[DEMO] The Door

Jul 03, 2012

Hello everybody,

Was just messing around and made this demo for fun.  After I finished though, I realized that it seems to created a sense of urgency/suspense - could this technique be used in a course somehow?  If so, what type of course?  

As always, I would love to hear your feedback!

Here's a link to the demo: The Door

I've uploaded the source file below.  This is all on one slide with layers.  I use the technique I originally learned in the beta Storyline Beta forum from Gerry (remember that Xmas card Gerry?) to place a shape off the screen that contains the trigger for the next layer.

Hope you like it.  

Jill 

21 Replies
Jill McNair

So I know that I made this project just for fun, but I was hoping to start a dialog about where/how  to use the techniques that movie/tv directors employ so successfully to get our attention.  What place do these techniques have in the world of elearning?  When does it assist with knowledge transfer and when it just eye candy/decorative?  How do you decide what to include/not include?

For example, I would not use this technique just for the sake of using it, but I could see how something like this could be used in a safety or self-defense course to place the learner in the middle of a real-life situation that they have to resolve.  What about using a less scary, but still urgent scenario in a medical course or a managing conflict course?   

James Brandwood

Hi Gerry,

Loved this!

You could turn an assessment into a game by having the person doing the course answer questions to get clues about how to open the door - perhaps even unlock locks on the door. As the time runs out the footsteps could get louder or screen change colour slightly.

If you wanted to turn a module into story-type activity (Think: SMS Treasure for the Storyline Showcase) where the learner completes different parts of the activity to find answers and when they think they are done clicks on a link that leads to the door. If they have done it all correctly and have collected all the answers they can open the door, if not the guy with the squeaky voice gets them. My wife is a Primary School Teacher and I know this sort of thing would be a hit in her class (especially on an interactive whiteboard), but it might work for adults also.

Gerry Wasiluk

Jill McNair said:

So I know that I made this project just for fun, but I was hoping to start a dialog about where/how  to use the techniques that movie/tv directors employ so successfully to get our attention.  What place do these techniques have in the world of elearning?  When does it assist with knowledge transfer and when it just eye candy/decorative?  How do you decide what to include/not include?

For example, I would not use this technique just for the sake of using it, but I could see how something like this could be used in a safety or self-defense course to place the learner in the middle of a real-life situation that they have to resolve.  What about using a less scary, but still urgent scenario in a medical course or a managing conflict course?   


GREAT question, Jill.  As beta testers know, many times I asked for Ken Burns-like effects.  I think they definitely have a place in e-learning.  Being able to pan or zoom in or out at a speed you set is one way to add emphasis or urgency.

Just look at what Burns does with historical photographs to make history come alive.

You're spot on on not using a technique just to use it but in the hands of good developers, they can make a course come more alive and more engaging and immediate.

Jill McNair

Thanks for the feedback!

@ James - great ideas!

@ Gerry - I remember that thread!  I really hope the next version they knock our socks off with the new animation and text editing effects!  Have you ever figured out a Ken Burns workaround, or are you waiting for a future version of Storyline?

I'll keep looking for inspiration in the entire multimedia universe. 

Gerry Wasiluk

Jill McNair said:

@ Gerry - I remember that thread!  I really hope the next version they knock our socks off with the new animation and text editing effects!  Have you ever figured out a Ken Burns workaround, or are you waiting for a future version of Storyline?

I'll keep looking for inspiration in the entire multimedia universe. 


Not yet, though I've not actually been looking.  I mentioned in another thread that I wanted to do something in Storyline on the Civil War but could not realize in Storyline totally what I want to do. 

I'm between client projects right now and have gone back to working on what I had hoped to finish for the earlier Storyline Guru Awards. Once I finish that, I may re-visit this and maybe look at something like Premiere to do the video effects, but I don't want to produce most of the course in another tool.  I--like you--am hoping for a future version of Storyline to offer more here. 

Belen Casado

@Jill, I was in the train and this demo came to my mind, and I thought it'd be great for:

  • courses about stress management
  • courses about time management

I imagined that you have to solve something quickly or it'll fail or crash or whatever. Then, you can give feedback about how to manage projects with very short deadlines, etc.

Hope it helps!

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