double take

The images someone sees are processed through the visual channel, the domain of images including photographs, illustrations, charts and graphs. Text and speech are processed through the verbal channel, which is the domain of language. Although text on a computer screen is a visual element, our working memory quickly verbalizes the words and sends them through the verbal channel.
Cliff Atkinson, Beyond Bullet Points, on dual-coding theory

The use of multimedia can be extremely advantageous for e-learning courses. The goal of combining text, art, sound, animation and video is to promote a powerful learning experience by using the learner’s two cognition channels to organize incoming information into knowledge that can be acted upon, stored, and retrieved for subsequent use. When properly applied, multimedia elements yield measurable benefits by gaining and holding the learner’s attention and interest; improving also information retention. Multimedia is profoundly engaging.

Multimedia ingredients to add to your e-learning project:

• Images, graphs and diagrams;
• Meaningful animations to clarify the content;
• Educational videos;
• Buttons for interaction;
• Meaningful animated text;
• Music and Sound effects.

Another important point for e-learning projects is the adoption of interactivity features, which allows and empowers the learner to control how and when content is delivered, determining the flow of information.

References: Allan Paivio, Mental Representations: a Dual-coding Approach
Cliff Atkinson, Beyond Bullet Points
Tay Vaughan, Multimedia: Making it Work

The old style of computer-based training was content-centric, taking into consideration only the information-based definition of content (below), and giving less attention to all the resources that could be used in order to transform the learning process into a meaningful, enjoyable and interesting experience.

With all the changes from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and all the buzz about collaboration, participation and social networking, the Educational sphere could not remain deaf. When even new businesses and marketing channels were able to create educational materials more engaging and effective than traditional educational models, educators needed to pay attention.

However, the whole theory of engaging learners, putting them at the center of the learning process is not recent, many educationalists have been discussing student-centered pedagogical models over the past 50 years. At times it seems as if marketers and designers have been paying more attention to educational theories than educators.

E-learning had to adapt. Learner-centric programs create opportunities to intrigue learners stimulating them to unfold the content, promoting a dynamic interaction between task, instructor and learner, praising collaboration instead of competition, transforming learning in an iterative process.

Adults want to know the value of what they are learning, how the new knowledge relates to their life, and how it will help them to develop important abilities. They want to be challenged with surprising information and effort-saving insights. They do not have time to waste studying things that they already know or having to do things without understanding why.

Good learning experiences pay attention to the learner’s background and cause him to think and seek for new solutions. It is not a matter of presenting the content from simple to complex concepts, it is to hear our learner and let him unfold the content as he needs, creating ways to help him abstract, synthesize and integrate the new information, giving opportunities to practice for later performance, promoting self-awareness of competencies and needs.

We need to feel that we are doing something important. All learning experiences should be meaningful and memorable. Although content and technology are of concern, it is essential to stimulate interest, point out benefits and confirm progress.

“To children, experience is something
that happens to them; to adults, their
experience is who they are.”
Malcolm Knowles

We expect adults to act differently than children in all aspects of life other than education! Why? It is fundamental to acknowledge that adult learning differs considerably from children learning and this changes both the expectations that we set for students and how we set about meeting those expectations. There are many possibilities and techniques to present the information for adults, guide and let them practice and assessing their learning. Our job is to deliver content that are always engaging and meaningful, providing the best learning experience possible for our audience.

Adults learn best when…

• The material is relevant to something in their life or work;
• They face real-life problems needing real-life solutions that are considered essential for progress or improvement;
• The teaching is learner-centered.

Some characteristics of Adult Learning…

• Internally motivated: Adults are motivated by information or tasks that they find meaningful.
• Self-directed: Adults are decision-makers and self-directed learners.
• Tend to be problem-centered (rather than content-centered);
• Learning is two-ways (the “teacher” often learns from the “student”);
• Their life experience is acknowledged: Adults bring a great deal of experience and knowledge to any learning situation;
• There is a safe, accepting, and interactive approach to learning;
• Adults have many responsibilities and can be impatient when their time is wasted;
• Adults feel anxious if participating in a group makes them look weak, either professionally or personally.

When we talk about work, it is common sense to discuss the importance of incentives and guidance for achieving our best performance. Now, substitute work for learning. For a great learning experience, it is essential to provide encouragement and nurture the desire for discovering new horizons. People with support feel more confident and do a better job than ones that are ignored or isolated.

Learning Motivation

• Energizes learner attention
• Creates circumstances for learning
• Revitalizes persistence
• Stimulates participation in activities
• Encourages exchanges of information
• Creates opportunities for teaming up
• Creates ways to find missing pieces
• Engages learners for long hours
• Puts learners at the top of their abilities
• Makes learners willing to contribute with great ideas
• Helps to filter out irrelevant stimuli that can hamper the learning
• Fosters recall of knowledge
• Encourages synthesis of new information
• Causes potential relationships to be considered and evaluated
• Builds and reinforces meaningful new relationships that will be stored in long-term memory

Source: Michael Allen’s Guide to e-learning