Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime

6.2. What are the components of learning activities?

Most learning activities have three phases, each of which may involve several learning actions.

6.2.1. WHEN SHOULD YOU USE LEARNING ACTIVITIES?

Learning activities can be used to teach, to exercise, and to test knowledge, skills, and beliefs. Activities cater to those who learn best by doing and to those who would rather discover a fact for themselves than be told about it. They can also be the mechanisms whereby we evaluate the learning of students. Their use as tests is covered in Chapter 7. Here we concentrate on their uses to teach and to reinforce learning.

6.2.2. What kinds of activities are possible in WBT?

Any kind of activity is possible. If you can do it in a classroom or with CBT, you can do it in a WBT course. Of course, you may have to make adjustments to accommodate thelimitations of WBT technology, mainly the restricted bandwidth and lack of face-to-face contact. You can compensate by using new Web technologies to produce learning experiences, some not possible in the classroom or with traditional CBT.

6.2.3. Do activities require a class?

Some activities are performed by a class as a whole. Some activities require multiple teams. Others require just one learner to perform the activity and one instructor to provide feedback. Still others use the computer to provide feedback and hence are suitablefor the solo ...