. I think it helps to keep students interested and participate more readily in classroom discussion or projects, if things are more interesting. Many students have different learning styles and this just helps them to further their knowledge. The look and feel of any classroom is only as good or interesting as the instructor teaching it.
Robert:
Your analogy is an excellent one. "Look and feel" is important; however, it is not equally important as the knowledge and skills the course was designed to share. Equality is implied in the wording of the Discussion question.
Satrohan
Sunny:
Striving for balance is an excellent goal at which to aim. The "looks" gives the learning environment a certain degree of "appeal"; the features we include to foster ease of use, supports usability.
Satrohan
Carol:
Please help me to provide appropriate feedback to your posting by advising whether your contribution applies to a classroom setting or an online setting. Thanks.
Satrohan
Yes Mark, I agree. And we share the same definitions of "look and feel".
Satrohan
The look and feel of an online course is as important as the knowledge and skills it is designed to impart. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
I disagree.
While the look and feel of an outline course is important, it is never as important as the knowledge and skills it is designed to impart. A baby bottle may be attractive because of its color and shape, but it is worthless without the milk to feed the baby. A bottle that is too large or uncomfortable for the baby to hold may discourage a baby from drinking, just as a course outline in small font may discourage some students from reading the material, yet it is always the knowledge and skills that we are attempting to impart that makes the whole enterprise worthwhile.
It is important to provide an outline course in an attractive and easily accessible manner to encourage the student to proceed and persist in absorbing the material, but it is critical to have something to chew on. In the first module, the material was attractively presented, but there was little substance and I kept asking “where’s the beef?. Fortunately the presenter had anticipated this response in his introduction and I was content knowing that the material would be more meaty as I progressed.
Robert(Bob) Cohn
I agree. The look and feel is incredibly important as it creates a true environment of learning. If the look is very complex like having too much content or multimedia distractions it overwhelms the students. If it is too simple and basic then the credibility of the course is questioned. It needs to have the right balance with the right technology tools such as video or audio to create the right interaction.
In this day and age when so many are learning challenged - students become bored quickly with just reading or listening to one person talk. I feel students would get more involved if they could actually see things being done and then try doing (feel) it themselves. More of a hands on approach so to speak. I think this would get the student more involved in a project or discussion, rather than just an instuctor talking and the student listening all day long.
My interpretation of "look and feel" deal with the visional presentation of how the platform looks, and feel is the user friendlyness of the course. I think that you will agree with me that not all studnets are technology savy.
MARk
Mark:
Yes; the ease with which learners can locate and retrieve information is an important factor to consider from a usability standpoint.
Please share with us your interpretation of "look and feel". What elements constitute the"look and feel"?
Satrohan
I agree. Living in a visual world, the look and feel of the online enivornment and the ease at which it is accessable will set the mode and the retention of the student within the on-line class.
MARk
