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.
So, how do you infuse your course with a powerful writing style and effective tone?
Courses that merit a student's time and dedication are usually grounded in an author's personal experience and subject matter expertise. And taking into account the infinite amount of course topics that are taught in higher education and training programs--not to mention the different learning and pedagogical styles--it makes sense that the appropriate writing style greatly depends on the context.
So why does "voiceless writing" still reign supreme over the e-learning world? Many content creators have yet to discover their authorial voice and use it to create engaging and effective content.
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, studies show that students respond better and are more engaged with learning content when it is presented in a more interesting and unique way, with a more nuanced and personalized tone. And many e-learning authors are warming up to the idea of writing with a voice, and doing away with voiceless 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.
The lesson? Use your voice. In developing learning management system course content, keep your writing clear, simple, and most importantly, your own.
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.
So, how do you infuse your course with a powerful writing style and effective tone?
Courses that merit a student's time and dedication are usually grounded in an author's personal experience and subject matter expertise. And taking into account the infinite amount of course topics that are taught in higher education and training programs--not to mention the different learning and pedagogical styles--it makes sense that the appropriate writing style greatly depends on the context.
So why does "voiceless writing" still reign supreme over the e-learning world? Many content creators have yet to discover their authorial voice and use it to create engaging and effective content.
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, studies show that students respond better and are more engaged with learning content when it is presented in a more interesting and unique way, with a more nuanced and personalized tone. And many e-learning authors are warming up to the idea of writing with a voice, and doing away with voiceless 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.
The lesson? Use your voice. In developing learning management system course content, keep your writing clear, simple, and most importantly, your own.
About the Author:
Generate lessons 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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