Instructional Strategies for Interactive Television

Abstract

Delivering instruction at a distance over television presents many of the challenges one encounters in a traditional classroom, as well as some that may be unique to the medium. This article describes some considerations for designing instruction for interactive television and discusses strategies for teaching using it. The development of a course for distant learners begins with a systematic approach to designing instruction that consists of four phases: design, develop, evaluate and revise. Instructional activities are sequenced within each lesson to benefit the distant student. A successful televised lesson capitalizes on the use of visuals to maintain interest and to illustrate key concepts and relationships. An effective lesson also uses appropriate interactive techniques to actively involve students in the learning process.