Engaging eLearning

Using media to create engagement

There are so many ways you can have fun with media and help bring your course to life! as we have already mentioned in the Engaging Moodle Courses topic, we introduced the use of video for video welcomes. You can also use video for things like weekly blogs, explaining what students need to be working on this week for example. 

You can use YouTube or Vimeo videos within your course to help explain concepts, or you could create your own explainer videos! Check out the very unpolished animated video created quickly with Animaker. 

You can also create your own posters or images in tools like Canva or Adobe. You could attach images like these ones made in Canva into a forum or embed in Moodle. 

Embracing characters

We love to use characters! Using characters in online learning courses can enhance engagement, understanding, and retention by creating a personal and relatable experience. Characters can capture attention and form emotional connections, which improve memory and motivation. Characters can be used on the Moodle pages, embedded into H5Ps and RISE. You can find a selection of characters to use inside PPT, Freepik and Canva. In PPT, select insert Picture/Stock images/ Cutout people.  

Click through the image slider to see how we have used characters!

Explainer videos 

While this isn't for everyone, using Animated characters can be a fun and engaging to present content. We can help you create this in the eCreate team but you also have access to the free version if Animaker (top video) but will have a watermark overlayed. It takes a wee bit of self-teaching but there are loads of great tutorials! Another option is Powtoon (bottom video)- that too has a free version that you can use.  

Creating media & presentations | Canva

Canva is a great tool you could use to make your learning engaging. It helps you create designs and graphics without needing to be an expert! You can use it to make things like posters, social media posts, presentations, and more. It offers a lot of templates and easy-to-use features. 

We have created a very simple example (made very quickly!) of how Canva can be used. 

Below is one example of creating a snippet of visual learning using Canva. This kind of bite-sized video could be used at the beginning of your course, or the end, or anywhere!  This is a very short (incomplete) example that took 3 mins to make. Hope this encourages you to give Canva a go!

Interactive video H5P 

Here's a simple example of a YouTube clip embedded into Moodle H5P. You'll see added interactions within the video, like multiple-choice questions and prompts to stop and think. Before the video, there's a brief introduction referencing the source, along with reflective questions to engage the ākonga and provide a focus for their viewing.

Infographic inspiration! 

Infographics are a fantastic way to present complex information in a simple and visually appealing format. They are particularly beneficial for visual learners who grasp and retain information better when it is presented graphically.

Easy to Create in Canva: Creating infographics in Canva is incredibly straightforward, even if you have no prior design experience. Canva offers a wide variety of templates specifically designed for infographics, covering different styles and purposes. 

Screen capture videos

Did you see above that we used screen capture video to showcase navigating through Canva? Screen capture videos are an excellent way to enhance your online course by providing clear, step-by-step demonstrations. 

They are perfect for demonstrating software, providing step-by-step tutorials, virtual tours, explaining complex concepts, giving feedback, facilitating interactive scenarios, conducting webinars, troubleshooting, supporting collaborative projects, aiding language learning, and enabling student presentations. Some free tools you can use are ScreenPal and Loom.