DR. CARL’S E-LEARNING SURGERY

Got an e-learning problem? Need a quick and dirty solution? You've come to the right place.

Accessibility on the cheap

Dear Dr. Carl,

I am from Yorkshire, with Scottish ancestry, and therefore genetically predisposed to being what people commonly refer to as “tight”. With this in mind, are there any free plugins I can use for Google Chrome that will allow me to test the accessibility of my e-learning modules?

Dear Tight,

Enhancing the accessibility of your e-learning modules is a great idea, and at Dirtyword, we find that using the WAVE tool for Google Chrome produces some pretty useful results. Once installed, navigate to your e-learning module and activate the WAVE icon. This action prompts WAVE to analyze the page, displaying a sidebar with categorised results - errors, alerts, features, and more.

Errors highlight critical accessibility issues, while alerts may need some manual reviewing and tweaking. Clicking the icons for detailed information, including suggestions for improvement, will help you troubleshoot some of your accessibility woes. Despite WAVE’s utility, you’ll still want to complement its insights with manual testing and user feedback for a more comprehensive accessibility test.

Winging assessments

Dear Dr. Carl,

Being quite a whimsical person, I approach my work with the attitude that I should do whatever I like depending on my mood. Consequently, when writing online courses, I will sometimes scatter assessment questions throughout the course, whilst on Tuesdays and Fridays, I usually just add one big quiz at the end. Which is correct?

Dear Whimsy,

The placement of assessments, whether at the end of a module or interspersed throughout, can significantly impact learner engagement and knowledge retention. Educators and instructional designers are keenly interested in the debate between these two approaches.

Traditionally, placing assessments at the end of a module allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the learner’s understanding of the entire content. This approach provides learners with the opportunity to review and absorb information at their own pace before being tested, potentially leading to a more accurate measure of their overall comprehension.

Whereas assessments throughout the module offer a more dynamic and interactive learning experience. This method keeps learners engaged and allows for immediate application of knowledge, which can enhance retention. Moreover, it enables instructors to identify and address learning gaps in real time, facilitating a more personalised learning journey.

So, the answer largely depends on the nature of the content, the learning objectives, and the audience. For complex subjects requiring deep understanding, periodic assessments reinforce learning and build confidence. For more straightforward topics, a final assessment may suffice to gauge comprehension.

Typophile on the prowl

Dear Dr. Carl,

As much as it pains me to write to you, knowing that my letter will be reproduced in the tedious Montserrat typeface that is the standard for your magazine, and not the glorious Charlemagne Regular 14 point font with custom leading that I favour, I have a question I fear only you may be able to answer. Clearly, I find using run-of-the-mill typefaces boring but worry that if I introduce fancier fonts into my e-learning, I might incur accessibility issues. Is this the case?

Dear Typo,

It’s true, standard web fonts, whilst highly accessible and readable across various devices and platforms, often lack the uniqueness to make your content stand out. Their ubiquity can flatten e-learning experiences.

On the flip side, branching out into more distinctive, fancier fonts can elevate your e-learning modules’ visual appeal, making them more engaging and memorable. However, this pursuit of typographic distinction comes with a cautionary note on accessibility. Not all fonts are created equal in the eyes of diverse learners, including those with dyslexia or visual impairments, where readability can significantly affect learning outcomes.

But fear not, for the typeface landscape is rich with fonts that captivate and cater to accessibility needs. So it’s good to consider the following strategies to marry beauty with accessibility:

1) Opt for fonts that offer the best of both worlds - readable yet distinctive. Fonts like Open Sans, Lato, and yes, Montserrat, tread this fine line gracefully.

2) Ensure fonts are adaptable for various screen sizes.

3) Maintain high contrast between text and background colours to enhance readability.

4) Leverage tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker and gather user feedback to refine your choices.

Remember, the ultimate goal is to enhance the learning experience without erecting barriers. By thoughtfully selecting fonts that resonate with your audience’s style and needs, you can craft e-learning modules that are visually engaging and inclusively accessible.

Need Dr. Carl’s help with an e-learning dilemma? Send your problems to dr.carl@dirtywordmag.com