{"id":16970,"date":"2023-06-01T12:30:36","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T08:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/?p=16970"},"modified":"2026-07-21T17:48:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T13:48:29","slug":"making-your-online-course-interactive-full-how-to-and-why-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/making-your-online-course-interactive","title":{"rendered":"Making Your Online Course Interactive: Full How-To (and Why) Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before we dive into interactive eLearning, it\u2019s essential to be absolutely clear about what is meant by \u201cinteraction.\u201d An interaction is a two-way action where objects have an effect upon one another, as opposed to a one-way effect.<\/p>\n

In the learning field, the term \u201cinteraction\u201d is often used in connection with an active learning concept. The idea is that learners learn best when they\u2019re required to participate in the process actively, rather than simply reading a text or watching a video. In other words, it\u2019s always better to have learners do than watch.<\/p>\n

The most obvious examples of interactive training sessions are when there\u2019s a list of questions and tasks after each paragraph in a workbook, or even when an instructor says something like: \u201cRaise your hand if\u2026\u201d The goal is the same: to make learners not only passively absorb information but somehow spur them to action: communicate, reflect, create, or put their new skills into practice.<\/p>\n

The aim of this guide is to explain how to create interactive online courses.<\/a> So let\u2019s get straight to work, as we have a lot of fun theory about interactive training and even more cool practice ahead.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
\n

If you watch a movie, you\u2019re a passive onlooker (eating popcorn doesn\u2019t count), but if you play a video game, you actively take part in the events.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/a>What Is Interactive eLearning?<\/h2>\n

Interactive eLearning means that a learner doesn\u2019t interact with an instructor directly; it\u2019s more of a \u201cdialogue\u201d between a learner and tools through which they become engaged and involved in the learning process. In fact, it\u2019s a key element of self-paced e-course design.\u00a0\u00a0We\u2019ll discuss this as well, but first, let\u2019s discover why interactions are so important for online courses<\/a> and digital learning in general.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Why Bother with Interactivity?<\/h2>\n

Imagine you\u2019ve been driving down a highway for two hours. Familiar road, plain landscape, nothing special to catch the eye. However, the situation is fraught with peril: monotonous driving diminishes concentration, which may have serious consequences. In horror movies, there\u2019s usually a deer.<\/p>\n

The lack of learners\u2019 attention isn\u2019t that fatal, yet it leads to a waste of resources, recurring errors, and a general failure of a training program<\/a>. So, don\u2019t fall into the trap of believing your learners will take a learning subject as seriously as you find it, and will be able to stay focused from beginning to end.<\/p>\n

The good news is that, in terms of engagement, well-arranged interactions work equally well, no matter what approach of employee training you are working on \u2014 online, offline, or blended.<\/p>\n

When we say \u201cwell-arranged,\u201d that doesn\u2019t mean you have to fill each slide of your course with bells and whistles to make it look interesting.<\/p>\n

Interaction has nothing to do with animations, and its goal is not a visual explosion. It\u2019s engagement and retention.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In that sense, interactions serve rather as a pacing technique.<\/p>\n

\"Interactions<\/p>\n
\n

A flat, linear, and unchanging landscape causes drowsiness. The same goes for learning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/a>Mind the Flow<\/h2>\n

Flow theory was originally invented by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the Hungarian-American psychologist. His flow model represents the emotional state of a person while undertaking a task or activity. When we\u2019re \u201cin the flow,\u201d our concentration is at maximum, and we\u2019re so involved in an activity that nothing else around seems to matter. Imagine the outstanding results your learners could reach if they studied like this!<\/p>\n

What does interactivity have to do with the flow?<\/h3>\n

To increase the chances your learners will go with the flow, you need to maintain a subtle balance between the complexity of the training and the abilities of the learners. If the task is too difficult for them, they feel frustrated; if it\u2019s too easy, they quickly get bored, and their minds wander. However, when the task keeps them at the edge of their skills, then the learning is truly engaging.<\/p>\n

\"The\n<\/p>\n
\n

The Flow model<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Normally, creating a unique learning experience for each learner is like \u00a0\u201cMission: Impossible.\u201d However, in online courses, well-arranged interactions work exactly for this purpose: keeping learners engaged, their concentration high, and the overall experience positive.<\/p>\n

The Interest Curve<\/h2>\n

The other challenge interactions can help you deal with is shorter human attention spans. In game design, there\u2019s the concept of an interest curve, which is a graphical representation of a player\u2019s interest in the gaming process. Jesse Schell, in his book The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses<\/em>, explains the importance of planning and controlling the pace of progression.<\/p>\n

How to use it for learning<\/h3>\n

Although Schell used the curve while developing games, the concept of an interest curve can apply not only to gamification but to learning as well.<\/p>\n

\"Interest\n<\/p>\n
\n

An example of an Interest Curve from The Art of Game Design<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

There are four elements of an interest curve to pay close attention to when creating an interactive online learning experience:<\/p>\n