"In order to create an engaging learning experience, the role of instructor is optional, but the role of learner is essential." - Bernard Bull It is common knowledge that people learn very effectively when they are engaged in the learning process. In classroom training sessions, the trainer interacts actively with learners to capture their attention and ensure they remain focused. But, how can this be accomplished with eLearning courses which are self-paced? Well, you can create highly engaging online courses by focusing on 9 critical aspects. Let us see what they are and why they are very important. Hope you find this post interesting. How do you ensure learner engagement? We’d love to know. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses5 Tips to Engage Your Online Learners - An InfographicTips to Create Scenarios for Various Trainings in E-learning - An Infographic

gomo Learning: An introduction to creating HTML5 adaptive and responsive eLearning Meet your new eLearning authoring tool in this gomo Learning webinar recording with Managing Director Mike Alcock. You will find out more about our brand-new SaaS eLearning authoring tool which allows you to create your very own beautiful multi-device eLearning content. This webinar will cover the basics of gomo Learning, including pricing plans and information about the responsive, adaptive content you can create. You can also watch a demo of the software so you can see just how simple it is to design your own learning programs with our user-friendly interface. The post gomo Learning: Beautiful Multi-Device eLearning appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

Audio is one of the most crucial elements of an eLearning course. But, it is often consigned to the background as we tend to think of it as something ancillary, which can be patched on to the course at the last minute. Including audio as an afterthought is a sure recipe for diaster as the entire course will veer on a disastrous note. The audio might end up being patchy in terms of tone and flow. It will lead the course on a jarring note. To avoid these consequences, it is a good option to keep track of your strategy right from the word go. Include it in your discussions with the stakeholders and when discussing the course strategy. Though we fail to realize, audio strategy is very closely linked to the course strategy. This is because the course and audio CANNOT run on parallel tracks. They have to be in sync to produce a harmonious course. For instance, if you decide that a particluar course will follow a story-telling approach, the tone of the audio can’t be in the form of a monologue by an invisible character. Similarly, if the course is following a case-study based approach, the audio can’t have frivolous dialogues or banter. Thus, it is of prime importance to deal with the audio strategy in conjuction with the course strategy to ensure that they run smoothly on the same track. Always ensure that audio is aligned with the course strategy. Additionally, there are other things which will help you churn out perfect audio which will be in tandem with the course and aid maximum knowledge retention and engage learners’ participation. These include the following: 1. Use vocabulary which reflects the tone of the course. The words used in the audio should not be in variance with the couse style. For example, a course intented for senior management should not contain slang words. Similarly, a course meant for new recruits should not contain technical jargon or complicated terminology they are yet to be familiar with. 2. Avoid language that sterotypes or targets specific communities or groups. Avoid language that can easily point at or ridicule a particular group. For example, it is not a good practice to depict people of a particular group as being victims of harassment, malicious gossip, etc. 3. Aviod sexually degrogatory language. Always follow a gender-neutral, non-offensive language that will not offend any group. For example, avoid language that can be offensive to women though it might be perfectly acceptable to men. Lastly, ensure that the course and audio are perfectly aligned and speak the same language. If the course deals with technical issues, it will be inappropriate to use terms related to performance management or soft-skills. Follow these guidelines and ensure you have an audio strategy that fits hand-in-glove with your course strategy. Related PostsWho’s the Best Narrator for your Online Course?5 Elements of Effective E-learning Design - An Infographic5 Simple E-learning Instructional Strategies That Keep Your Learners Hooked!

How To Design Effective eLearning Navigation You are designing your eLearning course and you have no idea which is the best way for your audience to navigate through it? Instead of guessing your learners’ expectations about what, where, and when to click, have these 5 key eLearning navigation principles in mind and get ready to design a handy and user-friendly eLearning navigation system. Keep it simple.   Your learners make several complex decisions in their personal and professional lives, which means that, when taking an eLearning course, they really don’t need the extra stress of trying to figure out how to use it via a complicated eLearning navigation system. Undeniably, it is tempting to create a custom look and feel for your eLearning courses, but your primary aim should be to keep the navigation as clear as possible. Regardless of the eLearning navigation style you will use, e.g. horizontal, vertical, tabbed, next/back etc, the design should be straightforward, clearly structured, and perhaps quite conventional, so it becomes intuitive. This lets the learners focus on your eLearning content rather than on how to navigate in it. Furthermore, consider standardizing your eLearning navigation design, in order to keep it consistent. If you don’t use the same navigation patterns in all parts of your eLearning course, your learners might get confused and, ultimately, lost. Provide clear instructions. You should offer navigation instructions, at the beginning of the eLearning course and make sure that the "Help" button is visible on every page. If your eLearning course navigation requires a lot of time spent on figuring out how to use it and how it works, you need to question its functionality. When learners are presented with an abundance of mysterious icons and buttons, as well as with a variety of unpredictable paths, time is wasted and, again, focus is lost. Your learners don't have to be trained on how to navigate in your eLearning course all at once; in fact, they can learn more about specific functions as they are moving forward. Also, in order to help advanced learners to save more time, consider offering them an optional tutorial or instructional video, so that learners with more eLearning experience will not be forced to go through information that has been created for those who aren’t familiar with the structure of your eLearning course, or for those who have never taken an eLearning course before. Free it up. Locking the eLearning navigation is a way of preventing learners from clicking through the eLearning course without following its initial structure. However, this can lead to frustration when, for instance, a learner wants to skip the audio and the next button does not seem to be active until the narration is over, or the learner needs to have immediate access to information provided later in the eLearning course without being able to do so. You need to realize that when you lock access to the eLearning content, you are blocking the learning process. After all, not all learners have the same level of expertise and experience; and your job is to accommodate all of them. In order to enhance the eLearning experience and provide your learners with more freedom and control over the eLearning content, you need to unlock the navigation options by adding buttons like "Back", "Undo", "Remove", "Close" and "Are you sure you want to ...?". This way, if some learners want, for instance, to take a quick look at everything your eLearning course covers and then go back and start from the beginning, or others feel the need to deal first with something they don’t know at all, to be able to do so. Also, rather than forcing navigation in a particular way, consider guiding your learners through your eLearning course by giving them reasons to take it step by step and not move fast ahead. Add tests and quizzes or create scenario questions that your learners won’t be able to work through, unless they have already first mastered the previous content. Ultimately, remember that your goal is not to frustrate learners by forcing them to read every single screen of the eLearning course, but rather to create an eLearning environment wherein they are free to explore the eLearning content as they wish, according to their unique learning needs. Make it interesting. A dull eLearning navigation design can easily make even the most devoted learner bored and wanting to quit. Eliminate the boring "Click Next" button and consider using a more visual approach that helps the learners navigate through the structure and topics of the eLearning course. Use color, images, timelines, mind maps, animations, even game boards, to create an entertaining environment. Similarly, if your eLearning course includes a story or a scenario, use the story’s main characters or an easily-identified scene from the scenario as eLearning navigation helpers. The drag and drop interactions are also a great way to trigger your learners’ interest. By having them drag and drop a navigation tutorial or video in order to watch it, you increase their engagement. Finally, you can create a sort of a suspenseful atmosphere for the learners by asking questions or creating dilemmas before they click on the "Next" button. Use your imagination to present your audience the information you want in interesting ways, so that their curiosity is heightened and their attention is captured right from the very beginning, before even clicking on the "Start" button. Keep it relevant. The truth is that no two learners are alike. People don’t learn the same way. As eLearning professionals, it's crucial to understand that every member of our audience is unique and will approach the eLearning content we are providing in his or her own unique way. Thus, while developing your eLearning course, take the time to analyze your audience in order to design the eLearning course navigation based on their profiles. Conduct surveys or focus groups before you start developing your eLearning course and never forget to get feedback from those who have experienced it after delivery. This way, you will know what worked, and actually meets the needs of your learners, and what didn’t and needs to be changed. As far as the language you use for your eLearning navigation design is concerned, always use simple and user-friendly terms for the eLearning navigation menu, in order to help learners immediately understand the meaning of every click they make. Furthermore, add a glossary in order to help learners deal with difficult and complicated terms that your eLearning content may include. Have these principles in mind when designing eLearning navigation for your next eLearning deliverable and you will be able to offer your learners an easy, friendly and stress-free eLearning experience. Want to know more about perfecting your carefully crafted eLearning deliverable before you launch it? Read the article Launching Your eLearning Course: 15 Things To Double Check to find the 15 things that you must double-check before launching your next eLearning course. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The U.S. biopharmaceutical sector employs more than 810,000 workers and supports a total of 3.4 million jobs across the country (Source: PhRMA). It is not surprising because six out of the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies are based in the US. Today, pharmaceutical companies are facing new challenges that were never there before. According to a report by KPMG, the 4 challenges faced by the pharma sector are: Inability of pharma companies to provide consistent shareholder/stakeholder value due to an array of factors. Stagnant growth in western markets and slower growth rate in emerging markets negatively impacting the overall business environment. Decline of R & D productivity with returns being less than 50% over the last 10 years. Rising scientific, political as well as legal risks have also taken a toll on the health of the industry. It also has to cope with the lack of trust built over the years from both consumers as well as governments. These challenges stemmed out from the changes that are taking place in the pharma sector. It is no longer the way we knew it a decade ago. David Rowley of OPEN Health lists three factors that are influencing the pharma sector and the way the business is done. 1. Emphasis on prevention alongside treatment of diseases Traditionally, the pharma sector was always product-centric. However, with government and health agencies stressing on disease prevention and incentivizing efforts by organizations that work towards educating the consumer. So, organizations are not just promoting their products but also promoting healthy lifestyles as a part of their marketing efforts. Examples: Pfizer - Get Healthy Stay Healthy program Merck Consumer Care - Active Family Project Eli Lilly - Lilly for Better Health Janssen - Care4Today 2. Using digital technologies to connect with stakeholders Thanks to the Internet, information is readily available. Patients have access to innumerable apps that enable individuals to be more involved in the treatment process. We have gadgets to monitor blood pressure, sugar and apps to remind patients of important deadlines. So much so that technological companies such as Apple, Google, GE and Samsung are foraying into the healthcare domain with fancy and powerful devices. Traditional means of communication is changing. Technology is increasingly used for activities that include clinical trials, logging and sharing of medical information and so on. 3. Working with big data to follow real-world patient outcomes Finally, big data provides an enormous opportunity for R & D as well as patient care. Electronic medical record systems enable sophisticated data sharing and processing techniques that enable medical practitioners to collaborate, share and provide better services to the end user. The enormous biological data will enable medical service providers to study, analyze data and prescribe personalized medicines. The focus has shifted to the individual who is in the center of the treatment. Given these dramatic changes in the pharma sector, there is a need to change the way day-to-day operations are conducted in the sector and that includes training. It is no longer sufficient to have traditional classroom sessions, workshops or on-the-job trainings as done traditionally. These have to be smartly integrated with technology to provide more hands-on training that is ongoing and available just when needed. There are many companies that have already adopted new technologies for training their workforce. For example, FDA has uploaded several online courses on a range of topics that can be accessed by people in the industry, consumers as well as specialists. Regulations and laws are regularly updated and information is posted in multiple formats - PDF documents, videos, case-studies and so on. Mobile applications are being developed for the benefit of patient care givers and sales representatives to provide on-demand information on a particular drug. Tablets are given to sales representatives to educate doctors about a new drug or research in the domain. E-learning is central to all these initiatives and has become the most essential and important part of the training curriculum to ensure that employees are trained regularly as and when required. Given the numerous challenges facing the pharma sector, effective training is one ways to equip employees to successfully sail through the challenges. It includes the following. Employee-centric training: Just as the pharma sector has moved away from being product-centric to customer-centric, so also organizations need to become employee-centric in the sense - they need to understand the varied needs of employees at various levels and provide customized training. One size does not fit all and courses have to be tailor-made to suit the individual needs and requirements. Use of digital technologies: Blended learning has to be adopted to include a seamless integration of classroom training, webinars, virtual classrooms, eLearning and mLearning that uses of digital technologies and gadgets. Managing big data: Finally, companies need to have a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) that is able to coordinate multiple training efforts from a central location. It should also be able to provide big data that analyzes the success of a training initiative and generate reports that help plan future training programs. What has been your experience about training in the pharma sector? Do you have interesting anecdotes or examples that can be shared here? Please let us know. Related PostsElearning in Healthcare and Pharmaceutical IndustryCreative Ways to Present Click on Tab Interactivity in E-learning Courses - An InfographiceLearning for Pharma - Using Tablets

Camtasia Studio 8 Tutorial: Introduction to Markers This Camtasia Studio 8 Tutorial covers the following topics: 0:30 - Find and open the marker view 0:50 - Differentiate between the two types of markers 1:40 - Add markers to your project 2:00 - Quickly pinpoint a section to delete 2:35 - Add markers while recording 3:30 - Use markers to set up a table of contents 4:50 - Wrap-up / feedback The post Camtasia Studio 8 Tutorial: Introduction to Markers appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

Elearning upadate 2015 will focus on Tech Trends for Learning and Teaching. An international selection of speakers will share their experiences of improving teaching and learning. What makes elearning update 2015 unique is the wide range of applications that are covered. From university, to industry to school. The conference will cover aspects such as Big Data for Learning Analytics Emerging technologies - what is around the corner? Badges and gamification - how to motivate and recognise learning Achieving cross-platform and online-offline capability The life of an Instructional Designer The importance of information literacy How to develop solutions for distance education The value and importance of assessment 2015 marks the 8th iteration of the Elearning Update. To celebr8 this, the theme for 2015 is '8 What can you share that has ATE in it, to help us make it Gr8? So, come and CommunicATE, Tell us how you ConsolidATE, and IntegrATE. What are your strATEgies? Wat maak jou 8stekend? Elearning update 2015 will take place at the Emperor's Palace (Gauteng, South Africa) on August 5 - 7, 2015.   This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

It is common knowledge that companies are investing huge amounts to train their employees to improve productivity and customer satisfaction. There are many methods of training like online training, instructor-led training (ILT), simulations, on-the-job training, group discussions, coaching, etc., and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Recently, I worked for a project where ILT material was converted into an online course. The inputs provided to us were in the form of PDF andMS-Word documents. Today, I am going to explain how we converted this ILT material into an eLearning course. We followed six steps which are listed below. Step 1 Collecting all the input atone place:We first collected all inputs and content-related documents like videos, PDFs, etc. at one place. By doing this, we had an idea of what all we have to make use of. We also had a quick look at the content, and this made it for us to decide what comes where and when. Step 2 Creating a Curriculum:Here, we decided the curriculum. The ILT program was a level- based training program, and so, we decided to divide the content into 2 levels - basic level and advanced level. The ILT program had 4 topics, which we divided into two levels. Each level was further into courses and modules. The hierarchy levelof thecurriculum is shown below. Step 3 Designing an Instructional Strategy: Here, we analyzed the content, and this gave us a complete picture of the concept. We decided on the strategies such as scenario-based learning and avatar-based learning. We brainstormed with our team, with the content and learning objectives in mind. The ILT program had classroom activities, and wewereto decide on how to use them. At the end, we decided to follow a scenario-based learning approach where the classroom activities were used as case-studies. Here we also finalized the visual strategy, audio strategy, assessments, activities, etc. Step 4 Standardizing the designs: After we decided on the curriculum and instructional strategy, we listedthe standards pertaining to the presentationofanimations, interactivities, assessments, case studies, etc. We also finalizedthecolors and format to be used at different levels of the course. Step 5 Prototyping:We then decided to make a prototype of the course. We collected different types of content and designed the course with singles screens of interactivity, scenario, case study, and assessments. We then created the prototype and sent it to the client to get his approval of the strategies and standards to be used. Step 6 Developing the eLearning course rapidly:Finally, after getting the approval from client, we then started the actual development of the courses. Having a clear understanding of the ILT material helped us to develop courses rapidly. Thus, we converted the ILT material into an interactive and engaging eLearning curriculum. Hope you find this blog useful. Do share your views. Related PostsGuidelines for Content Chunking to Design Effective Online Courses4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses6 Best Practices to Consider while Developing E-learning Courses

How To Design Captivating eLearning As is often the case, business needs and timescales for deployment outweigh considerations of enjoyment and entertainment. Sadly, this is a short-sighted approach and will ultimately impact your ROI, for as we all know, we are better able to retain information if it is relevant, engaging and exciting (see Thorndike’s "Principles of Learning"). So how do we achieve this within our eLearning so that we can create a captivating eLearning experience? Show, don’t tell.  What’s the difference between news coverage of a crime and a dramatization of that same event in Crimewatch? The same information may be imparted, but instead of a list of dry facts and statements you get to see that same event from the human perspective. This makes the story come alive, making it more memorable and interesting; which in turn makes it more effective in getting across the facts. That bank robbery that took place at 2 o’clock on a Wednesday evening in Bagshot Lane is now a visceral experience filled with characters, victims, and consequences. So make your learning come alive through the use of scenarios whether they’re video, text, or comic book style. Add humor. Okay, so we’re not asking you to be the next Russell Howard, but injecting a little light humor into your course can enhance your learning. By showing the human element, you are transferring one of the best aspects of good face-to-face training to the screen. It increases the learner’s connection to the content and creates an element of surprise that will get people talking after the course. Obviously don’t get too carried away here, or you’ll risk diverting your learners’ attention from the main focus of the learning. Gamify your interactions. Gamification of eLearning has been a buzz word for a little while now, but that’s not to say that, like yesterday’s news, it should be discarded. Bringing in elements that activate the brain’s reward mechanism (such as competition and viewable scoreboards, collecting achievements, challenges, and story-telling) incentivizes the learner and makes for stickier and more fun and captivating eLearning. Personalization. All of us enjoy those personality quizzes that tell us a little bit about ourselves - one glance at the majority of Facebook feeds shows how viral these types of Buzzfeed questionnaires can get. Everything from "What gender is your brain?" to "What movie character would you be?" are covered in these quizzes. But what if we could take this approach and put it to good use? We could then use this mechanism to allow learners to hold a mirror to their preconceptions about certain subject matters and offer a personalized learning plan. A good example of this could be a short diagnostic quiz to ascertain which unconscious bias your learner is most prone to. Or even, to diagnose what types of situations trigger a stress in the workplace event, accompanied by personalized tips for overcoming this problem. The course then becomes something that the learner can engage with knowing they have a genuinely useful tool that has uncovered a little more about them than they realized. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

As a training manager, you seek to develop an eLearning course, within a short period of time, at low cost. But, how can you do so? How can you get a good value for your precious money? Well, the answer is simple - rapid eLearning. Rapid eLearning, unlike traditional eLearning, reduces the time taken to develop a course to a large extent. It uses certain tools like Articulate Storyline, Articulate Studio and Adobe Captivate, which do not require expertise in programming, and thereby reduces the number of steps involved in the development of an eLearning course. Here is an info-graphic that compares rapid eLearning and traditional eLearning. Hoped you liked this post. Please share your opinions on the same. Related Posts4 Tips for Developing E-learning Course Using Rapid Authoring ToolsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesWhich is The Best E-learning Authoring Tool for Novice Developer?