Using onscreen text to make your elearning better

Posted by Greten on 05 Jan 2023 under Tips

Onscreen text is a body of text that displays on an elearning module's slides and videos. You can use it to relay knowledge, guide learners through the module, and improve its visual appearance.

There are several ways to display onscreen text, including headings, paragraphs, bullet points, and numbered lists. However, it is a crucial component of elearning modules since it facilitates informational delivery and leads students through the subject matter. Efficient use of onscreen text enhances the overall efficacy and engagement of an elearning module.

Onscreen text displays on a laptop

Onscreen text may communicate information clearly and concisely, enhance the module's aesthetics, and increase accessibility for impaired students. Overall, the onscreen text is an integral part of elearning modules. Therefore, it is critical to carefully evaluate its usage and execution to provide learners with a practical and engaging learning environment.

Advantages of onscreen text in elearning modules

Convey information clearly and concisely

In elearning lessons, the onscreen text is crucial for clearly expressing information. In addition, it complements other types of information like graphics, music, or video. It enables students to read and absorb material at their own speed.

Using onscreen text wisely and efficiently to reduce cognitive overload is crucial. This entails using clear and understandable language, dividing the material into logical sections, and minimizing the use of extraneous or superfluous details.

Breaking up material using bullet points, headings, and subheadings makes it easier for students to understand and retain information. In general, the objective of onscreen text in elearning is to assist students in efficiently and effectively absorbing and remembering important information.

Improving the module's visual appearance

One way to enhance the visual appearance of your elearning modules is to use the onscreen text. For example, you may create a content hierarchy and direct learners' attention to the most crucial parts using various font sizes, styles, and colors. Minimize the variation of font size and faces for a more uniform and polished look. Align text and put some spacing around it to make it appear neat.

In addition, you can increase the visual appeal and develop a consistent design for your documents by combining complementary visuals and backdrops with similar font types. These techniques assist in making your online learning materials more visually attractive and interactive for users.

Improve accessibility for disabled students

Using onscreen text that is easy to read and comprehend improves accessibility for individuals with disabilities regarding online learning. Images and other visuals should include alternate text or image captions so those with visual impairment may still comprehend what is being shown. You do not need to do this if the narration covers the information in the alternate text or image captions.

Laptop showing disability wheelchair icon

For the benefit of those with hearing impairment, provide closed captions or transcripts if your online course has audio or video.

Remember to maintain a consistent design throughout your elearning module that is simple to explore, with distinct headings and sections to organize your information. In addition, you can make your online learning more inclusive and inviting to all learners by taking specific accessibility requirements into account.

Best Practices for Designing and Implementing Onscreen Text

Using clear and concise language

You should employ concise language when using onscreen text in your online learning products. This means speaking in plain language and avoiding jargon or technical vocabulary that might confuse your learners. An exception to this is if your learners belong to a particular group of people that use specific jargon or terminology, such as those belonging to certain professions or industries.

Use sentences that are short and direct to the point instead of lengthy, convoluted phrases to make your writing easy to grasp. As you write, keep in mind the requirements and skills of your readers and use language that corresponds to their level of comprehension.

Increase the impact of your onscreen content and make it simpler for your learners to understand and retain the coverage of your elearning lesson by using clear and concise language.

Using appropriate font sizes and styles

Use onscreen text with suitable font sizes and styles in elearning modules to make learning efficient. Choose legible font sizes, particularly for students who have visual problems.

It is a good practice to use easy-to-read sans serif fonts like Arial or Calibri instead of ornamental or script fonts, which might be challenging to read on a screen. Additionally, minimize the variety among your elearning lesson's font styles and sizes to make it seem more polished and smooth. Consider factors like the length of your content and the overall appearance of your elearning module when choosing font sizes and styles. Also, remember the lesson's requirements and your learners' preferences.

Use headings and subheadings

Headings and subheadings improve the organization, readability, and engagement of your elearning lessons. First, your lesson's key ideas are denoted by headings. Then, the information inside those sections is further divided and organized using subheadings.

Break up long paragraphs of text using headings and subheadings to make it easier for readers to cursory read and understand the content. Additionally, headings provide visual clues that aid learners in recognizing essential details and main ideas. Try to use short phrases or sentences that appropriately portray the subject of each part when creating headings and subheadings. Finally, use consistent formatting for your headings to give your content a unified and polished appearance, such as uniform font sizes and styles.

Use bulleted or numbered lists

Using numbered or bulleted lists in elearning modules helps keep your onscreen content organized and easy to understand.

Unordered list with square bullets written on a notebook

Numbered list, also called ordered list, appends each item with a number. This list is commonly used to denote steps, hierarchy, or if the preceding paragraph mentioned the total number of items. On the other hand, a bulleted list, also called unordered list, denotes the equal importance of the items.

Both lists help you break up lengthy text paragraphs and improve your writing's readability and visual appeal. In addition, you can improve the organization and readability of your onscreen material for learners by utilizing lists efficiently.

Conclusion

To summarize, in elearning modules, the onscreen text is a body of text that displays on slides and videos. You can use onscreen text to relay or reinforce knowledge, direct students through the program, or enhance the module's aesthetic appeal. The onscreen text takes various forms, such as headings, paragraphs, bullet points, and numbered lists.

Onscreen text must be clear and concise, improve the module's aesthetics, and promote accessibility for students with impairments to be effective. To avoid cognitive overload and enhance learning and retention, use font sizes, headings, and list formats appropriately. The onscreen text should also be simple to read and understand to prevent learners from being confused. Hence, the onscreen text is a crucial component of elearning modules that helps provide a stimulating and effective learning environment.

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Last updated on 05 Jan 2023.

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Instructional design and educational technology for effective learning