Too Much Stuff
It’s a new year and I’m dreaming of a fresh start. I don’t know about you, but “stuff” has multiplied in every nook and cranny of my home over the long, cold winter. Determined to make a clean sweep of it, I picked up Peter Walsh’s book It’s All Too Much. As I was reading, it occurred to me that some of the same principles could apply to my online course construction.
First of all, I realized I have violated the “one in, one out” rule big time. As new tools and materials have emerged, I have added them to my courses without consolidating or clearing out old stuff. No wonder it feels overwhelming to me and to students. Just because we have ever increasing MB of storage doesn’t mean we have to fill it, right? There are plenty of excuses I use to avoid hitting the delete key (”that took me a long time to create…it might be useful to someone….I don’t have time this year, maybe next….”) but procrastinating takes a toll as well. Peter Walsh talks about the emotional cost of clutter. In a course site, one could argue there is a cognitive cost as well. If it is too much work to find it, it won’t be used.
Another related but more challenging concept for me is the creation of “zones”. When organizing a house, the goal is to specify zones or areas for each activity, then be sure everything you need for that activity nearby. Applying that principle to my course sites, I now notice how many clicks it takes a student to gather the information for a assignment. So, as I declutter, I am attempting to cluster resources together. For example, setting up the ability to access research materials from within the assignment area without having to go to another tab within the course, or outside of the course. Working within the constraints of Blackboard (or any LMS) is a challenge, but I am making some progress.
Now I am trying to imagine my course sites like I imagine the ideal home office: professional and welcoming, organized and intuitive, resource-rich yet uncluttered. I keep repeating Mr. Walsh’s mantra: “Think it through, set it up, make it happen.” Daunting, yes. But I almost feel lighter already.
