Ashley Chiasson, M.Ed

Instructional Designer & Consultant

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E-Learning Challenge #74 and 84 – First Joint Challenge

Alright, folks! This is my very first joint e-learning challenge, and amen! Because…time is a hot commodity. This entry satisfies the requirements for both E-Learning Challenge #74 – Using Toys for Storytelling in E-Learning and E-Learning Challenge #84 – Using Image Sliders and Photo Galleries in E-learning.

The Concept

For e-learning challenge #74, the concept was to design a short interaction using toys as your primary characters, and for e-learning challenge #84, the concept was to show and share an image slider for e-learning.

The Method

Back in March of this year, I purchased a Lego Creator set for the express purposes of completing e-learning challenge #74 in March. It’s now the end of May. I had my husband set up his camera on a tripod set to record, and first filmed myself building the lego. Then, I disassembled my water plane and used a remote for the camera so that I could capture images of each step in the water plan development.

Once all of the images and video were compiled, I tossed the video into Camtasia, removed the audio, and sped things up a whole bunch.

Now, on the day of recap for e-learning challenge #84, I felt motivated to get something together for submission…at the last minute. I thought this might be a great way of using the image slider to display the steps for building out my water plane, so I audible-d all of my other ideas for this challenge and merged #74 and 84 into one!

I chose a theme, tossed in the shapes for the steps, grouped them, added some animations, added layers for each step, and tada!

The Result

Screen Shot 2015-05-28 at 9.41.45 AM

To view the full interaction Click Here.

Learner Activities: Military Sector versus Academic Sector

I was reading through Rachel’s post related to activities for your e-book, and was reflecting on my own experiences developing e-learning courses in various industries, and I thought some of you folks might be interested to hear my perspective on working across industries and about which type of activities worked best for which industry.

For many years I worked in the private sector developing military courseware. Most of these courses were related to aircraft familiarization, component removal/installation, and common core training. Within these programs, the most effective activities, by a landslide, were Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS’) as they provided the learner with both just-in-time and practical training for the task to be completed. These EPSS’ worked best for practical training (e.g. component removal/installation procedures), and were very effective at creating concrete learning experiences.

Assessment was most often scenario-based or multiple choice, and of the two, scenario-based assessment activities seemed to be the most effective at ensuring the achievement of learning outcomes.

After spending so much time in the private sector, I switched to post-secondary education. There was a steep learning curve in terms of determining effective communication strategies with faculty (who are very different than military SMEs) and navigating collective agreements, but I’m finally in a good groove and my pedagogical recommendations are more often implemented than not (woohoo!).

Within the academic sector, there is a much broader range of learning activities, and it’s really neat to see what faculty members are doing in their classrooms. There are no EPSS or job aids, but there is group work and forum discussions, and synchronous sessions – oh my!

With some courses, there are still instances of ‘read this, do that multiple choice’ styles, but this is few and far between, as faculty members are revising their learning activities to favour more active learning components (e.g. forum discussions, case studies, and presentations). It’s been really neat to see faculty members guiding their discussions (and sometimes complimenting this guidance with technologies, such as Actively Learn!) instead of lecturing students for 2 hours.

Similar to military training, there is a predominance of self-directed learning as with most online courses, but all online courses have a synchronous requirement, where students must participate in a live session once or twice a week; to accommodate many learners (e.g. those who have scheduling conflicts), these sessions are recorded and can be watched asynchronously at a later time. Additionally, the faculty members are engaging their learners more actively (e.g. guiding forum discussions) than military instructors ever were. Where military training tended to be moving away from instructor-led training in favour of online learning, post-secondary it merely looking to enhance accessibility by creating an equitable learning experience for both on-campus and online students.

  • What differences have you seen in learning activities, if you’ve had the opportunity of working across industries?
  • Which type of learning activities seem to be working best, and which industry are you seeing these activities implemented?

Terminology Tuesday: Subject Matter Experts

I know. I know. I skipped a week, but I promise that I have something special in store for all of you Terminology Tuesday fans, so pipe down!

This week I sifted through my archives and was surprised that I had yet to discuss Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), so it seemed like no better time than the present to table that term for explanation and discussion.

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

SMEs are just that – ‘experts’ within a given subject matter. These individuals are often the authority for content accuracy within your e-learning projects. SMEs come from all walks of life, but generally have a wealth of academic and/or on-the-job experience to be considered proficient in their domain.

Typically, Instructional Designers will work closely with SMEs to determine learning objectives, define training plans and outlines, and ensure accuracy of content within the storyboarding and/or prototyping phases. Occasionally, SMEs may write assessment items, or the Instructional Designer may work in liaison with the SME to determine appropriate assessment items and distractors.

The relationship between the Instructional Designer and the SME can be an intricate one…The Instructional Designer often needs to navigate how to effectively communicate with the SME in order to acquire necessary information for the project. SMEs sometimes have a hard time separating the nice to know from the need to know, and this is really where the Instructional Designer needs to learn how to effectively question the SME to ensure they are developing instructionally sound content, and not overloading learners with extraneous information.

In further considering the relationship between Instructional Designer and SME, it is very important to define roles and responsibilities at the beginning of each project. Without doing so, or without being able to assert dominance within a given area (e.g. design versus content accuracy), a SME can easily run away with the project, negatively impacting the overall design. It has been my experience (not always), that some SMEs believe they could better design the e-learning, which is why it’s important for both individuals to understand their roles and to respect one another’s role in the project.

Above all else, communication is the magic ingredient when it comes to working with a SME. If you can nail down an effective communication strategy, you should be golden!

  1. What have been your experiences working with SMEs? 
  2. How do you navigate your working relationship with SMEs to ensure utmost respectability and fair treatment?

Resources

How to Build Your E-Learning Portfolio – Part 4

Portfolio

Alrighty folks! Today is the final edition of the How to Build Your E-Learning Portfolio blog series. I’m sad to see it finish, but I’ve been happy to have helped so many of you!

This post is one in a four-part series for How to Build Your E-learning Portfolio. You can read Part 1 Here, Part 2 Here, and Part 3 Here.

Part 4 is all about actually building out your portfolio and promoting yourself!

Building Out Your Portfolio

For many, building out your portfolio may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be difficult!

You can post samples to dribbble, dropbox, or google drive (if you’re wondering how to share your Storyline samples using Google Drive or Dropbox, I recorded a screencast showing you how to do just that – Click Here). I love sharing knowledge with others, so I incorporated my portfolio into my blog using WordPress (self-hosted); occasionally I do show my work posts, and I have a portfolio section of my website that uses a simple WordPress plugin. It’s also important to invest in yourself, so if you don’t have the time or expertise to easily add portfolio pieces to your website, pay someone who does have the expertise. For example, I spent about 5 hours of my time trying to figure out how to get the ‘simple WordPress plugin’ to work properly and finally conceeded to paying someone to do it for me…it took them half an hour, and only cost 30 dollars. WORTH IT.

  • One important thing to note is that you should always ask your clients during the course of the project (or at the end), if you can use a sample from the project in your portfolio. Sometimes they’ll say “sure!”, and you can do what you want. Sometimes they’ll say “sure, but not everything”, and you’ll need to pare things down and have the client review ahead of posting. Sometimes they’ll say “You can’t share the actual project, but you can share a screencast of you walking through the project,” and you can do just that – these situations may crop up if you develop a project that will be resold, and screencast demos are neat because they show the world a behind the scenes peak into your process. Sometimes the client will allow you to include a screenshot or two and specify that a video screencast demo of the project can be made available on request (this occurred with my samples for the YMCA). Whatever your client’s preference, there is usually some way of working a portion of the project into your samples; you just need to think outside of the box.

My current portfolio isn’t fancy, but it does exactly what I need it to do. Clients don’t want to view 500 full courses before deciding they like your work, but they do need to see some representation of your capabilities within the world of e-learning. Every client is different, so it’s important to consider a varied approach to your portfolio. What I mean by this is to include a representative sample of portfolio pieces – several work samples, several personal samples, perhaps some design samples if that’s something you’re good at. Your prospective clients need to believe, from your portfolio or discussions with you, that you are the right person for the job!

Self-Promotion

Once you have your portfolio built, promote yourself! I’m active in several communities (Freelance to Freedom, Articulate E-Learning Heroes, ATD, and LinkedIn), so I promote myself by participating in those communities; this participation is meant to spread knowledge, and be less overt. Ensure you have completed your profiles for any site you participate in, and include links to your website and social media accounts. Twitter and LinkedIn are the only social media platforms that I really use for business, and most of my promotion comes from retweets, views, or from colleagues sharing my content.

I share my content on social media, but it’s also important to share relevant posts from your colleagues because self-promotion shouldn’t be selfish. You should want to support others who are trying to share information and enhance the knowledge exchange. So promote yourself, but don’t be selfish!

If you can afford or have the opportunity to attend or present at industry conferences, this is a fantastic way to promote yourself and to support others. I love presenting at the Articulate Community Roadshows (I’m presenting at another this June!) and I thoroughly enjoyed presenting at and attending Learning Solutions 2015. Not only can you share your wealth of knowledge with a greater audience, but you can support your colleagues as they do the same. You can network the heck of the events, if you’re into that, but I’m a bit more introverted, so I tend to let folks come to me or reach out to individuals I already know. Ensure you have business cards – I don’t hand out a ton, but they’re available if someone asks. Be ready!

Final Note

I hope that this series has provided more clarity as to why an e-learning portfolio is so important and how you can easily create one – remember, your portfolio can provide you with the freedom to choose work you’re most passionate about, so make some time, and show yourself off! Please let me know, in the comments or through the Contact page, if you have any outstanding questions, and I will do my very best to answer expediently.

E-Learning Challenge #83 – 10 Reaction Gifs for Every E-Learning Challenge

FINALLY, David! Something I can squeeze into my regular procrastination! THANK YOU!

The Concept

This week’s challenge is to share a collection of reaction gifs for any e-learning topic we wish to discuss. Very simple concept that I feel most folks, also keen on procrastinating, can stand behind.

The Method

Staying on topic, I chose to select reaction gifs related to some of the 83 e-learning challenges we’ve had. I also chose to stick with pop culture references, in terms of television/YouTube/Internet…I guess all of these gifs (that exist) are pop culture references to some extent, so I think my point is moot. I then curated a bunch of gifs to express various reactions I’ve had to the challenges over the years, and then I sifted through the previous challenges to see which previous challenge elicited which reaction.

The Result

1. Just when you thought a terrible challenge was over.

(via Gifrific)

That’s how I felt when I saw that E-Learning Challenge #32 – Death, Taxes, and E-Learning Mistakes was coming back to haunt me in E-Learning Challenge # 33 – Fix Your E-Learning Mistakes…and how I feel each time I see one of those challenges retweeted.

2. When you see that the world will finally understand the importance of font choice.

(via OffColorTV)

This is how I felt when E-Learning Challenge #51 – Font Games and Interactions for E-Learning Designers announced.

3. When you know exactly what tool you’ll use to complete a challenge.

(via Tumblr)

When E-Learning Challenge #53 – Create Your Own E-Learning Characters with Pictograms was announced, I knew immediately that I would be using PowerPoint for this challenge (which I have yet to complete…shhh).

4. When David finally posts an ‘easy’ (re: less time-consuming) challenge.

(via Tumblr)

Much like my feeling for this challenge, and for E-Learning Challenge #39 – Education Podcasts for Online Training and E-Learning Challenge #67 – Podcast: How Do Instructional Designers Get Things Done?, I see this challenges and do a happy dance. I don’t have as many hours in the day as Beyonce, but I got this, boo!

5. When you hear about some new technology.

(via pandawhale)

When reviewing the entries for E-Learning Challenge #45 – Audio Recording Tips for E-Learning Designers, I decided to purchase a better mic for my audio setup.

6. When David posts a challenge that I know will require my brain.

(via reactiongifs)

This is how I feel the majority of the time David posts a challenge, because time is one thing in my life that is lacking. Math is not my strong suit, so I definitely felt like this when I saw E-Learning Challenge #71 – Teaching Math Concepts with E-Learning. Pythagorean, whaaaat?!

7. How some challenge titles make me feel.

(via wifflegif)

E-Learning Challenge #80 – Can You Pass an Eight-Grade Science Test? Uh…no. I can’t, and I do not wish to return to age 14…I’ll have flashbacks.

8. Whenever I see my first E-Learning Heroes Challenge entry retweeted

(via Tumblr)

Whenever David retweets my first E-Learning Heroes Challenge entry – E-Learning Challenge #25 – Instructional Design Tips that Really Pop, I get a little sentimental.

9. When I can finally participate in a challenge!

Swanson

(via imgur)

Whenever I locate the elusive creature called ‘time’ and can actually participate in a challenge, I feel like doing a happy dance, like Ron Swanson. That’s how I felt when I participated, most recently, in E-Learning Challenge #78 – E-Learning Icons: Show and Share Your Favourite Styles.

10. When I realize my entry is the first submission for a challenge.

(via Tumblr)

This is how I feel today, posting my entry for E-Learning Challenge #83 – 10 Reaction Gifs for Every E-Learning Challenge.

Day in the Life

Thanks ttcInnovations for the opportunity to linkup with other bloggers and share a sneak peek into my daily routine! Everyone who’s participating is sharing their own stories so check them out: ttcInnovations, Jackie Van Nice, Rachel Barnum, Melissa Milloway.

5:45am

The Wake-Up Light has been gradually getting brighter for the past 15 minutes, but I’m not ready to get out of bed! By 6am, my husband is reminding me that the shower is free (aka ‘get your butt out of bed already!’).

6:30am-7:45am

Breakfast consists of multi-grain cheerios and a green smoothie, and I flip through my emails, check Twitter, and download a source file while I eat. Joe takes Oliver out to play frisbee and tire him out, so I feed the cats, dry my hair, do my face, and throw on some clothes.

We’re out the door by 7:10am, and as with most things in my life, nothing productive really begins until coffee has made its way to my mouth, so we stop for coffee.

By 7:30am I drop Joe off at work, and I’m at the university by 7:45am.

7:45am-6pm

photo-2

I’m at the university until 3:30pm. First and foremost, I tackle coffee and write out my to-do list, and then I do several development plan and course reviews.

I brew and drink a tea while quickly uploading some revisions for a client. This brings me to 10:45am, so I take a walk around campus before heading to the gym around 11am. At the gym, I run a quick 2.51 km – I’m running a half-marathon on Sunday, and I’m trying to squeeze some very short runs and cross-training in ahead of the race. Dodgeball starts tomorrow and softball practices is on Thursday and Friday, so I don’t want to do too much more than that.

After the gym, I grab a slice of pizza from my favourite pizza place because…life’s all about balance, right?

I make my way back to the university, and populate another faculty member’s course, answer some faculty questions, and record some audio narration, taking me to 3:30pm. Life at the university is definitely a lot busier than it sounds! Having written this, it seems like I do nothing, but there never seems to be enough hours in the day.

While at the university, I monitor three different email accounts to ensure nothing pressing comes up with my clients outside of the university. Nothing major is going on today, so I feel good about being productive this evening.

At 3:30pm I pack up and leave the university and head back to pick Joe up from work.

photo

By 5pm, we’re home. I toss supper on (hummus-crusted baked chicken and roasted sweet potato) and begin to plug away at client work. I catch up on some YouTube videos and blog-reading while I wait for supper to finish.

6pm-7pm

I deliver revisions for two courses (for one client), and plug away at another course for this client – the one I recorded audio for earlier. The course is pretty much finished, but I need to edit and synchronize the audio, which is tedious…but I love what I do, so it ain’t no biggie.

I read a low-rated review of Articulate Storyline Essentials and get discouraged for a little while. I’m really proud of having written that book, but it was really tough to pare down content to just the basics. The screenshot walkthrough style isn’t for everyone; different strokes for different folks I guess. I’m trying to focus on the positive reviews I’ve received, and not let it hold me back from working on the book I’m currently writing.

7pm-9pm

I continue working on the course and toss a load of in the dryer. I’m doing my work over a beer and the glow of the TV as I use the Blue Jays/Orioles game as background noise. I deliver the course for review, get in bed, and read to wind down. I’ll be out like a light by 10pm.