tarynshae

The use of colours in e-learning design can either positively or negatively affect the learner’s e-learning experience. Colour schemes should be chosen carefully and used in order to convey or emphasise a particular message. Due to the dynamic nature of the content of my course and the use of multiple e-learning technologies, I have decided to stick with neutral tones for the online learning modules. Simple borders, plain text and minimal shading will be used as I want to put as much emphasis on the content as possible. As there will be animation and still images in the online learning modules, as less distraction as possible in the design and colour will be more effective.

Visual design and visual hierarchy are important things to take into consideration when design e-learning. Bad visual design e.g. too much information, wrong use of colour, too much animation/sound etc, can have a negative effect on the learner and the information or message that is trying to be conveyed can be lost. Visual hierarchy, how a page is logically organised, also affects the learning experience. If page layout, text, spacing, headings etc are organised logically, then the reader will be able to systematically follow the information and the content. Bad visual hierarchy can create confusion for the learner.

I used a number of multimedia principles in my course design. In line with the coherence principle, all extraneous words/pictures/sounds/information was omitted as I attempted to make the course and its content as succinct as possible. I proposed to use animation and narration in the online learning modules which were used in the first part of the course. On screen text was excluded however the assessment screens included still images and text and were presented simultaneously. I considered all of the multimedia principles in my course in order to maximise learning.

In today’s e-learning context, multimedia is the means by which we view and use the tools that help us learn. Graphics, images, video, animation, sound, podcasts, etc are all multimedia mediums that we currently use in e-learning today. We use such means via the internet, via CD-ROMS, via DVD’s and also MP3’s. The use of multimedia in e-learning is constantly changing, due to both the nature of technological advances and also due to the dynamic and changing nature of e-learning.

After further looking into my chosen unit of competence and attempting to make design recommendations for it in an e-learning context, as well as applying an appropriate learning theory to it, I realised my original choice was just proving too difficult as many of the skills and performance objectives were personal-based skills and understandings and this was hard to apply to an e-learning context. My new unit of competent, BSBEBU515A: Facilitate e-Learning, is much more appropriate and I chose this over other learning-based courses out of both interest and relevance in the workplace at present. I am very happy with this unit of competence and feel as though I can effectively apply all the relevant principles to it.