600988770_dsc_1753, originally uploaded by faizanam.

Picture I took of a grazing horse on Assateague Island.

An important part of designing effective e-learning is how we organize information. Think of information in general terms as represented by the entire human population. We can’t possibly know or would want to know everyone or every bit of information that exists  – so we build a relationship of knowing information based on needs and desires. There is information we need to know – critical to our survival, and then there is information we desire to know – not critical but can be beneficial. From those two categories we start to build a hierarchy of that information by which can continue to filter and collect what we need/want to know. This process of prioritizing and organizing information is how we can begin to “know” and make meaning of what we “know”.

When it comes to designing e-learning, organizing information happens primarily on two levels:  cognitively and physically.

At the cognitive level, information is categorized and “chunked” to establish relationships among pieces of information. This way of organization aids in our ability to group information based on our schema,  recognize patterns, and build meaning.

At the physical level, when the information is put through a medium for online delivery, there are considerations that must be made in screen, media, and web design. Visual cues for the beginning and end of a “chunk” of information, clear graphical representation of information, and a well developed website structure and navigation are some ways in which the physical organization of information can maintain the organization of information at the cognitive level.

Often times, when designing instruction, the organization of information gets lost or significantly altered when transferred online. When creating e-learning in a web-based environment, a good resource to help bridge the gap between organization of information at the cognitive and physical levels is the Web Style Guide