Leveraging the Virtual Classroom for Effective Learning with

This is the title of a video from the UMBC Youtube channel which is basically about research on what works and what doesn't in eLearning. 

Here are some of the most important points:

Visuals 

=Learning is almost the same regardless of medium (computers, print, instructor-led) ; the only increase occurs when using appropriate techniques (demos, practice, examples, etc.)  and aids (visuals, audio, images, etc.).

=Much of our long term memory depends on our knowledge. With knowledge, our short term memory can make use of patterns that we have stored in our ling term memory (knowledge), so it can process information in chunks in the short term memory. People with little knowledge in an area will tend to handle each detail by itself as they don't see the relationships yet.

=Using visuals + text very much improve learning when compared by using only text. With visuals, the learner will tend more channels to understand the content (text+visual) and (from me) graphics usually tend to hold much more info in condensed form which helps in seeing the relationships and digest the info in chunks.

=Visuals (images, videos) can be hinder learning and be distracting if not used properly. Visuals have to serve the learning objective as is the case with techniques.  80% of visuals in highschool textbooks serve no educational purpose, as per one study.

=Explaining visuals through audio alone is better than audio+text as it overloads the learner.

=Visuals can be categorized into 3 main typs:

• Decorative: visuals that are added for aesthetic/ humorous purposes. These are ok if used sparingly. 
• Representational: visuals that are used to show who something looks like, for example a kind of tree or engine.
• Explanatory: this is the most important and is used to explain and idea by showing relationships. It can be divided into 3 types:

                =organizational (qualitative relationships): like concept charts 
                =relational (quantitative summarization): like pie/bar charts or histograms
                =transformation (change in time or space): anything that shows something changing in time or space.
                =interpretive (make invisible visible): like the inside of a motor or a molecule 

 

Practice 

=You should keep learners engaged. Spread out practice in more effective long term. Short term there is little difference between condensed practice and spread out practice. An example is 6 practice exercises 3 per day for 2 days vs. 2 per day for 3 days.

=(example, practice , example, practice, example, practice) is a more effective pattern than (example, practice, practice, practice) because in the first the learner has time to learn by reviewing the example. In the second pattern, the learning will not be learning and reflecting. Usually, the first pattern results in better learning in a shorter time.

=Keep practice relevant to how it will be applied in the real world. 

=Practice has a diminishing rate of returns aspect: most of the learning occurs in the first practices. After that learning will be incremental and very small in comparison to the first practice sessions. So, you have to gauge your how much time you have and the importance for the learning outcome.  

Posted via email from Khalid's Stream

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