Use of Media, cont'd...

How can you use a good mix of media?

Show videos, but give learners assignments about the video. (Ex. An instructor is teaching an online course about customer service. The instructor says, "Let's look at a video about customer service. In this video look for obvious and subtle examples of poor customer service. After the video has finished, let's discuss what you noticed as poor customer service in your chat space.")
Chatting (Allow learners to chat with one another for a given time, such as in the above example.)
Polling (Ask a yes/no question or a question with a multiple choice answer- Ex. "Have you ever experienced extremely poor customer service?)
Emoticons (Smiley faces, hands raised to ask a question - Ex. "I will try to answer as many questions as possible in the alotted time. If you have a question, at the end of this training session, use the hand emoticon to raise your hand.")
Annotation tools (Arrows, highlighters, mouse clickers - Use these tools to guide the learner's eyes to areas of importance.)
Audio (Learners listen to recorded information and are given an assignment about the audio - Ex. You can play an audio of an exchange between the customer and the employee. You might tell the class, "Listen to the following exchange and at the end we'll discuss three ways that the employee excelled in customer service skills.)
Screenshots, software simulations, video demonstrations (Great for trainings such as software trainings or trainings requiring step-by-step instructions)

Remember, don't overuse any media or tools. Try to provide a good mixture to keep your online learner engaged.

What are your thoughts about the use of media in an online training course? Discuss your experiences by starting a thread or replying to others' comments here .

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