What is learning?
"the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught", in other words it is transformative, i.e. leading to a change in attitudes and behaviours; change that over time can be become "permanent", embedded.
How eLearning is different from learning?
"E-learning typically refers to the online interaction between you as a student and the teacher. Basically, you receive the training through an online medium..."
- Online interaction is different from F2F
Elearning can be synchronous (live online) or asynchronous (self-paced, independent) -
Synchronous:
- Real time - personal and professional connections with the tutor/peers and the content, i.e. learning from each other and developing network of support
Asynchronous:
- No real time interaction with a tutor or peers
- No immediate feedback
- Less collaborative
- Can feel more isolating
however, it can be well suited to mature adult learners who are used to operating (in their professional lives) at higher levels of autonomy, have well developed skills of problem solving, time management and who need to pick up skills quickly. This category of learners appreciate an opportunity to make own decisions of how, when and what to learn.
Tools to create eLearning
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Support leaners' autonomy - I need to make navigation throughout the session/module easy so that people can choose what to learn and how much time to spend on each topic - depending on their levels of proficiency
How do I start? Planning suggestions
Create course/module overview
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- Try to avoid linear design, i.e. do not force learners (unless it is necessary) to go from A to Z making a stop at each letter of alphabet. Create opportunities for learners to choose how and what to do.
- Use a cascade of topics: multiple-sections, sub-sections to break content into logically organised "digestible" chunks
Use clear and logical navigation:
Use header sections with course titles, section titles, page numbers, etc - be consistent
Use (consistently) identifies that help learners to navigate and know which part of the module they are.
- Keep reminding learners of how what they are doing (reading, observing, testing, trying) supports the aim of the module
- Colour code headings, if appropriate
Designing tips
- Write in the present tense, ie. "the page displays" rather than "the page will display" - it helps visualisation
- Helpful semantics:
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