Instructional Design Learning Activities #34

 Instructional Design Activities #34: Challenge | Recap 

A couple weeks ago I asked my graduating preschooler what she wants to be when she grows up. I mean, with Kindergarten around the corner, now’s the time to start thinking about those things, right?

Her answer was cute and predictable, considering her home environment. She replied, “I want to be a mommy, a teacher, and a e-learning.” 

So I started listing some ideas for ways to incorporate her favorite characters (Dora, Barbies, Rainbow Dash, etc.) into simple learning activities. My idea was to use familiar characters to teach instructional design concepts.

As I was mapping the topic ideas, I realized that this project was really more about my own professional curiosity and development than my daughter’s education. Just think how valuable a library of instructional design activities would be to anyone building online training.

Challenge of the week 

This week your challenge is to create an interaction that introduces an instructional design principle, model, researcher, or theorist. Interactions can be anything from simple Engage interactions that present terms and definitions to custom games created in Storyline.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Interactive Bloom’s Taxonomy - Create a simple pyramid interaction with labels and definitions.
• Meet the Theorist - Introduce the people behind the theories
• Instructional design timeline - Depict the history of instructional design using a pre-built or custom timeline interaction
• Learning Theory games - Create a quiz based on common learning theories.

Tools 

You can use Articulate Storyline, Articulate Studio, or PowerPoint to design your instructional design learning activity.

Last week’s challenge

 Before you begin this week’s challenge, take a look at the before and after makeovers your fellow community members shared in last week’s challenge:

• Bruce Graham kicked off this challenge with an audio response to last week’s Corporate Compliance Presentation Skills debacle.
• Dan Sweigert shared a follow up to last week’s information overload with a practical solution that splits up the story into multiple slides. Nicely done, Dan.
• Jackie Van Nice reworked a real-life example in her before-and after examples to prove once and for all that context does matter.
• Nick Russell shared a creative makeover solution to last week’s patronizing activity.
• Jeff Kortenbosch respects his learners in this week’s solution to his list of common e-learning mistakes.
• Paul Alders combined his love of country (and cheese) to share his before and after makeovers.
• Donna Carson revisited some oldies to makeover into e-learning goodies.
• Dana Dutiel courageously tackled last week’s header graphic by finding a practical way to include the original elements in a far more pleasing design. Dana then returned to her free-range course to corral the numerous design and interaction mistakes. Well done, Dana!

More about the e-learning  challenges: 

The weekly challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. We’ll feature your work and provide feedback if you request it.

Wishing you an educational week, E-Learning Heroes!

Even if you’re using a trial version of Studio ’13 or Storyline, you can absolutely publish your challenge files. Just sign up for a fully functional, free 30-day trial, and have at it. And remember to post your questions and comments in the forums; we're here to help. For more e-learning tips, examples, and downloads, follow us on Twitter.