Storyboards are an essential element in designing your online course. They'll improve efficiency, save a lot of work/re-work down the road, and can also help communicate your ideas to stakeholders. Here 5 tips and best practices to get the most out of your storyboards! 1. Keep your goals in mind Why are you creating this eLearning course? Be clear on the purpose and content of your course, right from the start. If the course is truly your course, it should be much easier - you'll know the exact direction to head. However, if you're creating the course for a client, be sure everyone is on the same page (stakeholders, SMEs, course developers, etc.) I often find that what I think the course should be is drastically different from my client's expectations. 2. Don’t forget your audience Assuming you know your audience is a mistake. Research is key. This can come in the form of focus groups, surveys, or interviews to find out everything about the audience you're trying to … [Read more...] about 5 Tips For Effective ELearning Storyboards
instructional design and elearning
5 Ways the Pandemic is Changing Learning
With the world rapidly shifting to distance learning, our views on education have also significantly changed. Educators the world over have been forced to reconsider their approach to teaching and students are finding that some approaches work better than others. Here’s how the pandemic is changing learning: Creativity Abounds Student engagement has always been a struggle for teachers, whether in-classroom or on-screen. However, to offset the admittedly dry nature of online lectures, educators have started to get more creative. Chemistry students at Calvin Coolidge High School in Washington, D.C. are enjoying efforts by teacher Jonte Lee to liven up their lessons by doing chemistry experiments from his kitchen and answering questions in real-time via Instagram. That’s just one example of how teachers are getting creative in their online classes. Less Lecturing, More Discussing It’s a proven fact that students learn better when they ask questions, but decades of traditional learning … [Read more...] about 5 Ways the Pandemic is Changing Learning
A Dozen Tips to Work Effectively With Your SMEs
A Subject Matter Expert (SME) has the knowledge and experience you need to create course content. The trick is drawing out that information and using it effectively for your specific needs. The relationships you're able to build with SMEs will ultimately determine the quality of your content and how applicable it is to your particular course. In this article, we'll give you A Dozen Tips to Work Effectively With Your SMEs #1 Pick The Right SME For The Job - If you have a say in it, start the project off by suggesting the right SME for the job. The customer or stakeholder may make the final decision on selecting the SME, but providing them with guidance can help them make the best selection possible. Discuss the realistic time commitments, level of expertise needed, involvement required, etc. Beginning with a "qualified" and prepared SME can save you major hiccups in the future. #2 Embrace Collaboration – Understand that working with an SME is always a two-way street. They are … [Read more...] about A Dozen Tips to Work Effectively With Your SMEs
How To Create Next Generation ELearning
Way back in October 1999, during a seminar on Computer Based Training (CBT) in Los Angeles, a new phrase was introduced to the audience for the very first time – eLearning. Back then, while Internet access to the masses was restricted, training course developers (mostly programmers and IT professionals) still managed to produce eLearning courseware accessible through intranet, CD-Rom, and – to a lesser extent, via a handful of websites. Today, with instant communication available to the masses and cloud-based learning on the rise, the next generation of eLearning is poised for takeoff. In this article, we’ll talk about what it will take to create next-generation eLearning. Guiding Principles On How To Create Next Generation eLearning The next generation of eLearning will be based on an eclectic view of learning, and not focused on single viewpoints such as socio-constructivism or behaviorism. The guiding principles for an eclectic-focused eLearning environment of the future will, … [Read more...] about How To Create Next Generation ELearning
