Many training managers feel that assessments play a key role in online courses. It’s easy to understand why managers say so. Assessments help measure learning outcomes of trainings accurately. In fact, assessments actually help evaluate the knowledge gained by employees from topics discussed in the trainings. Employees can monitor their progress, assess themselves, and organizations can keep track of their employees’ performance and provide accurate information about the extent to which the training objective has been achieved. However, many organizations may have good trainings but trouble in measuring learning outcomes. For instance, when instructors go through each paper manually, the workload is increased and they find it difficult to manage the data of a large number of employees. This can be avoided using technology. It enables you evaluate with minimal effort, and you can modify the training approach based on feedback. Here is the info-graphic that shares the benefits of using technology for assessments. Hope you find this post useful. Do share your views. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning CoursesCreating Effective Assessments in E-learning: 5 Tips - An InfographicMaking E-learning Courses Mobile: 5 Aspects to Consider - An Infographic

One of our clients wanted to train their new medical reps. The client wanted to make several short modules for each brand that were not more than 10 minutes long, so that the new recruits get good knowledge of the products before they enter the field. As we all know, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) provide a lot of content that makes our course informative. But sometimes, their content is either too informative or too less for our learners. In this blog, I’ll share my experience of working closely with my SME. Step 1: Involve the SME from the Design Phase The moment I get the inputs, I analyze them, prepare a rough outline and take the approval from the SME. Recently, I analyzed one of the inputs which was in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. The presentation had around 40 slides and the first 26 slides slides had only textbook references. I called my SME and asked him whether the slides were important. The SME replied that the references were ‘Nice to Know ’content. Then, I presented this‘Nice to Know ’content in the form of an interactive slide.Then, I prepared an outline by dividing the content of the presentation into two parts — ‘Need to Know’ and ‘Nice to know’ and took the SME’s approval. This went a long way in developing good online courses for the medical reps. Step 2: Work with the SME to Standardize the Learning Units As I have already shared, each brand had multiple modules which were divided into many subjective modules and a single product module. When we analyazed the inputs, we found that the subjective modules had the scenario in which the medical rep has to convince the doctor to prescribe their brand. This application part is relevant to the product module rather than the subjective module. Then, we suggested to the SME to ensure that the clinical application content should be included only in the product module as this information will help the sales representative to share the benefits of the product and subjective modules help them in strenghtening their knowledge. In this way, we standardized the learning units. Step 3: Let the SME Take Learner Feedback After completing a few brands, we asked our SME to provide us with the feedback from learners who have taken the courses. The SME shared a few points such as adding blinking effects to some buttons, images, hot spots etc. As the learners were new to e-learning, they faced difficulties in navigating through the branching slides. This feedback helped us as well as their learners. We incorporated the learner feedback in rest of the courses. The relationship with the SME is a key factor in the success of an online course. I interacted with the SME through e-mails and Skype effectively and continue to enjoy a good working relationship with him. Hope you find this post useful. Do share your views. Related Posts4 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Subject Matter Expert4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning CoursesHow Can Instructional Designers Efficiently Leverage the Skills Of SMEs?

Articulate Storyline is a rapid authoring tool which can be used to create courses on variety of topics - from food safety to financial accounting. Storyline is simple to use, and it easy to perform complex calculations using triggers. Recently, we were asked to create a course on accounting which explained how to calculate the monthly savings of an employee. Let us see how we used Storyline to compute the savings. Here are the steps involved. Step 1: Create a new slide and insert four textboxes in it - Salary, General Expenses, Other Expenses and Savings. Step 2: Insert three Numeric Entry fields from the Insert menu. When we insert a Numeric Entry field, a Numeric Entry Variable is created automatically. Step 3: Now, we have to rename these text entry variables (Numeric Entry, Numeric Entry 1, and Numeric Entry 2) as Salary, General Expenses, and Other Expenses according to the textboxes as shown in the screenshots below. Step 4: Create a numeric variable Savings with initial value as zero. Step 5: Create a Submit button, and add the following triggers to it in the order specified below. Trigger 1: Assign the value of Salary to Savings variable. Trigger 2: Subtract the value of GeneralExpenses from Savings value. Trigger 3: Subtract the value of OtherExpenses from the remaining Savings value. Now, the Savings variable contains the value of the monthly savings of an employee.  Step 6: Display the value of Savings variable in the slide by placing Savings variable in between two "%" symbols. Now, preview or publish the course and check the output. This way, we can perform different calculations using Storyline’s triggers. Hope this blog is informative. Please share your thoughts. Related PostsHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?Rapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Insert Slide Numbers in Articulate Storyline?

Have you ever experienced problems while handling any of your electronic gadgets at home? I am sure you must have faced some issues while trying to solve something technical that you don’t know about. Last Sunday, I was trying to fix on my laptop, which was unsuccessful. I then called one of my friends for help, and then, I had a Skype talk on how to fix the problem step-by-step. I saw what my friend did on Skype Video and followed the same procedure and was finally successful. To my surprise, the same week I had a meeting with a client who wanted to educate his employees on using a tool. We received the inputs and found that it’s a training which needs to be done with care, because one small difference in the step and everything goes in vain. Connecting to my problem solved by Skype Video, we thought a "Watch and Try" strategy would be perfect for the content. Here, in this blog, I will discuss how to use the "Watch and Try" strategy to educate the employees on the tool. Starting with the very first step that is to analyze the content. At first, it was like rocket science but as were going into the content, things were getting more clear and clear. Our client had also given us access to the tool which helped us understand the content to a great extent. It was like reading the theory part first, and then doing a practical analysis of the tool. We followed three steps in the "Watch and Try" strategy. They were: Theoretical Knowledge As we noted our queries, we had calls with the SME and got our doubts cleared. We then started with the storyboarding phase and designed the theory part of content. In the theory part, you can include brief introduction about the tool like: Why should the tool be used? How does the tool help improve the productivity? What does the tool do? What is the process to be followed while using the tool? ….and so on. Visual Knowledge After the storyboarding phase, comes the "watch" phase. In this level: Record the video by doing the steps yourselves Check the video with the inputs, so as to match Take approval from the client to avoid re-work on the videos Embed the video, once it is approved by the SME Practical Experience  Once the video is embedded in course, the next phase is the "Try" phase, where the learner has to try the steps observed in the video. You need to create the trial screen by: Taking the images of the tool to match with the video Setting up the functionality in image as in the tool for selected locations only Giving instructions to the learner, on where to click, with the help of an arrow Connecting to the screens once the learner clicks the required area We followed these steps and ended with the "Watch", and the "Try" with same look and feel as of tool. By the end of the project, I gained considerable knowledge of the tool, and the course was as if the learner is really using the tool. I enjoyed the development of this online course. Hope you find this blog useful. Please share your views Related PostsBenefits of Using Simulations in Software Applications TrainingSoftware Product Simulation - Captivate or Flash?SAP Implementation - Are Software Simulations Enough to Train your Employees?

How do you know whether the learning objectives of your e-learning course are achieved or not? Well, you need to assess your learners on the knowledgegained from the course. You can do this by providing assessments in the e-learningcourse. There are two types of assessments - formative and summative. Formative assessments are provided at the end of each chapter and used to reinforce the concepts taught. Whereas, a summative assessment is provided at the end of the course and used to test the mastery of learners over the subject matter. Formative assessments are conducted using different types of questions likepuzzles, fill in the blanketc., whereas summative assessments are conducted using Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). In this info-graphic, I would like to share a few tips to create questions of the fill in the blank type. Please do share your views. Related Posts5 Tips to Create Drop Down Interactivities in E-learning Assessments - An InfographicAssessment Strategy for M-learning4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses

Recently, we met an interesting requirement from one of our clients. The client wanted to develop a course having 3 modules. The learner needed to answer a quiz at the end of each module. The client wanted to display the score for each of the modules as well as the average of the 3 scores. We can meet this requirement easily using variables and triggers. But, the client wanted to display them in a separate window, ‘outside’ the Articulate Storyline environment (without the tool’s GUI) and print them. To meet this requirement, we have to call an external HTML page. First, we need to send all the variables to the HTML page and open it in a separate window. Thereafter, we need to follow the steps given below. Step1: Create three tests with the required number of questions and a result page for each test. In the below example, I have created three quizzes, with each quiz having 5 questions and a result page. When we insert a result page, the default result variables are generated. "(%Results.ScorePercent%%, %Results.ScorePoints% points)" is the user’s score, "(%Results.PassPercent%%, %Results.PassPoints% points)" is the passing score. Here we have three tests and three result pages. So, the variables should be as follows. First quiz: "(%Results.ScorePercent%%, %Results.ScorePoints% points)" "(%Results.PassPercent%%, %Results.PassPoints% points)" Second quiz: "(%Results1.ScorePercent%%, %Results1.ScorePoints% points)" "(%Results1.PassPercent%%, %Results1.PassPoints% points)" Third quiz: "(%Results2.ScorePercent%%, %Results2.ScorePoints% points)" "(%Results2.PassPercent%%, %Results2.PassPoints% points)" Step2: Now, create four numeric variables (per1, per2, per3 and avg) with 0 as default value. Step3: Insert a text entry field (where the user can enter his name) in a new slide and add a print button in this slide. When we insert a text entry field, by default, a text variable called "TextEntry" is created. Step4: Add the following triggers to this slide in the same order. Trigger1: Assign the value of the "Results.ScorePercent" to "per1" when slide timeline starts. Trigger2: Assign the value of the "Results1.ScorePercent" to "per2" when slide timeline starts. Trigger3: Assign the value of the "Results2.ScorePercent" to "per3" when slide timeline starts. Trigger4: Add the value of the "per1" to "avg" when slide timeline starts. Trigger5: Add the value of the "per2" to "avg" when slide timeline starts. Trigger6: Add the value of the "per3" to "avg" when slide timeline starts. Trigger7: Divide the value of the "avg" with 3(number of tests) when slide timeline starts. Step5: Now execute the JavaScript when the user clicks "Print" button. Step6: Write the following code in JavaScript. var newWin=window.open("result.html", "status=0,scrollbars=0″); Here, "result.html" is an external page. We can send the result variables (per1, per2, per3 & avg) and name (TextEntry) into this page. Step7: Now, open a notepad and add the following code in it. <!doctype html> <!-[if lt IE 7 ]> <html class="ie6″> <![endif]-> <!-[if IE 7 ]> <html class="ie7″> <![endif]-> <!-[if IE 8 ]> <html class="ie8″> <![endif]-> <!-[if IE 9 ]> <html class="ie9″> <![endif]-> <!-[if (gt IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-> <html class=""> <!-<![endif]-> <head> <TITLE>Results</TITLE> <STYLE> div { margin:0px; padding:0px;} #res_text { text-align: left; position: absolute; left: 100px; top: 50px; z-index: 2; width: 460px; color: #000000; } #res_percent { text-align: left; position: absolute; left: 100px; top: 100px; z-index: 2; width: 550px; color: #000000; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Myriad Pro", "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", Arial, sans-serif; } </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY onload="window.print();"> <div id="res_text"><div align="left" style="width:100%;"> <SCRIPT> var player=top.window.opener.GetPlayer(); var learnerName=player.GetVar("TextEntry").replace(/(\r\n|\r|\n)/g, ‘<br />’); document.write("<P><H2> Hi " + learnerName + ",</P>"); </SCRIPT> </div> </div> <div id="res_percent"><div align="left" style="width:100%;"> <SCRIPT> var player=top.window.opener.GetPlayer(); var name=player.GetVar("TextEntry"); //Extracting name from storyline var percen1=player.GetVar("per1″); //Extracting first test result from storyline var percen2=player.GetVar("per2″); //Extracting second test result from storyline var percen3=player.GetVar("per3″); //Extracting third test result from storyline var aver=player.GetVar("avg"); //Extracting average result of the 3 tests from storyline document.write("<P><H2>Your score in module1: " + percen1 + "%" + "<br/><br/>Your score in module2: " + percen2 + "%" + "<br/><br/>Your score in module3: " + percen3 + "%" + "<br/><br/>Your average percentage is: " + aver + "%" +"</P>"); </SCRIPT> </div> </BODY> </HTML> Now save it as result.html. Step8: Now, publish the file and paste the "result.html" file in the output folder.  Now, check your output. Hope you find this post useful. 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 Retake Quiz Option in Articulate Storyline?

Being an instructional designer, I can understand how it feels when your project does not meet the client expectations at the final stage. This leads to complete rework of your project, which in turn causes substantial wastage of your time and effort. All this rework and failure to meet stipulated project schedules are the results of the lack of proper communication with your client. The solution to the above problem is simple - take small and simple steps instead of giant leaps to reach each milestone and include the concepts of rapid prototyping and savvy start in your projects. This avoids sudden surprises and shocks at the final stage of your project. In this blog, I would like to share with you how rapid prototyping and savvy start helped us deliver the project on time providing exceptional services as per the client’s requirement. Rapid prototyping recommends the involvement of the client and the subject matter expert in every phase of the project development. This minimizes the cost and time by ‘identifying’ the problem in the early phases of the course development. Here, the work done will be sent to the client on a regular basis, and simultaneously, we receive feedback on a continual basis. This enables us to design an effective and meaningful e-learning course that meets the customer’s expectations with exceptional service. A savvy start is a kickoff meeting in which all the team members of the e-learning project participate in a meeting with the client to gather comprehensive background information and choose the project design. For every project, we follow 3 phases: Preparation phase - This is the preliminary phase which begins as soon as we receive a project from the client, and all the team members such as instructional designers, visual designers, developers, project managers etc., will have a kick off meeting in order to collect information about the learning outcomes. Iterative design phase - Once we gather basic information about the project, we proceed with project planning and designing. We develop the prototype and send it for the client’s approval. Depending on the client’s feedback, we either proceed with the storyboarding or develop an alternate approach. This iteration continues until we get the final approval of the prototype from the client. Iterative development phase - After the prototype is approved, we develop the design proof (storyboard) of the complete course and send it for approval. Once the design proof is approved, we proceed with the course development. Then, we have implementation loops. In this phase, additional design issues may arise. Following this agile process helped us maintain constant communication with our clients, thereby developing alternatives depending on their feedback. It also helped us avoid rework and enabled quick delivery of projects within the estimated time and budget with assured quality. Therefore at the end, we were able to rollout our projects in two iterations i.e., alpha and gold. Thank you for reading my blog. Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on the same. Related PostsTips on Controlling Scope in E-learning Project ManagementUnderstanding Project Risk ManagementProject Management - Handling Projects Effectively

Ask Compliance managers what they expect from a good online compliance course, and all of them will say, "It should make our employees adhere to rules and policies." Most of the companies provide compliance training through e-learning, and often, these courses have high dropout rates. Poor instructional strategies are one of the main reasons for this problem. Usually, compliance courses contain a lot of legal terms which learners find hard to understand. This results in the learners losing interest in the course. As a result, employees are unable to follow the rules, policies and work ethics at the workplace. So, how can you make these courses more effective and engaging? Well, here is an info-graphic that shares a few tips. Hope you find this post interesting. Do share your views. Related Posts5 Tips to Impart Excellent Compliance Training - An InfographicRelevance of Corporate Compliance Training in OrganizationsLearner-Centric Compliance E-learning Courses with Articulate Storyline

Articulate Storyline is a wonderful authoring tool to develop interactive and engaging e-learning courses. According to a survey conducted by the E-learning Guild in 2013, Storyline is the preferred choice of most e-learning developers. However, this powerful tool has some limitations. In my previous post, I have shared some limitations of Articulate Storyline and solutions to overcome them. In this post, I would like to share some more limitations and how to overcome them. 1. Using Scroll panel:  Scrolling panels are used when we use heavy content on the screen with less space. Limitation: Articulate Storyline doesn’t provide an option to format the scroll panel either by default or through customization. For example, changing color or style of the scroll panel is not possible. How to overcome: The only option is to develop a HTML Scrolling panel and insert it as a Web Object into your Storyline file. Go through this blog for more information. 2. Adding Password fields Many e-learning courses have login screens, and learners should type username/password in the spaces provided. Limitation: Articulate Storyline, by default, has no option to add password fields. How to overcome: We can overcome this limitation by creating a HTML input field (text field) and inserting it as a Web Object into your course. Go through this blog to know more about adding password fields to your e-learning courses. 3. Fill in the Blank Assessments These assessments enable the learner to type a response in the text entry field(s) provided. Limitations: Learners cannot navigate to next slide after typing the response in the blanks (text entry fields here), without clicking on the slide or Submit button. How to overcome: Using Storyline’s default text entries doesn’t provide much control for e-learning developers. However, we can have good control on fill in the blank assessments using HTML Input fields. Here is a post which explains how to navigate to the next slide automatically when the learner types the correct answer in a text entry field. 4. Tracking only some slides of the e-learning course  An e-learning course’s status will be set as ‘Completed’, on the LMS, only when all the slides of the course are visited or the final quiz is attempted (through the Result slide). Limitation: There is no default option to track some slides (or specific slides) of the course in Articulate Storyline.  How to overcome: We can achieve this using a Result slide (used only for tracking). Click here to know how to track an e-learning course though only some slides of the course are visited. In this way, we can overcome the limitations of Articulate Storyline and use the tool efficiently. Would you like to add to the above list? Please do so. Related Posts4 Tips for Developing E-learning Course Using Rapid Authoring ToolsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Customize a Scrolling Panel in Articulate Storyline

Curriculum-based courses are very much in demand today. Organizations prefer curriculum-based courses to stand-alone courses. Curriculum courses cater to a long running training program that usually runs for a period of two to three months. It is a course that has several modules which instruct on a particular subject in-depth. From the learner’s perspective, these modules would be easy to grasp and understand. They can be bite-sized modules that are easily accessible by the learners, anywhere, anytime, as per their convenience. Since all the modules of a curriculum are inter-related to each other, it is a tough task to develop such modules effectively. Here are three tips that can help you develop e-learning curriculums effectively. 1. Use a Global Strategy for Common Slides There are a certain slides that are used in all modules. Such modules could be taught in the same way. For example, every module starts with the introduction of that module, then explains the learning objectives, and ends up with a summary. When analyzing the inputs, it is essential to make out all slides that are used in all modules. We can also create scenarios or case studies for each module, according to the content of that module. Then, it is time to think of a global strategy of how these slides look in the course. Each time you develop a new module, you can simply reuse the same slide and replace its content with the text of your module. 2. Maintain Consistency throughout the Modules More than one person is involved in developing the modules. So, it is essential to maintain consistency in terms of design, duration and assessments throughout the modules as they belong to a single course. Right from the colors you are using to the images placed in the modules, you need to ensure consistency. For example, if you are planning to use vector images in the modules, you need to use vector images throughout the course. This helps retain the look and feel of the course till the end. 3. Follow an Agile Process  Since a set of modules are being developed in the same way, it is advisable to follow an agile process for a successful outcome. Send a prototype for a set of slides that are common to all modules and get them approved by the client. This helps us understand whether we are in ‘sync’ with the client’s requirement or not. Once the prototype is approved, the modules can be developed quickly. These three tips help you develop effective curriculum-based courses. I hope you find this blog informative. Please do share your ideas on this. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses5 Steps of a Highly Effective Instructional Design Process3 Things which Make Conversion of ILT Materials into E-learning Courses Easy - An Infographic

When it comes to training, most organizations have a need for product training. Be it manufacturing, pharmaceutical, electronics or finance, product training needs to be imparted by companies in all industries. So, how does one cater to a single form of training for such different segments? In this post, we will look at a few effective e-learning design strategies that are best suited for product training across various industries. An important point to remember - don’t just jump into explaining the product and its features. "Create a context" and set the stage before you introduce the product. For instance, you can make use of a problem-based scenario where a customer is having a hard time doing his work and looks for a solution, and in this setting, the solution is your product. Such a context drives home two vital points.  Customer problems  Target audience  Here is an example of creating a context for a calibration product. The greatest challenge for any sales representative is to show the customer how the product works. Organizations spend thousands of dollars in road shows and events. When it comes to e-learning, videos are the most common way to demonstrate a product. However, there are certain products which cannot be demonstrated using videos. For instance, it is not possible to show the pharmacokinetics of a drug using videos. In such instances, you can use "animations" to demonstrate your product. They are not only interesting to watch but also leave a long lasting imprint in the mind of the learner. A display of your product with visually rich animations beats the routine bullet points any day! Take a look at how pharmacokinetics of Aprovel and Bisphosphonates are shown in animations. Most clients come to us seeking an interactive demonstration for their e-learning courses. This requirement is most commonly asked for software products where the learner is required to gain an understanding of the process or steps involved in an online tool or web link. In such instances, you can make use of "simulations" which are virtual settings of the real-world product. The most unique aspect of using simulations is the Watch-Try-Do approach, where your learner first watches the simulation and tries it in the course before actually using the real software platform. This kind of learning minimizes errors that could take place while working on the real-world software platform. Here is an example of a watch and try simulation. I hope you find this post informative. What are the strategies you use to create your product training course? Feel free to post a comment. Related PostsFormulating Excellent Design Strategies for Top-notch Product TrainingMeeting the Changing Product Training Requirements - How?Online Product Training Design Strategies

IPad - a device that has revolutionized the corporate world. According to the Mac Observer, 94% of Fortune 500 companies are either testing or using this device from Apple. The widespread usage of iPads has resulted in the opening of new vistas in online training. No longer were learners required to carry "heavy" laptops or remain confined to their desks. People could conveniently go through online courses on these devices. Indeed, these devices have truly made learning anytime, anywhere. The iPad is an information powerhouse, and various hardware features and networking capabilities of this tablet computing device support a wide variety of media which are very useful to deliver high quality training to the mobile workforce. Hope you find this post interesting. Do share your views. Related PostsBest Practices for Developing M-learning Courses - An InfographicAssessment Strategy for M-learning5 Ways to Deliver Effective Training through IPads

Content comprehension is an important step in the e-learning development process. It broadly includes identification of relevant content and its separation from irrelevant content and arranging it in a proper manner. It enables instructional designers (IDs) to ensure that topics ‘flow’ in a logical sequence. It also helps IDs to find gaps in the content. If performed effectively, it will help you understand the subject-matter of the course better, and you will be able to present the content in an easily understandable manner. Here, I would like to share an info-graphic, which shares a step-by-step process to comprehend the content effectively before developing online courses. Hope you find this post interesting. Do share your views. Related Posts4 Tips for Developing E-learning Course Using Rapid Authoring Tools5 Ways to Make E-learning Interesting - An Infographic4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses

E-Learning is gradually replacing the classroom training format, worldwide. 41.7 % of fortune 500 companies are using e-learning tools for online training (E-learning Magazine 2013). Online courses need to be engaging and interactive because they are self-paced i.e. an instructor is not present to deliver the courses. Learning design professionals always try hard to make online courses as interactive as possible using scenarios, case studies, graphics, multimedia elements etc. In spite of using all these things, sometimes they forget to make the courses on the basis of fundamental elements of learning which form the basis of an effective e-Learning course. These elements describe how learning takes place. Here is an info-graphic which lists the elements. Hope you find this post useful. Please do share your views. Related PostsEffective Elements That Make Online Learning More Engaging5 Ways to Make E-learning Interesting - An Infographic5 Ways to Enrich Your Online Training Courses - An Infographic

Every organization has to follow a set of laws which govern their sector in the country they operate. So, it needs to ensure that the employees are effectively trained on these rules to avoid compliance issues. Traditionally, this was done through face-to-face training in an engaging manner. But, with organizations expanding globally and the need for constant training, companies started using e-learning to quickly reach their global employees. But unfortunately, they land up with dull, boring and uninspiring courses which don’t give them the expected results. This happens because they present the content from a legal perspective instead of employees’ point of view with no relevance to their jobs. According to a Towards Maturity research report, 67 percent of organizations shared that user engagement and content overloading are the top barriers for delivering technology-enabled compliance training. So, how do we solve this? How do we make compliance courses interesting and purposeful? We must present the policies or laws in a simple manner and use an application-oriented theme, to help the learner apply what he has learnt in his job. We have worked on many compliance courses on different topics, which got good feedback. I would like to share some of them with you. 1. Course on Information Security Strategy used - narrate workplace incidents in the form of stories to convey the policy We have used slide shows to present different types of data (confidential, public, restricted, internal) that the company uses. We came up with relevant situations that the learners are likely to face in their jobs, to make the courses more learner-centric. We designed the scenarios using the inputs shared by the subject-matter experts (SMEs). Then, we explained the dos and don’ts of security using interactivities. We designed drag and drop exercises for assessments to make the course interesting. 2. Course on Trade Compliance Governance Strategy used - allow learners to explore and learn to ensure better engagement Here, the stakeholder wanted to explain the importance of a trade policy to the audience and check their understanding. We started the course with a question asking ‘Do you know’ and explained what the policy says. We have designed ‘explore and learn’ interactivities (book form with icons) to explain the various procedures that are to be followed as part of the governance. We explained each procedure/ situation, along with a few hyperlinks for the participants to go on a "web trip". If they are confident, they can go ahead with the next procedure. If not, they can go on a web trip - explore, learn, and then come back to go to the next point. Once they are done with exploring the process, they are asked to attempt the final quiz. As this enables active learning, the training is likely to be more engaging and effective. 3. Course on Unlawful Harassment Strategy Used - link dos and don’ts using case studies One of the principles of adult learning is that adults come with prior knowledge and love to be equal partners in the learning process. So, we presented the content in the case studies to check their prior understanding. The various types of discrimination are introduced using vector images. Once the learner clicks on the image, the topic is explained followed by a case study with a series of questions. The learners are given a question/ situation and a set of options to choose from. Once he submits an answer, he will receive a comprehensive feedback telling him why he is right or wrong. In this way, employees get to understand the situations relevant to the ‘job context’, rather than as an isolated piece of law or rule. Compliance training needs to be engaging, making participants feel that they gained something in the process. These were some strategies that we have used for the purpose. How did you make your compliance courses engaging? We would love to hear your experiences. Related PostsClassroom Training or E-learning - Which is Best for Compliance TrainingImportance of Regulatory Compliance Training in an OrganizationBarriers to Effective Compliance Training

Adding videos to e-learning courses helps learners retain information better. Articulate Storyline provides 3 options to insert videos into e-learning courses, by default. In this post, I will explain how we met a client requirement pertaining to insertion of videos. A client asked us for a requirement that their courses should have only online videos and the entire course should be developed using Articulate Storyline. We can meet this requirement using the Video from Website option of Storyline. Following are the steps to add online videos to e-learning courses using Articulate Storyline. Step 1: Develop a HTML code as shown in the below screenshot. In the above code, the word autoplay plays the video automatically. We can also adjust the height and width of the video in the code. Step 2: Go to Insert tab and click Video. Then, select the Video from Website option. A window will be opened as shown below. Step 3: Paste the above code in the window. Then, click the Insert button to insert the video into the slide. Step 4: Publish the course and check the output. Note: Videos are displayed only on HTML5 output. These are the steps to add online videos to an e-learning course using Articulate Storyline. Hope you find this post interesting. 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 FeaturesArticulate Storyline’s Best Way of Quizzing: Question Banks

In my previous blogs, I have discussed about the importance of instructional design strategy and visual design strategy, the two main elements of e-learning in terms of design approach. In this blog, I will discuss about the significance of audio and audio strategy.  While videos have their own importance, they need to be supported with good audio. An effective audio strategy plays an important role, in terms of improving the efficacy of the course content. When we think of audio, we think of narration. Most of us forget that music and sounds can also be used very effectively to enhance learning. For example, if you are developing an e-learning course on fire alarms, you can enhance the effectiveness of the course, by using the sound of a fire alarm. Audio component in an e-learning course can be defined as the combination of narration, music and sounds. You can use these elements to enhance the effectiveness of learning. Sometimes, visuals shown on the screen need explanation and audio narration can be used for this purpose. To break the monotony of narration, you can use sounds while providing feedback on learners’ responses to assessment questions. You can use sounds like "oops" or "buzzer sound" for incorrect answers and "applause" for the correct ones. This would make the course more interesting and add a fun element to the learning. Proper use of audio in e-learning: Results in better understanding of the learning material Makes the e-learning content persuasive Engages the learner for an extended period of time Adds an element of interest Plays a key role in the learning process, when accompanied by the visuals How much audio narration is needed in e-learning? The Cognitive Load Theory explains that the learner’s working memory can retain only a certain amount of information. It stores auditory information separately from visual information, i.e., words in auditory channel and pictures in the visual channel. So, if you present too much of information with or without audio, there are chances of the learner getting confused, and he may not understand what exactly is being taught. Audio has to be a part of the total picture, as we learn best if we see, hear or do. It is possible only when the information presented does not overload the learner’s mental capacity. You can use audio to explain a complex process/process flows, complicated definitions, key points, simulations etc. You shouldn’t read every word of the on-screen text. One should also remember to synchronize the audio and animations properly as it helps explain the text and graphics better. Audio should always be aligned to support learning principles if it is to improve learning significantly. Hope you find this blog informative. Do share your views. Related PostsGuidelines for Content Chunking to Design Effective Online Courses4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning CoursesImportance of the Audio Component in E-learning

A Learning Management System (LMS) is essentially used to plan and publish e-learning courses online, to be accessed by learners. Earlier, LMSs were technology-based and quite complex for end users (both administrators and learners) to navigate and manage courses or access them. Users had to rely on the technical team even for minor issues or requirements. Every problem had to be addressed by IT personnel. This was frustrating and resulted in an unenthusiastic response to the LMS as a whole by the users. Very few registered for the courses, and even those who did never completed them. Only mandatory compliance courses had 100% completion rates for obvious reasons! However, LMSs have improved considerably over the years. They have many new features that can be used to make the platform user-friendly. This info-graphic shares tips to make your LMS platform easy to use, and thereby, increase user registrations. Pin it and share it now! Related Posts5 Ways to Make E-learning Interesting - An InfographicCustomizing the Self-Enrollment Feature in LMS10 Questions You Need to Answer Before Selecting an LMS

Articulate Storyline can be used to perform a wide variety of calculations. In this blog, I will explain how to compute cumulative average (a weighted average based on the points obtained in all the units in a course) using this rapid authoring tool. One of our clients wanted us to develop a course which contained 20 questions. If the learner answers a question correctly in the first attempt, he gets 20 points. If he gets the answer right in the second or subsequent attempts, he gets 10 points. The client also wanted to display the cumulative score in terms of percentage after attempting each question. To meet this requirement, it is necessary to compute the cumulative average of the score. Here are the steps to be followed. Step1: First you should know the maximum possible score for your course. (For example, in this course, we have 20 questions and each question carries 20 points if the learner answers it correctly in the first attempt, and 10 points are awarded if he gets the answer right in the second or subsequent attempts. So, we see that a maximum of 400 points can be scored.) Step2: Create two numeric variables "count" and "score" with default value "0". Step3: Add value "20" to "count" in the correct layer if the user answers the question correctly in his first attempt. Add value "10" to "count" in the correct layer if the user answers the question correctly in the second or subsequent attempts. How can we show the variation of score for his first attempt and subsequent attempts? To find out, you can visit my earlier post "Varying Scores Based on Number of Attempts: How to do it in Articulate Storyline" Step4: Create the following triggers. Trigger1: Adjust variable "score" is equal to the value of "count". Trigger2: Divide variable "score" by maximum number of points in course (here the maximum number of points is 400). Trigger3: If you want to show the cumulative average as a percentage then you can multiply the variable "score" with 100. Step5: Display the value of the variable "score" on each screen by placing the name of the variable in between two "%" symbols. Repeat step4 and step5 in all slides. This is how you can calculate some typical calculations. Hope you find this post useful. Do share your views. Related PostsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?Performing Simple Financial Calculations Using Articulate Storyline

Despite today’s technology and a connected world, classroom training is still an effective method to impart training to all employees. But, instructor-led teaching may not be appropriate for all training needs. Suppose there is a requirement for an organisation to train its employees spread across the globe, on a particular product, in a month’s time, classroom training will not serve the purpose. Here, e-learning serves as a good option to train employees, at comparatively lower costs, within a given schedule. Due to improvements in reliability and speed, converting classroom training materials into online courses has become a justified and cost-effective opportunity. E-learning is the perfect delivery format to provide effective learning to improve the productivity of an organization. There is a considerable growth in the demand for e-learning, and it is proven to be an effective solution to address organizational needs in terms of efficiency, consistency, flexibility and quicker implementation. One of our clients wanted to convert its ILT material into a 2 hour online course. Its major challenge was to train its geographically dispersed personnel. Having learnt about our expertise in providing e-learning solutions, the client approached us with a requirement to train their global employees on leadership skills. Inputs were in the form of a MS-Word document which consisted of 8 sessions. They wanted a highly interactive course to be developed using Articulate Storyline. We followed these steps to develop modules. Phase-1: Comprehension of the learning content As soon as we received the inputs, we started comprehending the content. We had an internal kickoff with the team members who came up with a few queries about the inputs and strategy. We then interacted with the client to clarify all our queries. Here, we advised them to have a curriculum-based approach (a list of all the modules that cover a particular concept broadly). The client was excited about the approach and asked us to proceed. Phase-2: Development of a prototype Once the inputs and strategy were clear to us, we selected some slides which required extensive visualization and developed a prototype to provide a quick overview of how the course looks. We sent the prototype for the client’s approval. This enabled us to make the necessary changes as per the client feedback immediately. After the prototype was approved, we were able to proceed with the design proof. Phase-3: Module-wise development Once the prototype was approved by the client, we started developing the storyboards. The ILT material provided by the client pertained to 8 sessions and contained practical activities to test the learner. We standardized all the 8 modules. Each module consisted of: An introduction Learning objectives Formative assessments at the end of each topic A brief summary to reinforce learning A quiz at the end of each module to test the learners’ knowledge Resources which were given as handouts to the learners Paraphrasing narration that provided an overview of the on-screen text As soon as we designed the storyboard, we started the course development. We then sent each module individually for the client’s approval. There were a few edits which we updated. We then proceeded with the audio integration. Once the final approval was given, we merged all the 8 modules (as per the client’s requirement) and deployed the entire course on the LMS. Following this three-phase process helped us develop an engaging and captivating course by meeting the customer’s expectations with exceptional service. Thus, converting ILT materials into e-learning courses is an effective way to improve performance and enhance learners’ engagement. Please do share your comments on the same. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning CoursesOrganizing Training for Different LearnersPointers to Help Employees Embrace E-learning

E-learning is increasingly used by organizations as online courses are effective, affordable and can be accessed anytime, anywhere. But, many organizations are not able to realize these benefits offered by the online training medium due to a serious problem - high dropout rates. How can you overcome this problem? What can you do to see that your learners participate in your online training programs enthusiastically and complete them successfully? Well, to improve levels of learner retention, it is essential to understand the reasons why people quit e-learning courses. Let us see what they are. Hope you find these tips useful. Do share your views. Related Posts4 Effective Ways of Presenting Scenarios in E-learning Courses6 Phases of an Effective Instructional Design Process [Infographic]Connecting With Learners in Online Learning

Articulate Storyline comes with a rich media player which can be used to run audio and videos, very effectively. However, player controls such as audio volume, play/pause, progress bar and replay ‘pertain’ to the entire slide. For instance, when you click replay, the whole slide will be played again. One of our clients wanted to embed videos into the slide and enable his learners to control individual media elements with a unique player design. The client also wanted to allow his learners to watch videos in the full screen mode and provide an audio timer. He also wanted to enable his learners to adjust the sound volume of the videos. By default, the video player in Articulate Storyline comes only with a play/pause button and a progress bar with timer. We met this complex requirement using an HTML tag. Let us now see the process of adding an HTML5 tag to create a custom video player to the slides of an e-learning course, step-by-step.  Step1: Create a video folder and an HTML file in it. Copy the below video tag and paste it in the HTML file. Also, place the video file in the same folder. Shown below are the references. Step2: To embed the video into the slide, go to the Insert tab and select Insert Web Object and browse the created HTML file Video-sample.html.  Srep3: Adjust the position of the Web Object on the screen. Shown below are the references. Step4: Now, we are done with the ‘video part’. Publish the same and preview it. As this player is HTML5-supported, its look and feel depends on the browser or the device you use. This is how we can create a custom video player using an HTML tag. If you want to have a different design, there are many templates/resources available on the Internet.  There are a few things you need to keep in mind.  Make sure the video file is located in the same folder. You can’t insert a media element link as a web object into Articulate Storyline directly. If the Web object is located on the Internet or an intranet, you need a security permission to access it. Web objects can’t be seen or previewed. To view a web object, open publish "html" in a browser compatible with HTML5 and "publish for CD". Or, you need to publish the course output to FTP/a server.  Creating our own custom video player with an HTML5 tag is easy. By using HTML5 tag, you can control the look and feel of the player. Hope you find this blog useful. Please feel free to 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 Customize the Storyline Player?

We all know the e-learning industry is full of acronyms. Even the word e-learning itself is the shorthand for electronic learning. As an e-learning professional, it is important to be familiar with various acronyms used in the field of e-learning. Here, I would like to share some acronyms that are commonly used in e-learning. LMS (Learning Management System): It is a web-based technology platform that helps integrate the various parts of training including assigning, managing, administering, and monitoring both online and classroom sessions. An in-built reporting system, which maintains statistics about the courses available and the enrollment of learners to various courses, is present in most LMSs. LCMS (Learning Content Management System): It is a web-based technology and used to create, manage, and maintain the learning content. It also has the capability to store the content and retrieve older versions of it, whenever required. It can also be used to store and retrieve learning objects which can be reused. SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model): It is a technical standard given by the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) for web-based training. SCORM is a combination of specifications and standards for e-learning. It interacts with LMSs and courses to support tracking of courses. AICC (Aviation Industry Computer-based Training Committee): It is an international association of technology-based training professionals and was founded to serve the aviation industry. It is a team, which develops guidelines for course development, course delivery and evaluation of computer and web based training technologies. ISD (Instructional Systems Design): It is a practice of designing effective training programs and independent of delivery format. Usually, the ISD process follows a process to achieve training goals that are effective and engaging by analyzing learning needs and developing a systematic curriculum. LRS (Learning Record Store): It is a place where learning records can be stored and acts a repository of learning records. An LRS can be accessed by a reporting tool or an LMS. RLO (Reusable Learning Object): A unit of learning content that is independent and stand-alone. An RLO can be used in multiple instructional contexts. RLOs help avoid the development of redundant learning materials. This saves time and results in optimal use of financial, technical, and human resources. GUI (Graphical User Interface): It is a way to present the training programs content, functions, and features using visual elements (such as icons, menus, controls and many more). It helps learners navigate through the course easily, and they can have a complete picture of the course. CMS (Content Management System): It is a software application that manages the process of designing, testing, approving, storing, and publishing e-learning content. ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation): It is a classic instructional development process with 5 phases, and these can be modified according to the type and requirements of the organization. It provides a means for sound decision making in order to determine the questions (such as who, what, when, where, why and how) of a learning program. I hope you find this blog useful. I will share some more e-learning acronyms in my next blog. Please stay tuned. Related PostsDr. APJ Abdul Kalam: Homage to a Great TeacherCreative Ways to Present Click on Tab Interactivity in E-learning Courses - An InfographicWhat Is eLearning and What It Is Not - Part 1

Final quiz is the last part for an e-learning course and a good learning strategy. Learners should attempt the quiz in order to complete the training program successfully. And, feedback should be given for individual questions in the quiz to reinforce learning. Consider a scenario in which the options for the question and feedback for the options have heavy content and learner cannot see the question and selected choices while viewing the feedback. As we cannot chunk the content of the options and feedback, we should make the pop-up ‘dragable’ so that learners can drag it aside and read it. Is there a solution to the above problem? Yes. We have used the solution to meet the requirements of one of our clients. The solution is to add a movable feedback pop-up, which learners can move (by dragging) to any position within the screen, so that they can see any part of the slide. Described below are the steps to add movable feedback pop-ups to your online course. Step 1: Develop the final quiz questions along with feedback pop-ups and design them as you want. Step 2: Go to the Correct or Incorrect layer. Group all the objects available in these layers. Step 3: Click the Insert tab. Step 4: Select an object and insert the object into the slide. I have selected a Rectangle here. Step 5: Change the dimensions of the rectangle and make them equal to the dimensions of GUI. I have renamed the rectangle as Background (just for identification). Make sure this object should be at the bottom of the timeline. Step 6: Set Transparency of the object to 100% and remove its outline. Step 7: Now, add a trigger as shown in the screenshot below. Step 8: Right click the rectangle and select the Drag and Drop option, and then, select Free from the available options. This ensures the pop-up moves freely on the screen. Now, publish the course and check the output. These are the steps to add movable pop-ups for your quiz questions. However, you are not restricted to use this trick only for quiz as this works perfect for any popup. Hope you find this post useful. Please do share your views on the same. Related PostsRapid E-learning through Storyline Tool: 5 Infographics Sharing Key FeaturesHow to Combine Your Adobe Captivate Projects Into Single Course?How to Change the Background Color of Lightbox for iPad Course Using Articulate Storyline