Modern innovations have enabled educational institutions, instructors, trainers, and corporations to offer virtual learning opportunities to students. Virtual classrooms and eCourses enable children, teens, and adults to gain knowledge in many subjects and topics from the comfort of their homes and offices. Despite the advantages of online learning, one of the biggest challenges creators and educators face is getting and keeping their students’ attention.
Student engagement is necessary to learn the materials in an online program or eCourse. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of competition, including outside obligations and sources of entertainment on the internet. It’s easy for students to get distracted or lose the motivation necessary to finish. Ultimately, creators, trainers, and educators must get creative to keep students actively engaged.
User-Friendly Learning Platforms
One of the easiest ways to lose students’ attention is to develop a learning program on a complicated platform. If they can’t easily access information, the more frustrating the experience becomes, causing them to lose focus. Therefore, when designing your online course, opt to use learning management software that’s user-friendly. If necessary, start the course by providing students with tips on how to use the software and troubleshoot common problems.
Clear, Concise, And Organized Materials
What good is an online course if the materials are difficult to comprehend? Confusion is yet another way to deter students from getting engaged. Any materials you provide students should be easy-to-ready, labeled, and organized to reduce comprehension issues. Anything beyond the general population’s basic comprehension should be explained in detail, like key terms and phrases.
Measure And Display Progress
It’s easy to stay engaged in online learning when you can see your progress. For instance, knowing that you completed seven out of ten modules to complete the course requirements encourages you to push through to the end. Use methods like checklists and progress bar to measure student progress and display it to increase their confidence, productivity, and engagement.
Digital Credentialing
What’s better than seeing your progress in completing an online course? Receiving a reward once you’re done. Digital credentialing has become a comprehensive way to reward online learners for their hard work and dedication. A badge or certificate is tangible evidence of their efforts and can even be used to advance academically or professionally.
Make Learning Fun
If you want to cut down on distractions and boost engagement with online learners, you must incorporate fun elements into your courses. You can use videos, gaming, music, current events, and other incentives (i.e., free prizes, lunches, virtual experiences, etc.) to get students interested in learning.
Learning Communities And Collaboration
When students can interact with and rely on others, their engagement levels tend to improve. Educators and trainers can use learning communities, study groups, and collaborative projects to their advantage. Create platforms where students can connect with others to get tips, advice, and assistance with the course materials. Similarly, group projects encourage students to use their strengths and creativity to complete assignments.
Provide Feedback
Although beneficial, online learning is often viewed as impersonal. Students are often learning in different environments that keep them isolated. They also lack the reassurance from their instructors that they’re on the right path. Providing regular feedback gives students the confidence boost they need to remain productive.
Whether you make phone calls, schedule chat times, or send emails, find the time to communicate with each of your students about their progress in your online class. Give pointers on how they might improve in areas of weakness, and offer your support if further assistance is needed.
Course creators, educators, and trainers aren’t developing materials and teaching complex subjects for nothing. The primary goal is to educate students so that they can apply these skills to other areas of their academic or professional experience. That means keeping students engaged from beginning to end. Although using digital platforms creates a unique set of challenges for teachers and course developers, using strategies like those listed above can result in a better outcome.