Connie,
Errors drive me crazy as well!! That is actually one of my assignments in the medical class is to find errors in the newspaper....and oh do we find them!
Shelly Crider
Suzanne,
For those students engaging in online courses for the first time, orientation is a must.
Shelly Crider
Nancy ,
It is so good to have a collection already done and ready to use!
Shelly Crider
Nancy ,
Some students simply need to be able to "hear" content as well as read. My son is definitely that type of student!
Shelly Crider
Hello Eman,
Nice comment! It is the whole package that students want and need!
Shelly Crider
Roberta,
A survey at the end of your class might help you decide if Powerpoints are good in the class.
Shelly Crider
Walter,
As we all know.....communication is a key component to virtually everything in life!
Shelly Crider
David,
Thank you for stating "professional". It is good to add personality, but also needs to be professional.
Shelly Crider
I totally understand what you are saying. There is a real skill to putting together presentations. One of my pet peeves is too many words on slides. If they can read it all, why would they need the person delivering the presentation. LOL.
Hi Bill, yes music / audio are very helpful. I like to both hear and read content. The quality of the audio needs to be good. So it is best to double check before providing to students. ;) Lyn
Hi everyone. I think that the knowledge / skills are the most important goals. Students need to demonstrate that they understand concepts and meet course outcomes.
How the course looks and feels can help them to participate and engage in the course.
So I would say that the look and feel help students achieve the learning goals. It they are turned off by the look and feel they are less likely to participate and learn what they need to know. Lyn
I absolutely agree. We work with on-line courses at my school and it is easy to see that students respond better and show more interest in courses that are well laid out and easier to read, navigate, and understand. Cosmetics count as well - adding color and graphics to the course content generates more interest.
It goes without saying that the course material should also be well-edited. Errors in the material do not do much to inspire confidence in the students taking the course.
I wholeheartedly agree! Engaging the learner is critical. A simple and accessible structure is critical in removing impediments to participation. The look and feel of an online course is significantly important in order to deliver the content and improve communication of the concepts and content. This is similar to key aspects and collaborative orientation in website design. Without enticement and ease of navigation, the student may be distracted by navigational issues or frustrated by extra steps required to complete requirements.
Suzanne
Yes, I have an entire collection of such presentations.
Yes, I would agree. I have prepared audio PowerPoint presentations. When students review and study these presentations, it is very much like listening to a live lecture. And I find that students desire to have human, as well as technological intervention.
It has also been comforting to me, when evaluated, to be told my presentations had a professional look.
I like how interactive courses allow input.
Hal
Hello Shelly,
I am adding to my previous post. One of our goals as teachers in the online environment is to keep the students engaged. Both the content and how the content is presented are crucial in the online courses.
Best regards,
Eman
Well, I have been doing this for several years and have not really had any feedback from students regarding power points. Without feedback, I can't really say either way.
Agreed. While we are right to emphasize the development of knowledge and skills, presentation and aesthetics are going to contribute to a student's overall impression and feelings about a course. The look and feel can also contribute to (or detract from) the "navigational simplicity" of the course as well.
Shelly Crider,
Absolutely the look and feel of an Online Course is important 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
9-24-12
