When using a lesson tool to provide a linear or non-linear way through content and activities using an interactive approach, the five stage looped process described below will assist with making the most out of this tool.
The lesson tool enables a teacher to deliver content and/or practice activities in interesting and flexible ways. A teacher can use the lesson to create a linear or nonlinear lessons. Created using a combination of content pages and/or question page,
the lesson tool offers a variety of paths or options for the learner. Depending on how the lesson is set up, teachers can choose to increase engagement and ensure understanding by including a variety of questions, such as multiple choice, matching and
short-answer. Depending on the student's choice of answer and how the teacher develops the lesson, students may progress to the next page, be taken back to a previous page, or redirected down a different path entirely.
The lesson tool may be used for a range of purposes, such as:
for self-directed learning of a new topic or module
for scenarios or simulations/decision-making exercises
to provide students with guided steps (instructions) for learning activity(ies)
for self-assessment/knowledge checks
to test understanding of content (eg a post-lecture tutorial)
for differentiated revision, with different sets of revision questions depending upon answers given to initial questions.
Example in FLO
To get started, it is worth reviewing an example interactive activity built in the lesson tool. The digital safety awareness training lesson activity was built for students in EDUC3618
to introduce them to common dangers of technologies. What features of this lesson do you like and would consider using? What ideas have you drawn from reviewing another lesson? How can you use this knowledge to plan your own lesson?
The lesson tool is adaptable for presenting content and questions to students in an interactive way, similar to elearning authoring tools such as Adobe Captivate and Articulate Storyline, without the steep learning curve or SCORM FLO integration problems.
1. Plan
A lesson activity is used to direct students through content and sometimes questions in an interactive way. While the lesson tool layout looks like a slide-by-slide approach, the design is set to ensure easy navigation through the 'slides' of content
and into relevant questions. It is a worthwhile exercise to first plan/map the 'slides' you will need and what content will be placed upon them.
Try drawing the pages on a piece of paper to help you visualise the slides and how they will link to each other – will it be in a straight line (linear) or, based on the student response, direct them to another section or question (non-linear)? Make sure
the pathways are logical and avoid the student going around in circles or getting lost. It must make sense to them if they are to learn from the experience, otherwise it is a frustrating and distracting exercise.
Planning tips
Whether you are starting from scratch or revising a current lesson (which could incorporate student feedback), these prompts may help:
What principle/knowledge are you delivering – does the lesson item enable this?
Line up lesson components against the learning objectives/outcomes (you could include this information in the introductory page)
Connect the activities within the lesson with Bloom's level/s of taxonomy – again, what is being taught/learnt?
Be creative – you could use a scenarios structure, embed videos or other resources, provide learning pathways (eg hints, tips, more information, think again) for students' choices
Provide opportunities for students to check their understanding without summative assessment
2. Build
You have planned your lesson and are now ready to set up your first lesson activity.
The lesson tool enables a teacher to deliver content and/or practice activities in interesting and flexible ways. A teacher can use the lesson to create a linear or nonlinear lessons. Created using a combination of content pages and/or question page,
the lesson tool offers a variety of paths or options for the learner. Depending on how the lesson is set up, teachers can choose to increase engagement and ensure understanding by including a variety of questions, such as multiple choice, matching and
short-answer. Depending on the student's choice of answer and how the teacher develops the lesson, students may progress to the next page, be taken back to a previous page, or redirected down a different path entirely.