What Does Interactive E-Learning Look Like?

If you're an e-learning designer, then you’ve most likely had a client ask you to “make this content interactive.” But what does that mean? How does that look? Interactivity is about more than simply making a drag-and-drop activity or adding clickable objects on a slide.

To me, making a course interactive means creating a course a learner wants to engage with—not a series of unnecessary clicks. Still having trouble picturing what this looks like? Take a look at these four interactive examples that caught my attention and kept me engaged. 

Example 1: Time Management

Whether you’re working in an office or at home, staying focused can be hard. This Time Management course by Phil Eagles captures so many of the distractions we face at work. The content is relatable and the decisions you have to make are an accurate representation of what can happen in our everyday work life.

Example 2: Advance Care Planning

When you’re working with a sensitive topic, adding flashy animations could come across as unsympathetic and inappropriate. That’s why I wanted to share this thoughtfully designed Advance Care Planning course by Cindy Holland. From the start, I’m immediately drawn in by the audio and accompanying text. The content and assets used capture the mood of the topic being discussed and guide you through the experience.   

Example 3: Unconscious Bias Quiz

When you hear the word “quiz” you might think BORING!, or perhaps you get a little anxious because it brings back awful grade school memories of pop quizzes. Well, this Unconscious Bias Quiz example by Steve Andrews is . . . fun! You read that right. It includes hilarious voiceover, thoughtful sound effects, and creative scoring elements that all work together and feel purposeful.

Example 4: How to Process a Return

Including relevant scenarios can help display content in a way that engages the learner and invites them to make decisions. This course on How to Process a Return by Nicole Legault does just that. Instead of making a long bulleted list of the process, she uses a combination of images, text, buttons, and questions to walk you through the experience.   

Summary

There are tons of ways to make courses more interactive, but the trick is to add interactions that entice your learners to engage with the content. When you’re weighing your options, consider how the subject matter relates to your audience, and then design accordingly.

More Resources

Want to learn more about making your courses interactive? Check out these resources:

• 3 Things to Consider Before You Add Interactivity
• 5 Ideas for Turning Boring Bullets into Engaging Interactions
• Transform Boring Content into a Fun Drag-and-Drop
• Create Interactive Videos with These Storyline 360 Features

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