{"id":4543,"date":"2023-05-22T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-22T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/?p=4543"},"modified":"2023-05-22T12:30:18","modified_gmt":"2023-05-22T19:30:18","slug":"spring-cleaning-for-your-courses-sometimes-less-is-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/2023\/05\/22\/spring-cleaning-for-your-courses-sometimes-less-is-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Cleaning for Your Courses:\u00a0 Sometimes Less is More<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image by Benjamin Abara<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

My family and I were preparing for a move. We packed up some of our things, removing extraneous items from our walls and surfaces and preparing our house to list and show. Not willing to part with these things, we rented a small storage unit to temporarily warehouse all this extra \u201cstuff.\u201d Well, as it turned out, we ended up not moving at all, and after a few months went to clear out the storage unit and retrieve our extra things. The funny thing was, we could hardly remember what had gone in there, and as it turns out, we did not miss most of the items we had packed away. We ended up selling most of what was in that storage unit, and shortly thereafter, we did even more \u201cspring cleaning.\u201d One of the bedrooms, which also doubles an office, needed particular attention. The space was dysfunctional, in that multiple doors and drawers were blocked from fully opening. After a little purging and reorganization this room now functions beautifully, with enough space to open every door and drawer. I have been calling this process \u201cmoving back into our own house,\u201d and it\u2019s been a joy to rethink, reorganize, and reclaim our living spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Course Design Connection<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

As I have been working with more instructors who are redeveloping existing courses, I have been trying to bring this mindset into my instructional design work. How can we reclaim our online learning spaces and make them more inviting and functional? How can we help learners open all the proverbial doors and operate fully within the learning environment? You guessed it: While our first instinct might be to add more to the course, the answer might lie in the other direction. With a little editing and a keen eye on alignment, we can very intentionally remove things from our courses that might be needless or even distracting. We can also rearrange our pages and modules to maximize our learner\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memory and Course Design<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Our working memories, according to Cowan (2010), can only store 3-5 meaningful items at a time. Thus, it becomes essential to consider what is genuinely necessary on any given LMS page. If we focus on helping learners to achieve the learning outcomes when choosing the content to keep in each module, we can intentionally remove distractors. There can be a place for tangential or supplemental information, but those items should not live in the limelight. To help get us started on this \u201ccleaning process,\u201d we can ask ourselves a few simple questions. Are there big-ticket items (assignments, discussions, readings) that are not directly helping learners reach the outcomes? Are we formatting pages and arranging content in beneficial and progressive ways? Might we express longer bodies of text in ways that are more concisely or clearly? Can we break text up with related visuals? Below are some tips to help guide your process as you \u201cclean\u201d up your course and direct your learners where to focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut out the Bigger Extraneous Content<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

It is simple to assume that for your learners to meet the course outcomes, they must read and comprehend many things and complete a wide variety of assignments. When planning your learning activities, it’s crucial to keep in mind the limits of the brain and also that giving learners opportunities to practice applying content will be more successful than asking them to memorize and restate it. For courses with dense content, lean into your course outcomes to guide your editing process. Focusing on the objectives can help you remove extraneous readings and activities.  This will allow your learners to concentrate on the key points. (Cowden & Sze, 2012)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Review Instructions<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

For the items you choose to keep in your course, reviewing assignment instructions, and discussion prompts is helpful.  Consider inviting a non-expert to read these items.  An outside eye might help you to simplify what you are asking your learners to accomplish by calling to your attention any points of confusion. You may be tempted to add more detail, but try to figure out where you can remove text when possible. Why use a paragraph to explain something that only needs a few sentences? Simplifying your language can enable learners to get to the point faster. (For more on this, see the post by intern Aimee L. Lomeli Garcia about  Improving Readability<\/a>). When reviewing your instructions and prompts, think about what learners want to know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7       What should they pay attention to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7       Where do they start?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7       What do they do next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7       What is expected?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7       How are they being assessed\/graded?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Grennan, 2018)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Utilize Best Practices for Formatting<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Use native formatting tools like styles, headers, and lists to help visually break up content and make it more approachable. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I were to list my favorite animals here without a list, it would look like this: dogs, turtles, hummingbirds, frogs, elephants, and cheetahs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suppose I give you that same list using a header and number list format. In that case, it becomes much easier to digest mentally, and it looks nicer on the page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julie\u2019s Favorite Animals<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Dogs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Turtles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Hummingbirds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Frogs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Elephants<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Cheetahs<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Provide High-Level Overviews<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

    If an assignment does need a more thorough explanation, and your instructions are running long, you can always create a high-level overview, calling out the main points of the page. You could place this in a call-out box or its own section (preferably at the top). This is where learners can quickly look for reminders about what to do next and how to do it. Providing a high-level overview alongside detailed instructions will cater to a variety of learning preferences and help set up your learners for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Module Organization<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

    Scaling up beyond single pages and assignments to module organization, consider the order you want learners to encounter ideas and accomplish tasks. Don\u2019t be afraid to move pages around within your modules to help learners find the most efficient and helpful pathway through your material (Shift Elearning, n.d.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Wrapping It Up<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

    The culture of \u201cmore is better\u201d is pervasive, and it\u2019s almost always easier to add rather than to remove information. In online learning, when we buy into the \u201cculture of more\u201d we can impede the success of our learners. But more isn\u2019t always better; sometimes more is just more. Instead, don\u2019t be afraid to dust off that delete button and start reclaiming and reorganizing your course for ultimate learner success. Sometimes less is best. For more on the art of subtraction, see Elisabeth McBrien\u2019s blog post<\/a> from February of 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    References<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

    Cowan, N. (2010). The magical mystery four. Current Directions in Psychological Science<\/em>, 19<\/em>(1), 51\u201357. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0963721409359277<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cowden, P., & Sze, S. (2012). ONLINE LEARNING: THE CONCEPT OF LESS IS MORE. Allied Academies International Conference.Academy of Information and Management Sciences.Proceedings, 16<\/em>(2), 1-6. https:\/\/oregonstate.idm.oclc.org\/login?url=https:\/\/www.proquest.com\/scholarly-journals\/online-learning-concept-less-is-more\/docview\/1272095325\/se-2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Grennan, H. (2018, April 30). Why less is more in Elearning<\/em>. Belvista Studios – eLearning Blog. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from http:\/\/blog.belvistastudios.com\/2018\/04\/why-less-is-more-in-elearning.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lomeli Garcia, A. L. (2023, January 17). Five Tips on Improving Readability in Your Courses<\/em>. Ecampus Course Development and training. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/2023\/01\/17\/five-tips-on-improving-readability-in-your-courses\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    McBrien, E. (2022, February 24). Course design challenge: Try subtraction<\/em>. Ecampus Course Development and training. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/2022\/02\/24\/course-design-challenge-try-subtraction\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Parker, R. (2022, June 30). Why less is more for e-learning course materials<\/em>. Synergy Learning. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https:\/\/synergy-learning.com\/blog\/why-less-is-sometimes-more-when-it-comes-to-your-e-learning-course-materials\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Shift Elearning. (n.d.). The art of simplification in Elearning Design<\/em>. The Art of Simplification in eLearning Design. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https:\/\/www.shiftelearning.com\/blog\/the-art-of-simplification-in-elearning-design<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    University of Waterloo, Queen’s University, & University of Toronto; and Conestoga Colleg (n.d.). Module 3: Quality course structure and content. In High Quality Online Courses <\/em>. essay, Pressbooks Open Library, from https:\/\/ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub\/hqoc\/chapter\/3-1-module-overview\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    How can we reclaim our online learning spaces and make them more inviting and functional? How can we help learners open all the proverbial doors and operate fully within the learning environment? You guessed it: While our first instinct might be to add more to the course, the answer might lie in the other direction. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12635,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1393940,1393941,50450],"tags":[103045,1839,120,2619,88537,155,1393975],"class_list":["post-4543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-assignments","category-course-design-learning-design","category-tips-tricks","tag-course-design","tag-ecampus","tag-instructional-design","tag-online-education","tag-online-learning","tag-oregon-state-university","tag-organization"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12635"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4543"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4543\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4569,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4543\/revisions\/4569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/inspire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}