I absolutely agree. I create powerpoint presentation that have a lot of colour and sound. Students have to stay interested during the lecture.
The look and feel of the online course is very important.
Makes an impact: Learners want courses that look good. It gives an impression of professionalism and expertise.
Attracts attention: We look at things that attract our attention. Once we attract attention a learner may actually start to read our content.
Minimizes distractions: A good design adds to the course content and doesn’t ‘get in the way’ It should not distract from the learning.
Ties the company together: If the course ‘looks’ like the institution it gives a sense of belonging.
Hi Shelly-
I agree. The look and feel of an online course is just as important as the classroom environment in a traditional setting. An online course that is disorganized will also greatly hinder the educational process.
Best,
Kelly Dormady
I do agree with this. It also reflects on the instructor's comfort level with the class. The class that is set up logically, and looks finished, may help the instructor feel more connected with the class, and be able to convey the excitement and material in a more accessible manner. As a student, I also like the look of a class that is more finished, more professional, and less like a "click here" outline. As an instructor, I like the look of a class that is more than an outline.
The look and feel of the online course is very important.
Makes an impact: Learners want courses that look good. It gives an impression of professionalism and expertise.
Attracts attention: We look at things that attract our attention. Once we attract attention a learner may actually start to read our content.
Minimizes distractions: A good design adds to the course content and doesn’t ‘get in the way’ It should not distract from the learning.
Ties the company together: If the course ‘looks’ like the institution it gives a sense of belonging.
I do agree that the look and feel of an online course is as important as the knowledge and skills it is designed to impart. I think that the look and feel of an online course should be designed to be "user friendly" for the learner. I think, the easier it is for the student to access and extract the information from the course, the greater the impartation and enhancement of their knowledge and skills.
lance,
If a student is uninterested the class, they may not login at all.
Shelly Crider
Alfred,
We like it that way as well!
Shelly Crider
I agree. If a student is not interested due to the look or feel then the student probably won't participate. It is much easier for a student to drop out when there is no on-ground campus interaction. There are many excuses that a student can come up with not to participate in an online course that can not be used in an on-ground course.
I agree that it is important. The aesthetics of the online classroom will impact the likely hood of students engaging in the course. The course should be welcoming and un-intimidating. I don't however think it is AS important, but important none the less.
Walter,
I love the word "logical"! It seems that logic is missing in a lot of our society today!
Shelly Crider
Dwayne,
This is a good point. We do not want to just teach to the visual student.
Shelly Crider
Tony,
There can be a lot of distractions! I have been in courses where just the color of the background kept drawing my eye to the background and not the content!
Shelly Crider
I agree with this. When you have a captivating online course, students will learn better and stay focused on the various topics the course has to offer.
Al
Shelly Crider,
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.
Absolutely the look and feel because:
• We are communicating to our students and each other.
• Look and feel helps with the use of navigation.
• Look and feel helps with structural integrity.
• Look and feel helps with learning and comprehension.
• Visual cues help learning in the learning space.
• The online course must flow in a logical and profession manner.
Sincerely,
Walter
Walter van Poollen
9-26-12
Yes it is very important. Making the student feel welcome is key to being able to engage them in the content of the course. Additionally, you must use devices that appeal to all senses and styles of learning. You want the learning experience to be interactive and capture the attention of the audience.
Thank you,
Dwayne Roark
While "look and feel" is important. research tells us that dull appearing courses can produce solid learning... they are just not as interesting to take and they have a higher rate of non-completion, especially for younger learners. Those, however, who are motivated by the intellectual content either do not benefit from the use of extranious annimations or color and may be distracted by them. A line drawing, for example, may be better able to show the critical elements of something than a photograph would be.
Hi David-- I agree with all the requirements you list. Instructors should lead by example.
I teach technology courses, which requires less writing than other types of course. However, I do award points for spelling, grammar, and presentation. Whether it’s documentation for a program or other written assignments, students must be conscious of spelling, grammar and presentation (which impacts readability). I must hold myself to at least the standards I require from my students.
This means my course content should be spelling error free, grammatically correct and professional appearing.
The look and feel of an online course should compliment, and not detract, from the course content. Aesthetically displeasing sites may result in students minimizing their interaction with the course. At the very least, an online course should be aesthetically neutral.
The user experience aspect of the site (how users interact) is significantly more important than the look and feel. Online sites should be: easy to navigate, links should work, critical information should be visible on the screen (i.e. users should have to scroll down) and content should load in a reasonable amount of time. These are just some common user experience concepts.
A poor user experience can become an obstacle to achieving the learning objectives.
Lyn ,
Excellent point. Students will normally read just a few words and then skim or skip the rest.
Shelly Crider
