We’ve come to the end of another e-learning semester and I feel as though i’ve learnt alot of invaluable knowledge. I’m not entirely happy with the development of my own e-learning course but I think you live and learn and next time around i’ll be able to put into practice what i didnt quite achieve this time.
In order to align my design with my chosen learning theory, ive developed a cognitive concept map for my course. I came across a book in the library about the cognitive impact of web-based education. “Typically the processing of information has been viewed, from the perspective of cognitive theory, as falling into two general areas. The first of these is perception and pattern recognition of information. The second is the processing and encoding of information into the long term memory.” (Abbey, 2000, p.42) The aim of my course, while using the cognitive approach is to develop the connections between the knowledge that potentially already exists within learners who are looking to complete the course. The knowledge may be sourced from aspects of their jobs or general knowledge. Creating a sense of meaningfulness by developing these links with the course content will hopefully provide a mechanism for transforming the information so it can be stored in the long term memory of the learner, allowing it to be drawn upon again and again. Abbey, B., (2000) Instructional and Cognitive Impacts of Web-Based Education , Idea Group Publishing, London.
While looking at a few websites that demonstrate good use of the C.R.A.P principles, I came across the Big Day Out site for 2006. The first thing you notice is the variety of colour and the off centre alignment – a great eye catcher for the opening page. It also contains very little information encouraging the viewer to enter the site. Thats when it became frustrating though; when you move the mouse around an image of a zippo lighter starts to move around the page, the idea is to move the lighter over to the enter button and with a click of the mouse the top of the lighter opens and a flame appears which burns a hole through the word enter which allows you to view the main page with all the information. Maybe this is my activist/kinesthetic learning style coming out but it was SOOO frustrating trying to work that out! I spent 5min clicking on all these different words – i didnt actually read the word enter for awhile becuase i was so drawn to the colourful heading (sometimes getting a flame but nothing happening) until i got annoyed and gave up and read through the tour dates. Then i noticed the word enter and worked out how to get into the site….
talk about blonde moment 
