Posted by Here are some sample screens from an eLearning course designed by Gryphon Learning back in 2002. The course was distributed on CDs, but students needed to log on via the internet to gain access. The students were stockbrokers, who had to satisfactorily complete five Nationally Recognised units of competency at diploma level. We repurposed much of the material for members of the public who were interested in trading in shares and futures. The average age was mid-forties.
In line with Gagne’s Conditions for Learning, the template for the first screen required a description of the content that was designed to entice the students.
The lesson objectives were expressed in the form of workplace tasks. Remember, stockbrokers could well find themselves discussing CAPM to clients.
Because some students had PhDs in this area, we included links on each page that would allow students to skip back and forth.
To help accommodate the diverse needs of students aged from 20 to 100, with varying educational backgrounds and a range of attitudes to study, we presented the information verbally, pictorially and in writing. Note, this strategy was primarily intended to satisfy needs, not learning preferences. Listening is an essential skill for financial advisors, but people learn better when you remove distraction and unnecessary tasks, allowing them to concentrate on the new ideas. If you are interested in this, check out John Sweller’s book on cognitive load.
We aimed for 50% text and 50% images on each page. In theory, by stripping the extraneous detail from diagrams and charts, we would help students learn faster. Our data analytics indicated some success in this area. However, one group, the PhDs, did NOT like it. They wanted meaty charts densely packed with detail. The Expertise Reversal Effect explains why!
And here we demonstrate a common mistake: avoid labelling responses a) to d) then randomising them. Luckily, in this case it did not invalidate the question. We aimed for at least ten questions per lesson so the students could gain rapid feedback. Each lesson sent back data on the screens students viewed, and the time they spent viewing them, and on their responses to each question. Most people kept studying each lesson until they had answered each question correctly.
I managed this project, and wrote code to send analytics back to the central database. I designed the structure of each page and wrote scripts to import text from writers and to cobrand the courses by replacing the background graphics. In this lesson, I was responsible for the charts and the maths and for editing the text.
here are some of my favourite books on the management of cognitive load and on the best way to use graphics in elearning.