Restoring Washed Out Bridges so ELearners Arrive at Online Course Destinations Successfully

This study researched the impact of strategic navigation improvements in an online course selected for the study over one quarter (12 weeks) at a large Midwestern private university. The primary purpose of the study was to see if navigation enhancements and specific graphic enhancements (semiotic tools) in the online course selected for the study could make it easier for adult students to learn new course materials. The study also sought to see if these factors could contribute to increased positive learning experiences and to see whether there might be a higher percentage of completion rates in this enhanced online course than in other online courses at the university. While not generalizable, the findings could provide inferences about which factors could positively influence adult learning in online courses and contribute to increased course completion rates; the study could also provide recommendations on graphic enhancements and online course navigation that positively influence student learning in online courses.