In selecting a learning product or service it is vital to select a system that involves and intrigues the learner.

Systems that simply put text on screen and require the user to scroll and scroll, or which try to dictate the pace and style of learning, typically remain unused. Successful learning systems must create a collaborative, interactive experience where the user and system act as partners in achieving learning goals.

The learning system that you are involved with at this moment (i.e. reading this article) is not very interactive because it is following a "first generation principle" of putting "a lecture online". I have tried to create some measure of interactivity by allowing you to drill down to the specific questions that intrigue you in any order that you wish. But in terms of interactivity I would score it as a "3" or "4" on a 1-10 interactivity scale (where 10 is high).

Sign up and visit a NewMindsets learning resource. As a free standing learning object this alternative perhaps merits a 6 or 7. In a broader system comprising hundreds or thousands of such experiences that you can mix and match to meet specific learning needs, it would approach a 9. With "third generation" bells and whistles, it would reach a 10.