Integrated Learnings

JULY 27, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. Regardless of the extent of your background in instructional design, I think just about everyone can agree that capturing learners’ attention at the start of an eLearning course (and engaging interest throughout) is critical. Anyone who has taken an introductory public speaking class can appreciate this principle. In the spirit of sharing some basic ideas while keeping this simple, below are seven techniques designers can use to capture learners’ attention at the start of an

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Integrated Learnings

AUGUST 31, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. In listing the benefits of eLearning, training folks often cite its flexibility – it’s available on-demand, allows learners to progress at their own pace, is easily deployed to a geographically dispersed audience, etc. eLearning’s flexibility can be especially handy when it’s included as part of a blended learning approach. Below are a few ways I’ve seen eLearning used to complement other delivery methods in projects I’ve worked on. -1- Pre-work for instructor-led training.

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Integrated Learnings

AUGUST 11, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. Though eLearning isn’t new to the training field anymore, it’s still relatively new to many organizations. And once those organizations buy into the benefits of eLearning, many are tempted to run and dive into the deep end of the pool as quickly as possible. Sometimes even before taking a swimming lesson…or changing into a proper bathing suit.

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Integrated Learnings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. Stephen Covey is a well-known organizational consultant, perhaps especially well known for his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I was thinking about the book the other day, and I also started thinking about how those habits might translate for instructional design specifically. Here’s what I came up with…. Habit 1: Be proactive.

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Integrated Learnings

NOVEMBER 18, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. For anyone who’s in the midst of designing an eLearning course, have you figured out how you’re going to evaluate its success? - Some of you are proudly nodding. - Some may be thinking that it’s not necessary. - Others would like to evaluate, but lack the time and/or know-how to do so. For those of you in the first category.kudos.

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Integrated Learnings

JUNE 14, 2010

By Jay Lambert. As you likely know, Amazon 's software is amazing. Whenever I sign on to the site (which is fairly often), they suggest a variety of things for me to purchase that are typically right on target. I see books on instructional design and eLearning, books and music that my kids will like, travel guides for my wife, the list goes on and on.

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Integrated Learnings

JUNE 9, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. At last! After weeks – perhaps months – of analysis, design, and development, you finally have a completed and fully functional eLearning course. Finishing that last step to completion is a proud moment. And a relief. So now what? Roll it out to the masses! No, wait. Before rolling it out to the masses (assuming that’s your eventual intent), you should probably pilot the course with a small group of learners from your target audience.

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Integrated Learnings

FEBRUARY 14, 2010

by Jonathan Shoaf. Consistency is important when delivering eLearning. This is why most eLearning professionals develop a standard look and feel for all their courses. Learners need to be focused on learning the topic, not on finding out how to get to the next page or which button to click next. Buttons are a part of a standard look and feel and they need to be consistent through all of your courses.

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Integrated Learnings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. Have you ever thought, “well, that was a waste of time; it’s not like I’m gonna do anything differently now;” as you completed a training course? I’ll admit it: I have. A less-than-compelling training design might be to blame. But maybe not. A lot of smart people in the field often remind us that a training event alone rarely accomplishes an organization’s goals.

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Integrated Learnings

OCTOBER 25, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. It seems like every major news outlet runs the occasional story about how the United States workforce is aging. Between baby boomers approaching retirement and retirees reentering the workforce to supplement their income, statistics from a variety of sources indicate that a large proportion of our workforce is 50+. So what does this mean for eLearning?

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Integrated Learnings

JANUARY 26, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. Think back to the last time you were in training, whether it was online or in the classroom. What pieces stand out most? While hopefully there are memorable moments from throughout the course, you can probably also recall how the course started and ended. Our tendency to remember especially well how sequences of information or events start and end is explained by primacy and recency effects.

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Integrated Learnings

FEBRUARY 17, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. Why do we include written or computer-based quizzes in training? First, I'll acknowledge that the ideal type of level 2 training evaluation is a skill assessment that simulates actual, observable job tasks. That said, I'll go back to the original question: Why include quizzes in training? Here's a few reasons. A quiz can be a useful tool for taking a pulse check during training.

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Integrated Learnings

MARCH 11, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. How often do you receive requests for refresher training? And how do you handle those requests? When I first started working in training, I'd usually ask the client exactly what skills and knowledge needed to be refreshed. Then I'd dig for existing training materials that could meet the stated need. I've wised up since then. First of all, I've learned to identify an actual performance gap.

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Integrated Learnings

FEBRUARY 9, 2010

By Jay Lambert. At lunch today, someone was discussing problems that instructional designers frequently face while working with subject matter experts (SMEs). Don't get me wrong; there are many wonderful SMEs out there. But unfortunately there are also enough of the other variety that you see a lot of 'what to do when your SME.' type articles. In a previous post on this blog, Pointing to the Five Moments of Learning Need , we've already talked about the SME who wants to include everything, and I

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Integrated Learnings

FEBRUARY 24, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. Do you include audio narration in the eLearning lessons you develop? Why? Or why not? I was working on a project several weeks ago where the team debated whether to include audio narration in a series of eLearning lessons. The team was split in their personal opinions. This post outlines pieces of my thought process. Let's think about this from a learning styles perspective.

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Integrated Learnings

MAY 16, 2010

By Jay Lambert. If you've developed a learning program for software, at some point or another you've likely had to develop training before the software itself was even ready. It was this very scenario that Teresa Teirney and her associates at Nationwide faced. As with many (read most) technical training projects, Nationwide started developing training modules before any system content actually existed; but in a flash of inspiration, they decided to try using Agile development methodologies durin

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Integrated Learnings

MAY 3, 2010

By Shelley A Gable. When you write content for eLearning, do you think of it as technical communication? Creative writing? Something else entirely? I recently read an article called "The Write Brain: How to Educate and Entertain with Learner-Centered Writing" by Kathleen M. Iverson in the August 2009 issue of Performance Improvement Journal. Here's how she addresses those opening questions: By blending fictional and technical writing techniques with learning theory, we can craft written material

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Integrated Learnings

APRIL 14, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. In a recent post on this blog, I provided A Formula for Storytelling in eLearning. This post focuses on telling a story through a better use of visuals. I tend to be a very text-oriented person. When an article offers a graphic to illustrate a concept, I'll glance at the graphic but focus on the text. However, I also understand that a graphic is a preferred focal point for many people.

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Integrated Learnings

JUNE 1, 2010

Unlocking the Power of Lectora Variables, Part 2. By Jay Lambert. In an earlier post on this blog , we walked through using a Lectora variable to control page navigation in your eLearning course. In this post, we'll look at using the learner’s name in your course content. Including the learner’s name in your Lectora course can take many forms, such as 'Welcome to computer skills training, John.'.

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Integrated Learnings

MARCH 23, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. What does ideal systems training look like? Much of the systems training I've encountered tends to follow this basic formula: Overview the computer program (e.g., uses, primary functions, etc.) Introduce basic navigation and main windows (with demonstration + practice) Perform specific tasks or procedures (with demonstration + practice).

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Integrated Learnings

JUNE 22, 2010

Autoadvance Lectora when the Learner finishes a Captivate Simulation. By Jay Lambert. Frequently, we embed Adobe Captivate simulations within a Lectora eLearning course. The two authoring tools actually work together really well. But note that if you simply insert the Captivate simulation as a Flash swf file into Lectora without doing anything to limit the course navigation, then the learner can easily click right on through to the next page in the title.

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Integrated Learnings

MAY 24, 2010

By Derek Howard. Great ideas are golden. This is especially true in the business world. A great idea can save money, rake in new business and ultimately really plump the bottom-line. Big or small, a great idea is a great idea. Unfortunately, sometimes, no matter how great the idea is, it just never seems to catch on. Why is this? The good news is that it’s rarely the fault of the idea itself.

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Integrated Learnings

JULY 22, 2010

By Susan O'Connell. About a year ago, I posted instructions on using Captivate’s system variables to turn the Captivate skin on and off within your course. Now that Captivate 5 is available, I revisited this functionality and was pleased to find that the steps to do this in the new version have been streamlined. Here is an updated version of that previous post, starting with why you’d want to show or hide the skin in the first place.

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Integrated Learnings

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

By Jay Lambert. In an earlier post on the Integrated Learnings: eLearning blog , Jonathan mentioned embedding a YouTube video in a Lectora course title. We received a few calls asking for step-by-step instructions so here they are. Within your Lectora course, go to the page where you want the video and click the Add External HTML icon. Lectora adds the following item to your page.

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Integrated Learnings

JANUARY 14, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. I recently came across a discussion on LinkedIn that debated whether classroom (instructor-led) training is more credible than eLearning. After comparing the effectiveness of the two methods in a variety of studies, many researchers have concluded that they can be equally effective and that the instructional strategies drive effectiveness, not the medium.

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Integrated Learnings

JANUARY 18, 2010

by Jonathan Shoaf. As a developer you learn quickly that there are always multiple solutions to a problem. This can be frustrating at first but soon you learn the benefits and drawbacks of each individual solution. Lectora is a popular tool for creating e-Learning content for exactly this reason--it provides multiple ways to solve problems. In this blog post I'm going to talk about one example of this: hyperlinks.

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Integrated Learnings

JANUARY 6, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. You've analyzed the client's needs. The client's goals are clearly defined. You've assessed where the client is currently, relative to those goals. In other words, you've identified the performance gap that training is supposed to close. Oh, and of course, you've determined that training is in fact an appropriate way to close that gap.

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Integrated Learnings

FEBRUARY 4, 2010

We started the Integrated Learnings: eLearning blog last year with the idea of writing simple, but informative, posts about eLearning design and development. Our topics rotate between learning theory refreshers and step-by-step techniques for popular eLearning authoring tools (Lectora, Captivate, Articulate, and others). Our one rule is that the topics have to relate to eLearning.

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Integrated Learnings

JANUARY 3, 2010

Someone recently gave me a copy of Dan and Chip Heath’s book 'Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.' I’ve been impressed with how much learning theory is woven throughout on why certain ideas stick in a person’s head while others don’t. The book is described as containing great lessons for marketers who want to devise the perfect jingle or ad pitch.

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Integrated Learnings

MARCH 2, 2010

By Jay Lambert. This question pops up now and again, particularly with those just starting to offer eLearning courses to their associates. As with most anything, arguments can potentially be made either way. But I typically argue that eLearning standards are necessary. Even the most cutting edge eLearning out there follows a standard, even if it's a totally new one.

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Integrated Learnings

MARCH 29, 2010

By Jay Lambert. As we network with newer Lectora developers, we are often asked to clarify the use of variables in the tool. As a reminder, variables within Lectora hold key pieces of information that you can later refer to and act upon. My next few posts will attempt to provide a primer on using Lectora variables to accomplish a few basic tasks. Once you begin using them, all sorts of possible uses will emerge.

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Integrated Learnings

DECEMBER 1, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. While we work diligently to develop learning experiences that help our clients meet their business goals, we must also engage in continuous learning ourselves. What types of learning experiences do you pursue? How do you keep up on trends and generate new ideas? Below are five professional development opportunities to consider for yourself…. --1-- Pursue Stretch Assignments.

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Integrated Learnings

MAY 27, 2010

By Shelley A. Gable. If you’re designing a one-week course, or even a partial day course, how do you divide its content into lessons? Intuitively, I used to define lessons by topic. Some lessons I’ve designed are as short as 15 minutes, while others are up to four hours. The topic would drive the length. Conversely, an instructional designer I used to work with felt strongly that a lesson should be an hour, and he would look for ways to logically organize content into one-hour chunks.

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