e-Learning by Design

William Horton is a leading e-learning consultant and president of William Horton Consulting where he advises large and small companies in developing online training and information strategies. He is the author of Leading E-Learning, Evaluating E-Learning, Using E-Learning, and Designing Web-Based Training and the coauthor of E-Learning Tools and Technologies.

1 DESIGNING E-LEARNING. What is e-learning? What is e-learning design? Design quickly and reliably. Then redesign again and again. In closing ... 2 ABSORB-TYPE ACTIVITIES. About absorb activities. Presentations. Sharing stories. Readings. Field trips. In closing ... 3 DO-TYPE ACTIVITIES. About do activities. Practice activities. Discovery activities. Games and simulations. In closing ... 4 CONNECT-TYPE ACTIVITIES. About connect activities. Ponder activities. Job aids. Research activities. Original-work activities. In closing ... 5 TESTS. Decide why you are testing. Select the right type of question. Write effective questions. Combine questions effectively. Give meaningful feedback. Perfect your testing. Explain the test. Consider alternatives to formal tests. In closing ... 6 TOPICS. What are topics? Design the components of the topic. Design reusable topics. Integrate foreign modules. In closing ... 7 LESSONS. Combine learning activities. Ways of organizing lessons. Designing lessons as learning objects. In closing ... 8 STRATEGIC DECISIONS. What is a course? Choose the kind of e-learning. Consider alternatives to pure e-learning. Plan for reuse. Follow quality standards. Title courses carefully. In closing ... 9 DESIGN FOR THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM. Create a virtual classroom. Select and use collaboration tools. Conduct online meetings. Guide discussion activities. Manage virtual courses. In closing ... 10 VISUAL DISPLAY. Fundamental design decisions. Whole screen or window? Number of windows. Window characteristics. Legibility. Layout. Unity. In closing ... 11 NAVIGATION. How should learners navigate? Navigation mechanisms. Balance navigation mechanisms. Implement navigation mechanisms. Best practices for navigation. In closing ... 12 CONCLUSION. The new model of learning. How we will learn. Just the beginning. INDEX.