Ashley Chiasson, M.Ed

Terminology Tuesday: Instructor versus Facilitator

September 30, 2014

Next week I begin the OLC Teaching Certificate, and as a prerequisite I had to take a brief (1 week) workshop. There has been some discussion about the changing role of traditional face-to-face instructors when they begin teaching online, so I thought it might be relevant to provide my thoughts on these changing roles.

Instructor

The instructor of a class is often viewed as the Subject Matter Expert (SME), and while there are various delivery mechanisms this instructor may choose to use, instructors are often viewed as feeding students with information. Some call this a ‘banking’ model, wherein the instructor is depositing information into the bank of student minds. This is a traditional method of instruction for a reason: it’s been used for many moons, and it works. However, it’s not the only way teaching and learning can work.

Facilitator

Facilitators are often viewed as ‘a guide on the side’ in that they provide the subject matter/content to the students, but the students build upon the information collaboratively with one another. The facilitator facilitates discussions surrounding the content and keeps the students focused on the learning outcomes, but they operate in a more holistic approach.

How does this relate to online learning?

Well – in online learning, the instructor really needs to make a shift and adapt their teaching preferences according to the environment in which information is being delivered. For example, if you choose to continue with the traditional ‘banking’ style of approach in an online delivery format, your course will likely end up looking like a repository of information…which is not very engaging instructional design. In this example, you can see very clearly why the banking method doesn’t work that well for online as it does for face-to-face instruction; while, the facilitator role can work well in both contexts of delivery.

With that being said, the facilitator may need to adapt their role based on the environment in that they may need to provide more examples and explanations in the online format to mitigate the lack of face-to-face engagement.

Change is innately unwanted and there is always resistance to change, but in the interest of your audience, it’s a necessary evil!

Still confused? Here are some resources!

Terminology Tuesday: Competency-Based Learning

September 23, 2014

Having worked within the defence sector for many years, I became accustomed to (and sometimes exhausted by) taking a competency-based approach to learning. Life was spent swimming in Job Task Analysis (JTA) spreadsheets and ticking off boxes for various types of knowledge/skills/attitudes. Spreadsheets never made me want to cry more. However, these spreadsheets helped me ensure I was accommodating the learning of some very concrete and practical (mostly) tasks.

Competency-Based Learning

Competency-based learning involves breaking down learning into each individual task until that task is mastered. For example, screwing in a bolt requires many competencies, such as: Identify the appropriate screwdriver, insert the screwdriver into the bolt, turn the screwdriver in a clock-wise motion to tighten the bolt – etcetera. You might not think of each individual task because doing so would make your day a lot longer and exhausting, but each small task is part of a greater whole, and it’s essential to know how to perform each task before you can achieve the greater whole. The military uses this type of learning because everything is very structured and each task helps the individual achieve a greater goal – AND, when it comes to complex procedural tasks like installing a main gearbox, I’d like to think that the technician has mastered each task involved as this will enhance my overall safety as an individual who frequently flies on aircraft.

From my experience, competency-based learning often users a tell, show, do model. First, the instructor will explain the task to be completed and how to achieve the end goal. Then, the instructor will demonstrate what they have explained, showing the students exactly what they need to do. Finally, the instructor will allow students to complete the task on their own, providing feedback throughout.

Similar to my experience with military training, Starbucks training (unless it’s changed since I was a manger) is also competency-based. We would use the tell, show, do model and it was incredibly effective to break sach task into a sub-task. For example, when new beverage items were launched, this process worked very well at ensuring consistency among beverages made by employees. Why? Because competency-based learning is extremely measurable! This is why it’s often used for teaching concrete vs. abstract concepts/tasks.

Still Confused? Here are Some Resources:

Competency-Based or Personalized Learning

Using a Competency-Based Approach: Linking Core Competencies to your Business Strategy by ThinkWise

Competency-Based Approach

From Job-Based to Competency-Based Organizations by Edward E. Lawler III

Competency-Based Learning Models: A Necessary Future by Richard A. Voorhees

A Few of My Favourite Things: Articulate Storyline 2

September 21, 2014

A couple of weeks ago I participated in the E-Learning Heroes Community Roadshow: Denver, and got to play around with Articulate Storyline 2 for a bit before it went live last week. It is now one of my favourite things! Now some folks are giving the product flack because they believed some of the enhanced features or feature add ons should have been included as a free path for Storyline 1…but hey! GET OVER IT! Storyline 2 is well worth the price, and for all it contains (in relation to course building), it’s truly a steal. Ya’ll stayed tuned for some video tutorials, but here are some of my favourite things so far:

Auto-Recovery – Now, some of the naysayers were balking a bit at this ‘new feature’, believing that in 2014 all programs should contain auto-recovery, but they don’t. And assuming your work will be auto-recovered just makes an ass out of both you and me. Last spring I was devastated when I lost a weeks worth of work, but I persevered and replicated my efforts in 8 hours (and it was all the better for the revisit I think). There’s nothing worse than a hard drive failure, a power surge, or the blue screen of death when you’re a week (or more) into your work efforts and realize in a moment of devastation that you have not saved for the last 6 hours. Storyline 2 saves the day with its new auto-recovery feature, and you will no longer have to worry about losing your work or finding work-arounds to avoid losing your work. With that being said, you should also use some common sense and back up your work frequently (as Taco in The League would say – “To the cloud!”).

Dockable Panels – I cannot tell you just how excited I was to see dockable panels in this version – SO EXCITED! Now I can move all of my panels to one monitor while I maximize my other monitor (or two) for development. AMAZING! Love love love this feature! My productivity will soar!

Slider Interactions – OH MY HEAVENS! Life has just gotten a lot easier for everyone wanting to use a slider-style interaction. I remember watching a colleague (shout out Michael Hinze!) demonstrate how he built a slider interaction. There were many, many, many states involved (think 100 or so). Now we can all create similar interactions with WAY LESS effort. It’s party time!

Motion Paths – Similarly, I watched Chris Perez create some amazing custom characters and accompanying animations at the Denver roadshow. Now that motion path animations are a thing, making some these animations will be so much easier! I think back to the specific example of the bowling ball moving down the alley which Chris had provided – motion paths will make this easy peasy!

Animation Painter – This is going to save SO MUCH TIME. Seriously. Now you won’t have to painstakingly re-program each and every animation. If that’s not a sell for your organization to upgrade…I don’t know what is (how about the previously mentioned feature favourites?)!

Now you’re probably thinking that the folks at Articulate paid me to say these nice things…NOPE! They didn’t! They just produce products that I genuinely love and use on a daily basis. With new product releases, there are always things that people will moan and groan about, but honestly – for the capabilities and cost, this product is one of the best in the e-learning industry. After using many other authoring tools in the past, I don’t see myself straying from Storyline for many moons.

E-Learning Challenge #49 – Webcam Video in E-Learning

September 17, 2014

Speaking of catching up on e-learning challenges, here’s another one! This time you get to see my lovely face getting caffeinated all up in yo’ business! For this challenge, I was inspired by YouTube sensation Hannah Hart’s My Drunk Kitchen series (click to watch her episode with Mary Lousie Parker – holla)! In my homage to MDK, I came up with My Caffeinated Office (or MCO for short), where instead of getting drunk…because we’re all professional here, right?!…I pound back two coffees before 10am and take you on a quick tour of some portfolio pieces.

The Concept

This e-learning challenge involved using your webcam to introduce yourself, show a little something something (in this case some of my portfolio pieces), and bid adieu to your viewers. All in all, it was a fun one even with the distractions I experienced.

The Method

First, I decided on doing an homage to MDK. Initially I was going to get drunk, but based on how rambly I got with just coffee, it probably wouldn’t have been a good idea. Then, I opened up a bunch of tabs with portfolio pieces and set Camtasia up to first record just my webcam. I did my introduction and then switched to record webcam, audio, and my screen. I explained several of my portfolio pieces in detail, and then in the post-production, cut about 50% of what I showed because…ya’ll don’t wanna watch me ramble for 25 minutes, let’s be real.

Next, I recorded my farewell, forgetting to switch back to just webcam (whoops!), and said goodbye – a bit more awake than I was when I started. Finally, I added a little powerpoint slide at the beginning to introduce the video (before me and my webcam introduced myself).

The Result

Below you will be able to watch me make a fool of myself, drivelling on and on about all of the little details of my samples, and what you don’t see is my trip back to work after pausing the video to retrieve my husband’s laptop from home or the headache I received after downing all of that coffee in rapid succession – there probably won’t be another MCO in the near future, sorry folks. On with the show:

My Caffeinated Office from Ashley Chiasson on Vimeo.

E-Learning Challenge #50 – Flat Design Graphics for E-Learning

September 16, 2014

It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to participate in the weekly challenges, so I thought today would be a good day to get back into the swing of things! Now, I’m not a graphic designer and my artistic ability is limited, but I was happy to see how easy it was to create certain elements – this knowledge might come in handy in the future.

The Concept

This week’s challenge was to design a flat office space based on your own workspace, and to include an photo of your own desktop.

The Method

Well – First, I opened up Storyline 2…because it was released today! Then I sought about designing the elements found in my workspace – white desk, books that I use as a mousepad, mouse, lamp, cork boards and accompanying photos, laptop, and second monitor.

I will say that I sanitized my designed workspace for reduced clutter, but it still ended up looking pretty cluttered…what can I say? I’m a pretty chaotic being and my workspace indicates that – however the work gets done, eh? I also ended up brutalizing my lamp, which is more of an hourglass/teardrop shape. I also veered from the 100% flat aspect of the challenge by incorporating my desktop background and photos posted on my cork boards. When I re-flatify these aspects, I’ll let you know!

The Result

For the full interaction, please CLICK HERE.

And here is the real deal…for comparison sake – again, I realize it’s a bit chaotic. I won’t apologize for it.

Terminology Tuesday: Screencast

September 16, 2014

I’ve been meaning to record a bunch of screencasts lately, and then it dawned on me that some of you might not know what a screencast is! What a perfect opportunity to let you all in on one of the most effective ways of explaining something digital to another individual.

So what is a screencast?

A screencast is a digital recording of what is on your computer’s monitor – a broadcast of your screen if you will. You can record these screencasts using many different tools; however, I prefer using Camtasia. There are also a few free options available that I’ve found fairly effective: Screenr.com and Screencast-o-matic.com.

Screenshot…screencast – same difference, right?

WRONG! Screenshots are static image captures of your screen content/the content displayed on your monitor. Screencasts are videos created of your screen content/the content being displayed on your monitor. Both are effective within the training industry, but if you’re like me, you probably appreciate screencasts more than you do screenshots. At least when you’re trying to learn something new.

Screencasts are great because the user only needs to access one resource to see a process from start to finish instead of scrolling through a series of step-by-step style screenshots. In my opinion, screencasts are most effective when it comes to learning complex (or new) software as you can pause, rewind, and fast-forward depending on the specific information you’re looking for.

Have any tips or tricks?

My only real piece of advice when it comes to screencasting is to SCRIPT YO’ SCREENCAST! Why? Because it makes for a more professional looking video!

Still confused? Here are some resources:

Grab the free Course Development Plan