Online courses rely on various factors to be a success. Interactivity is one of them. While content is the main reason for them to take part in the elearning course, it is not the only thing that will make it successful. Experience is also very important. And when it comes to online learning, this experience is heightened when there is engagement or interaction.
According to studies children are more inclined to learn when they are actively engaged in something. This is where interactivity becomes relevant in elearning. In an online course, this engagement does not have to be something complicated. It can be a simple clicking of the mouse or making a choice among multiple options.
Interactivity in online courses is not that hard to implement. It is simply the interchange that happens between the learner and elearning tools. It is when they make decisions about the lesson. This can involve dragging, hovering, clicking, and the typical navigating that is needed to explore the course.
But how can these simple activities make it relevant to elearning? It is important for you to know what these are before you can integrate it into courses. This will allow you to identify the right interactivity to use in order to support the content of the learning material.
There are two ways that interactivity is relevant in online courses.
For teaching purposes
The first is to teach. This means interactivity is something that can be used to support the content so the learners can be taught effectively. There are various ways that this can happen. You can use images that you have to click on in order to get an explanation about them. It is also possible to use numbers to show sequence or processes.
Probably a great example of this is an FAQ section. You can display all the questions where it is necessary to click on them to reveal the answers. This format is also applicable when presenting a lot of information – like a timeline. Learners can click on one section at a time – only revealing the next on after they are done with the previous content. This keeps the learning from feeling too overwhelming. It also helps learners focus on one data at a time.
There are many ways to make the teaching process interactive. It all depends on the type of content that has to be presented.
For assessment purposes
Another way that interactivity is relevant is when an assessment is required. This is when the learners are tested based on what they learned.
The interactivity will depend on the type of format you want the assessment to have. It can involve typing the answer. Or it can involve clicking on the answer or be choosing from multiple options. Other options include matching and dropdown. You can also use a more sophisticated option like drag and drop, puzzles, and even simple games.
Come up with the content of the assessment so you can identify which of the interactive activities you can use.
The purpose of the interactivities in online courses will help you choose among the many options of engagement. Even the little things, when combined within the course can contribute to making the learning experience meaningful and effective.
Image courtesy of Vojtech Okenka from Pexels