Learning Management System Course Creation: Less is More and More is Less
Less is more: it's a concept that learning material creators should keep in mind when preparing content for a learning management system course. Specifically, less is more when it comes to one's e-learning writing voice. The ideal e-learning writing style is optimally readable, relevant, and concise.
Of course, many decisions are necessary in the preparation, writing, and distributing of e-learning courses. You'll need to make choices about everything from graphics and other audio and visual features, navigation, and writing style. You must not underestimate the power of this last aspect. Just as an educator's teaching style holds a tremendous influence over the quality and interest of a face-to-face course, a powerful or wimpy writing style can make or totally break an e-learning course.
What are a few guidelines to creating a powerful writing style?
If you e-learning content has credibility and weight to it, it's probably based on your own experience and/or professional expertise. And considering the vast array of course subjects that exist--as well as the multitude of learning and education styles--it follows that different contexts are better suited to different writing styles.
So why is it the case that "voiceless writing" is still honored in academic writing--and especially in e-learning? Too often courseware developers not only suppress their authorial voice, but aim for a dry and impersonal one.
It's unfortunate but still true--the most popular style of e-learning content writing has involved "voiceless writing," in which a writer strives to do away with her or his own voice. The goal is to create a formal tone without any moisture or color peeking through.
However, a growing community of e-learning content developers has come to the realization that a stiff style of writing is not the ideal. Particularly in e-learning environments, studies show that generally, students are more engaged with the text when the writing has style and personality, rather than formal and impersonal writing.
In some situations, a formal, voiceless and stiff tone is simply unavoidable--and that's alright. The more problematic issue lies in this common practice of people in the education community of an unnecessarily formal and dull writing style. Content authors often write with a tone and language that is actually intended to be wordy and difficult to read, in an attempt to garner students' respect for the material.
So be yourself in your writing. Avoid this error which is so common to learning management system content writers, and strive instead for concise and readable content. You want to make students feel as if you are speaking directly to them; when you've done that, you've succeeded.
Of course, many decisions are necessary in the preparation, writing, and distributing of e-learning courses. You'll need to make choices about everything from graphics and other audio and visual features, navigation, and writing style. You must not underestimate the power of this last aspect. Just as an educator's teaching style holds a tremendous influence over the quality and interest of a face-to-face course, a powerful or wimpy writing style can make or totally break an e-learning course.
What are a few guidelines to creating a powerful writing style?
If you e-learning content has credibility and weight to it, it's probably based on your own experience and/or professional expertise. And considering the vast array of course subjects that exist--as well as the multitude of learning and education styles--it follows that different contexts are better suited to different writing styles.
So why is it the case that "voiceless writing" is still honored in academic writing--and especially in e-learning? Too often courseware developers not only suppress their authorial voice, but aim for a dry and impersonal one.
It's unfortunate but still true--the most popular style of e-learning content writing has involved "voiceless writing," in which a writer strives to do away with her or his own voice. The goal is to create a formal tone without any moisture or color peeking through.
However, a growing community of e-learning content developers has come to the realization that a stiff style of writing is not the ideal. Particularly in e-learning environments, studies show that generally, students are more engaged with the text when the writing has style and personality, rather than formal and impersonal writing.
In some situations, a formal, voiceless and stiff tone is simply unavoidable--and that's alright. The more problematic issue lies in this common practice of people in the education community of an unnecessarily formal and dull writing style. Content authors often write with a tone and language that is actually intended to be wordy and difficult to read, in an attempt to garner students' respect for the material.
So be yourself in your writing. Avoid this error which is so common to learning management system content writers, and strive instead for concise and readable content. You want to make students feel as if you are speaking directly to them; when you've done that, you've succeeded.
About the Author:
Author modules for elearning using Coggno's learning management system. If you have learners of 5 or less, you use the system free, visit http://www.coggno.com/lms and ask us to create your free account.
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