How To Get True/False Questions Right True/false questions are favored by educators first and foremost because they take little time to construct, but also due to the fact that tests comprising of such questions are very easy to grade. Many see the results obtained with the help of true/false questions as dubious because of the high probability of a learner guessing the correct answer. However, in fact, the chances of getting a passing grade while relying purely on guesswork are slim, provided that the test contains a sufficient number of questions. Like with other concretized questions, answers to true/false questions are harder to guess correctly than those to multiple choice questions. This being said, course authors often do true/false questions a disservice by not putting any effort into constructing them. In addition, incorrect answers to true/false questions give no indication as to what knowledge the learner is missing and the reason they have answered incorrectly. True/False Questions Advantages Enable you to cover a wide area of knowledge. Can be constructed out of a few words, which makes them less dependent on the learner’s ability to read carefully. Take very little time to be answered. On average, a learner can answer 3-4 true/false questions per minute. Assist learners in acquiring and retaining new information. True/False Questions Disadvantages Care must be taken as to not make the questions too simplistic. It is hard to accurately gauge a learner’s actual understanding of the material judging by the results of a test composed of true/false questions. Learners have a 50% chance to guess the correct answer to every individual true/false question. A test containing nothing but true/false questions has to contain a significant number of them for the results of the test to be relevant. True/false questions are very handy when you need to check whether learners hold any misconceptions about the material or misunderstand it. Make sure that the questions cover every key point of the material, and the lack of understanding of specific areas of knowledge will be plain to see. Best Practices For Constructing Tests With True/False Questions The first rule for constructing tests that consist of nothing but true/false questions is that you need to have significantly more questions than, for example, a test constructed of multiple choice questions. It is recommended to use no less than 75 true/false questions in a test. In addition, you should keep the following guidelines in mind: State your questions as clearly and unambiguously as possible. Keep your questions short and to the point. Never try to cover multiple ideas or notions with a single true/false question. Every question must present itself as a statement that is unequivocally true or false, and that does not allow any exceptions. Avoid using negative constructions in questions. Common misconceptions make fine true/false questions (example: "The Great Wall of China is the only human-made object visible from the Moon: true or false?"). Use them to check the learners’ understanding of the material. Construct your questions in such a way as to make incorrect answers appear more tempting to learners who do not know the correct answer. Randomize the order in which questions based on true or false statements are presented. Do not introduce ambiguity to your questions by using words such as "sometimes", "the majority", "most likely", "some", "usually not", "best", "worst", etc. True/False Correction A more advanced variety of the true/false question exists, and is called true/false/correction. Such questions demand that the original statement be corrected if the answer to the question is negative. Thus, to score full points for the question, the learner also has to produce a word or phrase that replaces a part of the question, turning a false statement into a true one. This way, even if a learner guesses correctly that "false" is the correct answer to a question, the answer will not count unless they manage to come up with the correct "key" as well. The author of the test decides what part of the question will act as the key and underlines it. Here is an example to help you better understand the concept of true/false/correction questions: Monarchy - a form of government based upon the principle of collective decision making. True / False Correction _____________ In Conclusion True/false questions is the most common question type, and it is widely used in testing. Such questions are the easiest to construct, but at the same time present the most potential pitfalls that must be avoided. Learners can spot patterns in the way questions are constructed and guess the correct answers based on the questions’ grammatical makeup and other indirect hints. Tests consisting exclusively of true/false questions can be successfully used as a learning trigger to engage the learners and presents topics for discussion. This is probably where this question type shines the most. In addition, it can also be successfully used in daily tests that can be employed to: Motivate the learners to further study the material. Help refresh the principal information delivered in earlier lessons or courses. Serve as a basis for discussion regarding the points of contention in the material. Keep in mind that every question type has its own strengths and weaknesses, and that none is ideal. By following the best practices, you can improve your tests and make them more effective. Take the best every question type has to offer, use their strong suits and avoid their drawbacks - and you will see the effectiveness of your tests and the accuracy of their results skyrocket. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

It is well known that telecommunications is one of the most vital sectors. According to a report by Infonetics Research, telecom operators generated approximately $2 trillion in revenues, globally, in 2013. Telecom companies have realized that the customer needs to be trained on the products offered by the firms because providing good customer service is the ultimate goal of any industry. The telecom industry comprises of employees from different educational and socio-economic backgrounds. So, it is very essential to develop an eLearning course according to the learner’s profile. But, how could you impart excellent online training to the personnel of telecom firms? Well, here is an info-graphic which explains how eLearning courses can be delivered effectively to train the staff of telecom firms. Hope you find the post interesting. Please do share your views. Related PostsWhy E-learning for Retail Employees - Five Reasons - An InfographicE-learning: Helping Telecommunication Companies Impart Training BetterBlended Learning for Effectively Meeting Challenges in the Telecom Sector

The Why eLearning Modules Are Dead Case "Who would commit such a horrific crime?" I hear you yell as one... well, I'm sure one of you at least thought it... Maybe. Anyway, let’s start our investigation with the unassuming victim. eLearning Today The best of today’s eLearning modules have learnt from past excesses. They still embrace an engaging, highly visual approach, but also incorporate recent understanding of cognitive load, strategically combining text, audio, and images for greater effectiveness. From an instructional perspective, they use knowledge checks, scenarios, branched narratives, and gamification. They extend rapid eLearning tools to the limit, so they can increase interactivity and reduce the dreaded "Next" button fatigue. Some even allow learners to assess first, so they can access the support they actually need rather than going through the entire "sheep dip" experience. In effect, eLearning modules have matured through their heady "Flash driven teenage days" and are in the prime of their life... which makes their inevitable demise even more tragic. Enter 70:20:10 Stage Left (Armed and Dangerous) When we get past the distractions of debating ratios, we can focus on the fact that 70:20:10 is essentially a mindset change, championed by the likes of Charles Jennings and Jane Hart. It represents a growing understanding that learning is not something that primarily happens to people at events or in front of eLearning modules; it's something that people own and experience continuously, with other people, in their life and work. New Challenges for Learning And Development Learning and Development professionals are beginning to support this change - creating learning ecosystems that empower learners by deepening experiences and reflect on them, while encouraging rich interactions with peers/ mentors/ and coaches. Many in Learning and Development have embraced the fact that formal learning doesn’t do the heavy lifting in learning, but let’s not swing the pendulum too far because formal learning still has an important role to play. In part, formal learning must become the scaffolding to support learners as they develop the mindset, skills, and culture to be continuous learners. But more than that, the real challenge lies in how we can liberate formal learning from its existing confines (in an Learning Management System or classroom) and allow it to seep into the moments and places where learners actually learn: in their workplace, with their peers, and in the time of need. Done right, formal learning can add tremendous amounts to a blend, including: Priming mindset and/or directing focus of learners; Introducing high level core concepts or frameworks (possibly through case studies or worked examples); and Providing just-in-time and just enough performance support. Those of you paying attention might have noticed the clue to our murder case... we now have motive. eLearning Modules Are Dead (The Motive) Consider your own experience. You’re about to do something new or challenging - where do you go for help? Maybe you’ll ask a colleague? More of us would Google it; from there we’d seek out summaries, tips, or even short instructional videos. Have you ever, in your life, used an eLearning module as a just-in-time resource? Have you ever voluntarily gone back to do an eLearning module just to reinforce its learning? I've been asking these questions of clients and I keep getting a resounding "no". It’s not the eLearning modules fault, it's hard not to look cumbersome and tired in a world where: Wearable technology is bringing forth new opportunities for contextual learning; The Experience API offers the enticing prospect of closing the loop on learning and performance; and Initiatives like Deakin University and IBMs Watson project hint at how intuitive, continual learning technology can support us in ways we never thought possible (or, for those who are a little more paranoid, how it might become Skynet and wipe out humanity in a post apocalyptic Terminator like scenario!). Having rattled off those amazing advances. I’m going to highlight the obvious pitfall: We won't create 70:20:10 experiences by focusing on technical fixes, but they’ll certainly play their part in supporting the required changes. From The Blended Learning Trenches From a personal perspective I’ve found that my work designing digital elements of 70:20:10 inspired blends at DeakinPrime has begun to lead us down the path of mobile apps rather than traditional eLearning modules. But even from a low tech perspective, I’ve found myself focusing on creating online checklists, cheat sheets, and short videos. An eLearning module might serve as the initial container of these resources -providing context, motivation, and a demonstration of how they might be used via an engaging scenario- then, like cracking an egg, the module is disposed of and the assets become part of the learner's ongoing toolkit. eLearning modules, despite their many strengths, seem too "closed" and inflexible to fit into the more pervasive learning era we are striving towards. They’ll probably live forever in small pockets such as compliance, but for large blended programs that support 70:20:10 I’m starting to think that the trigger has been pulled and their days are numbered. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

As instructional designers, we use scenarios while creating online courses to deliver compliance training. They help explain regulatory norms and legal terms in a simple manner, and this goes a long way in enhancing the efficacy of the course. In addition to these, scenarios also help in creating a variety of situations figuratively, where different compliance laws are implied and make the learners understand those laws easily. So, how can you use scenarios effectively for developing online courses to impart good compliance training? Well, here are a few very useful tips. Hope you find this post interesting. Do share your views. Related PostsWant to Create Winning E-learning Courses? 6 Tips - An Infographic5 Elements of Effective E-learning Design - An Infographic6 Handy Webinars to Help Solve Your E-Learning Design and Development Problems

According to Ambient research, the market for game-based learning is expected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2012 to $2.3 billion in 2017. Generally, people get bored in 10 to 15 minutes after taking up an online course but they can play games for long hours. This is because games motivate them and are fun. Incorporating games in your eLearning assessments helps the learner remain engaged. Gamification is the process of including game-based mechanics in non-gaming contexts such as work and training. It is an effective and interactive tool that helps the learner understand and recall complex content easily. Moreover, games help measure the performance of a learner as they automatically track the learner’s progress in the assessments. But, how can you use games in your eLearning assessments to create a good and interactive course? Well, here is an info-graphic which lists some gaming mechanics for designing your eLearning assessments. Hope you find this info-graphic useful. Do share your views. Related Posts3 Motives to Use Games in Your E-learning CoursesAssessment Strategy for M-learningHow to Use Gaming Mechanics for Designing Your E-learning Assessments? - An infographic

Diagnostic Assessment In eLearning Diagnostic assessment, which is often referred to as pre-assessment, is designed to test a learner’s knowledge BEFORE they begin an eLearning activity. These assessments can also identify incorrect learning behaviors, misconceptions the learner may have, and skill sets that need to be developed. At the end of the eLearning course, the results can be compared to the final summative assessments to see how far a learner has progressed. A diagnostic assessment also gives you the opportunity to learn as much as possible about your audience, so that you can create more meaningful and memorable eLearning experiences. 6 Types Of Diagnostic Assessment Online journals. Learners begin a reflective online journal in which they write down their expectations for the eLearning course and their goals. They can then jot down insights and ideas after completing each one of the eLearning activities or exercises, detailing what they learned and how they felt about the overall eLearning experience. Online quizzes. A brief online assessment that serves as a diagnostic tool before the eLearning course or lesson. The instructor can choose to create questions that determine how much a learner currently knows, or questions that they should be able to answer by the end of the eLearning course. They can then repeat the quiz after they complete the eLearning experience to track their progress. Online scenarios and simulations. While online scenarios and simulations are often associated with performance assessment, they are also invaluable diagnostic tools. Participating in a branching scenario or a simulation before the eLearning course begins, gives learners the chance to identify which skill sets they may need to improve, as well as what key pieces of information they will need to acquire. It also provides instructors with a better understanding of how they can fill their knowledge gap. Mind Mapping. The instructor gives each learner an online mind map activity, which features a topic in the center circle. The learners are encouraged to add as much as they know about the subject, using short words or sentences. Surveys. Learners complete an online survey prior to taking the eLearning course that determines their level of interest, expectations, and their current knowledge base. eLearning professionals can use the results to create eLearning courses that cater to individual learning needs and achieve learning goals. Focus groups and online interviews. The facilitator meets online with learners using a web camera, either in a group setting or one-on-one, to learn as much as possible about each learner’s background and learning needs. The learners are also given the opportunity to provide their input and discuss their expectations for the eLearning course in advance. 4 Tips To Use Diagnostic Assessment in eLearning Use diagnostic assessment to conduct periodic "knowledge checks". While diagnostic assessment in eLearning is typically associated with the beginning of the eLearning experience, it can also be used to determine learners’ level of knowledge in between eLearning lessons or modules. Ask your learners to complete a diagnostic quiz before they move onto the next eLearning module, so that you are able to make necessary changes to your lesson plan accordingly. For example, if they are heading into an eLearning module that may be particularly challenging, or requires prerequisite knowledge, a quiz can give you a good indication of what they already know about the topic and how you may want to present the new information. Timing is everything. If you are planning on using diagnostic assessment to polish your forthcoming eLearning course, you need to be sure that you have plenty of time to make the necessary changes. For instance, if the eLearning course is going to begin in the summer, you may want to send out quizzes or surveys in the early spring to give yourself plenty of time to modify the eLearning content and online materials. You also have to bear in mind that some learners may need more time than others to complete diagnostic assessments. Fine tune your eLearning strategy based upon the findings. The primary purpose of a diagnostic assessment in eLearning is to give the instructor the learner data they need to provide the best possible eLearning experience. If you notice that many of your learners have pre-existing knowledge about a particular topic, then you may want to modify your curriculum to make it more challenging. On the other hand, if the diagnostic assessment reveals that your learners are not as advanced as you thought, you will have to cover the basics in the beginning of your eLearning course to bring them up to speed. Try to identify trends or a common thread that can help you design a powerful and memorable eLearning experience for every member of your audience. Create an action plan for your learners. The data that you collect from diagnostic assessment can also be used to help individual learners as they progress through the eLearning course. For example, if a learner is lacking a necessary skill set, then you can encourage them to create a plan of action that allows them to develop that skill throughout the eLearning course. You can also identify strengths and weaknesses that may need to be addressed, as well as learning behaviors that the learner may need to work on in order to get the most out of the eLearning course. Take advantage of diagnostic assessment in eLearning to create an online learning strategy that fills the gap and offers your learners the chance to monitor their progress by using it as a powerful source of eLearning motivation. Remember, diagnostic assessment in eLearning is only helpful if you know how to use the results to your advantage. One of the most effective diagnostic assessment tools you have at your disposal is an eLearning focus group. The article 5 Tips For Running A Successful eLearning Focus Group features 5 top tips that can help you run a successful focus group for your next eLearning course. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

……This is why we need immersive eLearning. The term immersive learning environment can be described as creating an artificial or simulated environment that allows your learners to be immersed as though they are experiencing a real learning environment. There are lots of ingredients that go together to make the perfect dish, and this applies for eLearning courses. But, at the end of the day, the only that defines success of an eLearning course is by answering this question. Are learners able to learn something and apply it in any given relevant situation? In this post, we will explore the elements that will help you create an immersive learning environment that will be more than just Click Next! Hook your learner with some drama.  Here’s an example. Starting with a problem-based scenario is bound to add some interest for your learners. Start your course with a ‘big bang’ to create the maximum learning impact. In this era of distraction, it’s hard to keep the learner engaged. Such interactions are best suited for introduction screens. Apart from drama, you can also use elements such as humor, storytelling and problem solving to keep your learners hooked! Give them real looking environments. Anything that is real will connect with your learners. Realistic and relevant settings can have a great impact on the learner’s psyche. For instance, if your course is about engineering and automation, your course setup can resemble an automation factory. This creates a sense of belonging to your learner, imitating physical environments enhances learning experiences that in turn add a great recall value of the learning. For example you can recreate an automation workshop floor for a course on automation safety or a tool. Take a look at how an automation floor was recreated for an immersive learning environment. Surrender total control to your learners. Never ever restrict your learner. Making him dance to your tunes will only put him off, and we know that adults don’t like to be told what to do. Hence, whenever your course has exploration, it is best to leave the control in your learners’ hands and let them learn on their own accord. The ability to control the learning environment allows learners to absorb and learn about all elements on the screen. Have a look at an example. This screen shows more than one exploratory element. Yet, the learner is restricted to choose an element of the designer’s choice. Such instances kill the whole idea of exploring and learning. An ideal explore and learn situation leaves the learner free to choose the element of his liking. E-learning is moving to a new frontier with immersive learning. Emotional connections and realistic expectations are the order of the day. By making use of one of these immersive elements, your eLearning course will not only have high instructional value but also an immersed learner. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses5 Ways to Make E-learning Interesting - An InfographicCreative Ways to Present Click on Tab Interactivity in E-learning Courses - An Infographic

The ALT Annual Conference 2015 theme is "Shaping the Future of Learning Together" As the leading Learning Technology conference in the UK, the ALT Annual Conference 2015 brings together practitioners, researchers and policy makers from across education to share their research and experience. The programme will reflect the theme of shaping and sharing learning through breaking down the traditional divisions between stakeholders and between their roles, with a focus on: Harnessing the power of the crowd - collaboration and connectivist learning Social media in learning and teaching Open educational practice Learners as agents of change Participatory approaches to the development of learning technologies The ALT Annual Conference 2015 will be chaired by Amanda Jefferies, University of Hertfordshire and Liz Masterman, University of Oxford. The Association for Learning Technology Annual Conference (ALT Annual Conference 2015) will be held at the University of Manchester, UK on September 8-10 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

5 Questions You Need To Ask Before Creating E-Learning The 5 questions you need to ask before starting any e-learning project. The post 5 Questions You Need To Ask Before Creating E-Learning appeared first on VivaeLearning: The Best Free Video Tutorials Online.

Every organization needs to follow a set of rules and procedures to avoid huge penalties. To do this, employees have to be trained effectively on the applicable rules and procedures. About 98% of organizations want technology-enabled compliance training to help manage risk more successfully (Towards Maturity, 2013). Why do you need to create and deliver a highly engaging online compliance training course? What if you receive negative responses from your learners? Why are compliance training courses boring and unappealing? Poor instructional strategies could result in boring and unappealing courses. 67% of organizations say user engagement is the top barrier to adopting technology- enabled compliance training (Source: www.towardsmaturity.org). Well, you can create and develop engaging online courses to deliver good compliance training by following these three tips. Make Use of Scenarios  Compliance training can be made interesting and engaging by using scenarios in courses. As an instructional designer, you should be able to include situations which your learners are likely to face in their jobs and explain what they need to do. Use simple language to explain laws, so that employees can understand and remember them easily. Make sure to give them plenty of opportunities to implement learning at their workplace. You need to provide them explanatory feedback stating why a particular option is right or wrong. With the help of rapid authoring tools (Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate), we can develop highly engaging scenarios. Make Use of Games Compliance training can be made interactive and interesting through gamification. Games help learners understand regulatory norms and complex statutes in a fun-filled manner and retain the learning for a long time. Make sure to use games that are challenging and rewarding for the employee. Provide explanatory feedback stating why a particular option is right or wrong instead of merely indicating whether it the learner’s answer is correct or incorrect. Here are some games developed using Articulate Storyline. Make Use of Assessments  Compliance training can be made effective through assessments. Assessments must be framed in such a way that they challenge employees to apply what they have learned already and cover all kinds of situations that employees may face during their jobs. This helps them relate to those situations immediately. Assessments should be challenging and reinforce learning, so that employees can relate to the situations at the workplace. Provide feedback for both correct and incorrect answers and explain why a particular choice is correct and incorrect. With the help of rapid authoring tools, we can develop assessment questions based on scenarios. Thus, by following these tips, you can create well-deisgned online courses to deliver highly effective compliance training. Do share your thoughts. Related PostsHow to Make a Compliance Course Learner Centric - An Infographic3 Instructional Strategies to Deliver Effective Compliance Training - An InfographicWhat Makes Online Compliance Training Effective? - INFOGRAPHIC