Storyboarding occurs during the Development phase of the ADDIE model of instructional design, after the audience has been analyzed and the learning sequence has been designed. Storyboards serve as the "blueprint" of the eLearning module prior to development within an authoring tool. This post outlines and explains the many elements indicative of a good storyboard.
Slide Title - Main idea of the slide for learner's visual cue
Audio - Slide by slide script plus audio cues and background sounds
Graphics - Verbal descriptions, sketches, or file names of pre-selected graphics
Video - File names of any pre-recorded video clips
Text - On-screen text for both content and learner instructions
Navigation - Location and description of navigational elements
Interactivity - Description of how graphics, texts, and audio appers on screen and behaves including timing, roll-overs, screen clicks, and drags and drops
Programmer Notes - Description of interface elements, required learner actions, and any specific instructions to integrate learning within desired delivery platform
A good storyboard can be reviewed and understood by the client, narrator, graphic artist, and/or producer as necessary for approval. Storyboards are often completed in either Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, and a great resource for templates can be found here on The eLearning Coach blog.
Resource:
Michaels & Associates Consulting & Training. Storyboarding Strategies for Effective eLearning. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/41o0Xo
Monday, March 12, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Learning Development: Free eLearning Resources
Here is a concise list of websites to find free photos, sounds, and fonts for eLearning, web design, or graphic design projects.
Photos: Free Foto, iStockphoto, Stock.XCHNG, eLearning Stock, Every Stock Photo
Sounds: Freesound, Freeplay Music, Free Stock Music, Stock Music Boutique
Fonts: 1001 Free Fonts, Font Squirrel, Simply the Best Fonts, Google web fonts
Image credit:
http: http://freebabystuffforexpectingmothers.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/free-stuff.jpg
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Learning Development: Scenario Based Learning
Scenario-based learning (SBL) is learning that occurs by following success and failure paths within a context, situation, or social framework (Kindley, 2002) in which learners are able to explore a problem, event or issue [to] assist with problem-solving, decision making, and interpretation of data or observations in the real-world.
SBL is based on the concept of situated cognition, which is the idea that knowledge can't be known and fully understood independent of its context. (Kindley, 2002) Using real life scenarios heightens the relevance of the learning because the focus is more on application than plain theory. The learner, therefore, becomes an active participant in the learning process.
The basic elements of scenarios (often referred to as branching) are as follows:
• The learner is presented a problem in the form of text, images, audio, and/or video
• The learner has to choose how to respond to the problem
• Based on how they respond, the scenario branches down a path
• At the end of the path, the learner may be presented with feedback and the option to retry the scenario to improve their results
Research completed by Will Thalheimer, PhD suggests that the scenario-based approach to learning aids in the following:
• Supports Long Term Remembering
• Provides Memory Retrieval Practice
• Enables Context and Language Triggered Remembering
• Boosts Learning and Performance
By building scenarios where [learners] have to actively make decisions, you’re better able to help them transfer the information and make it more meaningful. (Kuhlman, 2009)
Resources:
Kindley, R. W. (2002). Scenario-based e-learning: a step beyond traditional e-learning. ASTD Online Magazine. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/13oM3V
Kuhlman, T. (2009). 7 Tips for Better E-learning Scenarios. Rapid E-Learning Blog. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/dlgaC
Thalheimer, W. (2009) Using Linguistically, Culturally, and Situationally Appropriate Scenarios to Support Real-World Remembering. Work-Learning Research Inc. Retrieved from:http://bit.ly/yLjpQA
SBL is based on the concept of situated cognition, which is the idea that knowledge can't be known and fully understood independent of its context. (Kindley, 2002) Using real life scenarios heightens the relevance of the learning because the focus is more on application than plain theory. The learner, therefore, becomes an active participant in the learning process.
The basic elements of scenarios (often referred to as branching) are as follows:
• The learner is presented a problem in the form of text, images, audio, and/or video
• The learner has to choose how to respond to the problem
• Based on how they respond, the scenario branches down a path
• At the end of the path, the learner may be presented with feedback and the option to retry the scenario to improve their results
Research completed by Will Thalheimer, PhD suggests that the scenario-based approach to learning aids in the following:
• Supports Long Term Remembering
• Provides Memory Retrieval Practice
• Enables Context and Language Triggered Remembering
• Boosts Learning and Performance
By building scenarios where [learners] have to actively make decisions, you’re better able to help them transfer the information and make it more meaningful. (Kuhlman, 2009)
Resources:
Kindley, R. W. (2002). Scenario-based e-learning: a step beyond traditional e-learning. ASTD Online Magazine. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/13oM3V
Kuhlman, T. (2009). 7 Tips for Better E-learning Scenarios. Rapid E-Learning Blog. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/dlgaC
Thalheimer, W. (2009) Using Linguistically, Culturally, and Situationally Appropriate Scenarios to Support Real-World Remembering. Work-Learning Research Inc. Retrieved from:http://bit.ly/yLjpQA
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Learning Design: Working with SMEs
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are critical to analyzing audience needs, determining desired learning outcomes, determining the curriculum and sequence of learning activities, and writing content for scenarios, stories, or informational learning designs.
A few tips from my own experience working with SMEs include:
1) Identify your SMEs right away. It may be a good idea to not only have a content SME, but also a past trainee SME who can speak to the learner's experience, and/or a client SME, who can speak to desired learning outcomes.
2) Determine your SMEs availability; schedule meetings early and often. Since SMEs usually have full-time jobs, it is not uncommon for SMEs to be extremely busy individuals. Schedule meetings throughout your entire analysis and design process from the beginning.
3) Use your time with SMEs wisely. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Do your own research. Come up with your own content questions and send to the SME in advance. You also need to be sure SME sees value in the training effort, otherwise, they may also see little value in your meetings.
Ethan Edwards of Allen Interactions recommends the following questions as a great start for your first SME interaction:
- What do you expect learners to to do after completing the course that they can’t do now?
- What are the consequences if the learner fails to master the intended outcomes?
- Can you show me an active demonstration, a detailed simulation, or provide an opportunity to directly observe the desired performance?
- What specific performance mistakes do new learners make?
- What tools, resources, or help do successful performers use to do these tasks?
Lastly, for a humorous, though accurate, representation of how to handle the many SME personalities in a post titled, "How Important is the SME?" by Archana Nayaran, click here.
Resources:
Edwards, E. (2011) Analyze This: 5 Questions You Need to Ask. Allen Interactions E-Learning Leadership Blog. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/hD88Mf
Image Credit: http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/viewFile/495/226/1417
A few tips from my own experience working with SMEs include:
1) Identify your SMEs right away. It may be a good idea to not only have a content SME, but also a past trainee SME who can speak to the learner's experience, and/or a client SME, who can speak to desired learning outcomes.
2) Determine your SMEs availability; schedule meetings early and often. Since SMEs usually have full-time jobs, it is not uncommon for SMEs to be extremely busy individuals. Schedule meetings throughout your entire analysis and design process from the beginning.
3) Use your time with SMEs wisely. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Do your own research. Come up with your own content questions and send to the SME in advance. You also need to be sure SME sees value in the training effort, otherwise, they may also see little value in your meetings.
Ethan Edwards of Allen Interactions recommends the following questions as a great start for your first SME interaction:
- What do you expect learners to to do after completing the course that they can’t do now?
- What are the consequences if the learner fails to master the intended outcomes?
- Can you show me an active demonstration, a detailed simulation, or provide an opportunity to directly observe the desired performance?
- What specific performance mistakes do new learners make?
- What tools, resources, or help do successful performers use to do these tasks?
Lastly, for a humorous, though accurate, representation of how to handle the many SME personalities in a post titled, "How Important is the SME?" by Archana Nayaran, click here.
Resources:
Edwards, E. (2011) Analyze This: 5 Questions You Need to Ask. Allen Interactions E-Learning Leadership Blog. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/hD88Mf
Image Credit: http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/viewFile/495/226/1417
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