How to use audio effectively in your eLearning course?

Voices that read slides? That's enough! 4 practical examples on how to best use audio in online courses.

How to use audio effectively in your eLearning course?

Voices that read slides? That's enough! 4 practical examples on how to best use audio in online courses.

If you want to make your eLearning course engaging for students and be sure that the content is clearly communicated, be inspired by the following 4 examples.

Example 1 - Enriching a story

The Open University brilliantly uses the audio in this project to help the student's imagination move forward.
The off-screen voice adds an additional level of detail to the animations: not because it is necessary (the content has a sense of its own), but in an improving perspective. The initial screen message intrigues the student by telling him that he needs the audio to "get the most out of the game". This simple information encourages students to make sure that audio is enabled.

Example 2 - Explain complex concepts

Research by Ruth Clark and Richard Mayer shows that audio, accompanied by diagrams or graphs, can help to increase the understanding of content, especially if it is complicated. On the other hand, scholars have also shown that a mix of media that do not work harmoniously can confuse the student so it is necessary to reflect well on the means of communication to be used.
A good example is The Guardian in which audio is used to explain quantum theory in a way that seamlessly integrates animation.

Example 3 - Involving the public

A study by Princeton University indicates that interpersonal interactions model the way people think and act. So building relationships between the student and your content is an excellent practice.
This course, through a sales simulation, empathizes with the public, also thanks to the construction of the most realistic scenario possible ... but above all, thanks to the use audio to simulate a real sales call.

Example 4 - Have fun

This Christmas quiz presents a musical part, using a mix of multimedia formats. However, you need to take some steps without sound.
Audio offers a good alternative to the simple presentation of multiple choice questions or other formats and can help you break down your content so that the student does not lose interest.

Risks of audio in eLearning

Mixing too many multimedia formats that do not integrate harmoniously can be detrimental to learning.

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