Try to Beat the Clock in These 11 Creative Countdown Examples
Countdown timers are often used in game-based learning, and it’s no wonder why—they bring anticipation and excitement to e-learning courses. Countdown timers create a sense of urgency, tension, and pressure that prompts learners to quickly make a decision. They’re also a great way to simulate real-world tasks that involve time constraints.
Countdown timers don’t always have to look like a typical clock or stopwatch with numbers counting down. You can design a countdown timer that looks like almost anything! That way you can make sure it fits in nicely with your course design. You’ll see in these 11 examples by the inventive members of the E-Learning Heroes community that countdown timers can take the form of your favorite TV characters, circles and other shapes, steering wheels, paw prints, and more.
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- This clever Rise 360 example by Owen Holt features a Storyline 360 block with a simple but uber-effective countdown timer.
- Countdown timers don’t have to show numbers. You can use shapes to convey that time’s running out, like in this arrow-swipe game by Aman Vohra.
- Add some audio to accompany your timer to create a greater sense of urgency, like Stephanie Harnett does in this countdown timer example.
- This countdown timer example by Ang CM simulates real-life road emergencies and challenges learners to respond quickly.
- If you love the idea of a countdown timer but don’t know where to start, check out this handy course full of simple countdown timer ideas by Reggie Jose.
- Give learners more time when they answer questions correctly, like Allison LaMotte does in this smart countdown game download.
- This adorable paw print countdown timer by Mareesa McCall is a good example of how to glean inspiration from your course theme when designing a timer.
- Amp up learner anticipation by using a timer that counts up, like in this fast and furious Formula 1 example by Karishma Vaz.
- This credit union acronyms course by Kristy Moede illustrates one way to use a countdown timer to challenge learners to make fast decisions.
- This beautifully executed circular countdown timer by Karlis Sprogis allows learners to personalize the experience by choosing the level of difficulty—which gives them more or less time for each question.
- Make your countdown timer more inviting to learners by turning it into a friendly graphic, like Rachna Ghiya does in this example about number order.
Ready to get the countdown timer started on creating your own example? No pressure! Once you’re finished, submit your work to the E-Learning Challenge. Then go check out more course design inspiration and connect with other e-learning pros over in the Building Better Courses forum.
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