Learning Activities

"Practice makes perfect" is an adage that can most definitely be incorporated into web-based training. Providing your students with creative and engaging learning activities will make your online course much more effective.

Horton presents 14 different activities that can be created and included in web-based training. I have summarized in the table below 4 of the activities that can easily be incorporated into a Blackboard or Centra course. Please read through Chapter 6 - Activate Learning for in-depth descriptions, guidelines, and suggestions for these activities.

Activity
Design
Guidelines
Tools

Drill and Practice

Learners practice specific knowledge or skills

  • Present the problem
  • Solution is generated
  • Feedback given

(page 202 - 204)

Memorization of facts

Combine with other activities

Crossword

Matching

Multiple choice

Scavenger Hunt

Learners find reliable information related to the content.

 

  • Present the question
  • Resources are located
  • Summary or webliography is created
(page 204 - 207)

Use short questions

Use the info in the lessons

Web pages

Threaded discussion

 

Role Play

Learners adopt a specific role in a given scenario

  • Assign roles
  • Present scenario
  • Review actions
(page 232 - 237)

Careful role assignment

Careful scenario

Kickoff activity

Threaded discussion

Virtual Laboratory

Learners conduct experiments with simulated lab equipment

  • Assign question
  • Guide experiment
  • Evaluate conclusion
(page 242 - 246)
Monitor or coach activities

Online simulations

Synchronous application sharing (Centra, Interwise)

Product demos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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copyright 2003 Mary J. Nicholson
last revised June, 2003