Ashley Chiasson, M.Ed

Instructional Designer & Consultant

Instructional Design

E-Learning Challenge #7 – Converting Static Content to Interactive Knowledge Checks

The Concept

The goal of this challenge was to take an existing, static, content slide and convert it to an interactive knowledge check using the convert to freeform functionality in Articulate Storyline.

The Method

First, I came up with a quick ‘static’ slide (there were some animations to jazz it up a bit, but nothing the user had to interact with aside from the next button, with some general information about three types of triangles.

Then, I added a custom next button using a rectangle shape.

Next, I added a slide featuring the three triangles, converted this slide to freeform and selected the Pick One option. I also customized the feedback to keep the visual aesthetic in check.

Finally, I modified the player (player background and bored colour, no menu/resources/volume) and published.

The Result

Screen Shot 2015-10-05 at 9.22.26 AM

Click Here to view the full interaction.

E-Learning Challenge #3 – Gate Screens in Online Courses

A rainy weekend is the perfect time to catch up on some e-learning challenges, and I’m really digging deep into the archives for this one!

The Concept

This challenge was to develop a gate screen for course content. It was specifically requested to develop two slides, but I feel like the gate screen is pretty self-explanatory, so I opted out of the second slide.

The Method

I knew I wanted an elegant looking gate screen, so I chose a background image relevant to my content (in this case, driver training tips – specifically, tips for driving in the rain). I then added shapes to create a sleep looking ‘popup’ box with second shape at the top, posing the question.

Some of the best gate screens I’ve seen operate as knowledge checks, so that’s the style I chose. I created a multi-response question with two layers. One layer for correct (with a green banner and a continue link) and one layer for incorrect (with a red banner and a continue link).

For the multi-response question, I used checkboxes so the user could see which selections they made when the feedback appears. I then added triggers to show the correct layer if Checkbox 1, 2, and 3 are selected IF Checkbox 4 is not equal to Selected, and a trigger to show the incorrect layer if Checkbox 4 is selected.

The Result


 Screen Shot 2015-10-03 at 3.50.22 PM

Click Here to view the full interaction.

E-Learning Challenge #101 – A Look Back at E-Learning’s Most Iconic Character

This week I missed DevLearn and was living vicariously through those in attendance via my twitter feed. But, I was finally able to relish in a secret I had been keeping for many months! On March 13, 2015, I suggested the lovely folks at Articulate have Atsumi, one of the most iconic e-learning characters, in the flesh, at their DevLearn booth. No one responded to this tweet, which I found a bit odd, but I later received a direct message vowing me to secrecy. I managed to negotiate a FaceTime in with Atsumi (thanks, Kelly!). My day was made!

Screen Shot 2015-10-03 at 12.10.43 PM

This week’s e-learning challenge is an homage to the wonderful lady who made these experiences (throughout many courses and at DevLearn) possible – Atsumi! Thank you, Atsumi for being such a wonderful stock photo specimen and for taking time to engage with use E-Learning Heroes!

The Concept

The challenge this week was to share our favourite Atsumi e-learning moments and explain how we’ve used here in our courses.

I’ve only used Atsumi a handful of times in courses, mainly because I avoid using the stock character packs unless a client specifies. But when they do specify, Atsumi is my go to character! Because of the glory that are Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), I can’t show you how I’ve used Atsumi in those courses. Boo!

The Method

First, I downloaded Jeff’s Atsumoji Freebie to use as a background. Then I added a rectangular shape and applied a transparency.

Atsumi’s poses and facial expressions are near and dear to me, so I chose five of my favourite poses and added them to the slide, applying a fade animation effect.

I then added two states to each character: grey (greyscale) and selected. I added triggers to each character to change the state to grey when any other character was selected, and then a trigger to each character to change state to selected when the user clicked a particular character. Another trigger was applied to each character to show the corresponding layer when the character was clicked.

I added layers with textboxes, indicating what Atsumi was thinking (based on the pose).

Finally, I added a brief instruction so folks knew what they were supposed to do with all of the Atsumis, and adjusted the player (no menu/resources/title/changed player colour).

The Result

Screen Shot 2015-10-03 at 12.08.54 PM

Click Here to view the full interaction!

Terminology Tuesday: Design Part 1

Content_Map

Over the past two weeks, I’ve talked quite a bit about the analysis phase of most Instructional Design models, and now it’s time to talk about the Design phase.

But I’m not a designer!

Oh. But you are! At least if you claim to be an Instructional Designer. Like analysis, many IDs don’t get the opportunity to dip their toes in the design phase, but it’s a very important phase to be a part of.

While it might sound as though we’re talking graphic design and look/feel, we aren’t exactly. Only sort of. The design phase is where you identify how the learning is going to occur. So the look and feel…conceptually. And it may also include elements of visual look and feel.

The output of this phase is typically referred to as ‘design documentation’. This documentation outlines things such as:

  • Instructional Strategy
  • Learning Objectives
  • Assessment Strategies (and sometimes the assessment items)
  • Prototype Requirements
  • Compliance Specifications (e.g. system requirements for the end user and SCORM requirements)
  • Branding Guidelines
  • Screenstyles

The design documentation is used to guide the design and allows developers to keep their eyes on the prize (or the project requirements). It also allows multiple developers to ensure a consistent approach across development.

Have I piqued your interest?

Great! Stay tuned for more on the design phase…next!

Terminology Tuesday: Analysis Part 2

Last week I started a discussion about Analysis, talking about some elements (e.g. Needs Assessment) and some strategies for conducting analysis. This week I’m providing a bit of a follow-through plan. Sort of. Or perhaps you can call it a guide for things of which you need before writing performance objectives. Call it what you want. I’ve made a doodle of some things you’ll want to analyze:

Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 12.57.07 PM

 

Less of a doodle and a bit more flow chart-esque am I right? Yeah. I know. Anyhow. What the heck do all of these things mean?

When working in the analysis phase, you may come in on any portion thereof, but the key things you need to analyze are:

  • Your Audience – Who will be receiving the training? What prior learning experiences do they have? Do they need prerequisite knowledge?
  • The Environment(s) – How will the training be delivered? Face-to-face? Online? Blended? Where will the audience be applying the training? If on the job, will they need a performance support tool? Will it need to be mobile-friendly? Will it need to be a stand alone training aid?
  • The Job or Task – What is the job/task for which you are developing training? Break that task down into each individual sub-task. Don’t assume your audience will know how to complete ANY of the sub-tasks, unless you’ve been specifically told they have the knowledge, and determine how much information is required (for each sub-task) to achieve mastery of the task for which the training was developed.
  • Content – What content is available? Once you’ve analyzed your audience, the environments, and the job or task, you will have a greater understanding of what content you will need. At this point, you can analyze the content that’s available and determine whether there are any gaps. If so, you can request or source the missing content.

I know these posts are a very brief primer (of sorts) about Analysis in Instructional Design, but they provide you with some primary information necessary for some forthcoming blog posts targeted at elements and strategies related to conducting analysis.

Stay tuned for next week’s post: Design Part 1 – EXCITING, I KNOW!

 

 

E-Learning Challenge #82 – Show Us How You Create Online Courses

Today I decided to catch up on some challenges, but I needed something light so I could ease myself back into the swing of things. So, I decided to tackle E-Learning Challenge #82 – Show Us How You Create Online Courses.

The Concept

The purpose of this challenge was to have us share how we create online courses. Because the interaction created was very brief, simply outlining the steps, this post will be a bit of an explanatory post.

The Method

For this challenge, I identified six steps I take when creating online courses, and made them look pretty in Storyline. Those 6 steps include (with some explanation):

  1. Sign a Contract – This is a critical step. You’d like to think that all of your clients are going to pay you, but signing a contract is one way of ensuring this happens. And from a client perspective, this can save their butts when it comes to non-disclosure schmutz.
  2. Coffee – Throughout the development process, a lot of coffee is consumed. Basically just make sure your house is stocked full of coffee (be prepared…you know snow storm? apocalypse?) or that your friendly neighbourhood cafe is open.
  3. Analyze the Content – This is a necessary step, because without the content, you might find yourself down a wormhole of internet articles and publications trying to figure out how to describe the cleaning process of a Burr grinder (and who wants to do that?! Not this gal!). Analyzing content allows you to identify gaps, liaise with the client accordingly, and retrieve the necessary information to do what you’ve been contracted to do. It also gives you an idea of what you may want to do in terms of media treatment.
  4. Develop/Author – Here you’ll be doing the heavy lifting of your course creation. You’ll likely be storyboarding the content or heading straight into authoring with a rapid prototyping model – this workflow will likely depend on that contract you signed up in step 1 (e.g. if the client doesn’t want you to ‘waste time’ storyboarding, they may want you to jump in with both feet and begin authoring in the chosen tool).
  5. Review Cycle – Ah. The dreaded review cycle. This is a very important component when it comes to course development. The review cycle will identify any necessary changes that must be made ahead of final delivery. Before you begin contract work, you’ll want to ensure the contract speaks to review cycle limits…because no one wants to do unlimited revisions (especially if you’re working on a fixed-price contract).
  6. Deliver and Invoice – A fan favourite! Delivering a course you’ve spent hours labouring over is one of the best feelings in the world. As an e-learning developer who doesn’t intend to bear children, I would liken this feeling to that of birthing a child. Mothers will slap me, but I don’t care! I applaud your hard work. Then, invoicing is just the icing on the cake, because gotta get that money, money, money…

The Result

Screen Shot 2015-09-19 at 7.35.50 PM

Click here to view the full interaction.