We constantly have audiovisual stimuli everywhere, so our attention span is limited. Internet, especially smartphones, contributes to less concentration and focus daily. But did you know that the combination of visual and audio will engage learners and reinforce their understanding? Keep reading and find out how to get the most about audio in e-learning courses!
Yes, it does. As e-learning trainers, our main objective is reinforcement education with all available resources so students can retain more efficiently. Audio, for example, is an excellent resource to complement text and images on the screen.
Reinforce learning using audio in e-learning courses
It is effortless to scroll through screens and scan through text in virtual courses without paying much attention. Combining the information on the screen with audio allows you to draw attention to essential items and reinforce critical concepts on each screen.
Tip: Remember that audio shouldn’t be a repetition of the text that appears on the screen. Students read faster than they listen, so audio won’t be compelling if used that way. Audio should always add to the content, so we recommend using it for:
- Introducing content that will appear.
- Developing the screen information. For example, for content in the style of: Did you know?
- Making examples
- Launching questions to think about
- Concluding what appears on the screen
Appeal to emotions
Hearing is the sense we most use for communication and one of the most powerful senses to feel emotion. Think of a movie where, with a trivial picture, you have become emotional due to the background music. Doing the same for online courses is not ridiculous: adding an emotional melody or inspiring audio can radically change the perception of a course.
As always, analyze when to include audio. If you find a better resource to convey information (better than text or image), and the audio clip isn’t too long, you can insert it within other material in the course. Audio can be very effective for e-learning!
How do I include audio in isEazy Author?
isEazy includes multimedia items, including audio. Check out these 3 items:
1 · Audio
If you have material on your computer, for example, songs, interviews, or radio ads, you can easily add them to your courses with the Audio item.
2 · Embed
Besides the Embed option, you can also include content from external websites. For example, the Ivoox platform has many podcasts on various topics that can enrich your course with external information.
Tip: Remember that configure your course to sequential browsing if you want your students to listen to the complete audio before continuing.
3 · Voice-over, a powerful resource
Voice-over can also enhance and attract attention if you use it correctly. Far from repeating what is being read on the screen, voice-over (always enthusiastic) should highlight critical concepts, translate or clarify difficult and tedious ideas, and, why not, surprise students with the unexpected: a joke or funny comment. The possibilities are endless: what is essential is to use your imagination and find creative ways to leverage these types of resources so your students don’t become distracted.
To include voice-over in your courses, follow these steps:
- Review your content and find the key screens.
- Note down which screens will have a voice-over and the text.
- Remember, this text should be new and easy to read. Ensure that the voice-over is not a repetition of the screen: with different audio, you stimulate students to listen attentively.
- Don’t be afraid to be easy and make funny comments. Trust us: students will appreciate this.
- The next step is recording. You can tape your voice with your computer tools, such as QuickTime or voice recorder, and save clips on your hard drive.
- We recommend taping one audio clip for each screen, so you don’t have to cut and edit later.
- If you prefer a different voice, you can hire talent or use one of the various programs that convert text to audio.
isEazy Author streamlines voice-over for your courses. Voice-over is included in the configuration of each screen. You will find it next to the “Layout” and “Slide elements” options.
To activate, click on the “Voice-over disabled” box, upload your audio and include subtitles if you wish. Take advantage of the subtitles, for example, to have content in other languages, which will extend the scope of your courses.
Tip: You can be creative with a voice-over. Instead of a voice-over, how about a fun song? How about fun sounds, funny memes, or a child’s voice? You will amaze your students. Try isEazy Author to use audio in e-learning courses and reinforce your team’s education. Discover all the resources for more attractive and fun courses. Put your creativity and imagination into making a difference!
We want to hear from you: Do you usually include audio in your courses? What results have you noticed? As always, we love to hear from you!
