How you pair textual content with graphical content in course design is important. If you get it right, it will help the learner have a great experience with the course. If you get it wrong, it will leave them confused and frustrated. Here are a few quick tips on how to marry the two correctly. #1 Focus on context Your visual content always needs to be relevant to the subject. More specifically, any graphics you include should be directly related to the topic currently on the screen. In adding images, ask whether they'll help the learner digest the information. If they are being added simply because they're pretty or used as a filler - remove them. #2 Optimize placement Images should be placed as close to the relevant text as possible. This helps the learner comprehend the content much easier. Additionally, if your screen has multiple graphic elements, consider placing the most important ones near the top of the page. #3 Don't embed text in images Avoid embedding important text in … [Read more...] about 5 Quick Tips – How To Pair Text With Images To Create A Great User Experience In eLearning
The ELearning Course Designer’s Blog
The Do’s and Don’ts of Filming Videos for your Online Courses
You likely have the technology you need to shoot great videos for your online course in your pocket right now. We all know that video is key when it comes to engaging and sticky content for eLearning. But, how do you actually capture the video using your phone so it looks professional? I've seen some really bad and some really fantastic DIY attempts at this! Let's look at several tips (along with a few gear recommendations) that will help you land on the side of fantastic. Framing If you're speaking into the camera (lecture style), frame your shot appropriately. In most circumstances, you'll want to shoot the video in landscape (horizontal). Viewers associate this with a more "professional" and polished format. Use the forward-facing camera lens (not the selfie one). This will shoot in better quality. Leave headspace at the top of your frame. Ideally, your eyes should fall within the top third of the frame. It's the most natural and … [Read more...] about The Do’s and Don’ts of Filming Videos for your Online Courses
4 Quick Tips – How To Incorporate Social Learning In eLearning
While we may have not put a name to it growing up, we began social learning at the earliest of ages by mimicking adults, playing on a team, and learning from our parents and family. Social Learning is simply learning with and from others. If you’re having trouble figuring out effective ways to incorporate social learning into your eLearning curriculum, think about the techniques, interactions, and behaviors that would be observed in a live classroom and emulate those. Here are four ways that you can initiate or ramp up social learning immediately! #1 Gamification Try incorporating games among peers to promote social learning. Humans, by nature, love to compete! This reinforces rewards for positive behavior and can really hook your learners into engaging with both the content and other “players”. Build these elements directly into your course content, and create leaderboards with daily/weekly rewards for the … [Read more...] about 4 Quick Tips – How To Incorporate Social Learning In eLearning
Examples of Highly Effective Use of eLearning Scenario-based Training
Scenario-Based Learning (SBL) is a powerful eLearning strategy that many L&D teams use to create highly engaging and effective learning content. Not only does SBL enable exploring of common work-related situations, but scenarios can also prepare learners for unexpected, rare circumstances that are highly unlikely to occur, yet devastating to the organizations if they do transpire. Best of all, eLearning scenarios are a low-cost, low-risk approach to equip learners with skills required to deal with real-life problems, through an interactive, immersive and safe environment. eLearning Scenario Use Cases So, what are some specific examples where scenarios might be a great way to deliver eLearning course objectives? Well, here are some use cases of the successful application of SBL: Skills development One of the most prolific uses of eLearning scenarios is in the development of new skills, or upgrading of existing ones. A great example of the application of SBL is in the … [Read more...] about Examples of Highly Effective Use of eLearning Scenario-based Training
Eight Highly Effective eLearning Scenario Building Blocks L&D Teams Must Consider
Scenario-based learning (SBL) is one of the most effective ways to create highly effective learning content. Why? Because, unlike the “click next” type of content, scenarios force learners to engage with the content. And, depending on how they structure the scenarios, trainers can stimulate critical thinking among learners (or groups of learners), and build anticipation (“I wonder what happens next!”) to produce highly sticky courses. eLearning Building Blocks The objective of SBL is to provide realistic (or as close to real-life as possible!) skills to learners, that they can subsequently transfer to the workforce. However, to produce realistic scenarios, we sometimes go overboard with too many details and lots of situational data. In doing so, we risk causing cognitive overload among learners. Conversely, not providing sufficient data related to the “teachable items”, or framing scenarios without first offering proper context, may leave learners hamstrung in their … [Read more...] about Eight Highly Effective eLearning Scenario Building Blocks L&D Teams Must Consider
The Art of Building and Using Scenarios in ELearning Courses
At a very macro level, a scenario is a story-based learning aid, set around realistic (or real-like) situations, which highlight potential consequences of behavioral choices. They are built to generate learner interaction with the content and provide meaningful feedback between learner and trainer. Sounds rather complex at first read. So, let's explore scenarios in greater detail, and understand their role in creating highly engaging and impactful eLearning content. Understanding what scenarios do Sometimes, learners dread the thought of attending training – for instance, mandatory certification courses. They’re dull, routine, and repetitive, with not much to look forward to. At other times, eLearning topics may be extremely simple – for instance a course on building fire protocols, or exceptionally technical and complex – for example, a course on calibrating and troubleshooting digital weighing scales. The result in all these instances: Instant learner disengagement! By … [Read more...] about The Art of Building and Using Scenarios in ELearning Courses
