Designing online learning materials

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Designing on-line learning materials

• Tony Murray
• School of Media

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What do we mean by design?

• Look
• Feel
• Structure
• Strategy
• Pedagogy
• Appropriateness

The Brabazon
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Key points of Material Design

• What
• Who
• Why
• Where
• How
• When

is the function and purpose of the resource?
are the users and what do they know already?
on-line?
will it be used/viewed?
will it be developed and mantained?
is it required?
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User Analysis
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What are the essential characteristics of the
successful on-line teacher and learner?
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Essential characteristics Three Questions

• What is the nature of the on-line environment?
• What are the characteristics of a successful
  on-line instructor?
• What are the characteristics of a successful
  on-line student/learner?

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What is the nature of the on-line environment?

• Driven by technology
• Less flexible than classroom environment
• Requires more planning, preparation, and detail
• Lacks spontaneity
• Offers more asynchronous interaction
• Difficult for students with poor written
  communication skills
• Provides opportunity for reflection
• Uses "on-line-ese," the language of on-line
  education.

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What is the nature of the on-line environment?

• Humour and emotions may not read well
• May cause fear and caution, both personally and
  intellectually, for novice user
• Requires an adequate base knowledge of
  technology
• Allows anonymous participation
• Requires instructional design resources to
  maximize use of technology
• Limits nonverbal communication (body language).

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Characteristics of the successful instructor?

• Organises and prepares course materials
• Is highly motivated and enthusiastic
• Committed to teaching
• Has a belief in student-centred learning
• Is open to suggestions following pre- and
  post-learning evaluations
• Demonstrates creativity
• Takes risks
• Manages time well
• Is interested in on-line delivery of courses with
  no real rewards
• Responds to learners needs
• Is disciplined.

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Characteristics of the successful student

• Manages and allocates time appropriately
• Prefers linear learning style
• Displays technology skills
• Can deal with technology and its frustrations
• Is an active learner
• Highly motivated, self-directed, and
  self-starting
• Has appropriate writing and reading skills for
  on-line learning.

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Why not a book, a poster or F2F?
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thinking process
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What can you do?

• Participate in a web conferencing session
• Learn how to use the software 
• Modularise your course
• Test and get feedback and advice
• Practice, Practice, Practice
• Join/Establish a community
• Learn from others

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Look and Learn from others
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Some Thoughts on writing your Dissertation
Proposal Proffessor Chris M Golde Department of
Education Administration Thoughts on Advising
Thoughts on Directed Reading Writing
Groups Sometimes the more you know the less
things hang together Writing a dissertation
proposal is, in my opinion, the hardest part of
the dissertation process. In Education, where few
students are working closely with an established
research project led by a faculty member, the
student is developing a project on their own. In
creating a proposal you are crafting something
out of nothing. Developing an understanding of
an issue, identifying, reading and summarizing
the relevant literature, and developing your own
take on the problem are time consuming and often
frustrating processes. In many ways the
methodology is the easiest part to develop. Once
you have a clear idea of the first pieces, the
methods should follow easily. Sometimes the
more you know the less things hang together. This
is normal. Writing a proposal is an iterative
process. You cycle through the various pieces
over and over. In the end, you are trying to
create a linear argument which takes the reader
from knowing little to a point where the reader
wants you to do this project more than anything
in the world. However, the construction of the
proposal is not linear. It is common to work on a
proposal for several months, and to write 15-20
drafts.
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Top 10 Mistakes in on-line material design

• Poor project management
• Inappropriate development process
• Overly concerned with specifics to the detriment
  of the whole
• No requirement analysis
• Ignoring user needs
• Inappropriate concept
• Inappropriate information flow and navigation
  strategy
• Inappropriate look and feel
• Poor editorial judgement
• Incomplete site.

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The Top 14 Mistakes of First Time Web Design

• Going Overboard with High Tech
• Under Construction Signs
• Misusing Graphics
• Non-standard Fonts
• Complex Backgrounds
• Too Many Animations
• Orphan Pages
• No Organization
• No Unique Content
• Too Many Ideas
• No Authoritativeness
• Outdated Links or Information
• Negative Declarations
• Link Problems

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Be very careful of killing good content with an
over use of text and graphics
This site will teach you the meaning of LIFE
Before you begin The tyranny of the blank canvas
Finding you starting point is the most difficult
aspect Your first thoughts are usually as good as
your fifth or tenth Common inhibitors to project
generation (the unsaid ones) the team versus the
individual creativity versus expediency fear of
failure fear of commitment fear of
discovery   Common inhibitors to project
generation (the actual ones) the idea is not
appropriate to skills available the idea is not
ambitious enough to engage all members of the
team the project is too ambitious for the time
available
This page is not finished yet Last updated June
1999
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Next Return
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On-line learning is not for everyone