Many people are stuck in the world of linear, click-and-read content. Sometimes it’s because that’s all the organization wants. And sometimes it’s because we’re not quite sure how to make something more interactive. It’s probably the subject I’m asked about the most. One of the most frequent questions I get. The cool thing is that regardless of the tools you use, you can still build interactive content.

One of the best ways to learn to build better courses is to find some good examples, break them apart, and then try to build something similar. This way you get some hands-on practice, which is a lot more valuable than reading about interactive elearning.

So in today’s post, we’ll look at a popular example and talk through a few ideas on interactivity.

Get Them to Pull Information

In large part interactivity requires a shift away from pushing the content out (which is common) and instead creating an environment where the learner pulls content in. A good way to get them to pull information is creating a situation where they need to make an informed decision.

I usually recommend throwing people in the pool. Instead of dumping them with a pile of information, dunk them in a pool of opportunity. Let them deal with real-life situations and learn through their decision-making.

Put them in the types of situations where they need to make the decisions you want to them to make. That creates the opportunity for them to demonstrate their understanding and if they’re deficient in understanding they’re motivated to pull the information they need to make an informed decision.

Learn By Dissecting the Work of Others

When I learned to create videos, I’d record TV commercials and then break them down scene by scene. Commercials are great because they’re very effective in communicating essential ideas and they’re short. It’s a lot easier dissecting a 30 second commercial than a 2 hour movie.

After viewing the commercial I’d create storyboards for each scene. Then I’d analyze the scenes, how they were edited, and consider the motivation from one shot to the next. This process of dissecting the commercial slowed it down for me and helped me see what was happening better. The same can be done with elearning courses.

Today we’ll look at a popular example that Cathy Moore shared a while back. We’ll do a simple break down of the module. This is a good example because it’s interactive, engaging, and it’s short enough to go through it a few times.

Click here to review the module first.

Basic breakdown of the course:

• Introduction. The course starts with an introduction that sets the stage and expectations. You can consider it the establishing shot. We want to establish what the learner’s seeing so that they know where they’re at and what’s expected.
• Context. After the introduction, they begin to build some context. They’re putting the learner in a real situation and then offering some guidance on getting through it. You’ll notice instead of a bunch of screens of information about the culture and country, they provide two characters who will provide differing perspectives. What I like about that approach is there’s a bit of ambiguity in the way they share their perspectives. This is much more like real life where things aren’t always tidy or obvious. It brings a healthy tension to the scenario.

• Challenge. Once the scenario’s set up the learner’s offered a challenge which is the course objective—make a good impression and build a relationship with the Haji. The scenario presents a series of mini challenges that build on each other. The squad leaders offer advice that can help with the decision-making.

• Choices. After collecting the advice a decision needs to be made. The course provides a few choices. One thing you’ll notice is that the choices are all plausible and viable. The problem with many interactive elearning scenarios is that they are very obvious and don’t deal with the nuances we face in real life. If all of the choices are viable it puts more pressure on us to pay attention and collect the right information. We want them to learn and not guess their way through the situation.

• Consequences. Each choice produces a consequence, with some more positive than others. Sometimes progress I made in the relationship and sometimes it’s a step backwards. I like the quick feedback because in lieu of a real conversation, you need to read the body language of the Haji. It’s enough of a tip without being too much feedback. Another thing I like about this particular scenario is that the choices aren’t all do or die. You can make a poor choice and still recover if you’re paying attention to the information you collect. Often we provide immediate feedback and that’s it. In this scenario you may find the right outcome but realize it wasn’t the best. It kind of motivates you to go back and find out what was a better outcome.

Your Next Steps

As you can see, breaking down the scenario is a great way to come up with a formula that could work for your own scenario.

• Introduction. Set expectations. Let them know what to expect and how long it should take. It also helps if the course is visually engaging.
• Context. Put the learner in a real world environment where they make the types of decisions that impact their performance. Not sure what that is? What’s the goal and expected outcome after the course? How can they demonstrate that they’re able to meet the objectives?
• Challenge. Give them some good challenges that get them to think. You can even add a few distractors. Some people like to jump ahead and answer questions first and wait for feedback. But others will want a bit more information to make an informed decision. Give them the freedom to do so.
• Choices. What choices do they have to work through the scenario? Make them viable and real. If they’re obvious choices, then the interactivity is wasted. Sometimes I throw them for a loop by making all choices wrong or all of them correct. Not having an “all of the above” or “none of the above” option adds some healthy tension.
• Consequences. Each decision produces consequences. Sometimes the consequence is simple feedback and sometimes it can become another decision-making challenge. Do this to vary the pacing. You don’t always need to provide immediate feedback. Delay it. You’ll notice that in the scenario there’s some feedback from the Haji to give you a sense of what direction you’re moving, but it’s not “right” or “wrong” feedback. You just have to keep plodding forward and you’ll find out if you succeed at the end.

Without too much focus on the great visual design of the course, take note of how you can navigate through the module. There’s always a place to restart and also quickly advance through the modules. This gives the learner freedom and control. It also encourages going through the course a few times. My guess is that most people go through the module at least twice if not more. Would that be the case if every screen was locked like they are in many courses?

Action Items

Cathy discusses the scenario in more detail on her blog. But before you look at it, do this. As you go through the course try to map out the flow. How many individual screens are there? Go through it a few times. You’ll start to see a pattern and realize that the structure of the program is not that complicated and easy enough for you to do, regardless of your authoring tool.

The secret is taking the time to analyze the course and then creating a model that you can repeat with your own content.

Here’s another cool scenario-based module that’s been making the rounds. It’s a good one to dissect. Do the same thing; make some notes on what you like and how it flows. Try to create your own outline of the course. Then use that structure as a guideline for your own scenario.

Click here to view the interactive scenario.

If you want to look at other multimedia examples for inspiration, David does a great job collecting them at his elearning examples site. Most of them are smaller interactions so they’re perfect to break apart.

Perhaps you can take one of your linear courses and convert it to an interactive scenario using the same structure and outline as the soldier scenario. It’ll be good practice and I’m sure you’ll wow them at work.

If you do rework a course and make it more interactive, feel free to share the link. We’d love to see what you do.

Tidbits

I just added the information for the elearning workshop I’ll be doing in London on May 22. It’s going to fill up quickly, so make sure to sign up before it’s too late.

Also added details for the elearning workshop in Hampton, VA on April 17.

Upcoming Events

• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine). Swing by the Articulate booth to check out the soon-to-be released Storyline. Here’s how to get a free expo pass.

• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). February 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop and February 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring. We’ll follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.

• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)

• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (NEFL ASTD). Details coming.

• April 17: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Rapid elearning workshop. The first half we’ll look at some basic course design and in the second half we’ll learn to build interactive content.

• April 5: Portland, OR (OpenSesame). An E-Learning Heroes Roadshow workshop where we’ll look at ways to build elearning courses and learn some great PowerPoint tips. Excellent price and great coffee!

• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.

• May 22: London, UK. I’m doing a full-day elearning workshop. I’m looking forward to meeting the blog readers in the UK.

• May 24: Leeds UK. This is the annual Articulate users conference hosted by Leeds. It’s a great way to connect with other Articulate users.

• October 4: Seattle, WA (ASTDPS). Details coming.

• October 17: Bloomington, IL (CIC-ASTD). Details coming.

In a previous post, we looked at five free desktop image editors.  Here are a couple of additional free desktop applications shared by some blog readers. They both look very capable.

• PhotoPlus SE
• PhotoFiltre

A challenge with free software is that sometimes your organization isn’t comfortable with you downloading and installing applications that aren’t approved. This is where the online graphics applications come in handy. Of course, you’ll need an internet connection and hope that your organization isn’t blocking its use.

If you do a search, you’ll find that there are a lot of online image editing products. The problem is that many are spammy or full of ads that they’re useless for real work.

In today’s post we’ll look at five very capable online image editors. I tried to stay clear of the ones that were too ad heavy or seemed kind of spammy. I only added the apps I’d be comfortable using for my own work. 

Aviary

Aviary has a few image editing tools and offers a pretty complete solution for most of what you need to do. They also have a very active user community which is a plus and lots of tutorials.

• Aviary Feather is a basic image editing tool. You can crop, adjust the image, add some text, and apply filters.
• Aviary Phoenix is a more robust application and close to something like Photoshop with the layering and more complex editing capabilities.
• Aviary Raven is a vector editor similar to the free Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator.

Pixlr

Pixlr has all of the standard features you’d need. I like some of the pencil drawing effects and it can output to Flickr and Picasa. I find it really easy to use and one of my favorites of the online tools. They also offer Pixlr Express, a streamlined editing tool.

Splashup

Splashup is an image editing tool and photo manager. I like that I can bring in images from sites like Flickr and Picasa, which I already use. It has all of the core features you’d expect in an image editing application. They also offer Splashup Light for download.

• Tour of features

Sumo Paint

Sumo Paint is a very capable tool and comes with all of the core editing features. They also offer a Pro upgrade that gives you a desktop version with additional features.

• User community
• Tutorials

Simpler Tools

The following tools are honorable mentions. They do a decent job with simple edits but don’t have all of the features of the applications above.

• Photoshop.com offers simple image editing, but not the layering that you get with its desktop cousins. 
• Picnik is already integrated into a number of sites. You’ll find it in Flickr and Picasa.  It’s easy to use and has a lot of filters. Of course, I just found out that Picnik is being shut down. I believe that it will make its way back in Google+.
• Dr.Pic seems to have all of the basic features. I like the framing feature. My guess is the Polaroid frame would work well with some elearning screens.

As you can see, there are plenty of options for free graphics editing. And you have a good choice between desktop applications like I mentioned in the previous post, or go with an online solution.

Tidbits

The early bird discount for the workshop in St. Louis expires today. Make sure you sign up to get the best price.

Had lots of people ask about the Articulate Storyline at the recent conference. If you’re interested in learning more, you can add your name to this link and we’ll update you when more information is available.

Upcoming Events

• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions.

• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  This is a great deal for a full-day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch. PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  We’ll follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.

• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)

• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (NEFL ASTD). Details coming.

• April 17: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Details coming.

• April 5: Portland, OR (OpenSesame). An E-Learning Heroes Roadshow workshop where we’ll look at ways to build elearning courses and learn some great PowerPoint tips. Excellent price and great coffee!

• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.

• May 24: Articulate Conference hosted by Leeds.  Also will present a rapid elearning workshop.  Details coming.

• October 4: Seattle, WA (ASTDPS). Details coming.

• October 17: Bloomington, IL (CIC-ASTD). Details coming.

In an earlier post we looked at how to combine elearning with an on-the-job mentoring program. I received a lot of questions about the learning journal. So in today’s post we’ll look at the basic structure of the learning journal and how you could use something like it to complement your elearning courses.

The Value of a Learning Journal

Before we look at how to set up the learning journal, let’s review where it adds value:

• Connects elearning to real world activities. The learning journal is used as a bridge between the learning that happens in the elearning course and what happens in the real work environment. Elearning courses let you compress a lot of the instruction and content which can save time during the training. It also has the benefit of complementing both the learner’s schedule and that of the peer coach.
• Guides the learner’s progress. By including a calendar of activities and objectives, the journal acts as a map for the learning process. It sets expectations for the training program with specific activities. It also ensures consistency.
• Captures key learning points. Often during the training time (especially with elearning courses) we only get one shot at the information. For the learner the journal can be used as a personal work manual that contains key information, personal notes, and other resources relevant to the job, even after the initial training period. In essence, it becomes a job manual.
• Tracks completion of training. For the organization, the journal acts as a record for the training program. I usually include a formal record of completion that can be forwarded to the manager or human resources department if needed.

Using a Learning Journal

Here’s a rough breakdown of how I’ve used the learning journals in the past:

• Chunks. The training program is broken into chunks or modules. The goal is to keep it flexible and manageable. You don’t want big long modules. Each module combines some elearning with hands-on instruction.
• Notes. The learner uses the journal to follow along with the elearning course. It can be used to take notes and jot down quick questions to ask later during the time with the peer coach.
• Review. Inside the journal you can ask some review questions. In addition, the peer coach has review questions to pose after the elearning is complete. This helps her assess the learner’s level of understanding prior to doing some hands-on activities. It’s a great way to find and fill gaps in understanding.
• Practice. The peer coach facilitates the hands-on instruction or practice activities that correspond with the elearning module. Use a calendar or schedule to list the practice activities. 
• Track. Upon completion of the training, the learner runs through a self-assessment. It can be as simple as a detailed task list that the learner can review and mark off when completed. This can serve as an informal training record. Or you can insert a formal training record in the learning journal that is completed and forwarded to whoever it is that tracks training.

Inside the Learning Journal

There are a number of ways to design a learning journal that bridges the course content with the real world activities. Here are a few of the main sections you can include. 

Introduction

• Explain the overall training objectives and expectations. Detail how the program works with the peer coaching, practice activities, and learning journal. Let them know that the learning journal is their personal training manual that they can always reference later if they need more help.

Calendar

• Determine how long the formal training should last. Then calendar the activities. For example, you have a two-week program with five modules. Each module consists of an elearning course and some real-world practice activities. You want to map out a series of tasks over the two-week period. This establishes an agenda and the expectations for the time in training.

Elearning Modules

• Create a note-taking section that corresponds with the elearning module. I like to add visual clues where it makes sense. For example, if I show parts of a machine, I’ll include that in the learning journal or give them an activity where they label the parts of the machine on the paper. I also like to include a few fill in the blank sections for critical information.

• The main point here is to create a note-taking section for them to use with the elearning modules. I try to capture the critical information and the type of stuff they may need to reference on the floor when they’re away from the elearning course.
• How you create the elearning modules and learning journal is up to you. Try to stay lean and as engaging as you can. The elearning module doesn’t have to include every piece of information because you have the learning journal and other resources to complement it.
• At the end of key learning points, add a few review questions. I also include a review at the end of the module. This isn’t a stump the learner activity or a graded review.  They should be questions that pertain to the essential objectives of the module and what they’ll need to know when they’re on the floor. These can also be used to facilitate some ongoing discussion with the peer coach.

Peer Coach Review

• Part of the training program is training peer coaches. For them it’s a great way to develop some supervisory skills. We train them on the program; how to give feedback and how to assess the new learner.
• You can create a peer coach guide to go with the learning journal. I usually just have a peer coach section in the learning journal that triggers some dialogue between the peer coach and the new learner. At this point the peer coach wants to get a feel for what the person has learned from the modules and their level of understanding before doing some real activities.
• It’s a good idea to do schedule some debrief activities with the peer coaches because they’ll help you build the best training program. They can share where people are getting stuck and some of the best practices they have. In addition, all training programs have some sense of bureaucracy. Working with the peer coaches is a great way to get rid of it.

Self-Assessment Checklist

• Create a list of all tasks that the new learner should be able to perform at the end of the training. Be specific. Stating that they meet safety requirements is vague. But stating that they know how to put on the safety gear and activate the alarm in case of an emergency is more specific.
• The learner can review the list and mark off those tasks that he feels confident in. If he has questions about tasks or needs some remedial assistance you’ll know what to focus on.

• The checklist is also a good guide for the peer coach. She can pull some random tasks and have the learner demonstrate that he can complete them.

Individual Training Record

• You can use the checklist as a proof of training or create a formal training record. When I create the training record I’ll list all of the tasks for that module and then have the learner and peer coach sign it. This gets forwarded to the appropriate department.

Additional Resources

• Since this learning journal acts as their personal training manual, I like to include additional resources—things like important contacts, sites on the intranet, or any other information they may need. This way they have a quick, single-source reference if they need help after the training is complete.

Pulling some training off the floor and into an elearning module ensures consistency and can compress the time to train. Having a peer coach assigned to a new learner helps in the training process and creates a social connection at work. Using a learning journal is an effective way to bridge the two.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share them by clicking on the comments link.

Tidbits

I just added the details for the workshop in Portland, OR on April 5. It’ll be a great time! I’ll also be in Vegas this week at TechKnowledge. If you’re there, swing by the booth and say “Hi.” Also, the early bird discount for the workshop in St. Louis expires soon.

Upcoming Events

• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions.

• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  This is a great deal for a full-day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch. PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  We’ll follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.

• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)

• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (ASTD). Details coming.

• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Details coming.

• April 5: Portland, OR (OpenSesame). An E-Learning Heroes Roadshow workshop where we’ll look at ways to build elearning courses and learn some great PowerPoint tips. Excellent price and great coffee! 

• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.

• May 24: Articulate Conference hosted by Leeds.  Also will present a rapid elearning workshop.  Details coming.

• October 4: Seattle, WA (ASTDPS). Details coming.

• October 17: Bloomington, IL (CIC-ASTD). Details coming.

I’m always asked what skills a rapid elearning designer should have.  One of the most important skills is basic image editing.  You don’t need to be a professional graphics designer.  However, you should be able to do some basic editing.  Because of this, an image editing application should be in your tool chest.

Today we’ll look at five free desktop applications that you can use for basic image editing.  But before we explore the free tools, a good budget-friendly option is Photoshop Elements.  It’s relatively inexpensive and should be able to do what most people need for elearning.  Plus, it’s a great starting point for those who are interested in learning more about Photoshop which is still the main application for graphics.

If you still want to go the free route, here are some good choices for desktop tools.  They range from simple to a bit more high-end and sophisticated. 

Picasa

Picasa is a pretty simple solution, but one that may work for some of the basic tasks like cropping and image enhancement (especially if you take a lot of your own photos).  You don’t get layers and some of that type of editing, but you do get a lot of image enhancing features.

One of the features I do like about Picasa is that I can use it to tag and catalog the images on my computer or network drive.  It comes in really handy when looking for assets.

• Getting started guide.

PhotoScape

PhotoScape is a tool that I’ve liked for a while because it does quite a bit. However, I’ve been reluctant to recommend it in the past because the licensing agreement used to be for personal use only. However, now it looks like that’s no longer the case.

It’s a great product and does a lot more than some of the other tools.  You don’t have layers, so composing images isn’t possible; but there are a lot of nifty filters and other features that add value.

They also have a mole removal feature which could come in handy if you work in the espionage industry.

• Overview video
• Tutorials

Paint.net

Paint.net has really developed into a nice application.  It does most of what you expect from a graphics editor and is more than capable to handle all of your elearning needs.  It’s the one that I usually recommend first.

• Beginner tutorials
• Plugins to extend the application

PixBuilder Studio

PixBuilder is a pretty standard image editor with support for multiple formats and layers.  A couple of nice features are the low memory and portability.  That means you can load it on a USB drive and run it from there rather than install it on your desktop.

• Features
• Community

GIMP

GIMP is a powerful application and closer to Photoshop than the ones mentioned above.  It’s the perfect application for the person who wants more capability, but doesn’t want the expense of Photoshop.  It’s also got a very active user community.

• Tutorials
• Community

There you have it—five free desktop applications that range from simple editing to high-end capabilities.  If you need an image editing application and are working with limited resources, I’m sure you’ll find that at least one of these tools will meet your needs.

Tidbits

I’m working on two workshops for the Pacific Northwest—Portland in April and Seattle in October.  I’ll have details soon.

Upcoming Events

• January 25-27: Las Vegas (ASTD TechKnowledge 2012).
• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions.
• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). 
  • 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  This is a great deal for a full-day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch.
  • 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  Will follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.
• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)
• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (ASTD). Details coming.
• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Details coming.
• April: Portland, OR…details coming 
• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.
• May 24: Articulate Conference hosted by Leeds. 
• May 21-25: Somewhere in the UK.  While in the UK I’ll try to visit a few other cities.  Details coming.

Recently someone asked how to combine their mentoring program with elearning courses.  This is something I’ve worked on a few times over the years.  It usually involved a production environment where peer coaches were tasked with training new employees on the floor.  But the ideas in this post could work in any type of training program that includes some sort of mentoring or peer coaching.

A Common Case

A person’s hired to a new position and often assigned a peer coach who walks beside him until he’s up-to-speed.  Not only is this an effective way to teach new employees, it’s also a great way to help build a social connection to the work and organization.

However, there are a few challenges with this type of training and many are overcome by blending elearning content with the peer coaching.

Here are a few of the challenges I’ve encountered:

• Pulling people from real production. The peer coach also has her own job to do.  So there’s pressure to help the new person but then get back to work.  Because of this, the peer coach may take short cuts, not present complete information, or neglect the needs of the new person.
• Inconsistent training process.  Much of the new person’s learning is dictated by the peer coach’s own work flow.  This can make it a challenge if the new person doesn’t fully understand what’s going on and jumps from one thing to the next without understanding the proper context or work process.
• Assign the wrong tasks to new learners.  It’s common to pawn off the easiest or less desired tasks to the new person.  Sometimes there’s too much focus on putting people on the simplest work until “they get it” and then advance them to more challenging work later on.
• Learning can be intimidating.  People can be intimidated by new tasks, especially in a real work environment where mistakes impact production. 

The Value of E-Learning

There should be some consistency in the training process.  However, peer coaching programs are notorious for inconsistency.  Even if the peer coach is really good, things like work requirements or personal areas of emphasis tend to make each training event a bit different. That’s where elearning proves valuable.

E-learning courses are effective in dealing with these challenges.  Elearning courses allow you to remove the person from the time and resource pressures of the real world.  This can ensure consistent delivery of critical information as well as compress the time to learn. 

• Doesn’t interfere with production: the learner is not constrained by real work processes.
• Asynchronous access: The information can be accessed anywhere and at any time.
• Less demand on peer coach: The peer coach can spend less time with the learner for some of the training.
• Consistent messaging & delivery: Information structure and delivery is consistent regardless of peer coach’s personal style or emphasis.
• Intentional training design: Allows you to present a more holistic and complete training program rather than sticking people on the easy tasks or boring work until some later date. 

Elearning modules are excellent for delivering key information that may missed during on-the-job training that’s focused on very specific tasks.  For example, in a real production environment while showing someone how to use a machine you may focus on the actual steps required for performance but lose out on explaining the upstream and downstream effects of the workflow.  In addition, production environments tend to be loud, which makes it difficult to have good conversation.

This can be solved with a simple orientation module where you provide a brief overview of the production process and workflow.  This allows you to maintain consistent messaging and it frees the peer coach from that part of the training.  You can also structure the module to review and assess the learner’s understanding, something that may be missed on the floor.

I worked on a production course once where we found the new hires were intimidated by the large machines.  So instead of putting them to work right away, we spend time teaching them the parts of the machine and how to do preventive maintenance.  We used a series of small elearning courses to go through the technical information and combined them with hands-on preventive maintenance.

By the time they started working on the machine they were very familiar and comfortable with what was going on.  We cut the training time dramatically.  The elearning courses also allowed us to control the information and practice activities.  Something that may have varied based on the peer coach.

The Learning Journal

Part of the training happens during the elearning module and part during the face-to-face time. To create a bridge, I like to add a learning journal. I see it as a way to instigate some note-taking and create a resource that becomes personal and something the learner always has access to. The note-taking in the learning also helps with knowledge transfer.

What’s included in the learning journal?

• Training calendar. Give the person a schedule that lets them know what they will be learning. They can check off what they’ve learned as they advance. This provides a progress report to the learner, the peer coach, and supervisor.
• Self-assessment. List the things they need to know or do to be proficient. They can review it and determine how well they’re doing. Include information on finding additional resources. I like this approach because it gives the learner some freedom and confidence as they assess their skills.
• Peer coach guides. Each elearning module should be coupled with a real-world activity. The peer coach guide tells the learner and peer coach what that is. This helps move the training forward. The peer coach is obligated to this process so they take fewer short cuts. And the learner is able to determine if something’s been skipped. I also include some quick review questions that cover the essential points of the module. After each module, the peer coach uses the questions as a way to review what was learned and assess the new person’s understanding.

The Peer Coach

A mentored training program is an effective way to train new employees.  But it’s also a great way train existing employees who are being groomed for greater management responsibilities.  You can use the peer coaching process as a way to teach giving feedback and supervising others.  It’s a great way to model the expectations you would have for supervisors or managers.

The key to success is consistency and commitment to the process.  At the same time, the peer coaching needs to work in a real environment. 

• Get peer coaches involved. When building this type of training it’s critical to connect with the peer coaches to craft the right types of activities and how to schedule them.  Otherwise the training program becomes burdensome and creates extra work as people circumvent the official training to get things done quickly.
• Teach them how to review progress and fill gaps.  We combined the elearning module with a real-world activity.  The peer coaches reviews what’s learned online to get a sense of how the person is progressing and to fill any gaps.  The learning journal’s structure facilitates assessing the learner’s understanding.
• Empower the peer coach.  The objective is to create a good training program.  People learn in different ways so the peer coach has to have some flexibility in how they work through the training with the new employee.  Break the content into smaller modules so that you have more freedom to work with them. 

Beware of Bureaucracy

The training program is a solution that helps meet your objective of training people.  The goal is that people are able to meet a specific level of proficiency.  It’s not that they go through training.  Often we focus too intently on the process that we lose sight of the real objectives. 

While you want to design a good training program that is consistent and effective, it has to include a way to work with the learner as an individual and how she learns.  The last thing you want is a burdensome process that is also so rigid that doesn’t account for how the trainee is actually doing and able to demonstrate understanding.

The peer coach plays a critical role in assessing the person’s progress and understanding of the key points of the training.  You can alleviate the bureaucratic elements by having clear metrics for proficiency.

To sum it all up:

• Determine what content can be taught electronically and what needs to be done in the real world.
• Break the content into smaller modules with each module combining elearning and real world learning.
• Use a learning journal as a means to bridge the two parts of the module and facilitate the conversation between learner and peer coach.
• Get the peer coach involved in the training design.
• Use the peer coaching experience as a way to develop that person’s management skills.
• Avoid bureaucracy.

Have you ever combined elearning with a mentored training program?  If so, what are some things you’d advise?  Feel free to share your thoughts via the comments link.

Tidbits

I’m working on two workshops for the Pacific Northwest—Portland in March and Seattle in October.  I’ll have details soon.

Upcoming Events

• January 11: Training Magazine (free webinar): Learn to Use PowerPoint for More Than Boring Presentations. 
• January 17: eLearning Guild (webinar): The Secrets to Rapid eLearning Success
• January 25-27: Las Vegas (ASTD TechKnowledge 2012).
• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions.
• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). 
  • 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  This is a great deal for a full-day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch.
  • 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  Will follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.
• March: Portland, OR…details coming
• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)
• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (ASTD). Details coming.
• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Details coming.
• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.
• May 24: Articulate Conference hosted by Leeds. 
• May 21-25: Somewhere in the UK.  While in the UK I’ll try to visit a few other cities.  Details coming.
• July: Knoxville, TN (Smokey Mountain ASTD)
• August: Australia…would be great.  Let me know if you’re interested.
• October: Seattle, WA…still working on details.

It’s hard to believe but another year’s come and gone.  The good thing is that it looks like 2012 will be a good year.  Although sometime in June, you may want to break out the DVD player and watch 2012.  Then practice your survival skills because come December, things may change.  But until then, just put your feet up and enjoy the year.

To ease your burden, I put together a list of all of the posts from 2011 where I shared free elearning assets.  They’re yours to enjoy and use as you wish.

Free E-Learning Templates

• Here’s a Noteworthy PowerPoint Template (and It’s Free!)

• Here’s a Free PowerPoint Template & Font

• Use This Free E-Learning Template to Inspire Your Next M-Learning Course

• 5 Free PowerPoint E-Learning Templates

• Check Out This Free PowerPoint Template & Tutorial

Free fonts

• Over 150 Free Fonts to Use in Your E-Learning Courses

Miscellaneous Free Tools

• A Free Tool & Free Graphics to Simplify Your E-Learning Course Design

• Here’s a Simple Way to Save Time When Working with Graphics in PowerPoint

• 5 Time-saving Tips from the E-learning Community

• Tips on Managing All of Those Free Fonts

• You May Already Own the Tools to Create Simple E-Learning Avatars

Free graphics

• Over 45 Free Speech Bubbles to Make Your E-Learning Courses Talk
• Dozens of Page Curl Graphics
• Here’s a Free PowerPoint Template & Laptop Illustration
• 15 Free Display Graphics to Use with Your E-Learning Courses
• 25 More Free Display Graphics for Your E-Learning Courses

Free Expert Advice

• 3 Things You Can Only Learn from a Real E-Learning Expert

Don’t forget to take advantage of all of the free downloads available in the elearning community and next time you’re stuck on a course, feel free to post a question.  You’ll get plenty of help.

I hope you have a great 2012.  Thank you for reading the blog, sharing your own expertise in the comments and emails.  I hope to see many of you during my travels this year.

Tidbits

I’ll be in St. Louis for two days; make sure to check out the sessions below.  I’m also thinking about doing some workshops in Australia in August.  If you’re interested, let me know.

Upcoming Events

• January 11: Training Magazine (free webinar): Learn to Use PowerPoint for More Than Boring Presentations. 
• January 17: eLearning Guild (webinar): The Secrets to Rapid eLearning Success
• January 25-27: Las Vegas (ASTD TechKnowledge 2012).
• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPointand we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions. Details coming.
• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). 
  • 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  This is a great deal for a full-day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch.
  • 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  Will follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.
• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)
• March: Knoxville, TN (Smokey Mountain ASTD)
• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (ASTD). Details coming.
• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Details coming.
• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.
• May 24: Articulate Conference hosted by Leeds. 
• May 21-25: Somewhere in the UK.  While in the UK I’ll try to visit a few other cities.  Details coming.
• August: Australia…would be great.  Let me know if you’re interested.

It’s that time of year to share gifts, so here’s an elearning template that you’re free to use as you wish.  It’s inspired by a Christmas tree with the green background and colored bulbs.

The template comes with a few layouts and they’re easy enough to modify, which you’ll see in the tutorials.

I see the color bulbs as a way to feature different sections.  If you want additional layouts to accommodate the different colors, just go into the slide master, duplicate the layout and change the color of the bulb.

As always, I use the default template colors, so you’re free to easily modify the colors using PowerPoint’s color themes.

Click here to view the template in action.

You’ll notice in the demo above that I added characters to the bulbs.  This is a simple way to create a more human looking course.  It’s also a neat way to transition to scenarios.

Another thing you’ll notice is the cutout character.  It’s kind of trendy right now and pretty easy to do.  I like this look because it helps get away from the PowerPoint look and it adds a sense of informality to the course which may help make the content seem less rigid.

If you want to learn more about using the template and how to create the cutouts and character fills, be sure to check out the tutorials below.

Click here to view the tutorials.

Here’s a link to the free PowerPoint template.  Feel free to use it as you wish.  Also, take advantage of the other free downloads in the elearning community.

• PowerPoint Template

Hope you enjoy the template and have a great 2012!

Tidbits

I’ll be in St. Louis for two days; make sure to check out the sessions below.  I’m also thinking about doing some workshops in Australia in August.  If you’re interested, let me know.

Upcoming Events

• January 11: Training Magazine (free webinar): Learn to Use PowerPoint for More Than Boring Presentations. 
• January 17: eLearning Guild (webinar): The Secrets to Rapid eLearning Success
• January 25-27: Las Vegas (ASTD TechKnowledge 2012).
• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions. Details coming.
• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). 
  • 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  This is a great deal for a full-day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch.
  • 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  Will follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.
• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)
• March: Knoxville, TN (Smokey Mountain ASTD)
• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (ASTD). Details coming.
• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Details coming.
• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.
• May 24: Articulate Conference hosted by Leeds. 
• May 21-25: Somewhere in the UK.  While in the UK I’ll try to visit a few other cities.  Details coming.
• August: Australia…would be great.  Let me know if you’re interested.

There are three core questions that help guide the development of an elearning course.  I discussed this a bit in the post on building a roadmap for elearning.

• What is the look and feel of the course?
• What information needs to be in the course?
• What will the learner do with the information?

For many rapid elearning developers the most challenging part is the first question because it requires a skill set different than training or instructional design.  So what typically happens is that we create elearning courses that either all look the same or have a discordant look where the images and typography are a hodgepodge of whatever we have available.

In today’s post I’ll share a simple way to get a nice look for your course that will give it a rich feel.  It’s not a substitute for good instructional design, but it is a simple way to make your course look good and take the pressure off of the rapid elearning developer who has limited access to graphic designers.

In a recent post I shared some ideas on how to craft more engaging objectives.  For the demo, I wanted my earthquake intro to feature a family huddled in the dark.  And as the information was shared a family member would disappear.

Like most of you, I am pressed for time.  Since I had no time to build the graphics I wanted, I decided to change the huddled family image to a framed photo of a family.  This would be a lot easier to do since all I needed was an image of a picture frame and a family.

As I was looking for picture frames on iStockphoto I saw a few Polaroid-like images.  So I decided to switch from a single picture frame to Polaroid photos of each family member.  Doing a search for “Polaroid” revealed a lot of cool layouts.  What I like about them is that they offer some structure that I could easily use in my elearning course.

Searching through the Polaroid images lead me to an artist who had a series of images that I could use.  The artist provided a background, title and section screens, and then various layout options.  The added bonus is that since they came from the same artist they all looked like they belonged together.

Here’s a quick demo of these images used in an elearning course.  As you can see, I didn’t have to do much work because I used the default layouts for my slide backgrounds.

Click here to view the demo.

I look for images that come from the same style so I can get a consistent look and avoid a discordant style.  And then I look for “buckets” where I can add content.  In this case the Polaroid images are perfect.  I can use them to add pictures, as menu choices, or even as a way to display text that may have previously been a bullet point.

The secret is to find an artist who provides a lot of images that come from the same style.  This way you have a lot to work with.  Here are a few sets that I think would work well in an elearning course:

• Grungy Photos (set used in this demo)
• Education theme

Desktop themes (same artist):

• Brown wood
• Black desk
• Office folder
• Open notebook

This isn’t a replacement for good instructional design.  You’ll still need to do that.  But for the elearning developer who has no graphic design background and wants to create a visually appealing course, it’s an easy and simple solution.

Are there any similar styles in the stock image sites that you like?  Feel free to share them in the comments link.

Tidbits:

I’ll be in St. Louis for two days; make sure to check out the sessions below.  I’m also thinking about doing some workshops in Australia in August.  If you’re interested, let me know.

Upcoming Events

• January 11: Training Magazine (free webinar): Learn to Use PowerPoint for More Than Boring Presentations. 
• January 17: eLearning Guild (webinar): The Secrets to Rapid eLearning Success
• January 25-27: Las Vegas (ASTD TechKnowledge 2012).
• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions. Details coming.
• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD). 
• 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  This is a great deal for a full-day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch. 
• 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  Will follow the presentation with a free Articulate jam session.
• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)
• March: Knoxville, TN (Smokey Mountain ASTD)
• April 10: Jacksonville, FL (ASTD). Details coming.
• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Details coming.
• May 17: Orange County California. Details coming.
• May 21-25: Somewhere in the UK.  Details coming.
• August: Australia…would be great.  Let me know if you’re interested.

I’ve been working on a few demos for some upcoming blog posts and conference presentations.  One demo is a module on having an emergency preparedness kit in case of a disaster.

In the past I’ve built similar elearning courses for organizations that taught their employees about having these disaster kits.  In most cases they started the courses with the standard objectives screen like the image below.

While there’s nothing wrong with creating a list to state learning objectives, there’s probably a better way to engage the learner emotionally.  And this is important if you want to connect with the learner and motivate them to change their behavior.

Understanding Objectives

When I first learned to build elearning courses the rule was that you HAD to have a page that stated the learning objectives.  Today that still seems to be standard.  On top of that many organizations require that each course have an objective screen that has an explicit list of learning objectives. If that’s the case, then that’s what you have to do. But let’s step away from that for a second.

In a simple sense the purpose of the objective is to communicate why the learner needs the course and what they’ll learn or be able to do afterwards.  We start at point A and at the end of the course want to be at point B.

The easiest thing to do is create an objectives screen like one above where you tell the learner what the objective is and what they should learn.  But that’s not the only way to present the objectives of the course.  It also may not be the most effective way.  And, it’s definitely not the most interesting way.

Crafting a Meaningful Objective

It doesn’t matter where you live; odds are that you’re in an area that at some point during your lifetime will experience a disaster.  In the Pacific Northwest the most likely disaster that I’ll experience is a major earthquake.

I say this because everywhere I’ve worked part of our annual safety training was the need to have an emergency kit.  We were told that it was just a matter of time before we had an emergency and to plan on being on our own for a while.  They said we needed an emergency kit that could sustain us for at least 72 hours.

Know what? I always passed the safety training; yet I never had an emergency kit.  Why is that?

While I KNEW that the kit was important, I was never MOTIVATED to actually have a kit.  Outside of my natural proclivity to procrastinate, I think the elearning course was positioned as just one of many boring elearning courses that I had to take every year.  All the organization cared about was making sure I had a check mark next to my name come December 31.

Essentially they did a poor job convincing me that the kit was essential.  They could have done a better job by appealing to my emotions rather than provide a bunch of information.

Often we focus on the cognitive part of learning which is all about the knowing.  But we don’t focus enough on the affective part which is more about the emotions.  What motivates someone is subjective and tied to their emotional awareness.  So creating an emotional connection to the content may be better than just a cognitive connection, especially at the forefront where we want to hook them.

Reworked Learning Objective

In the demo below I want to get away from the standard list of objectives. Instead I want something more emotional that matters to the person taking the course. I want them to know that this isn’t just information; instead it’s a matter of life and death.

Instead of creating the standard list of what you’ll learn I ask them to consider the ramifications of not having a kit.  I also stepped away from work and made it more personal.  This isn’t about some check mark to indicate completion.  This is about taking care of your family.

Click here to view the demo.

There’s a lot more I could have done to flesh out the scenario, but I kept it simple on purpose.  I want to show that even if you have limited resources and time you can build something like this.  As you can see the demo is not very interactive—just a few images, text, and some audio.

Learning is a complex process and part of it is to connect with the learners in a meaningful way.  Appealing to them emotionally is one way to do that.  So the next time you build an elearning course, see if you can replace the bullet point objective screen with something different.  Even if you can’t replace it, you can still do something like this to capture their attention.

Have some creative ideas? Share them by clicking on the comments link.  Not sure how to rework the learning objectives in the elearning course you’re building?  Jump into this forum thread that I started in the elearning community to get some feedback from others.

Tidbits:

Lots of good book recommendations from blog readers in the comments section of the recent post, Are These the Three E-Learning Books You’d Recommend.  Some of them I haven’t read yet.

Upcoming Events

• December 13: UMBC (free webinar)—Simplifying Interactive E-Learning. We’ll look at ways to move past click-and-read content.
• January 11: Training Magazine (free webinar)—Learn to Use PowerPoint for More Than Boring Presentations.  I’ll share some ways to get more out of PowerPoint.  You’ll wow your friends and be the life of the party.
• January 17: eLearning Guild (webinar): The Secrets to Rapid eLearning Success
• January 25-27: Las Vegas (ASTD TechKnowledge 2012).  Featuring three Articulate creation stations that cover Articulate Studio and the soon-to-be released Storyline.
• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions. Details coming.
• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD).  Join me for a two-day event:
  • 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  Great deal for a full day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch.  Register before February 10 for an early bird discount.
  • 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  Also working on an informal Articulate jam session.  Details to follow.
• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)
• March: Knoxville, TN (Smokey Mountain ASTD)
• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD)
• May: Orange County California
• May: somewhere in the UK

*Title graphic from Arrested Development.

Over the years elearning software has become easier to use.  But with that comes some challenges.  In the past you had an instructional designer who designed the course.  Then there was a programmer who did the programming of the course.  And a graphics designer built the course’s graphics.

Today, things have changed a bit.  With the ease of authoring, it’s placed the burden to do all of it on the shoulders of the rapid elearning developer.  This can be a challenge because the skills to design graphics are different than the ones required to design instruction.

In an ideal world you’d have all the resources you need to build your elearning courses, but for many of you that’s not going to happen.  So anything you can do to find inexpensive assets that you can be used for elearning helps.

Here’s a Simple Solution

Most people have heard of sites like Groupon or Living Social.  They’re social buying sites that have some sort of “deal of the day” where you can make discounted purchases as you recommend them to others.  It’s really not much different than the desert island disks I mentioned in last week’s post.

Did you know that there are similar sites for technology and web design?  And many of them offer low cost or even free access to the types of assets you can use in your elearning courses.

The Way It Works

Here are a couple of the sites I subscribe to.  I’m sure there are others.

• AppSumo
• MightyDeals

Subscribe to the site and then you’ll get an email with the daily deals.  I find that most of them are not relevant to my needs so I just delete them.  But many times there are some good deals that would work great for elearning, similar to the images below.

What I Find Valuable

I’m not interested in most of what these services offer.  I don’t care that much about the tutorials or SEO type solutions.  I’m looking for tangible media assets, things I can use in my elearning courses.

Here’s a list of what I’ve found in previous offers that I believe have value:

• Icons
• Fonts
• Backgrounds
• Textures
• Templates (usually WordPress)
• Audio & video assets

Look for any type of multimedia asset that you think could be used in an elearning course.  They may not always fill an immediate need, but if the assets look good, get them.  Over time, you’ll build a large portfolio of assets.

Take a close look at the blog templates even if you don’t need them for blogging.  What I like about them is that they come with a “look” and all of the graphics to get it.  Instead of using the template for a blog site, pull out all of the graphics and use them to build your own elearning template.

I have no vested interest in any of these sites so I can freely share the pros as well as cons.

The pros:

• Good value: The daily deals usually offer an abundance of resources at a very good price.  Most of them will save you time and money as you develop your elearning courses. 
• Free stuff: It’s a cost-effective way to build a portfolio of resources.  Sometimes you’ll even get free stuff.

The cons:

• Email Noise: If you’ve ever subscribed to these types of sites then you know there’s a certain type of spaminess that goes with them.  Not bad spam, but just lots of noise. 
• Stuff you don’t need: You’ll get daily deals, but most of them probably aren’t relevant to your needs.  Odds are you’ll be enticed to buy stuff because of the deal it offers and not the value you’ll get out of it.  So beware!

Having assets that you can use for elearning courses is a challenge when you don’t have access to a graphics designer.  Using sites like these where you can take advantage of the daily deals is a good way to get the assets you need.  You just have to be patient and wiling to click the delete button every day until you get an offer that makes sense for you.  Clicking delete’s not a bad price to pay for inexpensive assets.

Have you ever used any of the assets from these offers for your course design?  If so, which ones?  Feel free to share your thoughts by clicking on the comments link.

Tidbits:

• December 8: Charlotte, NC (ASTD)—Rapid E-Learning Design. I’ll also be doing a free Articulate jam session while in town…click here for details. The jam sessions are informal and a great way to connect with others in your area; plus I’ll be demoing the new Storyline product.
• December 13: UMBC (free webinar)—Simplifying Interactive E-Learning. We’ll look at ways to move past click-and-read content.

• January 11: Training Magazine (free webinar)—Learn to Use PowerPoint for More Than Boring Presentations.  I’ll share some ways to get more out of PowerPoint.  You’ll wow your friends and be the life of the party.
• January 17: eLearning Guild (webinar): The Secrets to Rapid eLearning Success
• January 25-27: Las Vegas (ASTD TechKnowledge 2012).  Featuring three Articulate creation stations that cover Articulate Studio and the soon-to-be released Storyline.
• February 13-14: Atlanta (Training Magazine).  I’ll be doing a session on PowerPoint and we’ll have two Build-A-Course sessions. Details coming.
• February 22-23: St. Louis (ASTD).  Join me for a two-day event:
  • 22: Rapid E-Learning Workshop.  Great deal for a full day workshop that also includes a full breakfast and lunch.  Register before February 10 for an early bird discount.
  • 23: PowerPoint Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.  Also working on an informal Articulate jam session.  Details to follow.
• March 21-23: Orlando, FL (Learning Solutions Conference)
• March: Knoxville, TN (Smokey Mountain ASTD)
• April: Virginia (SEVA ASTD)
• May: Orange County California
• May: somewhere in the UK