Online Learning Instructional Design Models: How to Get Students Engaged

Online learning has transformed the way people learn. Today, learners no longer need to be physically present in a classroom to receive education. With an abundance of online educational resources available at any time, at any place, it is easier than ever to get quality lessons and sharpen your skills. However, designing engaging and effective online learning instruction requires more than just access to quality content. It demands a deep understanding of learner characteristics and behavior patterns. And that’s where instructional design comes in! To engage students and increase engagement in your courses, you need to challenge students and give them meaningful tasks throughout the semester. However, Instead of seeing this as a roadblock or a barrier, see it as an opportunity for developing your student's adaptive abilities and creative thinking skills. Read on for insights into how you can incorporate these design principles into any type of online education so that learners get engaged from the first day of class until the last final exam! Let’s begin with an overview of what instructional design is and why you need to incorporate it into your online learning strategy

 

What Is Instructional Design?

Instructional design is the process of creating learning experiences that enable learners to achieve specific learning outcomes. There are many types of instructional design (ID) models including online only, blended, and online plus face-to-face. ID is used to plan and create instruction from the initial design vision through to the delivery method and evaluation criteria. Instructional designers look at the entire course, including the learner and their needs and context, to determine their learning needs and plan a program to best meet those needs. ID professionals focus on the total experience, including the experience of the instructor, content, the tools or media used to deliver the content, the environment in which the content is delivered (such as the visual design, technology, and equipment used), and the environment in which the learners consume the content (such as the learning environment, social features, and assessment features).

 

Why Is Instructional Design Important in Online Learning?

Online learning has transformed the way people learn. Online learning platforms provide a wide range of learning options that can be accessed at any time, anywhere, and on any device. Courses can be taken in a group or one-on-one setting, and they can be tailored to the goals of learners. Online learning is also convenient. If a student is feeling overwhelmed or has a busy schedule, online learning is a flexible option. Online classes can be taken at any time, at any place, and around any schedule. It doesn’t matter if students are in the middle of the country or on the other side of the world, online learning can accommodate almost any schedule. Online learning also has the potential to reach a much larger audience than in-class learning. It’s easy to create online course materials that are accessible to everyone, from students of all skill levels to potential employers, beyond the local community.

 

How to Incorporate Instructional Design into an Online Course

Designing engaging, effective instruction in a MOOC presents a greater challenge than in a simple classroom environment. If a single instructor conducts a face-to-face class, then the challenge is to create effective learning experiences that are consistent with the instructor’s style and pedagogical approach. If a MOOC offers a variety of instructors, however, then the challenge is to create engaging and effective experiences that are consistent with the instructor's approach. The best way to start incorporating instructional design principles into your online course is by identifying the main goals and learning outcomes you want your students to achieve by the end of the course. Then, identify the specific tasks you want your students to complete throughout the course. Next, identify the contexts in which you want your students to engage with the course. What devices will they use to take the course? Where will they be when they take the course? What will they be doing when they take the course? What are the learners’ expectations and assumptions about the course context? Once you have identified the contexts, you can design relevant tasks and relevant teaching methods to help learners meet the learning goals you set out for them.

 

Be Clear about Learner Objectives

The key to effective instruction is clarity. Instructors must communicate clearly the main goals, learning outcomes, and context of a course to provide meaningful feedback and guide students to the intended learning outcomes. To clarify your objectives and learner outcomes, think about the following questions: - What are the learner goals or outcomes that you want students to achieve by the end of the course? - What are the specific tasks or learning activities you want students to complete throughout the course? - What are the context within which you want students to engage with the course? Once you have articulated your objectives and learner outcomes, you can use the language of your course to communicate them clearly to students.

 

Provide Meaningful Feedback

Feedback is critical to a student’s understanding of course material. It helps students to understand what they have done right and wrong and how they can improve in their learning. If you want to drive engagement and understanding in your course, you must provide meaningful feedback. There are several different types of feedback that you can provide in your course, including - Quantitative feedback (e.g., correct answers, correct/incorrect answers, score and grade breakdowns) - Qualitative feedback (e.g., comments, annotations, explanations, prompts) - Consequence feedback (e.g., follow-up questions, additional tasks, activities or projects) - Formative feedback (e.g., questions that prompt students to revisit content or problem solve) To provide meaningful feedback, try to answer the following questions: - What level of feedback are you giving? (e.g., articulate the boundaries of correct and incorrect answers and provide formative feedback) - How will you give feedback? (e.g., provide immediate and structured feedback, prompt students to revisit content, or prompt them to problem solve) - What type of feedback will you provide? (e.g., why will you provide certain types of feedback, how will you provide certain types of feedback, and how will you clearly communicate feedback within the course?)

 

Conclusion

Instructional design is the process of creating learning experiences that enable learners to achieve specific learning outcomes. There are many types of instructional design models, including online-only, blended, and blended with face-to-face instruction. Instructional designers look at the entire course, including the learner and their needs and context, to determine their learning needs and plan a program to best meet those needs. Although online learning has transformed the way people learn, it is important to remember that online learning models vary greatly and comprise completely different learning experiences and styles. To ensure you are incorporating the best design principles into your online course, be sure to include effective instructional design elements into your course design.