ICT in Education

Thoughts on: Elements of Effective eLearning Design (Brown & Voltz 2005)

July 30, 2007

Brown A.R., & Voltz B.D. (2005) Elements of Effective e-Learning Design, International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/217/300

Annotation: Design elements to consider when developing e-learning materials. Paper provides examples of learning objects developed by The Le@arning Federation (TLF) to explain the design elements. (As you read this paper, see if you think they’re interpretation of e-learning relates to your interpretation of network-based learning.)

Abstract: Preparing and developing e-learning materials is a costly and time consuming enterprise. This paper highlights the elements of effective design that we consider assist in the development of high quality materials in a cost efficient way. We introduce six elements of design and discuss each in some detail. These elements focus on paying attention to the provision of a rich learning activity, situating this activity within an interesting story line, providing meaningful opportunities for student reflection and third party criticism, considering appropriate technologies for delivery, ensuring that the design is suitable for the context in which it will be used, and bearing in mind the personal, social, and environmental impact of the designed activities. Along the way, we describe how these design elements can be effectively utilized by contextualizing them with examples from an e-learning initiative.

Key Points:

• Text, images and sound can be combined to create materials that cater for several learning styles and allow a degree of interactivity on the part of the student.
• Six key elements of eLearning design: Activity, Scenario, Feedback, Delivery, Context and Impact
• Activity – the actions/challenges of clear tasks offer experiences leading to desired new understanding
• Scenario – a relevant, authentic context offers motivation to learners and adds meaning
• Feedback – experience becomes knowledge through reflection, which is enhanced by timely/appropriate criticism
• Delivery – horses for courses – use what best serves the other 5 elements
• Context – consider the eLearning activity in relation to the rest of the course/institution/platform/culture
• Impact – does the content/platform benefit the learner/teacher/wider community

In essence, prioritise the student experience.

I think that the first three points here are the key ones in learning design – the others are things that will be considered by default (as long as you respect the learner) and don’t necessarily have as much direct bearing on the effectiveness of the material.

Interesting and useful quotes:

“Effective design of electronic learning materials relies on instructional design processes that reflect the absence of or reduction in face-to-face instruction… by ‘design’ we mean the planning or working out of the e-learning resource. This combines tasks including lesson planning, instructional design, creative writing and software specification”

“In the modern world, language is not the only important communication system. Today images, symbols, graphs, diagrams, artefacts and many other visual symbols are ‘particularly significant’ (Gee 2003 p.13)”

ACTIVITY:

• “creating effective e-learning relies on having tasks for students to undertake that provide an experience likely to lead them to the desired new understanding”
• “a rich activity is one that opens up opportunties for action rather that directs students down a prescribed pathway”
• “the activity needs to be considered from the perspective of the actions and challenges it affords the student”
• “the use of an appropriate and clearly evident activity is fundamental to an effective learning outcome and ensuring that the integrity of the activity is maintained as focus shifts to the media-focused development stages is an ongoing challenge for the e-learning designer”

SCENARIO:

• “There needs to be a reason or motivation to undertake an educational activity if the learning is to be memorable and considered valuable. An interesting context or scenario can assist the activity to have meaning.”
  
• “Scenarios are usually provided by a story, role play, or simulation, within which the activity plays a pivotal role in helping the students to contextualise content”
• “An interesting scenario will make extensive use of humor, imagination, reward, anticipation or drama to enhance the activity. It will have topics and themes likely to be relevant and interesting to the target audience. It will  make the learning activity seem like an obvious or necessary thing to undertake, given the situation presented by the scenario”

FEEDBACK:

• “Experience becomes knowledge through reflection, which is enhanced by timely and appropriate criticism”
• “The range of available feedback strategies is vast, including reflective responses to prescribed questions, semi-automated responses by the system to student actions and work, shared comments in online forums and blogs, and personal responses via email, telephone and post.”

DELIVERY:

• “The appropriate delivery of e-learning should aim to maximise the engagement of the student with the activity, enable the communication of stimulating contexts and maximise opportunities for feedback and reflection”

CONTEXT:

• “Elements of activity, scenario and feedback need to take into account the users’ profile and the delivery element needs to consider the technical infrastructure. However, additional contextual considerations include the institutional objectives of the e-learning program, the role and skills of any instructor, longevity of the resources and cultural sensitivies”

INFLUENCE: 

• “Considerations about the personal influence of the e-learning design might consider… the extent to which the content benefits the user… the extent to which people other than the learner might benefit.. the extent to which the environment will benefit from the design”

CONCLUSION:

• “We encourage a participatory design and implementation approach, where the e-learning system is a two-way street, allowing early and ongoing communications betweeen designer and users.”

Entry Filed under: 915, e-learning, eLearning, education design, multimedia. .