Learn. Show. Repeat.

Category: eLearning

  • Spinning Around with Storyline 2

    A few years ago, before I was working with Articulate Storyline, I saw this cool interaction where you could spin a group of on screen images around in a circle. I later found out that this was referred to as a ‘carousel’.

    While I liked the carousel when I first saw it, I haven’t see it around much – the closest I’ve come is where the images scroll from side to side. So I thought I’d try and build a circular carousel in Storyline 2. In my head, the way I saw the interaction working was by using a slider and as you move the slider along the images would rotate in a circle.

    I was on the train on my way into work the other day and I started to sketch out my idea on paper. I always like to start this way no matter if it’s for a client project or a simple demo like this was going to be. I find that I can jot down ideas quickly and play with them on paper as I try to arrange and re-arrange my thoughts. So this is how it started:

    First draft

    Then once I have a bit of a clearer idea of where I’m going (it’s never usually finished or fully formed at this point) then I’ll start playing in the tool however I’m still experimenting at this point and I don’t actually know if my idea will work!

    To start with I inserted a slider and four coloured rectangles onto a new slide just to get an idea of the layout. To help with the look of the interaction, I made the two rectangles behind the front one slightly smaller and the back one slightly smaller again to give the look of perspective – as the objects move around the carousel they’ll appear to move closer and then further away.

    Screen layout

    Initially, I thought I’d use a change of state and what would happen is that as you move the slider along, each rectangle would change its state and the new state would be the rectangle in the next position. I started with just two different coloured rectangles (so that I could keep track of which was which). Plus if I started with two and could get it to work, then I could add the other two. It turned out to be a good plan because using states proved to be unsuccessful.

    The first two moves worked just fine:

    States demo 1

    But the next two didn’t:

    States demo 2

    The problem was that objects on a slide sit at different ‘levels’ depending on where they are in the timeline and in this case the blue rectangle is always going to be above the red one:

    Timeline

    So it was back to the drawing board.

    This time I thought I’d try it again but using separate layers for each position of the rectangle. That way I could control how the rectangles were arranged as each layer is shown. Thankfully, this way worked much better. Each time the slider moved a position, a different layer would show and because the rectangles are in a new position on each layer it gives the effect that they are moving in a circle:

    Layers2

    The next step was to replace the shapes with images and see how it looks. I also decided to add a couple of extra pictures – meaning two extra layers. I wanted to make the front picture stand out so I increased the brightness of the front image and changed the back images to black and white and decreased their brightness. I did this on one image and then used format painter to apply the changes to the other images. I also adjusted the layout and sizing of the images slightly and in the end it turned out like this:

    Carousel demo

    Click the image to view the working demo.

    While it isn’t exactly how I envisaged it originally (in my head I wanted the movement from position to position to be much smoother but would be much more complex to create given the objects change size as they move) this method does give a revolving effect and I was happy with the end result. Maybe I could try using motion paths next time…

    I reckon the slide could be used for images or videos or even as a different type of menu where you could click on the front image and jump to a topic. You can download the source file from here.

    Note: I also want to develop more of a habit of working out loud so I tweeted my progress as I went. It’s the first time I’ve done that as I went along and not just at the end. It’s my habit in progress.

    Development tweets

     

     

     

     

  • Practice and Sharing: The Keys to Success

    shutterstock_88500487

    These were the two messages that stood out over three days in Sydney at last year’s iDesignX Australian Instructional Design Conference (21st March) sponsored by B Online Learning & Articulate and the eLearning Design Workshops with Tom Kuhlmann and David Anderson (22nd and 23rd March). I was fortunate to attend all the sessions and for me it was a dream come true to not only be in the same room as Tom and David but to hear and learn directly from them (I also got to meet them which was an incredible experience and a real highlight too).

    Practice

    As someone with a keen interest in learning generally, but eLearning in particular, I’m always looking to other experienced people in the learning field to find out how I can improve my own skills and knowledge. While it would be great if there was a magic pill you could swallow and voila! you’d be transformed into an eLearning whizz, the reality is that when you look at anyone who is successful in their field, the one thing they have in common is a commitment to developing their skills over a period of time. Tom and David are no exception to this. Over the years they have worked on many projects but they also make time to experiment and try new things. The speakers at iDesignX also showed that they have put in a lot of effort over the years to get to where they are today.

    Tip: a good place to start practicing your eLearning skills is in David’s Weekly Challenge. You can also learn more about building great eLearning courses at Tom’s Rapid eLearning blog.

    Sharing

    Tom and David are role models when it comes to sharing. Their jobs at Articulate along with their travel schedule must keep them extremely busy. However, they are extremely generous with their time and have a great willingness share what they know, provide advice and help anyone who needs it. It’s something all learning professionals can learn from and do more of.

    So, in the interests of sharing, here’s firstly what I took away from iDesignX:

    “Instructional design is about crafting the appropriate learning experience. We need to reframe content so that it’s meaningful and relevant. Then we need to give learners something to think about and have them make decisions.” Tom Kuhlmann – VP Community at Articulate

    “Tips when using virtual training: prepare and support participants, consider cognitive load, design for different levels of engagement, have learners interact often, support facilitators, pilot the training and test, test, test, test.” Brenda Smith – Medibank Health

    “When using video in learning experiences, authenticity is very important.” Mark Parry – Parryville Media

    “Clean and balance (in graphic design) creates stability and can direct learner focus.” Minh Nguyen – DEEWR “Using curation for learning design > collect, filter, evaluate, arrange, present, distribute.” Anne Bartlett-Bragg – Ripple Effect Group

    “Before you gamify your eLearning course, make sure it meets the learning objectives.” Ruth McElhone – B Online Learning

    “Learning experiences should be meaningful, memorable and motivating.” Ruth McElhone – B Online Learning

    “Using video for manual or process tasks shows the correct way to do something.” Tony Nye – Australian Red Cross Blood Service

    “Pictures clarify words and stories add context to content.” Blair Rorani – Ever Learning

    “What makes an industry pro? Experience; Skills (practice your craft); Authority and Luck.” Tom Kuhlmann – VP Community at Articulate

    “Luck is where opportunity and preparation meet.” Tom Kuhlmann – VP Community at Articulate

    “You need to be proactive and look for opportunities. Sharing expertise creates opportunities.” Tom Kuhlmann – VP Community at Articulate

     

    And from the workshops with Tom and David:

    On designing an eLearning course:

    Ask yourself:

    1. What content needs to be in the course?
    2. What is the right look and feel?
    3. What is the learner supposed to do?

    Be intentional, stick with a consistent design and don’t settle for defaults (colours, fonts etc.)

     

    On eLearning makeovers:

    Review the five common components of eLearning courses:

    1. Text – should be from the same font family
    2. Elements – the goal is unity not uniformity
    3. Colours – use colour for contrast and emphasis
    4. Background – it should contribute to the visual and not dominate
    5. People – if you use characters maintain unity

     

    On interactivity:

    Interactivity connects the user to content. There are two types of interactivity:

    • Touch – the learner interacts with the screen (by clicking, dragging or hovering)
    • Decision – the learner interacts with the content.

     

    On Learning Objectives:

    When thinking about learning objectives, ask yourself:

    • Who is the learner?
    • What is the situation?
    • What do you want them to do?
    • How can they prove it?

     

    On building interactive eLearning:

    • Know your tools – don’t build clunky courses
    • Create relevant content
    • Use stories for learning especially if there’s a lot of content
    • Remember the 3 C’s:
    1. Challenge the learner
    2. Give them choices
    3. Have consequences for decisions

     

    There were at least a couple of hundred people at the conference and about 80 people each day at the workshops. If everyone incorporates just one or two of the things they learned into their eLearning courses the quality would certainly improve. But if everyone also shared what they’ve learned with others in the field, it would help to improve even more courses and contribute to building a strong community of learning professionals!

    All in all it was a great three days of learning from the best in the field and also chance to meet lots of people who I’d only known via Twitter and make the physical connection. Let’s follow Tom and David’s example by practicing our skills and sharing what we know so that we can develop ourselves as well as others.

    Footnote: This post originally appeared on my old blog site “Learning Snippets” and the B Online Learning blog in 2014.

  • Working with Cognitive Load

    When I first started working as an eLearning instructional designer I became interested in the learning process and how people learn. I figured that if I knew more about information processing and learning, I could hopefully design more effective courses and materials. I came across a book called Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load by Ruth Colvin Clark, Frank Nguyen and John Sweller. In this book I discovered – among other things – Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) which is based on studies of human cognitive architecture – how we process and organise information.

    In our brains, we have two types of memory. One is our working memory, which we use to process new information. The capacity of our working memory is quite limited so it can only handle so much before it becomes overloaded. The second is our long-term memory, which is where we store information from our working memory and where we retrieve that information from later. Within our long-term memory, information is organised into schemas, which are organisational frameworks of storage (like filing cabinets). Not exceeding working memory capacity will result in greater transfer of information into long-term memory.

    CLT proposes that there are three types of cognitive load:

    Intrinsic: this is the level of complexity inherent in the material being studied. There isn’t much that we can do about intrinsic cognitive load; some tasks are more complex than others so will have different levels of intrinsic cognitive load.

    Extraneous: this is cognitive load imposed by non-relevant elements that require extra mental processing e.g. decorative pictures, animations etc. that add nothing to the learning experience.

    Germane: these are elements that allow cognitive resources to be put towards learning i.e. assist with information processing.

    The three types of cognitive load are additive so according to the theory, for instruction to be effective:

    Intrinsic load + Extraneous load + Germane load < Working memory capacity

    To assist learners in transferring information from their working memory to their long-term memory, we need to present the information in such a way that it reduces extraneous cognitive load (non-relevant items) and, if possible, increases germane cognitive load (items that assist with information processing). Note: I’ve found that much of the literature tends to focus on reducing extraneous cognitive load.

    Mayer and Moreno (2003) conducted research into ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Their research, built on CLT, was based on three assumptions:

    1. Humans possess separate information processing channels for verbal and visual material (Dual Channel).
    2. There is only a limited amount of processing capacity available via the visual (eyes) and verbal (ears) channels (Limited Capacity).
    3. Learning requires substantial cognitive processing via the visual and verbal channels (Active Processing).

    They found that designers should do the following to assist learners in processing information:

    • Present some information via the visual channel and some via the verbal channel.
    • Break content into smaller segments and allow the learner to control the pace.
    • Remove non-essential content – this includes background music and decorative pictures that don’t add value.
    • Words should be placed close as possible to the corresponding graphics.
    • Don’t narrate on-screen text word-for-word.
    • Synchronise visual and verbal content i.e. don’t place them on separate screens.

    As instructional designers, we need to be aware of the cognitive requirements our designs impose and ensure that our learners can meet those requirements. We must also ensure that all aspects of our design focus on adding value to the learning experience.

    References:

    Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load (2006) by Ruth Colvin Clark, Frank Nguyen and John Sweller. Pfeiffer

    Mayer, R. E. & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational Psychologist. 38, (1), 43-52.

  • Motivation and eLearning

    Motivation has been and continues to be a widely studied area across many of life’s domains. Motivation is the energising force that initiates and sustains behaviour and ultimately produces results. Many motivation theories focus on the amount of motivation, with a larger quantity said to result in improved outcomes. However, as educators we shouldn’t focus on generating more motivation from people but instead focus on creating conditions that facilitate the internalisation of motivation from within people.

    Self-determination theory (SDT), an empirical theory of motivation by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, focuses on the degree in which behaviour is self-motivated and self-determined. It’s one that’s struck a chord with me because of its usefulness, applicability and it’s backed by extensive research.

    SDT proposes that all humans require the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs, namely:

    • Autonomy (a sense of being in control and having freedom),
    • Competence (a sense of being able to do something i.e. being competent), and
    • Relatedness (a sense of being associated or connected to others).

     

    Contexts that satisfy all three basic needs will help support people’s actions, resulting in more sustained motivation over time and positive outcomes. According to SDT, engaging in activities for their inherent satisfaction and that are enjoyable are said to be intrinsically motivating. This is because the motivation to engage in the activity is coming completely from within the person – it’s been fully internalised. The SDT continuum shows various forms of motivation from no motivation (amotivation) to intrinsic motivation which leads to self-determined behaviour.

    SDT

    Video Game Play – An Intrinsically Motivating Activity

    Every year globally, people spend huge amounts of money and time playing video games. Most people who engage in video game play choose to do so voluntarily, because it is fun and they enjoy it, thus making game play an intrinsically motivating activity.

    Research by Ryan, Rigby and Przybylski into the motivation to play video games (regardless of the game type) found that motivation is accounted for by how well the game satisfies our three basic psychological needs:

    1. Autonomy – the extent to which the game provides flexibility over movement and strategies, choice over task and goals, and rewards that provide feedback and not control.
    2. Competence – the extent to which tasks provide ongoing challenges and opportunities for feedback.
    3. Relatedness – the extent to which the game provides interactions between players.

    In addition to need satisfaction, their research also found that:

    Presence – the extent to which the player feels within the game environment as opposed to being outside the game manipulating the controls, and
    Intuitive controls – the extent to which the controls make sense and don’t interfere with feelings of presence, were also important as they allow players to focus on game play and access the need satisfaction provided by the game.

    gamification

    What’s that got to do with eLearning?

    Learners are not always motivated to complete eLearning modules/courses – it might be a requirement of their job or as part of a qualification. But, imagine if we could replicate the motivational pull of video game play and apply similar techniques to eLearning courses. Imagine if people wanted to complete them. If we can use strategies to support their competence, autonomy and relatedness needs we can assist learners to internalise their motivation of these types of externally regulated activities.

    Here are some ways that you can apply to your eLearning that can help improve learner motivation by satisfying their basic psychological needs:

    Autonomy:
    1. Allowing people to make meaningful choices that have consequences.
    2. Providing people with more than one way to reach their end goal.
    3. Allowing people to customise their environment e.g. choosing a character.
    4. Encouraging people to take risks and be creative during the eLearning module/course.

    Competence:
    1. Making the goals clear and structured.
    2. Allowing multiple opportunities to complete parts of the eLearning module/course to allow people to build their competence.
    3. Requiring people to frequently make decisions to keep the eLearning module/course moving forward.
    4. Measuring performance in multiple ways.
    5. Increasing the difficulty as people progresses through the eLearning module/course.
    6. Linking progression (the reward) to competence.
    7. Providing people with constant and varied feedback and support.
    8. Allowing people to review or replay earlier parts of the eLearning module/course.
    9. Recognising achievement.

    Relatedness:
    1. Providing space/areas for interaction and discussion e.g. forums.
    2. Providing opportunities for collaboration e.g. tasks.

    Motivation plays an important role during eLearning experiences and our challenge is to create eLearning that people want to engage in. As educators, we have an opportunity to assist people to internalise their motivation in the way we design and deliver learning experiences. While it’s not always easy, we should use strategies that help satisfy the competence, autonomy and relatedness needs of our people if we want to improve their motivation towards the module or course they are completing.

     

    References:
    Deci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (2008) Facilitating optimal motivation and psychological well-being across life’s domains. Canadian Psychology. 49 (1), 14-23.
    Kapp, K. M. (2012) The Gamification of Learning and Instruction. Pfeiffer/ASTD
    Niemiec, C. P & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Autonomy, competence and relatedness in the classroom: applying self-determination theory to educational practice. Theory and Research in Education. 7 (2), 133-144.
    Ryan, R. M. & Deci, E. L. (2000) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology. 25, 54-67.
    Also, check out this website for more information on self-determination theory: http://www.selfdeterminationtheory.org/

  • A New Beginning

    Welcome to my new site! It’s been quite a few weeks in the making and I’m happy to finally launch it.

    I started writing on the Learning Snippets blog about 18 months ago and over that time I’ve changed and evolved (actually, I still am) and as a result I wanted to update my site to reflect this. I wanted to do more with my blogging and sharing, so I decided that I needed a new space to achieve this goal. Getting to this point will be a post in itself in the not too distant future.

    About the same time as I started writing my blog I also started reading other blogs written by people in the learning field to see what they were talking about and to get a sense of what blog writing was about. As I read, it seemed to me that everyone seemed to know everything about everything! But over time, I found that the writers tended to have a ‘speciality’. Yes, they are across a range of aspects related to learning but they tend to have one area they are particularly passionate about that comes through. This was somewhat a relief because at first, I struggled with trying to know and be everything. I felt pulled in all directions and it wasn’t until I genuinely thought about what is it that I’m passionate about?

    It’s eLearning.

    There are a lot of opinions around about eLearning both for and against. There’s a place for all forms of learning whether it’s in the classroom, on a computer or mobile device, informal, social or whatever. The key is to use the approach that is fit for purpose and will achieve the best outcome. There’s also a bit of talk around about how we should drop the ‘e’ from eLearning or debating how to spell eLearning (e-Learning, E-Learning or E-learning) and my view is that if these were the biggest challenges facing eLearning as it is today, we would be in a pretty good place. However, these types of discussions are nothing more than a distraction from the real issue which is to develop courses that enable people to perform better.

    What we need to focus on is constantly improving the standard of eLearning courses and the experience of people who take them and to improve their performance. Many people complain that they don’t have time to complete eLearning courses and they view it as something that they have to do but why not make them so engaging, so useful and so good that people will want to take them? Why don’t we aim to raise the standard and skills of those who develop these courses? This is what we should be focusing on. It’s no easy task but is something that I will be doing more of. This will be my thing.

    As well as wanting a more modern and customisable site, the name: Learn. Show. Repeat. represents my new way of thinking. One of the strongest influences for me to date has been the practice of ‘Show Your Work’ which I first heard about via Jane Bozarth. It’s basically showing what you did and how you did it. I tried it a few times in the past which you can see here: Showing My Work #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5. It’s a terrific way to open up and pass knowledge to others who may need it.

    A few months ago, I started participating in David Anderson’s eLearning challenges as a way to develop my own eLearning skills and to interact with other designers. David has generously been helping me out with the showing part by storing my published Storyline demos on his server (thanks David!) and giving me a link which I can then share with others. But I wanted to be able to do this for myself so, along with registering a new domain name; I set up my own account with an external hosting provider and changed from a WordPress.com site to a WordPress.org site. Special mention to Helen Blunden and Jackie Van Nice who helped me out and provided some very handy advice with switching over to a self-hosted site. I also wanted to keep all of my demos in one place and accompany each entry with a blog post about how I created it. This was another reason to update the site.

    You’ll notice that there are more pages now – a Portfolio page that shows my eLearning challenge entries created with Articulate Storyline and a PLN page that lists some of the people, communities, blogs, websites and books that have helped me in my journey in the learning field. Like me the site will continue to evolve and change over time. You can also make contact with me directly if you need to.

    When I started writing on Learning Snippets, the tagline was: A diary of sorts about what I’m learning about learning and that’s still a big part of what I want to do. But I also want to do more showing and reflecting and sharing experiences with the aim of improving my skills and those of others too.

    I’m looking forward to the next phase of my learning journey; you’re most welcome to come along for the ride.