Reading Reflections on Applying Multimedia Principles to Online Learning

Three views of learning among e-learning courseware:
1. Information Acquisition (receptive)
2. Response-strengthening (directive)
3. Knowledge construction (guided discovery)

One of the advances that the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) is starting to initiate is the e-learning aspect of training. Since the inception of the department there has only been one way to delivery training, face-to-face. In reaffirming what Clark & Mayer (2003) discuss regarding cost, I have to tell you that without well designed trainings that brings back value to the organization, it is hard to continue to justify some of the soft-skill trainings that take place. However, with the utilization of e-learning, this type of training becomes more of a reality.

In reflecting on Clark & Mayer (2003), it highlighted a lot of strategies that I put in my instructional design for my learning community (thank goodness it matched). However, I also noticed that many of these strategies, such as using “pictures to deliver the content” and using “instructional methods such as examples and practice” to assist in transfer of knowledge is similar to that of face-to-face training. It appears to be more of the platform that changes versus the content. In continuing to read through the text, I made a connection with my own learning community being “far transfer” (Clark & Mayer, p.19, 2003). What I appreciated the most about the text is that I can use this as a job aid for when I start to design more e-learning courses at work. For me, providing me with the pitfalls of e-learning is just as important as the rest of the text. Most importantly for me, it includes instructional design components throughout and having one text that focuses on designing e-learning is more practical that thumbing through three or four books to try and align instructional strategies to fit the desired platform.