Posts Tagged ‘design’

PowerPoint 2007: Designs for e-Learning v.2

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

You Can Still Design with PowerPoint 2007

Eleven months ago today, I wrote a post on the new design elements and features in PowerPoint 2007 (2008 for the Mac) that allow you to create visually effective designs and templates for your e-learning courses. You can use these PowerPoint templates in both your Articulate and Adobe Captivate e-learning project files.

More PowerPoint 2007 for e-Learning Templates

A few days ago, a colleague on Twitter posted a link to a simple Web page. When I clicked the link and visited the page, it seemed to speak to me: “Turn me into an e-learning design.” So, I did, and created a brief SlideShare presentation to demonstrate it to anyone who can use more ideas. Now, don’t be fooled by its simple design. You can do so much with the basic framework and modify it to meet the needs of your learners, the business (or academic institution), and the learning content that will fill the screens.

My Samples On SlideShare

My SlideShare.net mini-presentation describes just one design idea. Please note that I respect Copyright issues, and the rights of designers. My mini-presentation simply shows what you can do using only PowerPoint 2007/2008 elements plus importing a few photo image files. (My thanks to Bryan Jones – @elearningArt – for the free image files package!)

Why Give Away Design Ideas?

The global e-learning community gives, gives, and gives again. We all share the same passion, and we share what we learn and what we create with each other. Visit various blogs and Twitter pages authored by e-learning colleagues. Go to the community forums of the various e-learning software tools. If you have some favorites of your own, please share them in the Comments section.

And, my first SlideShare.net presentation on PowerPoint designs for e-learning still exists!

Visit: PowerPoint 2007 e-Learning Screens

“Always learning….”, and I welcome your design ideas!

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Adobe Flash SWF Scenarios Inside Quizzes

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

e-Learning design and development typically includes the design of assessments (or quizzes). While working on an online compliance and business ethics course with the SME, I decided to bring work-related scenarios directly onto the quiz question screens.

The result worked great! The learners reviewed the scenario by clicking the back and forward buttons on the Adobe Flash SWF file, and then the learners chose the one best answer… all on the same screen. Our budget did not include audio nor video, but the engaging Flash interactions really added to the learners’ experience (per their course evaluations).

Click to view the quiz demo.

Click to view the quiz demo.

For the original client, I developed the course and the quizzes in SumTotalSystem’s ToolBook Instructor. However, for the past two years, I’ve been using Articulate Studio’s suite of tools (Presenter, Engage, and Quizmaker). I also use Adobe Flash and Adobe Captivate to create additional animated, engaging elements to import into Articulate Presenter’s course player.

So, while a recent project was out for review with the client, I decided to have some fun! What would the old ToolBook Instructor quiz look like as an Articulate Quizmaker ‘09 assessment?

Curious? So was I, and I’m fairly pleased with the result. Click the image on the left to view the quiz demo in a new browser window.

In the learners’ eyes, assessments can be (a) intimidating, (b) dry, and (c) downright painful to complete. When we design and develop engaging online courses, it’s nice to know we can carry those same elements into quizzes.

An engaged, excited learner is “Always Learning”, like me, and will gain improved performance and increased knowledge as a result. That should translate to the business’s goals and objectives, improving its performance as well.

I love what I do. Thanks for reading!

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PowerPoint 2007: Designs for e-Learning

Monday, March 16th, 2009

You Can Design Using PowerPoint 2007

PowerPoint 2007 (2008 for the Mac) has many new design elements and features that allow you to create visually effective and nice-looking e-learning course formats. Tom Kuhlmann, Articulate’s VP of Community, blogs about his own PowerPoint tips-and-tricks quite often. I recommend you go to the Archives of his Rapid eLearning blog to read his PowerPoint-specific blog posts.

PowerPoint 2007 for e-Learning Template Design

I’ve been using PowerPoint for awhile, like you, I’m guessing. However, version 2007 (2008/Mac) blows me away! This blog post isn’t about the specific features that are new in 2007/2008… use your favorite search engine to find what others have said in their reviews. Better yet, visit Microsoft’s site!

In this post, I’m simply sharing some samples in hopes of inspiring you to Go Forth And Design! On Wednesday, March 11th, I gave a presentation on Articulate Studio ‘09 to my local ASTD chapter’s Training & Technology Special Interest Group for their “ToolFest 2009″. (Wow, that was a mouthful.) Many participants asked, “How can I make my e-learning modules look better than boring, bulleted lists?” After hearing their sincere questions, I decided to kick it up a notch using Web sites as inspiration… and as encouraged by Tom Kuhlmann.

My Samples On SlideShare

Here is my SlideShare.net mini-presentation on just a few samples. Please note that I respect Copyright issues, and the rights of designers. My mini-presentation simply shows what you can do using only PowerPoint 2007/2008 elements plus importing a few photo image files.

More samples to come in the future!

Beyond PowerPoint

As most of you know, there is much more to e-learning than an effective visual design, especially when you are converting PowerPoint slide decks from presentations and instructor-led courses into online learning. In the near future, I will be writing about that very topic: Converting PPTs into effective online courses.

“Always learning….”, and I welcome your Comments below!

Update 3/19/2009: Tom Kuhlmann has a great post with wonderful PPT 2007 tips/tricks at:

http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/powerpoint-2007-for-better-elearning

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The L-Files: Client and Vendor Storyboards

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

Introduction

Welcome to “The L-Files”, and the first post in a future series where I’ll discuss my role as “The Liaison” on various project teams. It’s common for instructional designers, technical communicators, business analysts, and others to find they are acting as diplomatic liaisons as well as doing their assigned tasks on a project team. I’ll not only post my own stories, I’ll share others’ great adventures when I find them.

Today’s Post

I was assigned to an e-learning course project as the client-side Instructional Designer to work with a virtual e-learning design and development vendor. The client’s required Compliance/Code of Conduct course was deployed to about 3,000 in-house and field staff.

The Vendor’s Storyboard

Previous client-side instructional designers struggled with working in the vendor’s storyboard format. However, when I began working with the vendor team, I found their MS Word, Detailed Design Document easy to use. I let the vendor know I would use their storyboard document, and they immediately expressed their appreciation.

My ability to adapt encouraged a very positive business relationship between the project manager at the vendor site and the remote Instructional Designer. It also greatly shortened the course development life cycle, and increased the vendor’s effectiveness during their internal QA phase.

The client trusted my ability and my decision, and the internal project sponsor benefited as well. We deployed the course on time.

The Client’s Design

I’m used to using PowerPoint storyboards for rapid design of e-learning courses. So, when the Sponsor of this Compliance course had a unique format that he wanted developed, I first designed it in PowerPoint so he could see the potential interactivity.

This PowerPoint storyboard also helped the vendor understand the unique interactivities the Sponsor wanted. We clearly saw how many image files would be needed, and how the potential learner activities would (or would not) work. I then worked with the vendor to “translate” this PowerPoint storyboard into their preferred Word storyboard.

It didn’t take very long at all! Sadly, I no longer have my project log. So, I can’t give you the total hours it took for me to use two storyboard formats as The Liaison between the client and the remote vendor. My process did save project time, and it eliminated the frustrations the team members felt in the past.

I’m “Always Learning…” how to build good will and facilitate the processes in a project team.

And, I invite you to share your experiences as well in this post’s Comments section.

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Happy New Year: Design e-Learning Like a Pro!

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Life in the e-Learning Fast Lane

In honesty and full disclosure, my new year’s resolution is NOT to blog more often. I have another <secret> and more urgent professional topic. I may blog about that secret later. <evil grin>

However, that doesn’t mean that I won’t blog more often; I will. It’s just that other tasks need attention, first. My virtual or telecommuting freelance world is going well, and I’m learning a great deal. Those “learnings” will transform themselves into future blog posts!

One task I urgently need to do is Word Press housekeeping. So, for today and the new year, I want to highlight a wonderful blog post by (yet again!) Tom Kuhlmann of Articulate.

Tom, you truly inspire us with your rapid e-learning tutorials. Thanks for taking us to the edge of the envelope at the start of 2009!

Please click the image below to visit Tom’s post. I think he’s gently thrown down a friendly gauntlet, challenging us to follow in his steps!

(Or, click the link below.)

http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/now-you-can-design-e-learning-courses-like-a-pro/

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