As we’ve written about several times in our newsletters and blog posts, incorporating interactive elements and techniques within an e-learning course can drastically improve the overall learning experience.
Some studies indicate that e-learning courses which provide interactivity can boost the overall knowledge retention rate to anywhere from 50% to 90%.
Compare this to the average knowledge retention rate for passive courses of anywhere from 5% to 30% and you suddenly understand how significantly interactivity can improve a learner’s experience.
And with all of the available resources, information, and tools we have to choose from, especially from within the deep pool of WordPress extensions, it doesn’t have to be an expensive or time-consuming process to add interactivity to your online courses.
Keep in mind, however, that the level of interactivity which is appropriate for your online course depends on the nature of your content.
An example of the varying degrees of interactivity can be found in how an instructor might structure quiz questions. Simple learning concepts may only necessitate the inclusion of basic question and answer style quizzes. However, a more complex learning concept might require watching a video and then identifying key points through answers or expanding upon the content through essays.
So what are some examples of interactivity in e-learning courses?
Multimedia content: Embedding video or audio content into your course units.
Animations: Including animated illustrations of concepts through video.
Simulations and scenario-based cases: Providing real-life examples which allow students to problem solve.
Quiz scores and feedback: Providing immediate quiz scoring and explanations of correct answers.
Links to external content or resources: Creating a library of additional material to explore concepts outside of your course.
Surveys: Allowing students to give feedback on their learning experience.
Graphics and images: Including graphical content in course units to provide more depth to your content.
Achievements and awards: Awarding students for reaching certain milestones within a course.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it gives an idea of some simple ways to begin incorporating an appropriate degree of interactivity into your online course.
Fortunately, if you’re using WP Courseware to deliver your e-learning content, any of these elements can be achieved relatively easily.
WP Courseware course units were designed as simply a custom post type within WordPress, so any content which can be added to posts or pages can be published within a course unit. We’ve also recently released a free add-on which allows for adding achievements and badges for your students.
Now it’s your turn! What strategies are you using to include interactivity in your courses? Let us know in the comments section of this blog post!