Which View are You? Looking at Online Courses through Various Lenses
Feb 16th, 2015 by Michele Brannon-Hamilton
Everyone looks at courses from a different view. As an elearning consultant, I try to switch lenses as often as possible in order to see online courses from the following views:
- Instructional Designer
- Student
- Instructor
Looking at each of these views separately, you can see how they differ.
- Instructional designers want to create engaging courses; so, they look at the whole teaching and learning spectrum plus the user interface. They want to create an effective learning environment and meaningful experience for the instructor and the students.
- Students want interesting and engaging courses that are easy to follow, navigate, and understand. Students with disabilities want courses that are accessible to their diverse needs and some students want courses that are responsive so that they can access course material on tablets and smart phones.
- Instructors want courses that reflect their unique teaching styles and allow them to teach their specialized material. They also want to be able to assess their students’ work effectively.
Although these points may seem obvious, problems occur when someone becomes so focused on their own view that they temporarily lose sight of the others. Throughout my career in education, I’ve had the chance to view courses through each of these lenses and can see the value of each unique experience. I taught face-to-face and online courses for almost 15 years, designed and wrote several online courses, and completed a fully online Master of Education Technology degree. These experiences have allowed me to become immersed in each role.
Over the next few months, I will look at various aspects of online course design, taking into account each of these different views. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
~Michele