Global organizations are relying more and more on eLearning to train their geographically dispersed workforce. So, it is very important for the eLearning developers to develop standardized courseware which can be used across multiple environments. Today, in this blog, we will see the 7 instructional design standards. What are instructional design standards? These are the standards that observe the connection between the course purpose, course objectives, instructional content, instructional methods and the learner. Standard 1: Expression of the Course Purpose Course purpose describes the intended outcome, target audience and scope of the course.We need to explain who comes to the course, what the intended outcome is, what the purpose of the course is, who the learners are, what the scope of this course is, what its syllabus is, and how long the course would take to complete. Standard 2: Presence of Instructional Objectives It is very important that the course should state its instructional objectives. There is a lot of difference between the course purpose and instructional objectives. Instructional objectives should be performance-based. They should be clearly stated, and they should describe specific, measurable and observable skills or knowledge, the learner will acquire in each unit, module or lesson of the course. Standard 3: Consistency of Objectives With Course Content A course may have a very good instructional objective, but you should also make sure that the content of the course is sufficient and is consistent with the course objective. Each object should be supported approximately with the same amount of subject matter. Standard 4: Presentation, Demonstration, Facilitation of Learning This creative aspect of instructional design deals with how you present your content, how you demonstrate what the learner needs to learn and how you facilitatethe learning. Your courses should have two or more instructional methods to help the learner internalize, synthesize and apply the new information. Standard 5: Practice With Feedback The course should provide practice opportunities, with feedback and guidance, allowing yourlearners to apply their newly acquired knowledge or skills. Feedback is the most important aspect of a practice session. Make sure that feedback is given in a constructive manner to tell the learner why he is right, even if he answers the question correctly. In case he gets it wrong, we are guiding him back gently to the right response. Standard 6: Engagement Techniques The best way to engage a learner is to add interactivities in the courseware. Now-a-days, authoring tools give you options which help you to be very creative and use a number of engagement techniques. Standard 7: Assessment of Learning When it comes to assessments, you should make sure that each question is linked directly to a learning objective. If it is not testing the learning objective, it has no place in your final quiz. These standards are also intended to ensure a consistent, high quality learning experience for all learners. For more blogs on eLearning design and development, please visit www.commlabindia.com. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning CoursesGuidelines for Content Chunking to Design Effective Online CoursesQuick Tips to Help You Get Started With eLearning Content Design

Wherever technology is concerned, it’s a given that the picture is always changing. In the learning technologies space, we’re quite unique in that the picture hasn’t really changed too much. Yes, we have said goodbye to flash and hello to various devices, but there’s a fair likeness between what we were creating ten or fifteen years ago and what we create today. Our all-new product, the gomo learning suite, which is launching at Learning Technologies 2015, is the way we see cloud-based content authoring and delivery moving. The essence of adaptive, responsive e-learning is that of flexibility and ease, which we’re taking a step further with a complete e-learning solution which allows you to create, host, update and track multi-device e-learning from one place. This isn’t about changing how we build and deliver e-learning, but equipping L&D teams with more options, data and flexibility while allowing collaboration and aiding their learning infrastructure. In a world-exclusive seminar at Learning Technologies 2015, gomo’s Mike Alcock will introduce the gomo learning suite. There is no other authoring solution on the market with the capability of our learning suite, and we’re so excited to share it at Learning Technologies. Mike will build a responsive, adaptive HTML5 course in minutes, test it across desktop, tablet and smartphone and distribute it in seconds. Mike will then run analytics to see course statistics instantly… without a sniff of software downloads or installs. To be a part of the global launch of the gomo learning suite, join Mike at Learning Technologies 2015, 12:30, Theatre 3 on Wednesday 28th January. We’ll be tweeting left, right, and centre about the launch, so if you can’t make the event, be sure to follow us on Twitter @gomolearning or follow the official event hashtag #LT15UK. The post The future of multi-device authoring and delivery appeared first on gomo Learning.

ICCELET 2015 invites researchers, practitioners and academics to present their research findings, work in progress, case studies and conceptual advances in any branch of the above fields. ICCELET 2015 brings together varied groups of people with different perspectives, experiences and knowledge in one location. It aims to help practitioners find ways of putting research into practice and researchers to gain an understanding of real-world problems, needs and aspirations. ICCELET 2015 would cover all the original work in the field of Computing and Learning Technologies . This would lead to spread the knowledge and consolidate the recent advances in the respective fields. ICCELET 2015 topics include but are not limited to: Philosophies and Epistemologies for e-learning Learning Theories and Approaches for e-learning e-Learning Models Conceptual Representations Pedagogical Models e-Learning Pedagogical Strategies e-Learning Tactics Developing e-Learning for Specific Subject Domains Networked Information and Communication Literacy Skills E- Higher and Further Education Primary and Secondary Schools Workplace Learning Vocational Training Distance Learning Innovations in e-Assessment e-Moderating e-Tutoring e-Facilitating e-Learning to support communities and individuals The future of e-Learning Life long e-Learning Learning Content Management Systems & Learning Management Systems Applications of metadata and virtual reality Content Development Practical uses of authoring tools Knowledge management Advanced use of multimedia Issues in e-Learning Research Evaluation of Learning technologies e-Learning design, usability, evaluation The 3rd International Conference on Computing , E-Learning and Emerging Technology (ICCELET 2015) will be held at the Corus Hotel (Kuala Lubour, Malaysia) on July 25-26, 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Europe is the world’s second largest market for eLearning products and services. According to a report published by Docebo, eLearning revenues from this region are likely to touch $ 8.1 billion by 2016. Coming to Eastern Europe, Russia recorded the highest growth and is now considered to be a mature market. The main drivers of this growth are government investments (public sector funds) and the presence of numerous start-ups that deal with technologies for teaching purposes. "The eastern European Market and, above all, the Czech and Slovak E-Learning markets are in a steady situation." - Jan Miškovský, Business Development Manager, Gopas The most interesting shift is the increase in number of small and mid-sized businesses that have started adopting sophisticated eLearning technologies. With more affordable pricing offered by eLearning providers, theyare finding it easy to provide technology-enabled learning to their employees. Here, I would like to elaborate on this and other reasons for these companies to adopt eLearning. 1. Low costs with quick development time Everyone wants value for money. E-learning solutions are no exception. But, getting value for money can be confused with merely trying to save money, which is far from being the same thing. However, in recent years, with the rise in the use of rapid authoring tools to produce learning content, eLearning courses can be developed quickly, at low cost, without compromising on the quality. There has been a tremendous improvement in the opportunities available to innovative instructional designers. Thus, it now is possible for small and mid-sized enterprises to provide good technology-enabled training to their employees. 2. No need for technical experts - Rapid eLearning with authoring tools Earlier, in order to develop an eLearning course, Adobe Flash was used. Expert programmers are needed to develop the course using Flash, and companies had to hire technical experts with coding skills. But, this is not the case anymore. E-learning developers do not require complex programming knowledge and can develop fairly good online courses using rapid authoring tools. 3. Option to outsource while focusing on their core business activities With the advent of various rapid authoring tools, companies have varied options to develop eLearning courses. They could use in-house instructional designers to create story-boards and hire external vendors to do the production work. This way, they have complete control over the content and instructional strategy and do not have to worry about the routine production chores. On the other hand, they could also outsource the entire project to an external vendor and assign a subject-matter expert or project manager to liaise with the vendor to meet their requirements. It is much cheaper than hiring experts internally. Many small and mid-sized enterprises do not have the resources or the manpower to develop an eLearning in-house. However, when they have cost-effective outsourcing options, they can outsource this task to external vendors and focus on their core business activities. It is for this reason that small and mid-sized enterprises find eLearning to be a viable option more than ever before. What do you think? Related PostsHow to Create Section 508 E-learning Course Using Flash5 Useful Tips to Select a Right E-learning Outsourcing VendorDrivers for Adopting eLearning in Corporate Segment

The way we analyse the digital world has had a profound impact on how we strategize, build and deploy digital ‘stuff’ like websites, emails and of course, learning. Despite the fact that learning analytics have existed in some detail via SCORM for a rather long time, the conversation around learning analytics has really begun to pick up over the last couple of years. Learning analytics using SCORM are harnessed via a Learning Management System, meaning that historically, you need one if you want to analyse your courses. For larger organisations, this is no issue, because the numbers of courses and learners mean that it’s more than likely there will be an LMS in place. For learning design teams on a budget, it has long been difficult to achieve effective tracking without the backing of an expensive Learning Management System. Today, as flexibility and technological capability correlate more and more, it’s no longer an issue for teams of any size to benefit from learning analytics. With the gomo learning suite, you can have it all - beautiful multi-device content which allows you to see what your learners are doing at all times, with or without an LMS. In our session on day 2 of Learning Technologies 2015, Mike Alcock is taking to the stage to explore how you can create a scalable learning ecosystem at low cost, complete with learning analytics. In a session dedicated to exploring learning analytics and the surrounding landscape, Mike will demonstrate how you can use gomo to create, host, update and then track learning with or without an LMS. He will show you how easy it is to create adaptive, responsive content once and distribute it via a website, intranet, public app store, direct link or existing LMS. The seminar is aimed at learning designers and L&D teams who want to: Distribute their own content on a budget Host their course without having to create a whole new platform Supercharge their existing LMS with TinCan data Track their audience across different devices Sound good? Grab a seat at Theatre 6, 11:15 on Thursday 29th January of Learning Technologies 2015 to find out more. Can’t make it to Learning Technologies? Follow us on Twitter and stay tuned for exclusive updates on the launch of the gomo learning suite. Follow @gomolearning The post Creating a scalable ecosystem complete with learning analytics appeared first on gomo Learning.

Millennials And Faith The Pew Research Center’s study on America’s Changing Religious Landscape released on May 12, 2015, contained alarming, and disheartening, information about the Millennial Generation’s decline in identifying themselves as Christians. According to the study, the number of Millennials identifying themselves as having no religious affiliation increased by 9% since 2007. Over 30% of Millennials claimed to have no religious affiliation. This statistic has set off alarm bells in the Christian community. Well, honestly, these alarm bells started ringing years ago, but this study raises the volume to a deafening roar. The question has been asked a million times, how do we reach Millennials in a meaningful way and engage with Millennials to show them how they fit into modern Christianity? How Can eLearning Draw Millennials Back to Faith I believe the answer lies in the way Millennials are already interacting with the world around us. Churches cannot reach this generation using the same techniques that worked with previous generations. Christians need to meet Millennials where they live, on-line. Many churches have already started to do this, but failed to get the long-term traction that they were hoping for. So, where is it going wrong? Look at one of the most effective and prolific arenas in which churches engage with their congregation: small group curriculum and discipleship courses. The small group curriculum model has changed very little since Saddleback Church introduced the HOST small group ministry concept in 2001: ordinary people with HEARTS for unconnected people to OPEN their homes, SERVE a few refreshments, and TURN on the VCR. Now it is a DVD or Blu-ray player instead of a VCR, or maybe even a podcast, but this model is still the most prevalent means of engaging members outside of Sunday gatherings. Even the largest churches with a huge on-line presence rely on this model. More often than not, existing on-line curriculum consists of 45-minute sermons (either a podcast or video) accompanied by a PDF of questions to discuss in person. Sometimes there is a discussion forum included, but typically there are no interactive elements beyond an email address to contact if you have any questions. Why isn’t this model working to draw in and maintain a relationship with Millennials? The root of the problem is that they are not being equipped with the proper outreach materials. The Millennials that are already attending church and are committed are willing to trudge through a 45-minute audio segment from a pastor that they know and respect, but the chances of an unconnected Millennial dedicating a 45-minute chunk of their day to a recording of a sermon are slim to nil. Small group and discipleship curriculum is all or nothing at this point, either you invest the time or you disengage completely. Millennials need to be given an instructionally sound alternative, an easily digestible substitute to the cumbersome 20th century model. Start by looking at how Millennials regard eLearning. As of 2012, more than 30% of college students attended at least one class on-line, and that number increases every year. Focus specifically on Millennial students and that number jumps closer to 60%. As Millennials join the workforce, corporate on-line training options have increased by about 9% per year over the past 5 years! Over 50% of corporate training includes some element of eLearning. Millennials are exposed to well-designed eLearning at work and at school, but when they go to church, they are totally turned off by the outdated content being offered to them there. If the Christian community came to embrace eLearning principles and standards and applied them to their small group and discipleship events, the sky would be the limit for reaching Christians and non-Christians Millennials. The Christian community could use eLearning as an opportunity to engage with an audience that may otherwise never set foot in a church. Engaging, well-designed, "sticky" eLearning content generated with the help of Instructional Design Professionals could be better engagement tools to Millennials than any other outreach tool. This could take many forms: posting micro-videos on YouTube of Gospel-based principles, gamification of small group curriculum, interactive eLearning content posted on church websites, etc. Look at the success of the YouVersion Bible App and reading plans. There is a hunger for this information in an on-line format; we just have to make it palatable. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Welcome to today’s blog post. We can develop a matching assessment very quickly and easily, using Articulate Storyline because all layers and feedback content is generated by default. In a matching assessment, when the learner clicks the next button without completing the activity, an Invalid Answer window pop-up as shown below. One of our clients asked us to change the default text in the pop-up. There is no option available in Storyline to change that text. But, we can do it by using the triggers and layers in Storyline. Here, I would like to share how to change that text in the pop-up using these options. Let’s see thesteps involved in creating custom Invalid Answer pop-up in matching interactions in Articulate Storyline. Step 1:Insert a default Matching Drag and Drop question Step 2:Insert a new layer,and name it as Invalid answer. Step 3: Designyour own invalid answer pop-up. Step 4:Now,youhave to create variables of true/false type.Create number of variables is equal to the number of options. I have created 3 variables as I have 3 options in my question. Name them as 1, 2 and 3. Step 5:Add a trigger to adjust variable 1 to True, when first dragobject dropped on all drop targets. As shown in the below screenshot below. Follow the same method with the second and third triggers as shown in the below screenshots. Step 6:Add a trigger to show the Invalid layeronly when the value of variables 1, 2 and 3 are True. Step 7:Add one more trigger to submit the interaction when the learner clicks theSubmit button. Here is the output which we required. This is the way to create custom invalid answer pop-ups in matching interactions with your own design and content. Hope this helps you. Do share your views. Related PostsHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?Rapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Enable Submit Button after Answer Drag and Drop in Articulate Storyline

Every organization conducts various training programs for its employees in classroom mode. In most cases, the material used in training programs are in the form of PowerPoint presentations, MS-Word documents, printed notes or PDF files. But, as organizations expand globally, it is not possible to meet the learning needs of their international staff members effectively, at low cost, using instructor-led training (ILT) methodologies. Hence, a cost-effective training approach is required to impart training to the global workforce, and eLearning can be used to meet this need very effectively. However, companies may initially find eLearning to be expensive. But, in the long run, it provides higher ROI than the classroom training format. To initiate eLearning economically, you can convert the existing ILT material into online courses. Here is an info-graphic that lists 3 tips to convert ILT content into eLearning courses efficiently. Hope you find this post useful. Do share your views. Related PostsGuidelines for Content Chunking to Design Effective Online CoursesInfographic: Voice Over Scripts in E-Learning or PowerPoint Presentations3 Tips to Develop Excellent Audio Scripts for Your E-learning Courses - An Infographic

The Quintessential Of The Cognitive Flexibility Theory And Its Application In eLearning The Cognitive Flexibility Theory relies upon the idea that learners must not only be able to manipulate the means by which knowledge and content are being represented, but also the processes that are in charge of operating those representations. The main principles of the Cognitive Flexibility Theory are: Knowledge is "context-dependent". Knowledge cannot be perceived out of context. It is the context that allows learners to see any possible relationships between various components of the subject matter presented. In addition, learning activities in any educational setting should be able to provide several different representations of the same instructional objectives in different contexts. Practically speaking, the Cognitive Flexibility Theory suggests that, by doing so, learners have the opportunity to better understand the specific concept or idea because its practical application is clear to them. This is very important, especially for adult learners who usually want to know not only "what", that is new information, but also "why" they learn something, as well as "how to apply" it in real-life settings.With respect to eLearning course design, this would signify an instructional design, in which for each one of the learning objectives to be mastered, learners would be provided with several examples and online activities, as the Cognitive Flexibility Theory claims that learners’ multiple exposure to the same concept in different contexts facilitates the learning process. Furthermore, offering many different ways to represent the same concepts or eLearning content is of extreme value to the learners and this could be translated to an instructional design that makes extensive use of multimedia, giving learners enough opportunities to get exposed to the same concepts, though at the same time would accommodate to all learning preferences and could motivate learners by offering them variety in the eLearning course. Repetition would facilitate the process of mastering the eLearning content, as increased exposure and practice would definitely have positive effects on learners. Knowledge cannot be oversimplified. Instructional materials to be used must not oversimplify a topic neither in terms of content, nor in terms of structure. Simply stated, knowledge cannot be reduced to its basics.With respect to instructional design for eLearning, this means that the eLearning content should be challenging enough in order to engage the audience in the learning process. Oversimplification of concepts gives adult learners a sense that they already know the eLearning material and therefore, they may consider the specific eLearning course as a waste of time. In terms of structure, problems should be presented to students in more complex and involving structures, rather than linear or simplified ones. Therefore, it’s better for instructional designers to provide learners with opportunities to make their own connections between concepts and principles that are being explored, even if these concepts may be of high complexity. Knowledge is constructed. The instruction that takes place should be "case-based", wherein there is an emphasis on the construction of knowledge rather than on how it is transmitted to learners. The Cognitive Flexibility Theory follows a constructivist approach to learning, according to which learners are actively engaged in the learning process and they are responsible for their own learning. This principle is particularly applicable to eLearning course design, as it takes advantage of learners free navigation in the eLearning environment through the use of hyperlinks, and gives them the opportunity to explore the eLearning content and learn through multiple case studies and real-life interactive scenarios that expose them to how a particular concept or idea can be applied in different real world settings. Knowledge is interconnected. In order for the learner to grasp what is being taught, the knowledge sources that are used should be "interconnected", rather than separated and "compartmentalized".  In other words, this means that knowledge should never be isolated from what learners already know; far from previous experience. Applied to eLearning course design, instructional designers need to take into account learners’ previous knowledge on the subject and try to find ways to connect the new piece of information presented, to learners’ current frame of reference. A quick and easy tip to do so is by presenting a brief summary of prerequisite knowledge before presenting new information. This may serve two ways: first, it reminds learners what they may already know, but they may not remember; second, this summary may make some learners realize that it might be better for them to acquire prerequisite knowledge first, before attending the specific eLearning module. By providing the corresponding links in the summary section, for those who need them, instructional designers guarantee the effectiveness of the eLearning course. The foundation of the Cognitive Flexibility Theory is that learners are better able to acquire and retain knowledge if they are encouraged to develop their own representation of it. By following the principles and corresponding eLearning strategies mentioned above, instructional designers can give learners the opportunity, to absorb information in a manner that better suits their personal needs, increasing the effectiveness of their eLearning course. Last but not least, you are more than welcome to view the following video that Rand Spiro, professor of educational psychology at College of Education, Michigan State University, talks about Cognitive Flexibility Theory (CFT). Join us at the Instructional Design History Journey A New Instructional Design Model Will Be Added Every Week! You are more than welcome to let us know if you would like us to cover an instructional design model and theory that is not included at the Instructional Design Models and Theories. Simply leave a comment at the Instructional Design Models and Theories. References: Jonassen, D., Ambruso, D . & Olesen, J. (1992). Designing hypertext on transfusion medicine using cognitive flexibility theory. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 1(3), 309-322. Spiro, R.J., Coulson, R.L., Feltovich, P.J., & Anderson, D. (1988). Cognitive flexibility theory: Advanced knowledge acquisition in ill-structured domains. In V. Patel (ed.), Proceedings of the 10th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Spiro, R.J., Feltovich, P.J., Jacobson, M.J., & Coulson, R.L. (1992). Cognitive flexibility, constructivism and hypertext: Random access instruction for advanced knowledge acquisition in ill-structured domains. In T. Duffy & D. Jonassen (Eds.), Constructivism and the Technology of Instruction. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Spiro, R.J. & Jehng, J. (1990). Cognitive flexibility and hypertext: Theory and technology for the non-linear and multidimensional traversal of complex subject matter. D. Nix & R. Spiro (eds.), Cognition, Education, and Multimedia. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Cognitive Flexibilty Theory and the Post-Gutenberg Mind: Rand Spiro's Home Page This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The ultimate goal of developing an eLearning course is to help employees learn and apply the learning in their day-to-day activities or jobs. Providing feedback for assessment helps achieve this to some extent. Giving appropriate and explanatory feedback for assessments helps the learner reinforce his knowledge. They help him retain the information for a long period of time. Thus, feedback plays a vital role in eLearning. Here are a few ways that help you give feedback in a highly effective and interesting manner. 1. Tell the Learner Why He Is Correct Many a time, learners answer multiple choice questions (MCQs) correctly even though they are not sure of the right option.They may guess the right answer So, it is very essential to explain the learner why the selected option is correct. Additionally, it is a good practice to tell why the other options (distracters) are incorrect. This explanation will help the learner get a clear understanding of concepts. 2. Explain Why He Is Incorrect If a learner selects the wrong option, don’t simply give a statement saying, "Sorry, that’s incorrect!" Let the learner try again, and even then, if he fails to give the right answer, provide the proper explanation saying why the option is wrong, and then, give the correct option with an explanation of why it is correct. This helps the learner reinforce his knowledge. 3. Allow Revisits to the Page If the learner fails to select the correct option, even after several attempts, then provide feedback telling him why he is wrong and give a reference link that directs him to the related slide or content. The learner can go through the content again and get a grip on it. 4. Use Phrases to Motivate Instead of simply saying, "Yes, that’s correct!" or "No, that’s incorrect!", we can make use of some phrases to motivate the learner. Use phrases like "Bingo", "Hurray", "Well Done" etc. when the correct option is selected. They go a long way in boosting the learner’s interest. In the same way, when the wrong option is selected we can say "Give it another try", "You are almost there" and so on. This prevents the learner from losing his confidence even when he selects the wrong option. These are some of the effective ways of providing feedback in eLearning. Do you have anything to add to this list? Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning CoursesDesigning an Effective eLearning Course - The Nine-Point PlanFactors that Kill the Learners while Taking an E-learning Course

Last week marked the global launch of the gomo learning suite at Learning Technologies in London. We had an incredibly busy two days on the stand, and we were overwhelmed by the response to our new end-to-end e-learning solution. Just one of our busy demos on stand 56 over the two days of Learning Technologies 2015 This was the first time customers and potential users were able to see the brand new gomo hosting & analytics tool for themselves, along with the latest release of the award-winning gomo authoring software. The gomo learning suite allows subscribers to seamlessly create, host, update and track beautiful multi-device learning from a single place. There is no other authoring solution on the market today which allows for both multi-device content creation and hosting, distribution and analytics capability. The new review feature in the gomo authoring tool   Using a QR code to access a course built in gomo Following last year’s launch of the authoring tool at the Learning Technologies 2014 exhibition, this year we were back, bigger and better than before. With more members of the gomo team manning the stand and packed demos throughout both days, we were delighted to be able to speak to twice as many of you as last year. And our launch seminar on day one managed to block the aisles around the theatre once again! Mike Alcock’s global launch seminar at Learning Technologies 2015 To say that we’re delighted with the response to gomo would be an understatement. The whole team performed non-stop presentations and demos throughout the whole event, with barely a moment to draw breath. We have already had some great feedback in the days since the event, and we hope to see lots of you enjoying our free trials of the gomo authoring software. Raising a glass to gomo at the Learning Technologies exhibitor drinks I’ve enjoyed hearing all the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the visitors to the stand, but my favourite quote from the event was, "You’ve made getting up at the crack of dawn and braving the snow from Leeds worthwhile!" While we can’t say we had to battle through any snow from Brighton, seeing so many new and familiar faces on the stand made it all worth it, and we are looking forward to helping you get started on your gomo journey in the coming months.   The post Launching the gomo learning suite at Learning Technologies appeared first on gomo Learning.

We all have been creating PowerPoint presentations since we were in the high school. But, time has rapidly changed, and we feel such PowerPoint presentations are no longer interesting or engaging as they are not interactive. So, how can we make these presentations interactive? Articulate Storyline makes it possible. Wondering how? It’s very simple. Articulate Storyline provides a very simple option Insert PowerPoint to make your PowerPoint presentations interactive. Step 01: Click the Insert PowerPoint option on the home page of Articulate Storyline. Step 02: Browse through your folders to the location where you saved your PowerPoint presentation. Step 03: Select the PowerPoint presentation you want to import, and click Open. Step 04: You can see the Insert Slides wizard with the thumbnail view of all the slides of your PowerPoint presentation. All slides are selected by default. But, if you want only some slides to be imported, click None to deselect all the slides, and then, click on the slides that you want to import. If you change your mind and want to import all the slides, click Select All. Step 05: Type the desired name for the scene in the space provided and click Import. Step 06: You can see that all the slides of your presentation have been imported into one scene in Storyline. Step 07: Depending on the type of the content in your presentation, you can now convert each slide to any interactivity you like with the help of triggers, variable, slide layers and many more exciting features that Storyline provides. For example, you can make images clickable so that the dialog callouts would appear only when we click the image. So, what are you waiting for? Start importing your PowerPoint presentations into Storyline to make them interactive, interesting and engaging. For more information on eLearning design and development, stay tuned to my blogs. Related PostsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?How to Add External Resources to Your E-learning Course in Articulate Storyline

Making the most of mobile technologies Increased (and increasing) connectivity of mobile technologies Your contact might not cover it yet or you might not even be able to access it in your area, but 4G is transforming how we consume data. We’re no longer just connected, we can work on documents, download large files and stream entire films. The application of mobile technologies for business are endless and no doubt will continue to transform how we work, learn and interact with all things professional. On a daily basis I’m making edits in a Google Doc, scheduling tweets and analysing web traffic all while I’m sat on the bus to and from the office.The headline for mobile technologies in the learning space is that wherever staff might find themselves, learning content should be available to them at all times of the day. It’s not about working more as such, but being able to access whatever you need via mobile technologies whenever your workforce might need to. We’re not standing still, either - by 2020, 64% of the world’s population will be covered by 4G-LTE, the next, even faster iteration of connectivity which will reshape mobile technologies and our interaction with them. The mobile cloud Services like Dropbox and Google Drive keep all of our stuff together so that we can access them wherever we go. Add to that that more and more software is built with the cloud in mind - think of MailChimp, Salesforce and Squarespace. Today you can cater for all areas of your business with minimal software downloads/ installs. And gomo is no different, everything is based in the cloud, allowing you to get on with what matters, creating great learning. A team working in gomo can upload all assets and images in one hit, giving designers a constant resource of assets, saving time and allowing them to create great learning on desktop or tablet, however they want to. Flexible working for designers and learners As our desk-orientated minds get more comfortable with multiple devices, we anticipate that people will do much more starting and finishing tasks across devices with the help of mobile technologies, as opposed to simply checking in and using the same apps across devices. For learning design teams using cloud authoring solutions like gomo, this means more home working and access while travelling as you aren’t tied down to a specific desktop computer with a paid, 3gb authoring programme installed on it. For learners, developments in mobile technologies will only further transform learning from a fixed, scheduled activity to one that is much more fluid, on the job, on the move and collaborative. The takeaway here is that mobile technologies are only going to make us connected, increasing the options available to us and making our life in the workplace much more flexible. Mobile technologies present a lot of opportunities to learning practitioners. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, we must be sure that we’re developing learning content which is as flexible and high quality as consumers have come to expect of it. Want to learn how you can take advantage of multi-device e-learning authoring and cloud hosting and analytics? Join our next webinar to see how exactly the gomo learning suite can help you just do that. The post 3 reasons to take advantage of mobile technologies appeared first on gomo Learning.

The ICIE 2015 conference is a milestone in the journey towards leadership, creativity and innovation. ICIE 2015 aims and objectives are: Encourage volunteer spirit Promote excellence and sustain quality Connect Communities Strive for improvement Evolve responsibly Meet community expectations of quality Sustain competitiveness and viability Balance innovation with core essentials ICIE 2015 provides you with the opportunity to: Explore the latest developments in education in general, and innovation in education in particular Examine the need for sustainable educational systems Integrate the latest technology into the education system Debate the future of education: What are the challenges ahead? Learn from innovative case studies where educational institutions have taken the initiative Engage in a series of seminars designed to debate the theory and practice of real improvement in education Participate in pre-conference workshops designed to develop participants' competencies ICIE 2015 Keynote Speakers Embodied Creativity: Flexible Brains, Open Minds Alessandro Antonietti, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy Improving Intelligence - Changing Brain Activity Norbert Jaušovec, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia Edutainment, Games, and the Future of Education in a Digital World Linda Jarvin, Paris College of Art, France Questioning: A Window into Productive Thinking Lynn Newton, Durham University, Durham, England Creativity and Reflexivity Vlad Glaveanu,, Aalborg University, Denmark Stories of Transformation: Memories of a Global Citizenship Practicum Lloyd Kornelsen, Winnipeg University, Winnipeg, Canada ‘The Life Expects’ Learning Paradigm Gary Hunter, Winnipeg University, Winnipeg, Canada Building on Resilience: Models and Frameworks of Black Male Success Across the P-20 Pipeline Fred Bonner II, Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership and Counseling, Prairie View A&M University, USA Habits of the Creative Mind Lorenzo Paoli, Novaxia, Milano - Italy ICIE 2015 12th international conference on Excellence in Education 2015: The Creativity - Innovation Challenge will take place in Kraków-Poland (July 1-4, 2015). This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

We always assume that instructional strategy is the only component we need to focus on. However, we also need to develop a highly effective visual design strategy to make a good online course. Visuals, when used efficiently, go a long way in delivering high-quality training. Furthermore, the aesthetic value of the course is enhanced, and this creates a good impression on the learner. You can use various kinds of visuals such as charts, images, graphs, videos, drawings, illustrations, photographs, graphics, etc. Now, I will brief you on how visualization will have a great impact on learning. Positive impact on learning Visualization makes a lot of difference in eLearning as it is self-paced, and we are responsible for engaging the learner. Let’s get into the actual point - visuals can be used for displaying information by: An image or picture should be self-explanatory When there are many factors that need to be assimilated at a single glance, visual representation of information will help the learner comprehend better. A simple example is shown here. Option 1: There are three types of hazards viz. Chemical hazard, Physical hazard, and Biological hazard . Option 2: There are three types of hazards such as Which looks more appealing and easy to understand? I am pretty sure it’s option 2. This is how visuals make a difference and have an impact on learning. Few tips to make effective use of visuals Keep in mind that visualization should match the objective of the course Make visualization of information look realistic Using appropriate visualization acts as a navigator for the learner as there will be consistent placement of visual elements onscreen Visual appeal will stay in mind. Good visuals help the learner retain knowledge by recollecting the graphics, images and so on Giving visual elements in a sequence helps provide order and continuity to the learner Proper use of visuals helps the learner to comprehend the subject-matter of the course in an effective manner. It helps him retain information for a long time. Hope you find this blog interesting. Do share your views. Related Posts5 Step process to Visualize Your eLearning Content - An InfographicWhy Visualization Matters in E-learning Courses4 Visual Elements for Effective E-learning Courses

Cloud authoring I remember when the only way to acquire new software was by heading to stores like PC world, buying a big box with a CD-Rom within and heading home to install it on my parent’s Windows 98 machine. Even with the journey aside, the install took my computer out of action for the best part of an hour, it was quite a long-winded affair. This was back when I was at school, so I can’t even begin to imagine the hassle of installing a new programme on ten or dare I say it, a hundred computers in an office. Today, I completely take using software online for granted - I’m writing this very blog online and love being able to check in from my phone, personal computer and work laptop and just crack on. By 2018, 59% of cloud usage will be software as a service workloads (SaaS -aka, running things like gomo), which shows that the cloud isn’t going anywhere any time soon. There are huge benefits to cloud authoring - building your e-learning content through the web saves time, allows for collaboration, keeps your IT teams happy and so much more. Here are just a few reasons why cloud authoring is great… Login is much quicker than install Even if you include the fiddly bit of putting in your card details and setting a password, there is literally just minutes between deciding to buy a cloud authoring tool and actually using it. If you’re looking to develop courses rapidly, it’s essential that you can get on with things straight away, which is exactly the case with cloud authoring. No downloads, IT department sign off, just great e-learning authoring. Updates When you pay for a cloud authoring tool, it comes as standard that subsequent updates to the product will come for free. What’s more is that you don’t have to do anything to access the updated version, you just sign in through your browser and voila, all updates, improvements and fixes have taken effect. Pay as you go Some teams, whether an e-learning vendor or an internal L&D team, will only need to use certain authoring tools for certain projects, or may only need an authoring tool once every quarter. With cloud authoring, you don’t need to stump up the cash for a per year licence, you can pick it up and drop it off as you need to. This is great because it not only lowers the cost, but allows you to use budgets efficiently to create the best content you and your team need to. Collaboration ‘Collaborate’ is quite the buzzword, so it can be difficult to understand what that means when you’re actually using a tool. Because cloud authoring tools are cloud authoring tools, your projects and assets are stored remotely, a whole team can access them to work on them. This takes many forms, from managers delegating work out per project or screen to subject matter experts and others signing in to review and leave notes and feedback. Working in track changes, over email trails and with multiple versions of documents can make a team less effective, so it’s great to be able to strip things back to basics through cloud authoring and keep everyone singing off the same hymn sheet. Security? Cyber security is a huge concern for individuals and organisations, such it’s unsurprising that hosting e-learning content and assets within a cloud authoring solution gives people the heebie-jeebies. I can’t speak for all cloud authoring solutions, but gomo is hosted on Amazon servers -millions of people trust Amazon with card details and last minute christmas deliveries, so there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t trust gomo. The pros of cloud authoring go on - content updates, authoring from anywhere, cloud hosting and distribution… I’ll keep things brief for now, though. Enjoy the read? You might like my last post ‘3 reasons to take advantage of mobile technologies’ The post Cloud authoring, what’s the big deal? appeared first on gomo Learning.

E-learning is a self-paced learning format where the learner is on his own. Many a learner drop out of eLearning programs due to poor engagement which is a result of the absence of an instructor. It is a big task for eLearning course designers to create an online course that can provide first-rate learning experiences. When eLearning courses are designed keeping some elements in mind, it is possible to increase the learner’s attention and engage him throughout the course. So, what are these elements? Let’s see. By adding these elements in your eLearning course, you can make sure that your people have memorable learning experiences. What do you think? Related Posts3 Interesting Ways to Design Elearning Intro Pages - Infographic7 Tips to Design Better E-learning Courses - An Infographic3 Tips to Instructional Designers for Effective E-learning - An Infographic

Blended Learning Still Ticks My Boxes - As Does Mobile Learning Despite What Some Reports May Say! I always relish reports about the learning trends, and the latest 2015 Good Practise UK Learning Trends Index is a really insightful read, casting light on the challenges and issues being faced by senior Learning and Development practitioners, the people with whom I work! I was delighted. I was to read in the Trends Index about a rise in the use of technology to deliver learning, with 77% of Learning and Development respondents predicting a rise in their use of technology to deliver learning in the coming six months. Of this number, 48% predict a minor shift, and 29% say it will be a major shift. What’s more - and this is the icing on the cake - 62% of respondents are predicting an increase in spend on learning technologies over the next six months. This clearly indicates that more and more companies are continuing to see and really understand the benefits offered by learning technologies. But according to the Learning Trends Index, the first initial enthusiasm around mobile learning and its practical uptake has slipped. Other types of learning technologies such as e-learning and online performance support tools are growing, but the use of mobile devices for learning has not gained the traction everyone had first hoped. How so? I don’t think it’s time to put in to the side-line, just yet. The Mobile Learning Value Mobile learning apps are very useful in certain situations, we all know that. But take BP, for example. The energy company recognizes the value of mobile learning, and in taking an unconventional approach, has chosen videos, checklists and games to deliver engaging learning content to employees’ mobile devices. The information can be accessed on iPads or smart phones anytime and anywhere. The new apps will be used by BP’s 25,000 business leaders and managers, providing them with support for key "transition points" in their careers. These "transition points" are things like new recruits to the company, someone starting their first management position or moving up a level in the management ladder, or a person moving to a new different department. I think BP’s use of mobile learning and the development of the new apps, perfectly encapsulates a company’s effective use of the ‘right’ technology, for the the ‘right’ learning style, for the ‘right’ group of people, at the ‘right’ time. Mobile Learning shouldn’t be used in silo: make it part of a blended approach First of all, let’s remember that mobile learning is not designed to be an educational tool that works in silo, but as a tool that complements other training measures such as classroom style training and virtual classes. For example, if one were to choose between a computer and a mobile phone for researching a subject in-depth, mobile learning probably wouldn’t necessarily be the best option. (Note that the BP use of mobile technology is to communicate ‘key learning messages’. ‘Messages’ generally won’t include information that is highly detailed). This being the case, the important thing is that BP is using the most suitable method for the delivery of information to specific members of staff in order that they can optimise the way in which their staff learn. If you visit their website, you’ll see that BP also uses structured courses online learning, mentors and a whole host of other methods for continuing its staff development, including the mobile approach; in  other words, blended learning. Mobile learning was the big buzzword in 2014 and despite what the Learning Trends Index has highlighted, I believe that with more organisations making mobile a part of their learning strategy and as mobile technology evolves and improves, stories of success will increase. The effects of using mobile for learning and development will become more apparent in terms of cost savings and ROI, and this will result in more organisations choosing to incorporate it into their learning blends. In order that they might target the growing diversity in the workplace, more and more of the companies with whom I work with are looking at new training models that connect and integrate a variety of tools to meet their training needs.  These blended learning models need companies and their training providers to focus on optimising the desired outcomes of learning objectives by applying the ‘right’ technologies to the ‘right’ learning style to the ‘right’ group of people at the ‘right’ time. Again, back to BP and its training app investment - it’s one of a whole range of methods used by the company. Really effective blended learning goes beyond good, basic training to a more systematic education that delivers ongoing learning within the workplace. By developing learning strategies that incorporate a wide variety of learning activities such as classroom instruction, virtual training, or mentoring, companies can give staff greater, more flexible learning and improved performance support. And isn’t that the holy grail for an Learning and Development practitioner? This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

When SCORM was introduced about 15 years ago, the e-learning playing field was pretty different to today. With just one screen size and mode of delivery to think about and pretty slow internet speeds, e-learning courses were generally a basic, page-by-page affair. What is SCORM? SCORM is bit like the lego of the e-learning world. If you build an e-learning course and package it up as a SCORM file, you won’t have any trouble fitting it to a SCORM LMS. It’s a standardised form which means designers across the board can move between authoring tools and learning management systems and package courses up in the same way to deliver learning with relative ease. SCORM also tracks courses when they’re hosted through an LMS, giving some insight into exactly what your learners are getting up to during your course. Time spent on a course, pass/fail, a single score - of one learner at a time, only while they’re online, too. So while SCORM suited the e-learning world ten years ago, it’s a little bit rusty; we have BYOD strategies, loads of devices, complex learning blends and performance support tools to consider today. E-learning is no longer a static, desk-based activity, and we need a way of tracking modern learning experiences. Okay I get that… but what is Tin Can? As you’ve probably heard, Tin Can (also known as Experience API and xAPI) is SCORM’s successor, a software specification made with the 21st century in mind, capable of tracking the entire learning experience, online and offline. It’s a revelation to be able to track the complete picture of learning - from video’s watched to games played to how they transitioned across devices while completing a course of learning. Tin Can tracking aims to be simple and flexible, with what’s tracked (known as statements) being written using real nouns and verbs to allow you to record basically any learning activity. Tin Can opens so many doors for learning designers, which is why the latest version of gomo (and the gomo learning suite) comes with Tin Can output built in. The statements that come out of Tin Can courses are recorded to a learning record store (LRS), which can be shared with other record stores to allow you to emass Tin Can data from various sources - in and outside of an LMS’ and just about anywhere else you could ever wish to track. The newly launched gomo learning suite allows users to host courses in the cloud, delivering them to students through one of four hosting options. A browser-based dashboard makes sense of all of the Tin Can statements, analysing course performance. Find out completion rates, which questions students got wrong and how they’re interacting with your course across devices - a whole load more information than you’re used to with SCORM. With Tin Can data at your disposal, you can draw conclusions, target weaknesses and begin to cater for specific devices. Sound good? You can see more of gomo’s Tin Can goodness at our next webinar. The post The new standard - introducing Tin Can to gomo appeared first on gomo Learning.

Many multinational companies are using eLearning to train their global workforce as online courses are cost-effective, flexible and easily upgradable when compared to instructor-led training sessions. But, most organizations are delivering eLearning courses in English. But, are these programs effective in imparting high-quality training to learners who do not speak English? The answer is an obvious NO because these learners do not comprehend the content delivered in English, effectively. So, you need to translate eLearning courses into the native languages of your global staff members to meet their learning needs. Here is info-graphic which shares a few simple steps to translate and localize your learning course efficiently. Hope you find this post intresting. How do you translate your eLearning courses? We’d love to know. Related Posts3 Things to Consider while Translating Your E-learning Course - An InfographicImportant Points to Note Before Translating Your E-learning Course5 Proven Tips for Better E-learning Translations - An Infographic

How To Use Facebook For eLearning: What eLearning Professionals Should Know Facebook is an increasingly popular social networking site that helps us keep in touch with friends and stay up-to-date with the latest news and events. While Facebook was not created as an educational tool, creating eLearning groups, sharing eLearning content and participating in eLearning course-related online discussions on Facebook, have been proven effective strategies for a large number of eLearning professionals. If you are not one of the 90,000 eLearning professionals who follow eLearning Industry on Facebook to keep up with what we’re doing, working on, and seeing great sources focused on eLearning, you are more than welcome to do so! The nature of this social network enables the enhancement and support of eLearning, as it makes it particularly easy for your audience not only to connect and build relationships with their virtual classmates, but also to exchange eLearning information. In this article, I'll present the advantages and the disadvantages of integrating Facebook into your eLearning strategy, in order to determine whether it will work for you. I will also give you 9 tips on how to use Facebook for eLearning purposes. Using Facebook For eLearning: Strong Points It is accessible to everyone. Facebook is a tool that almost everyone is familiar with. At the same time, it can be easily accessed anytime, anywhere. By safely assuming that the vast majority of your learners or employees are already using Facebook, sharing knowledge becomes particularly easy and efficient without having to search for another platform for their learning. It is ideal for social learning. There is a variety of ways to use Facebook for social learning, because by nature it encourages open communication, information sharing, and networking. When using Facebook as an eLearning platform, your learners are allowed to discuss ideas, ask questions, share experiences, and discover new information. Given that social interaction positively impacts the way that people learn and work, Facebook is the ideal platform to boost collaboration and active learning. It enhances learner engagement. Because Facebook is so popular and user-friendly it makes it easier for the more restrained members of your audience to motivate and express their ideas and concerns. Social learning platforms foster online discussion, and even passive learners, get motivated to participate in eLearning debates by asking questions or by making comments and suggestions. It is inexpensive. Last but not least, Facebook is probably the most cost-efficient way to share eLearning content with your audience. Imagine it as a default Learning Management System with pre-defined structure and navigation; the only thing you need to do is to decide how you want to organize and distribute your online course. Using Facebook For eLearning: Weak Points It is distracting. You are probably a Facebook user yourself, so you know how it works; you login to "just quickly check something" and, before you realize it, you have already spent two hours browsing pictures, watching videos, and reading posts on a variety of topics. Facebook empowers one of your worst enemies: learner procrastination. It is the ultimate temptation for your audience to wander around, thus it makes the learning process less effective compared to a more structured and formal learning environment that would probably better enhance knowledge retention. It is not secure. The difference between your Learning Management System and Facebook is that the latter opens up the possibility for fraud and virus attacks. There are many cases where Facebook users have fallen prey to the lure of seemingly legitimate and genuine online scams, resulting in information or identity theft. You certainly don’t want your learners to be the victims of fraud in your eLearning environment. It limits the control you may have over eLearning content. The uninhibited exchange among your learners makes it difficult to determine not only the exact type of information that actually reaches them, but also if this information is in synch with your eLearning content, objectives, and goals. Surely, knowledge is supposed to be as wide as possible; however, Facebook’s open nature may sometimes lead learners to confusion due to lack of specific structure in the presentation of your eLearning content. It cannot provide feedback on performance. Feedback is essential throughout the eLearning process, as it is critical for your eLearning course evaluation. Unlike many Learning Management Systems, Facebook cannot provide you neither with information about your audience’s progress nor about employees’ learning path. This is a major limitation as it makes it harder for you to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of your eLearning activities. 9 Tips On How To Use Facebook For eLearning Despite the disadvantages, there are a variety of ways to effectively incorporate Facebook in your eLearning course strategy in order to enhance the eLearning course experience of your learners. Below I share 9 useful tips to follow: Use Facebook to create a strong sense of community among your learners. Your learners, being humans, are social creatures; whether you use Facebook as an eLearning platform or not, you must admit that the colossal success of social media in general shows once more that people enjoy interacting with each other. Building a strong community among your audience opens up a wide range of opportunities for learner engagement. Encourage peer-to-peer discussion via Facebook Groups. One of the most convincing arguments for using Facebook for eLearning is that it boosts online collaboration. For example, if you are offering an asynchronous eLearning course where learners have very little, if any, interaction with their peers, Facebook can give you the opportunity to integrate peer-to-peer discussion into your eLearning course. Facebook groups can be used to spark discussions, share feedback on ideas or assignments, and even to work collaboratively to complete a class project. The possibilities are endless when it comes to informal learning on Facebook, especially for those who are thirsty for knowledge and want to broaden their understanding of the subject matter that is being covered in the eLearning course. Encourage collaboration and information sharing in your virtual classroom and motivate your learners to help others and ask for help as often as possible. Show them that they have much to learn not only from you and your eLearning course, but also from each other. Use Facebook messages to reach out to your audience. Facebook gives you the option to use its messaging system to stay in touch not only with learners and with other eLearning professionals too. In this sense, Facebook serves as a great support tool. If your learners have a question, they can check to see if you’re online and get in contact with you immediately. Rather than waiting for an email response, they can have their answers within a matter of minutes, and address any concerns that may be preventing them from fully participating in the learning process. Break your eLearning content into short and simple Facebook posts. Facebook studies have revealed that short posts gain much more likes, comments, and shares than long ones. Keeping also in mind that the average learner attention span is generally short, you might benefit from this data and follow a more "bite-sized" formula for your posts. When you provide your audience with a series of small pieces or sections of eLearning information, it is easier for them to pay attention and retain knowledge. Just remember that being short is not enough; in order for your eLearning content to be fully absorbed, it must also be meaningful and engaging. Create a group and post supplement resources for your audience. For learners who may be particularly interested in a topic, as well as for those who may be struggling to understand key concepts, you can post additional learning resources on the Facebook wall or create a closed group to meet the needs of these learners. You can even post assignments that learners can complete to earn extra credit, or links to videos and articles that they may find helpful. Facebook is a powerful networking tool ideal for eLearning professionals who want to reach out to their audience and provide them with extra resources and tools they need to succeed. Ask learners to carry out research on Facebook. Rather than using traditional research sites, like Wikipedia, you can ask your learners to research a topic exclusively on Facebook. They can do this by reaching out professionals in the field, as well as looking up Facebook groups who may have more insight into a particular subject matter. This not only expands their comprehension of the topic itself, but also allows them to develop their research and technology skills. They can learn how to search for key terms to find the information they need, as well as how to communicate with others in an online environment, which is becoming increasingly important to today’s tech-centric world. Get invaluable feedback for your eLearning course by using Facebook polls. Pinpointing weak spots in your eLearning course and gauging learner satisfaction is easy with Facebook polls. You can create a poll by developing a list of simple questions that can be posted on your wall. Learners then have the opportunity to give you feedback, which you can use to improve their eLearning experience and identify how you can make your eLearning course even more effective and memorable for future learners. Use Facebook to send reminders and notifications of upcoming deadlines and assessments. There are a variety of ways that you can keep your audience updated about upcoming events. You can post on your wall reminders of approaching assessments or assignment deadlines or even use the Facebook events section to let learners know about live classroom sessions or webinars that they may want to attend, particularly those that advanced sign-up is needed. This motivates learners by keeping them focused on projects, and keeps busy learners organized and on-track to successfully completing the eLearning course. You can also use the events sections and reminder posts to inform your audience about new eLearning courses that may be of interest to them, so that they can benefit from any additional eLearning experiences that you are offering in the future. Focus on visuals. Finally, it is obvious that photos and videos are shared and liked much more than text in Facebook, which means that people are more attracted to visual content. Carefully chosen images, animations, graphics, and videos grab your audience’ attention and drive their engagement, as they make it easier for them to focus. Of course, you should not bombard your audience with visual elements; being creative and careful with your text-image balance will both please your learners and effectively support your eLearning objectives and goals. Facebook is free to use, accessed by millions of users every day, and easy to use, which makes it the ideal tool for eLearning professionals. With Facebook, you can design eLearning experiences that are engaging, interactive, and collaborative for your audience. Now that you know how to evaluate the use of Facebook for eLearning you may be interested in reaching your audience via another social medium: Twitter. Read the article Using Twitter For eLearning: 8 Pros And 6 Cons To Consider and find out important factors to consider if you want to incorporate Twitter into your eLearning strategy. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The demand for eLearning is increasing day by day. Many organizations are willing to implement eLearning, and some are already using online courses. In some countries like UK, Spain and Benelux nearly 40% of companies train more than 50% of their employees via e-learning. 75% of companies use e-learning to deliver training on core professional skills. (Source: 1st European E-learning Barometer by Cross Knowledge). Why is eLearning becoming very popular? What are the advantages of using the online medium to equip your people with the needed knowledge and skills? Let us see. Hope you find this post interesting. Do share your views. Related PostsWhy do You Need to Go Beyond ‘E-learning Development Cost Per Hour’?7 Tips To Create Effective Sales Training Courses For Gen Y Workforce - An InfographicE-learning - The Right Solution to 3 Major Business Problems - An Infographic

Organizations today need to cater to five generations of workers, not so much in terms of age but more in terms of the differences in their expectations and values. More specifically, it is the division based on the digital proficiency of employees in an organization. Sooner or later, senior management needs to take note that employees cannot be divided based as Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y or millennials but more based on how comfortable they are with digital technologies. This is going to influence the way they carry on their business on the job. At least this is what R "Ray" Wang, Principle Analyst, Founder, and Chairman of Constellation Research, Inc. believes. He divided the five generations of workers, based on their proficiency levels in terms of digital literacy. His five generations of workers include: Digital natives: Those who grew up with the Internet, comfortable in engaging in all digital channels. Digital immigrants: Those who have crossed the chasm to the digital world, forced into engagement in digital channels. Digital voyeurs: People who recognize the shift to digital, observing from an arm’s length distance. Digital holdouts: People who resist the shift to digital, ignoring the impact. Digital disengaged: People who give up on digital, obsessed with erasing digital exhaust. (Source: R Wang, Constellation Research, Inc.) In short, Mr. Wang suggests that organizations should focus on digital proficiency and not age when rethinking work and this is relevant to training just as any other function in an organization. So, what could this mean to Learning and Development professionals who would be training workforce that constitutes these 5 different digital generations? At a very broad level, we can no longer standardize one training and assume that it will cater to the training needs of all employees. We need to accept and acknowledge the fact that people interact and use digital technologies at different levels and therefore training also has to be at different levels. In the context of eLearning, training has to be provided to employees with varying digital literacy levels. While some employees prefer a more traditional face to face training, there are others who wish to have access to knowledge while on the move through their smartphones or tablets. There are others who are between the two extremes. How do you cater to such a varied demand? Do you have any ideas? Please share them below. Related PostsHow to Create Section 508 E-learning Course Using FlashThe Future of Organizations Is Gen-Y - Are You Ready to Train It?7 Tips To Create Effective Sales Training Courses For Gen Y Workforce - An Infographic

Scenarios play a vital role in eLearning, as they add fun, create interest in courses and help people understand the subject-matter better. They help improve the analytical skills of the learner as he can relate himself with the real life situations and apply his learning there. Here are a few tips to create effective scenarios in eLearning courses. Determine the need Scenarios can be used for two purposes. They can be created to assess learners’ knowledge where we can check their understanding regarding a topic and know their response. The second is to explore and learn where we can give a deeper knowledge of a particular topic to the learners in an engaging and interactive way. For instance, consider the following feedback where the first template is an example of an assessment scenario and the second one is "Explore and Learn". Relate to a problem and give the solution To build effective scenarios, we need to know the target audience. We need to understand the problems that they are facing in their work and create a scenario based on it. A learner would be curious and interested to know the solution. We can also involve the learner by asking him to take a decision in such situation. Even if he makes a wrong decision, it can be corrected by giving him a proper feedback. Use realistic characters A scenario would become more effective when the learner is able to connect to it. Including realistic characters that he can relate to would make the scenario more effective. For example, here is the screenshot of a scenario that was used in a healthcare course. The scenario involves a conversation between a clinician and a sales representative. Effective scenarios can be created by paying proper attention to learner needs. Hope this blog was useful. Please do share if you have anything to add to the list. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning CoursesHow to Give Feedback in E-learning That not Only Teaches, But also Motivates5 Ways to Make E-learning Interesting - An Infographic