I'm looking at turning a 16 page application form into a short e-learning module. Has anyone done something similar and would you be willing to share what your work? I'm keen for ideas on how to make it interesting and interactive. I'm new to using Articulate Storyline.
I'm responding to your question because I have a need to allow users to:
a. input textual information into text boxes
b. show them at a later stage what they have written
c. allow them to print it out, or have it emailed to them
I also want the activity to maintain state so that they can close the browser and end the session then ata later date come back to the presentation and see their text as they left it.
All of the above is possible, and you may think therefore it is suitable for your 16 page application activity. But there are issues with it.
The only reliable way that Storyline could reliably store user input is to use SCORM and a quiz. That gets the data into the backend, providing you have a VLE like Blackbooard or Moodle. Administrators can then get at the data.
Assumption : First off as its an application form its purpose is to take information in and post it to a database where it gets analysed by administrators, during the input phase applicants may go away and come back to complete the application, as they may not have all of the information to hand for example and 16 pages is a lot of information. So they would need to login, the data would be retrieved from a datasource and so on until they are ready to submit the application.
I think you should look at using a multipage website form with a database at the backend and a login system. They aren't difficult to build and there are loads of them out there prebuilt, try google forms for example. Or get a developer to help you.
I built a form-based course for an NHS Trust a couple of years ago. The objective was to help junior doctors complete meds and accurately (as naturally there can be significant risks to patient health if done incorrectly).
The modules provided scenarios that required doctors to select how to complete each (relevant) part of the form. Their errors would then be highlighted, sometimes with a reference to the consequences. A bit of practice was then encouraged until they reached a particular level of competency. Additional job aids were included too.
That's just an example and won't be relevant to many kinds of forms (due to their context/application).
Personally I would start by looking at what the forms achieve, how they are normally filled out, what errors are often picked up (or go unnoticed), how they are processed, etc. This would then give me a bigger picture with which to divvy up the content and objectives.
I don't know if a online course would be the answer. If it's a 16 page application form, it may be better to refer to a job aid they could print out or search through easily. The online course could introduce the user to the form and explain a few key issues that won't come across on the job aid very well, but I would limit the information on it. I had previously created something similar for an organization. Unfortunately I can share it. What I did was used callout boxes with explanation on what goes in there. I would also use example data in the form and callout certain information if it needs to be written a certain way.
Jerson - I've already developed a guide to complete this form, so that will be the take away. Thank you for your suggestion.
Simon - I'm doing something similar to what you mentioned, but for financial planners to assist them in completing a client form correctly. Thanks for the prompt about what I'm trying to achieve with them filling out the form.
Bruce - I'm going to keep it simple for this one, and possibly go down the path you've suggested later when I'm more familiar with the software. Thanks for the suggestion though.
Since you're interested in interesting and interactive, I'll share what I recently did for a weekly challenge in case it gives you any ideas or a quick laugh. I looked at how to fill out a passport application and focused on context, layout, and visual interest. Here's my write-up, and you can go straight to the demo by clicking the first image (best to have audio ready): http://www.jackievannice.com/?p=175061923
I genuinely think that doing this is just overcomplicating the process. By all means produce a small job aid, but I'd even argue this could be a step too far. A few questions:
How complex is the form?
How is the process completed currently?
If you didn't create this module what would be the result?
Can you use video?
Narration?
Creating an E-Learning module for this in my honest opinion would be overkill.
An organization I once worked for built some courseware that allowed the users to interactively fill in the forms. They also provided video-style demos of the forms being completed, but the engagement really was in the interactive form filling. For this, they used Adobe Captivate.
Did you ever figure out how to do this? I would like to build an online resume builder that coaches at-risk students to gather their information, write a paragraph or two, and then assemble a resume they can print. I have seen their idea of resumes, and they aren't good at straight-up filling out the forms without some relevant hints.
8 Replies
Hi M,
I'm responding to your question because I have a need to allow users to:
a. input textual information into text boxes
b. show them at a later stage what they have written
c. allow them to print it out, or have it emailed to them
I also want the activity to maintain state so that they can close the browser and end the session then ata later date come back to the presentation and see their text as they left it.
All of the above is possible, and you may think therefore it is suitable for your 16 page application activity. But there are issues with it.
The only reliable way that Storyline could reliably store user input is to use SCORM and a quiz. That gets the data into the backend, providing you have a VLE like Blackbooard or Moodle. Administrators can then get at the data.
Assumption : First off as its an application form its purpose is to take information in and post it to a database where it gets analysed by administrators, during the input phase applicants may go away and come back to complete the application, as they may not have all of the information to hand for example and 16 pages is a lot of information. So they would need to login, the data would be retrieved from a datasource and so on until they are ready to submit the application.
I think you should look at using a multipage website form with a database at the backend and a login system. They aren't difficult to build and there are loads of them out there prebuilt, try google forms for example. Or get a developer to help you.
Hope that helps,
Bruce
Hi Manisha and welcome to the community
I built a form-based course for an NHS Trust a couple of years ago. The objective was to help junior doctors complete meds and accurately (as naturally there can be significant risks to patient health if done incorrectly).
The modules provided scenarios that required doctors to select how to complete each (relevant) part of the form. Their errors would then be highlighted, sometimes with a reference to the consequences. A bit of practice was then encouraged until they reached a particular level of competency. Additional job aids were included too.
That's just an example and won't be relevant to many kinds of forms (due to their context/application).
Personally I would start by looking at what the forms achieve, how they are normally filled out, what errors are often picked up (or go unnoticed), how they are processed, etc. This would then give me a bigger picture with which to divvy up the content and objectives.
I don't know if a online course would be the answer. If it's a 16 page application form, it may be better to refer to a job aid they could print out or search through easily. The online course could introduce the user to the form and explain a few key issues that won't come across on the job aid very well, but I would limit the information on it. I had previously created something similar for an organization. Unfortunately I can share it. What I did was used callout boxes with explanation on what goes in there. I would also use example data in the form and callout certain information if it needs to be written a certain way.
Hi all,
Great responses.
Jerson - I've already developed a guide to complete this form, so that will be the take away. Thank you for your suggestion.
Simon - I'm doing something similar to what you mentioned, but for financial planners to assist them in completing a client form correctly. Thanks for the prompt about what I'm trying to achieve with them filling out the form.
Bruce - I'm going to keep it simple for this one, and possibly go down the path you've suggested later when I'm more familiar with the software. Thanks for the suggestion though.
Kind regards,
Manisha
Hi Manisha!
Since you're interested in interesting and interactive, I'll share what I recently did for a weekly challenge in case it gives you any ideas or a quick laugh. I looked at how to fill out a passport application and focused on context, layout, and visual interest. Here's my write-up, and you can go straight to the demo by clicking the first image (best to have audio ready): http://www.jackievannice.com/?p=175061923
Good luck to you!
Jackie
I genuinely think that doing this is just overcomplicating the process. By all means produce a small job aid, but I'd even argue this could be a step too far. A few questions:
Creating an E-Learning module for this in my honest opinion would be overkill.
An organization I once worked for built some courseware that allowed the users to interactively fill in the forms. They also provided video-style demos of the forms being completed, but the engagement really was in the interactive form filling. For this, they used Adobe Captivate.
Hi Manisha -
Did you ever figure out how to do this? I would like to build an online resume builder that coaches at-risk students to gather their information, write a paragraph or two, and then assemble a resume they can print. I have seen their idea of resumes, and they aren't good at straight-up filling out the forms without some relevant hints.
Winnie
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