At-a-Glance Pages

Having a road map is helpful for navigating new places and avoiding getting lost.  This is equally true for students looking at online content.  Having a brief map or “At a Glance” page can help prevent students from being lost in the content and assist them in their success.

Creating an At-a-Glance page is relatively simply.  You preface a module, unit, or chunk of content and briefly review what the student is about to accomplish and why.  In a short, and easy to comprehend at a glance, you want to prepare the student for the task ahead. It also assists the learners with navigating though course.

A successful At-a-Glance page should include:

• a brief introduction
• objectives
• learning activities
• list of assignments
• information about when things are due
• a list of references, readings, or resources required.

Remember, a brief introduction is important because it gives context to the learning at hand.  Research has shown that offering context and describing why one needs to learn the material helps adult learners succeed in their learning experience.

For those feeling creative, supplementing the page with a visual guide of for students can also improve their success as well. 

How many does your course need?

When creating a course it is best practice to break their material up into easily understandable chunks of content.  Include an at-a-glance page, for both the overall course, and for each encapsulated module, or unit, in the course. You will find that you spend more time teaching because you are spending less time answering questions about course navigation, expectations, and course logistics.  Likewise, you may notice an uptick in student success.

References

Javadi, N & M. Zandieh (2011) Adult Learning Principles. Journal of American Science. 7(6): 342-346.

Wlodkowsi, R & M. Ginsberg (2017) Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn: A Comprehensive Guide for Teaching All Adults, 4th edition. Jossey-Bass: San Fransisco, CA.