Helping Students Navigate Course Content

When students open a learning module, they should access a meaningful, sequenced set of content, support, and assessment. The module should be focused and consistent in design with other courses. They should be able to navigate from the top to the bottom of the module in an easy fashion and not leave the module until it is completed. However, often as students’ transition from a text-based content item to a video, audio, or even a PDF, something can be lost. It is critical to remember your audience. So, when moving from one piece of content to another, within a learning module (i.e., text to video or audio), your role as guide should kick in. For example:

• Inform students they are going to watch a video next in the module sequence.
• Tell them what the video is about.
• Tell them how the video relates or contributes to understand the module’s learning objectives.
• Tell them if the material is testable (should be).
• Tell them the item will help complete or be part of an assignment later in the module

Connect content items for the student, by making them relevant. A content item should never standalone without explanation. There are just too many questions. So have a meaningful transition between technologies. The same rule applies between modules.

Some instructors call these Overview and Summary, but in short they tell students where they have been and where they are going. They can also be a point for reflection, analysis, the integration of new material, and even closure for social and cognitive experiences.