The Effectiveness Of Tin Can API - A New Paradigm Shift In Measuring Learning Effectiveness In Technology Aided Learning  With technology aided learning gaining a steady popularity in the corporate circles, more and more learning leaders are pondering on the ways and means of measuring training effectiveness as well. Training is a corporate necessity, but since considerable money and time are invested in creating as well as disseminating, most organizations aspire for a positive ROI on all training endeavors. But are all learning experiences and instances gathered through formal training delivery, especially in the corporate context? We learn through many ways; on our mobiles and tablets, through social networks or forums, and even via good old dependable Google search! Legacy Learning Management Systems (LMSs) have built-in capability to record the number of courses taken by a learner or classroom sessions attended by him or her. But it is important to understand that the modern corporate learner now has many more learning instances that remain untracked by a traditional Learning Management System. With the evolution of learning technology and the advent of more powerful and comprehensive tracking solutions, it is now possible to capture a fuller picture of a learner’s learning journey - including learning activities outside of the Learning Management System. This provides a better picture of training effectiveness that empowers managers as well as learners themselves plan better for impactful learning. Tin Can API is the new learning standard adopted by a growing number of organizations, providing a variety of benefits: Most of the eLearning in the last decade has been compliant to SCORM standard. But with more than 10 years, the standard needs a makeover. Tin Can API is a huge development from SCORM, as it allows the platform to track multiple learning types - mobile learning, blended learning, serious games, simulations, and so on. It allows training managers to launch content not only within the Learning Management System, but also outside of it, and to keep track of it as well. This makes it easier to create and make learning content accessible to a larger number of audiences. Reporting of data is richer as it can include assessments based on team scores, multiple attempts and multiple scores from the same course. Learning experiences beyond the confines of the Learning Management System can also be recorded, including reading a book, watching a learning video on YouTube, or posting a relevant comment on an online discussion forum. This makes sure that training assessment is more about learning assessment. The trackable content does not have to reside within the Tin Can compliant Learning Management System. Reports, eBooks, or videos can be made trackable as soon they are made available to the general public. Any learner who takes the initiative of learning from the content outside the Learning Management System will be assessed accordingly. Not only does this give a fuller picture of learning effectiveness, it also makes sure that the learner is suitably encouraged in accordance to their learning enthusiasm. Learning managers as well as eLearning developers are always eager to know how learners interact with the content, so as to keep on improving the quality of the learning material. But this is seldom found with the help of traditional Learning Management System, as it is capable of just informing when a learner starts a course or completes it. Some evolved ones may also give the option of starting a course from where the learner left the last time, but that is the extent of it. What are the portions of the course that the learner took more time reading or interacting with? What were the interactivities that were taken multiple times and in a non-forced learning approach, which portions where skipped altogether? These are the kind of detailed inputs that Tin Can API provides to make the process of knowledge creation more directed towards the needs of the learners. Tin Can API captures the learners’ activities on various social networking sites as well that can be tied into their learning experiences. Sharing an informative online article or asking relevant questions on a particular topic gives an accurate idea about the likes as well as area of interest for learners. This is then utilized to create a personalized and adaptive learning for the individual learner. This is a positive step towards ensured effective learning. Learning and Development professionals can certainly benefit from considering the many possibilities of Tin Can API. It can enable you to measure the effectiveness of organizational learning and further sell the case for technology aided learning. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The Way You Measure eLearning Performance Is Changing  Analyzing the performance of your eLearning will help show that the investment in eLearning is paying off. It’s your job to measure the metrics and interpret the results so you can find ways to improve the performance of your eLearning. Here is how you can measure eLearning performance using Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. Kirkpatrick's Training Evaluation Model  For over half a century, most learning professionals have measured training using Kirkpatrick’s four-level evaluation model: In summary, the four levels are: Level 1 measures the reactions of learners: What did they think about the training? Level 2 measures learning: What was increase in knowledge or capability? Level 3 measures behavior: What was the extent of behavior and capability improvement? Level 4 measures results: What was the effect on the business? In The Past...  Level 1 was easy to measure. You might be in a classroom or conduct face to face training where the use of a simple survey was a good way to gauge learners’ responses to the training program. But at Level 2 and beyond, evaluation becomes complicated. For years eLearning managers have tried to build evaluation into the eLearning process. Most without much success. But in 2015 you are in luck. New eLearning tools are making it easier than ever to measure Level 2 and beyond. Build Evaluation Into The eLearning Process  Organizations can now develop and manage their own eLearning using new eLearning authoring tools. If you're moving your eLearning in-house, here are some ways to build evaluation into your eLearning roadmap. Level 1: Reactions Of Students. Modern authoring tools have inbuilt analytic tools that help you evaluate learners’ responses to eLearning. For example, you can use Elucidat to quickly create surveys into your design. Use the feedback to evaluate Level 1: Track learners to find areas where you can improve the learning experience. Use this insight to quickly change and test different variations of your eLearning. Share learner tracking data with other software systems. Here’s a quick project analysis screenshot taken inside Elucidat: Level 2: Learning. Use pre- and post-tests to evaluate what learners get out of your eLearning. For example, before you start training, create a pre-assessment survey that asks learners to assess their capabilities in relation to the eLearning topic you're about to teach (on a scale from 1-5). This will provide benchmark data on how well learners think they know the content. After they’ve completed the eLearning, provide a post-assessment survey. Now you can compare the pre-assessment data with post-assessment data to determine if the training had a positive impact. Level 3: Behavior Change. Level 3 evaluates how much new knowledge or skills a learner has learned and then applied in their role or job. Some behavior change can be quantified. For example, if the training is for customer service, you can measure how many complaint calls are made before and after the training. In other cases, where the behavior change is not easily quantifiable, you need to gather data through observation and analysis. The best way to do this is to have a supervisor or manager work closely with learners to assess their behavior and capabilities both before and after the training. Level 4: Results/Effects On The Business. Level 4 involves evaluating the extent to which the eLearning has contributed to your desired business outcomes. What you are measuring in this stage is the impact of the eLearning, rather than measuring learners’ performance. This takes time, as you won’t necessarily see benefits immediately. If you have brought eLearning design and development in-house, you’ll be in a better position measure this performance metric. For example, you might be able to directly see the impact of the new sales training on the sales figures for the quarter. Final Takeaway  As the role of learning inside organizations changes, so does the way you evaluate eLearning. With more and more pressure to demonstrate the positive impact eLearning is having on your business, it's important to use a tool that lets you measure key performance metrics (and Kirkpatrick's four levels). Stay on top of the latest eLearning ideas, trends, and technologies by subscribing to the Elucidat weekly newsletter. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Narrative Theory In eLearning: Everybody Loves A Good Story  When you think of the life of a famous person throughout history, or the rise and fall of an empire, or a romantic relationship you have had, it’s easy to pick out elements of real life that relate directly to stories we are all familiar with. A famous person is born, rises to prominence, makes an impact, and then either fades into nothingness or is accorded a place in history. A kingdom rises against its neighbor, expands and conquers, and then is destroyed. You meet a girl or a guy, you fall in love, things are great, and then the arguing starts and you break up - or you live happily ever after. We know these stories even if we are not familiar with the individual examples or details. These are stories that have been told and retold for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. We relate to stories we know and locate ourselves within them in order to give the world meaning. A (Very) Concise Explanation Of Narrative Theory  Mona Baker, Professor of Translation and Narrative Theory at the University of Manchester, says that "people’s behavior and understanding of the world are forged through their interpretation of the stories that unfold around them and how they see themselves embedded in these stories". These stories determine how we live our lives and constitute the experiences that form them. Most narrative theory experts agree on four different types of narratives: Ontological narratives. Or "narratives of the self"; we use them to make sense of our own existence and to locate ourselves within society. Public narratives. Circulated by groups, institutions, families, the media, and education. Conceptual narratives. Elaborated by scholars and academics. Metanarratives. Grand stories involving huge amounts of people across history, a more recent and relatable example being the War on Terror. Narratives in turn are defined by four features. These are temporality, referring to the order in which events are placed to generate meaning (particularly important for creating learning plans and developing plots in eLearning courses), selective appropriation which sees certain actors prioritize and foreground certain specific events to build the story, often in their favor, causal emplotment which lends significance to particular events regardless of chronological order, and relationality which refers to the ability to understand the narrative in context. If narratives help us understand, then they help us learn. What is true on the macro scale of understanding the world and making sense of ourselves in it, is also true on the micro scale of processing educational information and designing eLearning courses. eLearning Looks For Engagement  The biggest challenge facing everyone in the eLearning industry, especially in the corporate sector as training can be perceived by some as time which could otherwise be devoted to making money, is engagement. Keeping students and learners interested in what they are doing is challenging, and it is becoming ever clearer that the old and tired methods of instructor-led, classroom based training are just not as effective as they once were; or perhaps never have been that effective. It is for this reason that methods such as gamification, social learning, and blended learning have become so popular over the last few years, as they break away from the mould and are supported by mounting evidence that these new methods really work. Stories Must Be Relatable In eLearning, as in fiction, the stories that make the most impact are the ones that we as an audience can relate to. Better yet are ones that we have experienced ourselves. Within the context of designing an eLearning course, the characters and scenario may change, and even plot details, but the story arc will be one that has been used over and over again; usually some form of "characters are introduced, enter into conflict and find some form of resolution". In eLearning, characters and plot not only have to be recognizable to the user, but also relatable to the scenarios. For example, if you are teaching learners about compliance in a law firm, then it makes sense for the characters to be lawyers and the problem to be compliance related. Building The Narrative That Suits You While the types of narrative alluded to above are not hugely relevant for eLearning content, the narrative features certainly are critical as they determine everything, from the narrative is constructed to how it is understood. Clearly it is up to the course authors what they want to include in their courses, how they construct them and how they are delivered, but with a basic understanding of stories in eLearning they can make their courses more effective, more enjoyable and above all more engaging. 3 Tips On Applying The Narrative Theory In eLearning  Time and place matter. Temporality means that the chronological order of events is important for understanding. When a learner takes a course and involves him or herself in a story, the sequence in which characters are introduced and the events that occur hold a huge amount of power over how the information is absorbed (and if it’s absorbed at all). Events and characters are understood not in isolation, but through their relationality to others in the narrative. To guarantee the biggest impact, which for the purposes of eLearning means engagement, it is important that events and activities be structured so that they make sense and stay with us. The best way to do this is to ensure that the sequence of events or activities exhibits both temporality and relationality, i.e. their sequence and the relationship between each other make sense to the learner. Learning plans are a relatively new introduction to eLearning and tie in almost perfectly with narrative theory, in the sense that they are a sequence of courses which have been placed in a certain chronological order to have both the most impact and take the learner towards a specific goal. Individually they would carry some weight, however together they constitute a narrative -created by the instructor or course designer- which will have a much greater effect on the learner through the simple fact of building a story in his or her mind. Prioritize what’s important. Sequencing and chronology are significant, and when used correctly can massively impact the learner’s engagement with the material. However the individual importance of the events, and why these particular events have been foregrounded, also play a key role. This may sound like I am going against why I have said four paragraphs above, and it doesn’t mean that order and relationality are any less important, just that the reasons why these have been chosen -the causal employment- and not others is key to understanding how the narrative itself is constituted. Make the training even more immersive. eLearning and advances in training delivery like gamification have added new levels of immersiveness. Authors can create stories and environments in which learners can interact with the material, adding another level of enjoyment and engagement to their courses. By understanding how best to employ a narrative and the best way to deliver it, course authors can leverage the emotions created the stories to make sure that the training is as engaging as it can be. By doing this it’s not just the learners who benefit, but the company too. Paradiso LMS is a leading Learning Management System from Paradiso Solutions and comes with Paradiso Composer, a web based eLearning course authoring tool which lets you create engaging stories and dynamic and engaging content. If you want more information on Paradiso LMS, then please follow this link to our Contact Us page. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

WizIQ Edtech.Now - A Premier Education Technology Conclave Education as we know it, is being disrupted like never before. The advancement of cloud, mobile, social and big data technologies, coupled with a new emerging breed of millennial learners is fundamentally altering the way education is resourced, delivered and consumed. In changing the traditional architecture of education, education technology has the power to democratize access, improve efficiency, cut costs and enable new levels of learner engagement. WizIQ in association with Cambridge University Press is proud to present EdTech.Now 2015 - India's premier education technology virtual conclave that will bring together education and edtech leaders to interact, discuss and understand the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Designed as a full day convention, this event will comprise of a powerful main stage plenary, featuring keynotes from global education visionaries and a series of insightful panel discussions. These high quality sessions aim to deliver insights into the emerging trends, technologies and best practices for leveraging education technology. The event will be transmitted through live-streaming on WizIQ Virtual Classroom allowing people from faraway places to participate and get their share of learning. Watch the free live streaming of the event and learn about the education trends & technologies from industry leaders. Recording of the event shall also be made available. Who should attend? EdTech.Now is a not-to-miss event for educators and administrators from higher education, test prep institutions, corporate learning & development, vocational and e-learning providers, tech innovators and content providers. We sincerely look forward to your participation at Edtech.Now 2015! About the Host WizIQ is a category defining company that offers SaaS based education technology solutions. Over 400,000 education service providers have leveraged the WizIQ platform to deliver online education to 4 million+ learners in 200+ countries. WizIQ’s flagship product, Online Academy Builder enables ESPs to deliver live instructor-led and self-paced learning by helping them create, manage, and market courses from their own self-branded online academies. The Online academy builder offers cutting edge features such as live virtual classes, mobile learning, video streaming, discussion boards, assessments and learner insights. With 80% of its revenues from overseas markets, WizIQ has emerged as a global software product company headquartered in India. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Apple Watch For Learning?  I admit it. I see no future for the Apple Watch in the Learning and Development industry. [Pause for resounding gasps] Maybe I’m dense, or maybe I just don’t get it. I’m sure my peers and colleagues will tell me all about how it will be so amazing and game-changing for our industry. I may even get pelted with rocks or tomatoes when some of my Apple-fanatic peers next see me. (Please don’t do that. Maybe we can arm wrestle instead?) While I have never been what marketers and economists call an "early adopter", I am especially resistant to smart watches. Hang tight. Let me explain. Remember when we replaced watches with cell phones? It’s strange to think Apple and its competitors have re-created the need for a watch... a watch designed to replace your cell phone. Mind. Warped. Full disclosure: I was also vehemently resistant to iPhones for a long time. Why? As an Instructional Designer, I hated that Apple devices were not compatible with the Flash courses that I was working so hard to design. Yes, back in 2008, I could not understand why Flash would ever be a thing of the past, and I hated this Steve Jobs character for being so rigid and dictatorial about not having Flash-compatible devices. And, no, I cannot believe I am admitting any of that. But here we are in 2015 and Flash is [mostly] in our rearview mirrors... and I now own an iPhone and am as big a fan of Steve Jobs as most people. In all seriousness, I’m genuinely curious to see how this technology evolves, and how it may cause debate among us. And, as usual, I will look forward to those healthy discussions; I think they are necessary. Let’s look at a timeline of events related to technology and training delivery: Phones become "smart," allowing us to access the Internet from anywhere. Training goes mobile... on phones. Tablets make their wave in technology. Training goes mobile...on tablets. See a trend? Learning design and training modality have this way of following technology, and technology has this way of influencing what we do and how we do it as designers. But is that the right course of events? Now that the Apple Watch has made its debut, are we going to be scrambling to figure out how and where we can implement training on it? Please say no. This is not the way this should work. As Clare Dygert and I noted in our presentation at mLearnCon in July, the technology should support the learning; it should not define it. The focus should be on mobile learning, not on mobile delivery. We shouldn’t be saying, "The Apple Watch is here... how can we leverage it for training?" That’s putting the cart before the horse. I’m sure there are great uses for the Apple Watch (or that there will be), but let’s not design around the technology - especially not a first iteration of said technology. Let the learning requirements and business goals define the delivery modality. If you need a model for doing so, I suggest the model below, which my SweetRush colleague Clare Dygert and I presented at mLearnCon. The three layers model is designed to help make informed decisions about whether technology (mobile or otherwise) is an appropriate solution, when, and how. In the three layers model, the learning layer is what will make the learner successful. The business layer is what will help us achieve the business objectives. The technology layer is the last layer; it should influence design and deployment, not dictate it. Rather than start with the technology, work your way toward it intelligently by examining the other layers first. You can learn more about this model in our taxonomy for mobile learning consulting. In the meantime, I will look forward to seeing how the Apple Watch comes to play in our industry. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be writing an article about how I resisted the Apple Watch just as I did the iPhone. Many of my colleagues tried to sell me on iPhones many years ago. Now, friends, tell me what will be so great about the Apple Watch, and for training and development in particular? This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Convert Legacy Courses Into HTML5  In my earlier article 8 Tips To Convert Flash to HTML5 That Will Help Your Business, I had highlighted the challenge (associated with legacy courses) and the solution (how HTML5 addresses the challenge). Let’s begin with this recap: The Challenge. Over the years, all of us would have created courses that predominantly used Flash for development. With increase in demand to offer mobile learning, you would have realized that Flash courses do not work on most mobile devices. As a result, you need to plan to migrate the existing legacy Flash content to HTML5. The Solution. HTML5 supports all mobile devices (tablets and smartphones). Additionally, the more recent browsers support HTML5 enabling you to run the mobile-ready courses on desktops and laptops as well. This flexibility now allows a single build to work seamlessly across all devices starting from desktops/laptops to tablets and smartphones. In the same article, I have outlined what you should watch out for during the migration of legacy courses to HTML5. Additionally, I have shared 8 tips that will help you create an efficient transition to HTML5. In this article, I will share two case studies that reflect dynamics that will resonate with most organizations and will provide the pointers on what approaches will help you design an efficient and effective migration strategy and convert legacy courses into HTML5 the right way. Convert Legacy Courses Into HTML5: Case Study 1  Background. For one of our customers, the existing Flash courses met the learning mandate (that is, no further changes to content and visual presentation were necessary). So, the look and feel of the existing courses had to be retained in the HTML5 version. The objective of migration was to provide extended access to learners by making these courses accessible on tablets. We had to convert 80 hours of eLearning to mLearning or mobile learning (adaptive approach that includes tablet support) in 4 months. The courses needed to be tested on varied target devices, so that the migrated courses would be compatible with Windows XP and 7, iPad (varied iOS versions), and Android 10" and 7" tablets. Our Approach. Considering the volume, timeline, and complexity of testing with varied devices, we started by firming up the process that would help us in meeting the mandate. We created a team dedicated for this task. The team comprised Solution Architects, Visual Designers, Programmers, and Quality Assurance personnel. The Solution Architects created the adaptive framework using Adobe CS6 with CreateJS, which could support multiple devices and create templates for easy reproduction of screens by the development team. A prototype was prepared and tested across devices in the first three weeks and delivered to the client for review and sign-off. The prototype was signed off in a week’s time. During the development stage, multiple, smaller teams were set up to manage 15-20 courses each. We followed the factory floor approach to bring in efficiency at work. We did group activities within the team members so that the outcome from each team was ready for testing and shipment to the client. This approach helped us to move along the development cycle within the specified time and we completed the project by the scheduled date. The Results.  We met the delivery timeline for the project. As a result, our customer could launch the courses on time. Our customer was the first to release mobile courses supporting multiple devices in this domain. It helped them to further strengthen their position as market leaders. Their mobile courses are taken by more professionals now. As a result, they are meeting the project goals very effectively. Convert Legacy Courses Into HTML5: Case Study 2  Background. This customer wanted to redevelop legacy Flash compliance courses (a total of 26 hours of eLearning) to their globally spread out workforce with extended support for tablets. The existing Flash courses had been designed over several years and many of them looked dated. The need was to completely redesign all courses with a modern look and feel, bring in a consistent look and feel to all courses (as the legacy Flash courses had been designed over the years with varied design approaches), provide HTML5 support, and test it for tablets. The entire exercise had to be completed within 6 months. Our Approach.  Here too a dedicated team was set up comprising Solution Architects, Instructional Designers, Visual Designers, Programmers, and Quality Assurance personnel. The Instructional Design team began with the analysis of the existing legacy courses and tagged them into what level of enhancement was necessary. This mapped to complete overhaul or partial enhancements (that is, some aspects of the existing courses could be reused). The Solution Architects created an adaptive framework using Lectora and the required templates library that could address both requirements identified by the Instructional Designers. The Visual Design (Product Strategy) team then created multiple design packs for development that could be mapped to each course. This was then used to create key prototypes. On sign off of multiple prototypes, the development process began. Multiple, smaller teams were set up to handle a series of courses. The testing process was less tedious on account of tool selection (Lectora). The Results.  We managed the project effectively to create an effective suite of compliance courses with a new look and feel plus the extended access on tablets. The project was completed on time and provided a significantly superior learning experience to the learners. Summary  Both these case studies reflect using some of the tips I had outlined in my earlier article 8 Tips To Convert Flash to HTML5 That Will Help Your Business. Specifically, we used the following aspects that helped us convert legacy courses into HTML5 the right way: Identify the need: Technology update vs. complete redesign. Select adaptive vs. responsive designs and tools. Plan for sampling to test user experience. Ensure readiness of supporting aspects. I hope this article provides the pointers that will help you to convert your legacy courses into HTML5 the right way. At EI Design, we have a very strong mLearning or mobile learning practice and we have migrated or developed over 400 hours of HTML5 learning. If you have any specific queries, do contact me. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Blended Learning In Corporate Training Every learning strategy has its pros and cons. The question that all eLearning professionals must ask is whether the good outweigh the bad? This also rings true for blended learning in the workplace. Will combining learning technology with face-to-face instruction and/or self-paced learning benefit your learners? Are the risks worth the rewards? Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of blended training. 4 Blended Learning Advantages Provides personalized training experiences. Face-to-face instruction and technology working hand in hand offers employees a customized training experience with personalized feedback. If they are struggling with a particular training topic, they can access supplemental resources online or get the help they need from their instructor. They are also able to utilize specific multimedia activities that cater to their performance goals. For example, if they would like to develop their customer service skills, they can log into the training platform and participate in a customer-based scenario or simulation. If they need to learn more about a particular product and its features, they are able to access the product demo and tutorial instantly. Instead of sitting through an hour-long training course to get the information they require, they can just pick-and-choose which elements will improve their performance and skill sets. Offers 24/7 access to training resources. Blended learning training removes time and location limitations. If the employee is at home and would like to spend a moment brushing up on product specs, they can do so. If they are on the sales floor and need to learn how to carry out a return, they can simply access the tutorial via any of the terminals. Corporate learners no longer have to wait for a scheduled training to address their concerns and questions, as the online training resources are always there to help. If you create an online forum, they can also benefit from the experience of their co-workers and get answers to questions when the instructor is not available. Track employee performance and skill development. Blended learning also makes data tracking more quick and convenient. Instead of grading exams, use an online assessment with a build-in grading rubric, which also offers the added bonus of immediate feedback. Virtually every training exercise and activity can be tracked to gauge employee progress and skill set development, from the choices they make in a branching scenario to their level of participation in an online discussion. Organizations also gain the opportunity to figure out which activities are effective and which need to be modified in order to meet performance goals and objectives. Reduction in training costs. The benefit that brings many organizations to a blended learning strategy is the cost savings. Employees who are doing their job instead of sitting in a training room are improving the company’s bottom line as opposed to utilizing precious resources. This is due to the fact that blended learning can make the training process more effective, but does not require as much time or money as traditional training. No instructors need to be present, in some cases, and there is no training space to rent. In addition, the training courses can be updated and expanded in a fraction of the time, as there are no printed materials to worry about. 3 Blended Learning Disadvantages Ineffective use of learning technology tools can waste resources. If training facilitators and employees are unaware of how to use the learning technology provided, you probably won’t get the results you’re looking for. Also, if you utilize learning technology tools that are less reliable or do not offer the necessary features, then it may end up wasting resources instead of improving ROI. This is why it’s crucial to find the right tools before you implement your blended learning program in the workplace. Determine which devices and software are going to meet your needs, as well as which fit into your overall training budget. Learners must have basic technology knowledge or a willingness to learn. In virtually all blended learning environments you will encounter at least one learner who is hesitant about change. There are also those who may not be familiar with technology and have a steep learning curve ahead of them. To alleviate this issue, you should have support on hand to teach new learners and motivate those who may be more reluctant. It’s also important to cultivate a blended learning community that stresses the value of technology in training, as well as the real world benefits it can offer. Set up workshops that employees can attend in order to learn as much as possible about the new training program, and be introduced to the features of the devices they’ll be using on a regular basis. High technology set up and maintenance costs. Purchasing the learning technology for your blended learning program, such as devices and infrastructure setup, can be costly. This is especially true if you have a larger workforce or several departments. However, bear in mind that these are just short term expenses, and that you are most likely saving money in the long run. Even if you have to pay a nominal monthly maintenance fee, you are still receiving the many benefits that a blended learning strategy has to offer. Hopefully this article has offered the insight you need to make your final decision? Are you going to go the route of blended learning, or should you take an alternative path? Blended learning can offer a wide range of benefits, but is it the ideal choice for your performance goals and learner needs? Still undecided about whether blended learning is the right solution for your corporate training? Read the article Tips To Use Blended Learning In Corporate Training to explore how to use blended learning in corporate training in order to create an immersive and engaging blended learning experience for your learners. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

6 Points To Consider When Preparing Your Students To Produce Digital Content  To get sense of the importance of digital content creation in today’s classrooms, take a look at the Common Core Anchor Standard that calls for students to produce writing in a digital format: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others. Here are some things to consider when shifting your classroom into the digital age, and preparing your students to become capable digital content creators. Distinguish between digital content consumption and digital content creation. Do you know the difference between using devices such as iPads and other tablets as consumption devices versus leveraging them as creation devices? While simply giving a student access to an app or an educational game does expose students to technology, it may not lead to the higher level thinking that should be the goal of incorporating technology into the classroom. While there are plenty of great applications that are useful to students to consume content, using applications that allow them to create and share content can completely change what a student’s end product is. This can be as simple as using an online storyboarding tool for students to collaborate, or as advanced as using video editing software to create a digital story as a book report. Student ownership of content. It has long been thought that a student centered project that ends with them creating a piece of material engages the student because of the sense of ownership to the final piece. This has not changed today; yet, in a world where students are surrounded by digital content and rich media, it may be more engaging and motivating for them to create projects that are digital and can compete with the digital world they live in. Same skills and content, different medium. The process of research, planning, scripting, storyboarding, and presenting information has not changed in the digital world. What has changed is the medium in which we have students create the projects. Building a diorama in a shoe box or creating a poster board may have been something we all did in school, and the research that goes into these projects remains extremely valuable. In today’s digital world, we can replace these projects with online tools to create multi-media posters that can include interactive web links, videos and more. These tools are more engaging to students simply because they incorporate technology into the creation process. For example, when I was in high school (circa 1999) I wrote articles for the school newspaper, which was then printed and distributed. Today, I would most likely be writing articles for a classroom blog or website. The process I go through to write the article is the same - only the medium has changed. Global access. Now that the medium has changed, so has who can access it. My high school newspaper probably did not make it past the cafeteria, but with an online blog and social media, the range of people who can obtain access to student created content can literally be global. While it was very unlikely that another student from Australia could have read my high school newspaper, today being able to comment back and forth on my article with a student from across the globe is a very real possibility. Giving students a louder voice with their creations allows them to see how small the world can be, thanks to the internet. Digital citizenship. Along with the benefits that digital content creation brings, there are also new responsibilities. There are many facets to being an upstanding digital citizen, and one of the most important when it comes to digital content creation is proper sourcing and citations. Would you allow a student to write a research paper and not source or cite their research? If not, then why allow students to use an image or video without citing the source, just because they were able to find it through Google images? While a student may not be penalized for using a copyrighted image in your class, they would be in the workplace. Understanding the rules around using "creative commons" or royalty free media is just as important a skill as the project itself. Preparing students for the 21st century workplace. It is a safe assumption that technology and digital content will not just disappear once the student reaches the workforce. In fact, it will most likely be a prominent skill that is in high demand by employers. With many online creation tools lending themselves to collaboration between two people without ever needing to actually be together, putting students into this situation as early as possible will not only give them the technology skills to create digital content, but the interpersonal skills it takes to be able to collaborate through technology. Keep these concepts in mind when teaching students how to approach creating digital content, from activities as simple as formatting a letter, to drafting an email, to creating multi-media projects, and more. The sky is the limit when it comes to digital content creation; and the classroom is an important place for students to learn the skills they’ll need to communicate and thrive in today’s digital world. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Is Storyboarding A Waste Of Time?  Leading Software Maniacs has delivered live workshops for software development community for some time. My assumption was that transitioning live courseware to eLearning wouldn't be difficult at all. I culled existing material (PowerPoint slides) to something suitable for self directed study. I researched Learning Management Systems (LMSs) offerings and selected DigitalChalk as my vendor of choice. The transition steps included the following: The live workshop content was simplified to those slides that could be used in a self paced, self directed manner. There was no need to include group exercises, either. In a self directed eLearning course the exercises were either removed or simplified. A workbook couldn’t be just a PDF document composed of pages of slide thumbnails. Rather, it needed to be designed as a permanent reminder of retained learning since it isn’t unusual for eLearning portals to cut off access to streamed videos after viewing. (This isn’t the case for DigitalChalk, but other eLearning sites, including Lynda.com, may employ a time based subscription model or limit the number of times a video can be viewed.) Since the plan was to record voiceovers, I stepped through PowerPoints. I could use all sorts of tools for that, but Techsmith’s wonderful Camtasia was the perfect tool to record stepping through PowerPoint screens while talking. To my pleasant surprise, post recording editing was a breeze. Camtasia made the removal of those horrible "ums" and pauses effortless. Finally, I sent a test link to the eLearning course online page to reviewers and asked them to view the video, download and read the associated workbook, and pass a quiz to ensure that learning objectives were met. The need for a storyboard? Nope. Besides, isn’t storyboarding primarily a tool for comic book and movie planning? Waste of time! New Course Creation Requires Massive Collaboration  Then I needed to create material for a new gamification learning product being developed from scratch. This time I didn’t have anything to start from. I hopped right in and put together a PowerPoint draft, realizing that I had gone way too deep into the details. User feedback had more red ink than space available on the slides. The transition from one slide to the next didn’t flow, the content didn’t reinforce the learning objectives, and everything simply felt scattered. One particular person noticed that if the storyboard was modularized, some of the parts could be reused in marketing presentations, business overviews, and even tutorials. A complete redo was required. I had not only wasted my time, I wasted the time of my reviewers. 5 Storyboarding Must Haves: Becoming Reacquainted With The Need Of Storyboarding  You may wish to immerse yourself in viewing Daniel Brigham’s excellent video on how storyboards apply to Instructional Design preparation [1]. The result was the creation of my list of storyboard must haves: Storyboards must have a goal and benefit clearly stated. Storyboard elements must have just ’nuff detail. Storyboards must be visual. Storyboards must be designed for change, so reordering needs to be effortless. Storyboards must have the elements necessary to provide a blueprint. There’s one nice to have: Storyboards should be modular and reusable. Using a hierarchy (nested outline) would be even better. Storyboards Must Have A Goal. It is very easy for any storyboard to get off track from the project’s original attention. Having a one pager that summarizes the reasons and benefits can go a long way. This overview is vital for you and your reviewers to keep the project’s context in mind throughout storyboard development. I have provided a template you can download and freely use [2]. Storyboards Content Must Be Simple. All of us have the tendency to get a little too detailed as we create our "masterpieces". Simplicity counts more. Storyboard text doesn't have to be perfect. A storyboard is a mockup, a draft. It isn’t the final product. One tool that you might find useful is the outstanding Hemingway app that forces you to simplify text with a readability grade on your text. I use it with most everything I write. Storyboards Must Be Visual. Most of us retain information easier with visuals (graphics). A paragraph consisting of financial details is far more difficult to understand than a bar chart. A concept is more understandable if drawn as visual relationships. You don’t have to be a Rembrandt either. Stick figures work. There’s another benefit. Anyone involved with UX (User eXperience) design knows that visualization benefits collaboration and understanding. An excellent tutorial on UX design is from Chris Nodder’s book, Evil By Design [3]. All in all, you need some way to draw or to import a graphic into a storyboard frame. If you do import a graphic, make sure you keep a copy of the graphic in a subfolder along with your storyboard. Typical outliner apps only accommodate text and symbols. They usually don’t allow graphics. Both Microsoft PowerPoint and Word are pretty good at handling the mix of text with graphics. (Using Word is a little tricky, since you can’t easily arbitrarily place graphics anywhere on a page.) Storyboards Must Be Designed For Change. The art of storyboarding demands that topics (storyboard frames) move around based on how topics relate to each other. If the flow of storyboard frames need adjustment, simply drag them to a new position. However, many storyboard templates require specific page (slide) numbers or employ a fixed format (like three storyboards per page). And as a result, once you commit a storyboard frame, major changes may be difficult to make depending on the tool you use. This is why Microsoft Word isn’t the best tool for storyboarding. Storyboards Must Have All of The Elements. A storyboard consists of frames that incorporate a number of basic elements to properly define a draft mockup. According to Amit Soni, a storyboard should include screen title, graphics, navigation, text, audio script, and review comments [4]. In addition to that, there may be some other elements that could be useful including the storyboard frame’s purpose, specific references to workbook or handout material, completeness (is the frame considered done?), and even a unique code (not a page number) to specifically reference the storyboard frame [2]. Here’s an example storyboard frame that I use: You may need to consider specifying the source since there may be times when the final eLearning material is recorded from another tool. An example is switching from PowerPoint slides to a funny chalk recording performed with PowerPoint. Also, audio may augment voice with sound effects, too. Making The Storyboard Reusable  You’ll probably find that storyboards contain information that can be reused. Designing something once that can repurposed for other uses is a very powerful concept. In my case, a storyboard for a future gamification product includes an overview of the game. If designed correctly, it should apply to a product overview and into a customer survey, too. The benefit is that you save time and your design is consistent. For that reason, my storyboard template specifies the screen dimensions (4:3 and 16:10) as well as checkboxes for other uses (marketing, support, and so on). Recommended Tools You don’t have to spend a ton of money to purchase storyboarding tools. There are two apps that I really like: Microsoft PowerPoint and the Omni Group’s OmniOutliner Pro [2]. Both of these outstanding apps satisfy my must have and nice to have requirements and both allow PDF exports for reviewers to use. Better, yet, share your storyboard files in the cloud (Dropbox, OmniPresence, or OneDrive) and your reviewers can markup the storyboard directly. I’m now a storyboard believer! References Brigham, Daniel. Instructional Design Essentials: Storyboarding. Lynda.com. Whitaker, Ken. Storyboard templates. Leading Software Maniacs. Nodder, Chris. Evil By Design: Interaction Design To Lead Us Into Temptation. Indianapolis: J. Wiley & Sons. 2013. Soni, Amit. Rapid Storyboard Development: How To Create eLearning Storyboards In No Time.  eLearningIndustry.com. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

What Tech-Savvy Instructional Designers Do On A Regular Basis  "Tech-savvy" doesn’t mean spending thousands of dollars on impressive gadgets. It means knowing how to use technology for improving business processes. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers use technology to create efficient and effective eLearning courses that make a positive difference in people’s lives, whether these people are employees or any kind of learners who want to explore new worlds by developing new skills. How do they do that? It’s simple: By keeping up with the constant changes in today’s technology, tech-savvy Instructional Designers become flexible and able to expand their strategies and they constantly offer new ways to do things. They are also able to justify their approach and tech choices cost-wise, which is crucial. In this article, I'll share 7 things tech-savvy Instructional Designers do on a regular basis so that you will be able to understand what habits promote tech savviness, effectiveness, a clearer vision, and improved ability of delivering value to your clients and your audience. They are involved in all Instructional Design related areas. First and foremost, tech-savvy Instructional Designers understand and are concerned with every aspect in the  fields of educational psychology, educational technology, project management, etc. They don’t just focus on Instructional Design, forgetting everything else. On the contrary, they try to learn not only how eLearning authoring tools and learning management systems work, but also how to break things down in order to achieve knowledge transfer, how to create effective design within constraints (available technology, budget, time, etc.), how to effectively communicate with their team members and Subject Matter Experts, and how to create eLearning experiences that are applicable to their learners’ real lives, whether personal or professional. They are obsessed with learning everything. This is a goal which is of course impossible, because no one can know everything, but tech-savvy Instructional Designers would die trying. These guys have a true passion for learning, and this is why they are the best in their field; they are genuinely interested in connecting with their audience and providing them with better, easier, and more exciting ways to learn. They are able to put themselves in their audience’s shoes and are really committed to create the best possible eLearning courses, simply because they absolutely love to learn new things. They always ask questions. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers join online communities of other tech experts and constantly share their thoughts and offer their insight when needed. Most importantly, they are not afraid to ask questions. In fact, they are eager to admit they don’t know everything. They don’t behave like know-it-all experts; rather they think and act like sponges, soaking up all kinds of information in order to process and absorb the useful pieces later. They know that learning is an ongoing process and that questions are one of the greatest tools to enhance it. They are constantly testing and researching. How else can you know what works and what doesn’t if not by thoroughly testing new software and eLearning trends? Tech-savvy Instructional Designers research, buy, and try tech products all the time. They are not lazy; they never stop analyzing new information and ideas to see what’s working best for their audience. A new idea is great, but without being tested and put into effect, it is useless. They attend eLearning conferences. In other words, they are interested in what their colleagues are saying. If they are not able to attend regularly, they try not to lose online eLearning conferences in order stay in touch with their colleagues from around the world. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers are always present, whether offline or online: They visit conferences when they have the chance, ideally more than twice a year, and they are constantly learning from their global colleagues via LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. They are open to the perspectives of others. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers are interested in expanding their own knowledge base and their personal perspective, so they keep their eyes and ears open. They constantly communicate with their colleagues, they work closely with other members of their eLearning team, and they carefully listen to Subject Matter Experts, no matter how challenging their collaboration might be. They know that innovative instructional strategies come from brainstorming, so they try to make their brainstorming process as rich as possible by asking, listening actively, and being open to new and different viewpoints. They know how to do business. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers are not only technologically competent; they are also business savvy. They have a clear strategy and vision, they know their industry, they focus on reducing time and costs without sacrificing quality, they pay attention to marketing, and they understand their products’ life cycle, business-wise. All in all, they understand that technical and business skills are equally important to achieve their goals. Now that you know what tech-savvy Instructional Designers do on a regular basis, you may be wondering what else it takes to be a top notch Instructional Designer. This might come as a surprise, but have you got an Instructional Design portfolio? Read the article 7 Reasons You Need An Instructional Design Portfolio and find out why having an Instructional Design portfolio is an invaluable asset. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.