An Audio-Enabled Reading Exercise For Young Readers, Combining Storyline 2 Features (Source File Included)

Storyline 2 is well equipped to handle a number of complex interactions seamlessly. Clearly naming your objects and layers makes it much easier to manage complexity. This particular example uses dozens of layers. This working example is designed for very young learners when they start reading; clicking on a glowing button allows them to get immediate audio feedback... to continue. (Educators may recognize that this particular content is based on the "-at" family" of words related to "phonemic awareness".)

You can view this demo by clicking on the image or on this link: http://beutnermedia.com/story/15K23/story.html

Again, this is an example of managed complexity. A great deal of content can be developed and integrated on one screen with buttons, sliders, layers, and audio. Most of the interactions are "rollovers". Intentionally, this example uses a single mp3 audio file and an image file as a placeholder for content; you can substitute the placeholder with your own original content using this "template". This approach makes it possible, by substitution, to use mp3 audio files or images of your choice quickly and easily.  So, you might want to consider this as a "production format" file. You should spend about 90% of your production time developing a template (storyboarding, instructional design, and iterations) and then use the remaining 10% of your time modifying that template with your own original content.

Intentionally, there are no instructions. While it sounds counterintuitive, for an audience of very young learners, instructions are NOT needed. As long as "something happens" consistently when they move or click the mouse, young children will figure it out.

We intend to use this same format for a considerable amount of related educational content covering a variety of phonemic awareness excercises based on other "word families". To be explicit, we want very young readers to get accustomed to text, immediately, with audio feedback as a "scaffold" to continue reading. The primary goal is to eliminate a reason to give up. We intend to create related non-digital content (PDF files as handouts) that are based on this content, ready for instruction for an elementary school curriculum. The primary goal is for young readers to be able to "read on their own"... through immediate feedback scaffolding.

The design is sparse with little distraction. Nearly all of the objects can be clicked for an audio response. With no instructions and a minimum of prompting, young readers can use this to read on their own. This content would be appropriate in a structured school curriculum, too.

Even if you are a beginner to Storyline 2, just know that this production tool can "make projects happen rapidly"; this should instill confidence and enthusiasm that you can, indeed, create engaging content. 

You are welcome to modify the source file.

Demo:    http://beutnermedia.com/story/15K23/story.html
Storyline 2 Source File:   http://beutnermedia.com/story/15K23/Source/15K23b.story

 

Mike Beutner
Faculty Webpage:   http://ulm.edu/~beutner/index.html