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Newsletter: Fall 2004

Interactive and Engaging Online Content

by: Joan Thomas & Susannah Finley

“My students don’t seem to be reading the online course site or going deeper to the resources that I’ve provided online.”

Generally, there are two approaches you can take to make your site more inviting—and helpful—to your students. The first involves creating more engaging content to add to your current site. The second is to link to a broader range of online resources that supply those student engagement opportunities for you.

Try This: For an online example of these principles, look to Second Story Interactive Studios (http://secondstory. com/). This site plays host to an abundance of fascinating online approaches that serve to heighten user interest in the content. Exhibits, collections, story telling, reference resources . . . users easily forget about the medium and become engrossed in the message—an excellent accomplishment online or off. Some of their showcased sites offer database search functions, allowing students to easily explore related articles or images. Others use simple still or motion graphics to focus attention on important page elements. Many of the sites employ knowledge-retention exercises disguised as matching answer or hide-and-reveal games. The site featuring George Washington (http://georgewashington.si.edu) uses audio narration, elicits and catalogs learners’ responses by inviting them to type in their thoughts, and even offers interactive games allowing the learner to apply their skills. “George” himself makes an appearance, reminiscing over his early days as he stands about in period garb. Each function is part of an overall strategy of engagement—that combination of curiosity and applied focus that optimizes the brain for learning.