How do you make e-learning modules interactive?

If we are considering an ideal environment for the design of interactive courses, I believe the first two headings may be in the wrong order. For best results the design should be done without regard to tools available. In this way tools can be selected to accomplish the designed interactions/engagements, thus avoiding predefined limitations of the tool that can limit the design considerations of the interactions.

Keeping it simple, and introducing interactivity only if the content justifies it is the key. The question should read how to keep elearning content engaging. Learning has to keep up with the times and evolving learner needs. Talking to learners, establishing the What's in it for them (WIFM) and keeping learning nuggets consumable as well as engaging goes a long way to improve the learning experience. Unnecessary clicks and interactivities can sometimes become a deterrent in learning. Keep it simple. Layer the content when necessary. Focus on engaging (not just entertaining or preaching)!

I was going to make a very similar comment to Michael's comment. The first step in deciding what interactions to provide to learners should be considering what type of engagement best suits the desired learning outcome, the learning context and learner. Answering questions such as, do we want to provide an opportunity to practice a newly acquired skill or knowledge? Do we want the learner to apply what they have just learned? Is this an opportunity to teach something new, or perhaps reflect on one's existing models? I think it would be important first to define the desired outcome or goal we want to achieve and then determine the best tool to achieve that result.

In learner-centered approaches, we integrate multiple means of action and expression when considering if and what type of interactivity to include. The tools are selected based on what caters the needs of the learners based on design (of course, also considering factors such as access and ability to use them). Another thing to consider is the appropriate selection of media for final delivery, which can be the factor that will determine what development tool will be used.

Let me start by quoting L&D thought leader, Donald Clark, by saying most e-learning content goes "in one eye and out the other." With this perspective in place I work to keep e-learning content short and highly interactive. The focus of adult learning should be primarily performance oriented instead of focusing on knowledge transfer.

I probably would say this but basically, here at Near-Life, this is exactly what we set out to do: to make it easier to create more interactive and immersive content. We're not mentioned on the list here but...I would argue that we are much more focussed, specifically, on interactivity than any other tool out there...

I believe the heading should be, "How do you make e-learning modules more engaging?" According to Webster, interactive involves actions or input of a user, while engaging draws favorable attention or interest. It's important to draw the distinction between the two. Clicking on buttons is interactive, but it doesn't make it engaging. Focusing on engagement is much more important and is echoed in the first paragraph.

All of these things are true, yes. Any good course is built on a solid foundation of course development, but there’s not much here about how to really engage. Engaging a learning audience is about timing and crafting scenarios that speak to the learner. Creating engagement is a creative process that must start with out of the box thinking and proper timing. Drag and drop and multiple choice are not really engaging. Videos, tailored experiences, games, thought provoking questions and content that unfolds like a mystery novel create lasting impressions that help engage the audience. Use your tools to help the learner discover the learning objective organically, and you’ll get engagement (think constructivism).

Note - this comment is more critical than my usual contributions because I know this content was generated by AI. I don't think the content under the Design For Engagement header addresses the topic. All of the things listed are pretty standard for designing online courses. I think more effective content would have started with the last concept discussed "... interactions should be relevant, challenging, [and] varied ...". Then the section could address how to determine if your interactive content is relevant and challenging.

Engaging content is more about engaging the learners' mind, and less about engaging the learners' mouse. Common e-learning interactions such as drag-and-drop and click to reveal can be helpful tools for simulations and creative reveals of information, but if the person is not appropriately cognitively engaged they're not learning. Clicking does not equal engagement.

There should be ample opportunity for the learner to reflect on their learning as well, so feedback on interactions should scaffold strategies such as considering why a wrong answer may have been selected, what information may have been misunderstood that led to the wrong answer, and how the error in thinking can be avoided in the future.

As others have said, there needs to be more emphasis on interactions in this section. Clicking or drag-n-drop is not "design[ed] for engagement." A typical way to meet the learning objective while designing for engagement is to include three types of learning activities: absorb, do, and connect (see Horton). The absorb activity is passive (less engagement) and would consist of things like reading or watching videos. Do activities are more engaging and include practice, playing games, or answering questions. Connect activities are how we link existing knowledge with new knowledge. Also engaging, these activities include reflection, research by the learner, or performing the skill or behavior.

Development of online learning must integrate the several design principles for multimedia learning. Clear and concise chunks are useful, but that's only one of such principles. Additionally, it is important to consider accessibility when creating interactions, such as alternatives to an interactive exercise to cater those without the ability to use them. Drag and drop exercises, for example, are very difficult to use by learners with certain disabilities. Another point to consider is that the number and timing of an interaction should be integrated in the design. Too many interactions in a course, or interactions that occur at an inappropriate time during the course does not contribute to learner engagement.

Interactive e-learning thrives on learner-centric design. It's key to marry content with context, making each module resonate with learners' experiences. By integrating stories and scenarios they relate to, we foster a connection that encourages active participation, turning passive intake into interactive discovery. Variety is also crucial—not just in types of activities but in how we invite learners to think and apply concepts. Let’s design e-learning that's not just a task, but a journey of engagement because we're not just aiming for them to take & pass modules but enjoy what they're learning so it transfers & they can integrate in their every day life.

Visualize crafting a learner's journey as a novelist would—an experience that immerses rather than merely flashes with empty pop-ups - show don't tell! Too often, instructional materials lack a true learning objective, merely dazzling without depth. Ensure that every element is contextually relevant and directly ties to your educational goals, whether for transformational learning or compliance. Instead of simply stating outcomes, demonstrate them through scenarios and reinforcing feedback questions to solidify the concepts. Storyboard each step, weaving in elements of real-world drama for authenticity, but always align everything to the specific skills or changes you're aiming to develop.

My favorite tool for incorporating social learning on virtual courses are Discussion Forums. However, I have noticed that many instructors tend to subtilize them by asking the same question to the entire class. The result: a list of the same ideas paraphrased in different manners. My recommendation is to ask questions that require students to be creative and resourceful. For instance, students must pick a couple of business trends and then produce mind challenging responses about how those trends can impact a particular industry or organization. After the first wave of students' posts, I require them to reply to a classmate challenging some of the assumptions or ideas presented. Asking good questions is key to producing rich discussions.

Learning is exponentially increased and reinforced and more “sticky” when people are “doing”. Experiential learning through gamification and simulation based group and team working is fundamental to creating job ready graduates, and in the workplace provides invaluable learnings and insight to support leadership and management initiatives and drive positive change and transformation.

I think it may be worthwhile to acknowledge the sometimes contradictory situation that arises here - e-learning is attractive because it is independent of location, and also frequently because it is independent of time. Introducing components that are synchronous can add valuable social learning opportunities but also introduce constraints of time. Ideally, everyone’s schedules sync up, but that never happens. An individual who sought out an e-learning experience may not appreciate feeling like they can’t participate if social learning aspects are required.

Social elements in learning can be very powerful, especially when integrated in an asynchronous manner, where learners can interact with each other in the same way they interact with the course. The challenge with social features is typically its management. Some social features required facilitation, administration and monitoring that the posts or activities remain within the objectives and purpose of the integrated social feature.

I'd add that in order to have an effective evaluation of the course access, use and alignment with objectives and goals, whatever evaluation tool is used should be properly designed. A poorly crafted quiz or survey does not provide useful data. Those tools should be designed for the learner to be able to provide meaningful feedback and/or verification of knowledge acquisition (if that's the purpose of the course).

Feedback is the learning practitioner’s performance measure for how to continually assess and re-assess the learning tool and solution’s value add. This data provides insight to you as a practitioner and your stakeholders on the reach and efficacy of the experience. Did the e-learning connect to and engage with all your learners based on their role, requirements and needs for the training? Depending on the tool(s) used to build the e-learning content, there may be built-in options to add knowledge checks or surveys. Otherwise, an external link to a survey is also a great option to garner feedback.

A few case studies would be nice here for examples of good and poor engaging design. Such as examples of designs incorporating only a few (one or two) of the suggestions and examples of designs using several (five or six). These case studies should go through the entire ADDIE (or similar) process and include evaluation techniques used and results.

In addition to the fact that most sections don’t address the main question directly, there’s a basic principle that is overlooked throughout the article. The question asks about interactivity, but the term used in much of the response is “engagement.” In truth, the two are not the same. Not all interactive material is engaging, and it’s also possible to have engaging material that isn’t truly interactive. A reader of this answer either doesn’t know the difference and needs to be educated, or does know the difference and is looking for much more specificity in tools and methods than the article provides. Either way, there’s a significant gap here.

Don't create a roller-coaster of a course. Interactions can easily become annoying, boring and predictable if they are misused or abused. The timing and appropriateness of an interaction should be carefully planned and integrated in the right part of the course. Be mindful of accessibility and responsiveness when implementing interactivity. Provide alternatives for those who might not be able to use them due to accessibility factors. Provide multiple means of communication, representation, action and expression. Ensure cultural competence and cultural humility when designing interactivity in a course. All design principles for multimedia learning should be integrated when designing interactivity, not just chunking.

While interactive design is about how learners interact with the content, engaging design is about how the content resonates with and motivates the learners. Effective eLearning requires a blend of both interactive UX and engaging tasks that resonate with learners skills and roles; to maximise learning effectiveness and learner satisfaction we must utilise interaction with engaging relatable content, which means scenario based, storybook 'case study' learning, with self reflection, are the key steps we should aim to include in our course designs.

This article is pretty generic, not surprised that Ai helped write it... The minimum character length on this submission form begs the question... will my answer be used to train the Ai?