Interactivity is an overused term in the e-learning industry. Every e-learning course claims to be highly ‘interactive.’ The objective of this article is to:
- Introduce the concept of instructional interactivity.
- Uncover the myths associated with instructional interactivity.
- Discuss the four components of instructional interactivity.
- Describe the characteristics of good instructional interactivity.
What is Instructional Interactivity?
First, let us define “interactivity”. According to Webster’s New Millennium, interactivity is “the extent to which something is interactive; the extent to which a computer program and human being may have a dialogue.” Basically, the learner’s interaction with the computer in terms of navigation or usability is interactivity. Therefore, the clicks in a course will indicate interaction between the application and the learner.
Let us now consider the definition of instructional interactivity. According to Dr. Michael Allen, instructional interactivity is “Interaction that actively stimulates the learner’s mind to do those things that improve ability and readiness to perform effectively.” According to him, instructional interactivity:
- Stimulates the learner’s brain and makes him/her think
- Encourages the learner to learn effectively
- Provides necessary motivation for learners
- Ensures in the learner’s mind internal events such as recall, classification, analysis, and decision-making
Therefore, instructional interactivities should be not be confused with activities such as navigation, clicking buttons, tabbed presentations, rollover texts, or jazzy features and fancy animation. Let us discuss the points of difference between the two concepts, activity and instructional interactivity.
| Interactivity | Instructional Interactivity |
| The learner interacts with the application/system/computer. | The learner interacts with the content of the course. |
| It uses motor skills. | It uses cognitive skills. |
| It is often a mechanical action that the learner undertakes to perform a learning task. | It is a well-thought out deliberate action by the learner that helps in achieving the learning objectives. |
Are books interactive?
The interactivity in a book depends on the plot or content of the book and the writing style. A book may lack visual presentation, yet can be highly interactive. When was the last time you read a book that you couldn’t put down? Sometimes, you are so engrossed with the content that you reflect on it for days. Such is the level of interactivity that your mind visualizes the images and scenarios explained in the book.
Components of Instructional Interactivity
According to Dr. Michael W. Allen, the four components of instructional interactivity are Context, Challenge, Activity, and Feedback. You will be able to identify these components in any e-learning application.
Let us look at each component in detail.
Context
Context is the framework and conditions within which the content is taught. Context plays the following role in a course:
- Adds meaning to the course
- Enhances the learning experience
- Helps the learner visualize various alternatives available and their outcomes
- Helps the learner relate to real life situations
- Aims to increase learner motivation
It is important to ensure that the context is relevant to the learner. The learner should be able to relate to his/her real life experience. Let us consider an example.
| Example of Context |
| You manage a great team of six people at ZipTech. However, of late, things are not too good on the team front. Recently, your team lost a project due to internal team issues. You are worried, and your boss is very upset with you. You must find out the problems affecting your team and resolve them to return to your boss’ good books. After all, it is appraisal time! |
Consider the above example used in an eLearning course designed to resolve conflicts at the workplace. The target audience comprised of middle level managers in a corporate setup. In this course, we created an organizational setup in which the learner was given the role of a manager. We introduced the learner to his/her team and defined the tasks that the learner was expected to perform. The characteristics of the team members were defined in advance to reflect their respective traits. The learner had to manage several situations.
Graphics also plays a vital role in defining the context. Good visuals motivate the learner and supplement the context. Context is the environment within which the learner learns. It provides a “feel” of the course to the learner.
Challenge
Challenge is the stimulus that triggers a behavior (cognitive or physical) in the learner. The role of a challenge in a course is listed below:
- Sparks the learner’s curiosity
- Poses a ‘problem/situation’ that the learner has to handle
- Makes the learner think before acting
- Makes learning interesting
Challenges can in the form of questions, problem-solving, assessment exercises, and strategizing. Asking the learner to click a button to view information is not a challenge. A well-designed context encourages performance. It reinforces the relationship between subtasks (smaller milestones in the course) and final outcomes (main goal of the course).
| Example of Challenge |
| Dan and Anu are having problems with each other. Dan: I asked you to get the sales figures from the marketing department and collate them. Is it too difficult? I have a deadline on my head and you say you need another day? I am answerable to the boss, not you. Sorry, I refuse to be blamed for your actions. I’ve never missed a deadline before!Anu: I can’t help it if the marketing department is busy with other things. They aren’t exactly waiting to serve your whims and fancies. We have to fix a schedule and then talk to them, which is exactly what I’ve been doing. I do not want to be blamed for issues over which I have no control. You should have factored this time in your plan. It is not my fault.Start mediation to solve this problem. |
Consider example. The main objective of this course was to resolve conflicts at the workplace and the target audience was middle level managers in a corporate setup. The learner was asked to resolve problems between two team members using mediation. The learner is posed with a situation and has to analyze his/her options before acting. Accordingly, the learner will witness the consequences of his/her actions. In this situation, the challenge is a form of interactivity for the learner. The learner is made to think and interact actively with the content. Instructional interactivity is about making learners think about the content rather than just absorb the information presented to them.
An effective challenge should make the learner apply his/her learning to situations. It should increase in complexity as the course progresses. The learner should be rewarded for making the right decisions and punished for incorrect answers. While designing the course, ensure that you reward the learner for the correct responses and expose the learner to the consequences of incorrect choices.
Activity
Activity is how the learner responds to the context and challenge posed. In a course, an activity:
- Is a medium for the learner to voice his/her choice
- Ensures that the learner can communicate his/her choice
- Reflects learners intentions or actions
- Provides various options to learners to tackle the challenge
In a course, an activity indicates the action that the learner has to take to counter a situation. When the learner responds to a situation, he/she may have a few options in mind that he/she may take. These alternatives should be reflected in the options that we provide to the learners. While designing an activity, the instructional designer and the graphic designer think about how the challenge and context will be presented and how the learner will react to these in the course. Therefore, while designing the activity, we must consider the learning objectives.
| Example 1 of Activity |
| Matt Smith: I was told not to open the valve during the delivery process, but no one told me why. I didn’t realize that it was going to be a big deal. I am sorry.History: Matt Smith has been working with the company for the last two years. His work record is good. There are no prior incidents stated in his record. Matt Smith was shown the method to open the valve.
Q. What is the cause for this performance issue? Option 1: Error: Unconscious non-compliance Option 2: Erosion of standards Option 3: Violation: Conscious non-compliance |
In example 1, the learner is presented a challenge within a context. The target audience for this course was managers and supervisors at a petrochemical company. The main objective of the course was to increase awareness of the safety precautions that had to be followed at the workplace. Context is that the learner in a manager and the challenge is that a staff has violated safety regulations. The learner is required to identify the cause of this performance issue. The learner is also shown the history of the staff to help arrive at the decision.
| Example 2 of Activity |
| Name: Sunil MathurDesignation: Sales Manager
KRA: Increase client base Sunil wants to present an innovative idea to his boss. He is in a dilemma.
What should be Sunil’s next course of action? Option 1: Listen to Anil and revert to a proven formula while creating the proposal. Option 2: Look for alternative means to justify the radical change. Option 3: Adhere to the rules that put a ceiling on resources and trash the radical idea. |
In example 2, the learner is being taught the values of an organization. The objective of the course was to inform the learner about the company values. The target audience comprised of entry level employees. Characters are introduced and their dilemmas are shared with the learner. The learner is asked to help these characters make a decision.
Activities enable learners to try various options and see the consequences. An effective activity should allow the learner to go back to explore possibilities and correct mistakes. It should ensure that the learner is actively weighing the pros and cons during decision-making. The learner should apply the knowledge gained while attempting an activity.
Feedback
Feedback is used to show the learner the consequences of his/her choices. The role of feedback in a course is listed below:
- Shows effectiveness of learner’s choices
- Helps reinforce concepts taught
- Provides reasons why the learner is correct or incorrect
- Ensures that misconceptions are checked
- Shows the consequences of learner’s actions
Feedback is a response to the activity that the learner performs while taking up the challenge. Feedback should be effective and of high impact to ensure that the learner registers the information. Feedback can also be displayed visually. Feedback should not be judgmental.
| Example 1 for Feedback |
| Prince Sori’s wife starts sneezing. She insists that something in the food must have caused it. Prince Sori is angry and assumes that it is your fault. How will you respond? Choose the appropriate action from options provided below.Option 1: “I am extremely sorry, Sir. I am unaware of what Her Highness is allergic to, else I would have suggested another dish.”
Option 2: “I am extremely sorry, Sir. Let me call a doctor immediately. I will also inform my manager.” Feedback for option 2:You handled that well! Prince Sori will feel better knowing that you are doing everything possible to ensure that his wife is comfortable. |
In example 1, the feedback is positive. It provides the rationale for the correct answer, thus, reinforcing the concepts taught. The main objective of the course was to inform the service staff of a restaurant about their duties and responsibilities. The target audience was fresh recruits in a signature restaurant.
| Example 2 for Feedback |
| Abigail: Why was Mark given a 50% raise while I was given a 10% raise? I worked very hard last month. I worked late hours and ensured that my work was done. Mark leaves office at 5:30 P.M. I am clearly more dedicated than he is. Why was he favored over me? I do not wish to continue in a company that does not appreciate my efforts!Abigail approaches you to complain about the injustice done to her. Mark has been given a 50% increment and Abigail has been given a 10% increment. She feels betrayed. You are aware that Mark deserved the increment. He is highly efficient. He not only finishes off his work but also helps those in other departments. However, you do not wish to lose Abigail. She is intelligent and hard working.You decide to negotiate with her.
Select the appropriate actions for negotiation. What is your primary goal for negotiation? Option 1: I will ensure that Abigail states her demands. I will then negotiate with her to ensure that she continues to work for me. Option 2: I will do a comparative analysis on Mark’s and Abigail’s performance. I will discuss the same with Abigail to make her realize that there was no bias involved. Option 3: I will ensure that Mark is present during the meeting with Abigail. This will help her understand that I have her interest in mind. Option 4: I will assure Abigail that she will be promoted next month. Feedback for option 2: Abigail quits because she is humiliated by the comparison. While you should make Abigail aware of the reasons why Mark was given a higher increment, comparing the performance of two team members is not a good idea. Restart! |
Example 2 displays an example of a high-impact feedback. The main objective of this course was to resolve conflicts at the workplace and the target audience was middle level managers in a corporate setup. The consequence of the learner’s action is negative and drastic. The learner realizes why his/her decision was not the most appropriate one.
Feedback is a powerful tool that should be used effectively. It should be constructive and provide the rationale to the learner so that the learner is able to see the consequences of his/her decisions.
Conclusion
A highly interactive course is not about the number of clicks on the screen, it is about how much a learner is engaged with the content. Instructional interactivity is about cognitive interactivity not motor interactivity. While designing a course, it is good to consider the four components of instructional interactivity: context, challenge, activity, and feedback. A highly interactive course must have the perfect blend of context, challenge, activity, and feedback. Learning becomes more fun and interesting when the learner is not just reading the content off the screen or viewing a video passively; it is more fun when the learner is exploring the concept on his own and reflecting on the content.
A highly interactive course does not necessarily mean a high-end product. You can design highly interactive courses within the constraints of your projects. You need to explore all possibilities. If you know that a simulation will be best for a particular kind of content, it is not necessary to reject it because you can’t afford to create a 3-D simulation. You can use other ways to define the user’s role and the environment within which he/she will learn.
Ensure that you make the learner ‘feel’ part of the world.
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19th October, 2006 at 10:21 am
Extremely informative. The distinction between activity and instructional interactivity is often confused leading to courses that do not serve their prime objective of ‘helping learners learn’. The four components of instructional interactivity have been presented well, making for interesting reading.
27th June, 2007 at 7:26 am
Thx for the info. I’m currently doing some reaserch on why even with high interactivity, a course still fails to engage users to continue using it.
This info really helps me understand the difference between an interactivity and instructional interactivity. Thx
27th June, 2007 at 9:07 am
Glad you found the article useful, Jahad. Please do share your thoughts on why highly interactive courses fail to engage learners. It may bring out an interesting discussion.
Good luck with your research.
22nd May, 2008 at 8:49 am
Thanks for the information. İt’s very useful for my web based multimedia project. Lots of love from Turkey…
22nd May, 2008 at 9:20 am
Welcome! Glad to know that knowledge is being shared across continents!
12th December, 2009 at 10:45 pm
This is a very useful tool and it helps to understand how people might react if compared to others; however, what I got out of it was everyone learns differently so I should have multiple methods of teaching available for those those that did not understand the concept the first time. Being aware of the way a person learns is a very big deal and teachers miss the boat with many children because again… not everyone learns the same.