eLearn: Opinions

The e-Learning Rules of Engagement
By Mark Notess, Indiana University

The word "engagement" is often used in connection with e-learning—so often, in fact, that it has come to represent a general, warm fuzziness that everyone wants but which proves elusive. But what does engagement really mean? Let's examine some of the ways the term is used in connection with online learning.

A property of materials. Promotional literature for learning materials often makes claims about how engaging a particular product is. This can refer to anything from pictures to animations to simulations, or to some supposed relevance of the materials to the learner. When we say materials are engaging, we are saying they have properties intended to stimulate use or interest by learners. But can engagement reside entirely in materials? If an e-learning course is engaging, but no one takes that course, where is the engagement?

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eLearn: Opinions