Pedagogic Thoughts: e-Content

e-CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Content means information and experiences that may be valuable for audience in specific field. The purpose of content writing is to inform, educate or to interact.

E-content means content in the electronic form. It is a combination of text, audio, video, images, animation with visual effects. Any digitized content that can facilitate the learning process and learning outcome can be termed as e-content. The e-development of learning material facilitate the learners to achieve better performance. E-content is the heart of e-learning, so the electronic learning materials should be designed appropriately so as to have the desired outcome of learning.

E-content packages serves as a creative and productive way to restructure the learning processes constructively and progressively to the technological and social change. E-content package is a unique learning tool where the students are able to learn at their own pace and visualize the content. It can be defined as a collection of information on any topic systematized according to the choice of the web users.

Features of a good e-content

· Learning by ‘principle of chunking’

· It is prepared in appropriate format

· It keeps logical organization and arrangement

· It provides multi-sensory learning experience

· It impress the learners

· It is original and fresh

· It sticks on the topic and does not deviate from it

· It gives learners accurate information

· It explains the topic with illustrations, images, animations, simulations videos etc. if the situation demands

· Accessibility

· Re-usability

Importance

· It educates the users across the globe.

· It attracts visitors to continue browsing on the current website.

· It facilitates accessibility to quality materials.

· It ensures productive utilization of time.

· It provides good learning cum earning.

Basic steps for developing e-content

Plan out the topic for e-learning course.
Write the learning /instuctional objectives
Script writing
Correcting the script (grammer, spell check, meaning etc.)
Collection of needy materials (video, audio, image, animation etc)
Preparation of story board for the narration .
Editing. (Ensure your creative touch within the prescribed format)
Organising the content sequentially and implementing.
Evaluation of the material (Process of rechecking the effectiveness of the material

Objectives of e-content development

To store, preserve and provide access to a variety of digital resources to students and teachers.
To enable the participation of the community in the development and sharing of digital resources.
To enhance the quality of the education system of the country.
To facilitate teachers to create and share contextual teaching and learning resources.
To celebrate innovations in resource creation.

ADDIE MODEL for e-learning

The ADDIE model for e-learning is a good template for developing e-content. The model comprises of five phases;

i. Analysis

ii. Design

iii. Development

iv. Implementation

v. Evaluation

ANALYSIS:

The process of defining what is to be learned.

The Analysis phase is the foundation for all other phases of instructional design. During this phase, the investigator defines the problem, identifies the source of the problem and determines possible solutions. It includes specific research techniques such as needs assessment, audience analysis, task and topic analysis. The outputs of the Analysis phase will be the inputs for the Design phase

DESIGN:

The process of specifying how it is to be learned.

The Design phase encompasses the following activities

· Formulating a set of anticipated learning outcomes/objectives of the course.

· Defining the sequential order in which the objectives should be achieved.

· Planning the instructional strategy.

· Identify the needy resources that fit with the content.

The outcome of Design phase serves as a blueprint for developmental phase.

DEVELOPMENT:

The process of authoring and producing the materials.

The purpose of this phase is to generate the e-content product. It comprises of developing learning materials, flowcharts, program etc. The author constructs and develops the e-package with the help of hardware and software.

Non interactive simple learning resources such as documents, power-point presentations, audios, videos etc. are used.

Interactive e-lessons include a linear sequence of screens which include text, animations, graphics, images, audio, video, electronic simulations and interactivity in the form of quiz/questions and feedback. It also provides link to online resources for additional information.

The development of multimedia interactive content comprises of three steps;

Content Development: Script writing, Identifying and Collecting all the needy resources required for the e-learning package.

Storyboard Development: Integrating instructional methods and media elements. This phase describes the sequential array of all components of the final e-package viz; text, images videos, simulations, interactions, assessment test and so on.

Courseware Development: This includes

i. Developing media and interactive components

ii. Integrating the content elements into a learning platform that learners can easily access.

iii. Producing quality ensured e-content package in prescribed formats for CD-ROM and web delivery.

IMPLEMENTATION:

The process of installing the project in the real world context

The Implementation phase refers to the actual delivery of the instruction, whether it's classroom-based, lab-based or web based. The global access and utilization of the courseware is made by installing on a server. This phase focuses on tryout and learners training. Feedbacks and comments at this stage regarding the courseware helps us to makes improvement in e-content development.

EVALUATION:

The process of determining the adequacy, effectiveness and efficiency of the instruction.

The evaluation process occurs throughout the entire instructional design process within phases, between phases, and after implementation. The developer should evaluate learners’ reaction, the achievement of learning objectives, the transfer of intended knowledge and skills etc. The e-content developer reflects upon the evaluation results so as to ensure improvements in his future works.

Implications of e-content in education

The e-content package creates lot of scope for self-learning.
The e-content package could create an interesting atmosphere for learning, it may either be on live or offline
The e-content package makes and stimulates each student’s individual or self-paced learning process.
The e-content package gives the enjoyable learning process in their subjects.
Each student can clarify him/herself any doubt about during learning process through e-content package.
Students are active participant in the learning process.
E-content package encourages cooperation and active learning and promotes students' own-pace of learning.