In this episode, the Unpacking Education podcast team discusses what to consider when setting up an online learning space for your students and their families. The conversation includes such topics as how to organize that space, how to make it consistent and accessible, and how to help ensure a successful experience for your end users.
. . . The user experience (UX) of an online classroom is not unlike the arrangement of furniture in a physical brick and mortar classroom.
Lisa Hammershaimb, from her article for AACE Review
Resources
The following resources are available from AVID and on AVID Open Access to explore related topics in more depth:
- Accelerate Learning by Making Connections: Build Trust Through Relationships, Community, and Connection (article)
- Connecting Students and Building Classroom Community, with Danielle Reyes (podcast episode)
- Classroom Timers (podcast episode)
- Develop Global Collaborators: Connect Your Students to Classrooms Around the World (article)
- The AVID Open Access Back-to-School Toolkit (article collection)
An Extension of Your Physical Classroom
Since the pandemic and widespread remote learning in 2020 and 2021, schools have been increasingly infused with technology. This has included the creation of robust online learning spaces, including websites and learning management systems. Although students have since returned to face-to-face learning environments, online spaces have continued to be important extensions of physical classrooms.
Online portals have remained key hubs for communication, interaction, and information transfer. Because of this, it’s important to be intentional about how these spaces are designed and set up. The following are a few highlights from our conversation about this topic:
- Translation: Winston brings attention to students and families who may not speak English. He asks, “Is there an opportunity to make translation of the material easy for students?” One option is to incorporate embeddable translators directly onto the page. The Google Translate widget is one option for this.
- Communication: Rena says, “What I think is first and foremost is communication. . . . How are we communicating to our students [and] our families about our online presence, or LMS?” When considering communication, consistency is important, and it’s helpful to provide video communication with translation. Rena reminds us how important access to information is, saying, “If we never get in, it doesn’t really matter.”
- Consistency: Paul says, “The more consistent something is, the easier it will be for parents [and] for students to learn the system you have.” He suggests considering things like organizational style, communication protocols, and even color scheme.
- Hyperlinks: Winston reminds us of the important role that hyperlinks play in an online space. He suggests linking keywords in multiple places to increase the odds that students and families will find what they are looking for.
- Multimedia: Rena suggests using multimedia to communicate. Screencasting is a great way to add video explanations to a page, and these screencasts can often be translated for users. This content can help parents and students who are absent. She says, “I really think that multimedia integration is underutilized in a lot of ways because it sounds scary, but it’s really very simple once you try it on.”
- Multiple Means of Representation: Building on Rena’s point, Paul calls out the importance of providing multiple ways to access content: text, multimedia, informative images, video, embedded activities, and more. This can also include the use of text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools.
- Student Input: Winston reminds us that students should have a voice in their online spaces. How can students engage with each other in this space? What options do they have for sharing their work or asking questions? Can they provide peer feedback, and are student voices represented in this learning space?
- Students as Producers: Rena talks about the importance of having students create and not just consume. Learning management systems often allow students to not only produce text but also record audio and video or upload other products they have created. This allows for differentiation in how students can express themselves.
- Embedded Slideshows: Paul suggests embedding a digital slideshow at the top of your main online learning page. This provides teachers with a convenient way of communicating key information, like assignments and learning resources. Once embedded, teachers can simply update the slideshow to update the content viewed online. It saves teachers time and provides students with a convenient place to get what they need, which is especially beneficial for students who are absent.
- Online Reading Patterns: Paul says, “If we understand how people read the screen, we can better understand where to put the most important things on our screens.” The two most common ways of reading a screen are called the F-Pattern and the Layer-Cake Pattern. Almost always, the most important information should be at the top of the page.
- Images: Visual aids can also be very helpful. Rena suggests adding informative images, and she also reminds us of the importance of adding alt text for accessibility.
- Backwards Design: Just like we design our lessons using backwards design, it can also be helpful to plan out your online classroom space in reverse. Begin with your goals, and then design accordingly.
- Mobile Experience: As more people access their digital content via cell phones, it’s important to make sure that content is formatted accordingly. We should ask the question: Is this content and space mobile-friendly?
Guiding Questions
If you are listening to the podcast with your instructional team or would like to explore this topic more deeply, here are guiding questions to prompt your reflection:
- How do you set up your online learning space?
- Does the design of your online classroom space support how you want students to learn?
- How does your online classroom space represent your learners?
- How can you make your online learning space more accessible and usable?
- How might you involve your students in the design, setup, and decoration of your online classroom space?
- What concepts and ideas stood out to you from this conversation?
Extend Your Learning
- What Does UX in Education Look Like? (UX Collective via Medium)
- How Do You Organize and Use LMS Effectively? (Levelup)
- Get Organized: Setting Up Your LMS So Your Students Can Get What They Need (eLearning Industry)