Message Design Guidelines New, useful information Learner attitudes will be more favorable if they are learning new information, that they can apply to needs they have. Applying appropriate technologies can stimulate interest, which also promotes positive attitude change. Presented in a credible manner Credibility may be enhanced by using a credible source to deliver a message. It is also dependent upon the way the course is presented. Competently designed and delivered courses enhance credibility,whether they are live, by computer, or videotape.
Active learners are usually more positive toward the subject being taught than passive learners.
It is often not practical to involve all learners in course design, but some degree of learner interaction and involvement during instruction can be built in to any course. This is the guideline many would think of first, when considering how to change attitudes, and it can be very powerful. However, using emotion can backfire if the primary motivation is fear. If a message arouses too much tension it may cause learners to avoid the message altogether. Several studies in this area used subliminal messages to arouse involvement in their subjects.