Michael Allen's Guide to e-Learning

The three priorities for training success:

• Ensure learners are highly motivated to learn
• Guide learners to appropriate content
• Provide meaningful and memorable learning experiences

Learner Motivation

7 ways to enhance learner motivation:

1. Build on outcomes (WIIFM; involvement; a list of objectives is not motivating!)
2. Put the learner at risk (don’t baby your learners, but avoid negatives)
3. Select the right content (meaningful)
4. Use an appealing context (novelty, humour, animation)
5. Have the learner perform (authentic) tasks
6. Provide intrinsic feedback (see the consequences)
7. Delay judgement (allow time to review and reflect)

Navigation

1. Let learners see the boundaries of their universe
• How long will it take? What does it cover? How hard will it be?
• Display structure (current section and topic) at all times
2. Let learners see how the contents are organised
• Provide course menu
• Show sequence of topics in the order of recommended study, or by discipline, or by instructional activities (e.g. simulation, practice, and problem solving)
3. Let learners see where they are
• Visual progress indicator ("Halfway there!" "I'm in the last room!" "One more stone to complete the pyramid!"
• Topics icons could change status as learner progresses - current topic highlighted, and completed topics marked with a coloured bar
4. Let learners go forward
• Why would you want to back up through a series of submenus to go to the next topic?
• Continue function only disabled during a challenge, when the learner must successfully complete an activity before being allowed to proceed
• Could use graphical map to show learners where they have arrived
5. Let learners back up
• Click the left arrow to take the learner to the previous screen. Do not restart the section (use the menu for this)
6. Let learners correct themselves
• Provide intrinsic feedback through which learners see the consequences of their choices (instead of just hearing "No, that's not correct. Try again.")
• Include Replay button
• Provide other features - glossary, volume, and notes

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Allens-Guide-E-learning-Interactive/dp/0471203025