Best of 2023 E-Learning Challenges: Challenge | Recap
Have you ever looked at an e-learning example and asked yourself, "Why didn't I think about that?" Or maybe you've wondered how course designers transform abstract concepts into compelling online learning experiences.
Viewing the work of others is not just inspiring; it's one of the easiest ways to expand your understanding of what's possible in e-learning. While hands-on practice is essential, the real magic often lies in exploring diverse and creative e-learning examples.
As we close out the 2023 E-Learning Challenge season, it's worth noting that mastering e-learning design is as much about seeing the potential in others' work as it is about honing one's skills.
Below are the top e-learning examples that course designers are celebrating as their best work in the 2023 E-Learning Challenges.
Jonathan Hill: Accordion to Legend! #403
For this challenge I wanted to combine the motion and action of an accordion with a game mechanic.
Example | Learn more | Jonathan Hill | Website | @DevByPowerPoint
Back-up favorite and runner-up: Kidnapped
View Jonathan’s back-up favorite and runner-up example
Jodi M. Sansone: Interview with Henri Toulouse-Lautrec #416
Did I have fun creating the demo? Did I learn something new I wouldn't have learned if it were not for the challenges? And do I still feel good when I look back at it? That's how I sorted out my favorite(s).
My favorite demo from this year was #416 where I created an imaginary interview with Toulouse-Lautrec using AI content generation, AI voices and a famous photo of the artist.
Example | Jodi M. Sansone | Website | @jodimsansone
Back-up favorite: Tilly the Scottish Terrier #420
My back-up favorite is #420 because I learned about the new video transcript feature, using a video on a Scottish Terrier rescue organization. I don't think I would have tried it were it not for the challenges.
Example | Jodi M. Sansone | Website | @jodimsansone
Samuel Apata: The Horizon
This example ended up being my favorite for a couple of reasons. I naturally gravitate towards space themes. Also, it was around when I started exploring accessibility (Thanks, Yvonne!). I wanted to show how interactions can be tailored for different audiences. I most likely spent 5 hours making this demo between conception, build and iteration.
Example | Samuel Apata | Website | @afrostem
Nicole Boswell: Gronola Girl Fashion
Here’s why this one was my favorite:
- That drag and drop on the challenge round made me almost scream. It was VERY hard to figure out how to get that calculation to work, and I figured it out! I'm so proud I found a solution. I grin every time I play with it.
- This project has a line in it that I named "THE LINE OF DOOM". It helped me get the calculations in the challenge round working.
- This was the project where I FINALLY learned how to make realistic people in Midjourney. The images of women are all AI generated.
- This was my first project I ever contributed to this community.
Example | Nicole Boswell | Website
Jayashree Ravi: ChronoQuest: The Time Traveler's Escape #432
"ChronoQuest: The Time Traveler's Escape" is a unique eLearning module that combines historical exploration with interactive puzzles. Uncover the secrets of ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and space exploration as you navigate through time.
This one was a game-changer for me. This project opened doors (literally!) to craft engaging escape room courses with Storyline. Thanks to this challenge, I jumped into this cool storytelling style sooner than I thought. Super grateful for the inspiration!
Example | Learn more & download | Jayashree Ravi
Aaron McCray: The Nicest Guys in Detroit
This was a particularly hard challenge as while Storyline is not made for "games"; it can still be utilized for it with a lot of creativity and workarounds. And there had to be workarounds a-plenty! Images randomly switching for no apparent reason, states breaking, things getting clunky as file sizes increase, etc. But, where there's a will, there's a way, and each obstacle has a solution!
If you don't get too bored with all of the text early on and continue to where things get more varied, you'll see how all kinds of things in the background had to be utilized in various ways and interact with each other. There are branching paths, a leveling system, an inventory, stat gains, etc. all managed with a ton of variables activated all over the place. Just keeping everything managed was a huge challenge in itself!
Ange CM: Driving Emergencies
I rarely use timers so this was a good opportunity to experiment. I incorporated looping motion paths (which I had rarely used), number variables, sound effects, animation entry/exit, and a quiz. If I did it again I would work on visual consistency and font choice, and use the new background audio function. I did change a couple of visuals in this version. To actually build the story it took me a few hours, but to source images and audio, research information, and decide how to present it visually...hours+
The goal: communicate that driving is more than just driving. To that end, I decided to make the quiz an engaging non-quiz of sorts and add a results slide to double-down on the message. All in all it was a fun experiment and I learned a thing or two!
Laura Hansen: Sunday Scaries #425
My favorite challenge this year was the journaling challenge. It made me brainstorm using those freeform text boxes in a new way and reminded me that a relatively simple design could still pack a punch. I tweaked it slightly and was able to use it as part of a stress management course I facilitated.
Richard Mulcahy: Office Safety Challenges #437
I created a 3D office environment where you select the office hazards.
Chris Hodgson: Generate Your Own Text-Based Storyline Adventure #416
This year I have very much enjoyed any opportunity to explore what's possible when combining Articulate Storyline 360 development with the OpenAI platform.
My 'Generate Your Own Text-Based Storyline Adventure' project for ELH 416 is my favorite of all, as this was my first attempt at using both the Create Chat Completions API and Create Image API synchronously to generate everything shown on screen completely dynamic to the player.
Not even a year has passed since creating this entry and already so much has evolved in the generative AI space, so to see out 2023 I've spent some time upgrading my original project to use the latest models, including Dall-E 3, to generate stunningly detailed illustrations that visualize every story.
Example | Chris Hodgson | Website | @skriss
Yhordy Arevalo
I share with you a course I took on 5s in Spanish, the challenge was to make a kind of monopoly board of 5 sides in 3d and simulate going through it to unlock the content, the software I used in addition to Storyline were Blender 3d and After Effects.
Courtney Roberts: Home Inspections Revised #422
This was a hard decision, but after some deliberation with friends, I've settled on my submission for challenge #422 Using Isometric Shapes in E-Learning as my favorite of the year.
I particularly like this one because I set out to pay special attention to the accessibility for screen readers. I learned a lot about focus order and accessibility text when creating this one. Plus it's like a little digital dollhouse, which is always super fun!
Kate Golomshtok: What You might not Know about Pirates #436
My favorite challenge this year was challenge #436. I tried to dive deeper into the new opportunities of Rise. My goal was to explore the Rise update in more detail, apply AI, and experiment with design. Specifically, I tried:
- Implementing a solid dark background for all blocks. This allowed me to achieve the following effect: the divider-button has no background and appears as clickable text. For the timeline blocks, I used wave photos with a smooth transition to the main color, so that the separate blocks look like one.
- Adding an animated map. This is a gif created in Adobe After Effects.
- Using Ai for text and image generation.
It was a creative experiment, and I understand that I can use some of these ideas in other projects.
Example | Kate Golomshtok | Website
Russell Sweep: Bartender ID Project
It was a productive 2023 with me learning the Articulate suite, building my portfolio, starting contract work, and eventually landing my first full time job as a content developer. I owe a lot of these achievements to this community and the friends i've made along the way :)
This is a bartending demo training on how to check IDs before serving alcohol. It utilized branching scenarios, multimedia, and assessments. Sharing it with my community and asking for feedback taught me how helpful everyone is and really assisted me in fine tuning the project. Thanks again for all who gave me their advice and time!
Example | Russell Sweep | Website
Valerie Thompson: Dice Game Quiz - Using AI in the Workplace #441
I'm sharing my late addition to #441, which is course customization using variables. I built the skeleton of this game a while ago and it's a stretch for me, and I'm pleased that I got it across the finish line and was recently able to update it. I want to give credit for the design of this dice game to Joanna Kurpiewska and Belvista Studios.
Hilla Schlegel: 5 Steps to Develop Effective Training Courses #401
Making this decision was quite a task. I weighed the options between more recent projects and those that have captured my attention for an extended period. In the end, I settled on #401, a bit of a classic :), because I believe it holds potential. I see it embodying qualities crucial for a robust e-learning experience – captivating visuals, an immersive approach, and encouragement for learner participation.
I've put in dedicated efforts to enhance accessibility, and the technology used, incorporating videos behind cutout letters and acronyms as tabs, is versatile and adaptable to various projects. To boost its usefulness, a job aid has been integrated into the original #401 project. I truly hope you find it enjoyable.
Share Your Favorite 2023 Challenge Example
If you created and shared one or more examples in one of the 45 challenges this year, you qualify for this week's recap challenge. Share the example you like best or learned the most from building. I'll update the recap to feature your work.
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