Using Interactive Audio to Enhance Learning & Engagement #405
Interactive Audio in E-Learning #405: Challenge | Recap Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to create an example that shows how interactive audio can be used in e-learning. You're welcome to reshare an example, rework an example, or create something new this week. To help you get started, I've highlighted some examples from previous audio challenges. Audio Interviews The voices of experts, specialists, and employees performing tasks can lend credibility and authenticity to your course. For example, audio interviews or interactive podcasts can be used to provide learners with a first-hand account of a topic or to hear from an expert in a particular field. Common formats include case studies, best practices, expert advice, FAQs, and more. View the example from Jonathan Hill Audio Quizzes Interactive audio quizzes ask learners to listen to audio clips and answer questions related to the content. Designers can use audio quizzes to teach vocabulary, music, language, listening comprehension, and more. View the example from Jackie Van Nice Natural Sound Effects Sounds from the location or place where the real-world performance takes place can complement ambient sounds and draw learners' focus and attention. Natural sounds can be used to enhance and reinforce what learners see on the screen. View the example from Richard Hill Interactive Soundboards Audio soundboards are a fun way to engage learners and provide an interactive experience. Soundboards can be used to teach vocabulary, listening comprehension, FAQs, language learning, and more. View the example | Download the source Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to link your published example and blog post. Forums: Start a new thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We'll link to your posts so your great work gets even more exposure. Social media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can follow your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you sound off on this week’s challenge, check out the creative ways Google Doodles can inspire your e-learning activities: Google Doodle E-Learning Examples RECAP #404: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. Next Week’s Challenge & Webinar I'm hosting a webinar next week on using audio in Storyline 360. I'll reference this week's challenge in the session and share your examples in the session. Next week's challenge (2/24/23): Circular Menu Navigation #406. See challenge #189 to learn more about this challenge topic. Upcoming webinar (2/21/23): Deconstruct an Animated Menu with Motion Paths. Got an idea for a challenge? Are you interested in doing a webinar showcasing how you made one or more challenge demos? Or do you have some comments for your humble challenge host? Use this anonymous form to share your feedback: https://bit.ly/ElearningChallengeForm.Using Google Doodles to Inspire E-Learning Activities #404
Using Doodles to Inspire E-Learning Design #404: Challenge | Recap Google Doodles are decorative changes made to the Google logo to celebrate a wide range of historical events and achievements. Doodles are a lot like e-learning courses. They can be static, illustrated, animated, gamified, or interactive. Doodles are a playful way to teach history, culture, and science. For course designers, they’re a great way to practice e-learning. And that’s what this week’s challenge is all about! Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to create an example using Google Doodles as your source of inspiration. Your entry can be illustrated, animated, or interactive. Here are a few ideas to help you get started: Use as a starting point: Pick one or more Doodle elements, such as colors, themes, or illustrations, and use them in your own design. Create your own Doodle: Pick an event or holiday and design your own Google Doodle based on it. Make a static Doodle interactive: Use a static Doodle as a starting point and make it interactive. Recreate a Doodle animation: Practice animation by recreating one or more Doodle animations. Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We'll link back to your posts, so the great work you're sharing gets even more exposure. Social Media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. Using Accordion Interactions in E-Learning RECAP #403: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. Next Week’s Challenge & Webinar I'm hosting a webinar next week on using audio in Storyline 360. I'll reference this week's challenge in the session and share your examples in the session. Next week's challenge (2/17/23): Using Interactive Audio in E-Learning #405. Topics can include soundboards, language learning, podcast interviews, narrated slideshows, and more. Upcoming webinar (2/14/23): Using Audio in Storyline 360 Got an idea for a challenge? Are you interested in doing a webinar showcasing how you made one or more challenge demos? Or do you have some comments for your humble challenge host? Use this anonymous form to share your feedback: https://bit.ly/ElearningChallengeForm.Using Interactive Audio Soundboards in E-Learning #317
Interactive Audio Soundboards for Learning #317: Challenge | Recap If you've spent any time online, I'm sure you've come across a few celebrity soundboards. Soundboards have been around for quite a few years, and they're nothing more than a series of interactive audio clips triggered by pressing buttons. Soundboards usually feature funny quotes, one-liners, or catchphrases from pop culture and celebrities. This Napoleon Dynamite soundboard is a typical example: Napoleon Dynamite soundboard Soundboards for Learning As much fun as soundboards are to play with and create; they also offer course designers a creative way to incorporate expert voices into their e-learning courses. One of my favorite soundboard examples is the Perspectives on Haiti's Earthquake package by the New York Times. Unfortunately, the project is no longer available (RIP Flash Player), but it was a fantastic example of audio soundboards for learning. Here's a simple version of the project I built using Storyline's text-to-speech as audio placeholders. Using wipe animations, I created audio progress indicators that synced with the narration. View the project | Download the source The Voice of Experts Lends Authenticity The voices of experts, specialists, and employees performing tasks can lend credibility and authenticity to your course. Rather than using your SMEs for their content expertise, use them for their authentic voices. Let your SMEs drive the storytelling in your soundboards. Here’s a design concept for a compliance soundboard: Reducing Bullet Points with Audio Sound Bites Are you looking to reduce on-screen text and bullet points? Soundboards are another presentation strategy for lists, FAQs, best practices, and expert tips. Here's another design mockup as an example: Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to share an example that demonstrates how interactive audio soundboards can be used in e-learning. Learning Soundboard Ideas: Here are a few soundboard ideas to help you get started. Sales and marketing: Seek out salespeople who always exceed expectations. Curate their wisdom into interactive audio sound bites. Instructional design quotes: Create a learning soundboard for your industry by interviewing experts in your industry. FAQs: Convert an FAQ slide into interactive sound bites using one or more speakers. Customers: Create a customer-focused soundboard where you ask customers what they think about your company or services. Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example.. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure. Twitter: If you share your demos on Twitter, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you sound off on this week’s challenge, check out the creative lightbox slide examples your fellow challengers shared over the past week: Using Lightbox Slides in E-Learning #316: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos.Using Video Backgrounds in E-Learning #329
Video Backgrounds in E-Learning #329: Challenge | Recap Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to show one or more ways course designers can use video backgrounds in e-learning courses. You don’t need to build an entire course or demo this week. We’re only looking for single-slide examples that show background video or animation. Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure. Social Media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you dive into this week's challenge, check out the creative ways course designers are using drop-down menus in e-learning: Drop-Down Menus in E-Learning RECAP #328: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos.Using Cinemagraphs and Video Backgrounds in E-Learning #428
Cinemagraph & Looping Videos in E-Learning #428: Challenge | Recap Using subtle, looping motion in your course can effectively add an extra layer of visual interest to the typical slide background. The key is finding the right balance in motion, pacing, and composition. And that's what this week's e-learning challenge is all about. Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to show how cinemagraphs or looping background videos can be used in e-learning. To help you get started, check out some ways motion backgrounds can be used in e-learning. Cinemagraphs Cinemagraphs are a creative way to animate isolated parts of an image. Unlike videos, cinemagraphs are more like static photos that include a small area of the looping animation. This approach works well for e-learning because it reduces the amount of on-slide animation that helps create depth and richness. Amazing Cinemagraphs from Around the Web Video Backgrounds in E-Learning Slide backgrounds are one of the easiest ways to create a sense of place and location in your course designs. Because backgrounds are the most significant on-slide element, they help set the context for your learning content more than any other object. So how can you improve on the perfect background? Try using full-screen videos as slide backgrounds. Companies like Wistia creatively use video backgrounds to engage their visitors the moment the page loads. View Wistia’s video backgrounds Natural environments, like offices, factories, classrooms, and other workspaces, help create a sense of authenticity. Like still photographs, videos can also add a sense of location and context to your slides. View an example of a video background in e-learning Resources 6 Types of Video You Can Include in E-Learning 4 Ways to Use Videos in E-Learning 3 Steps to Using Cue Points to Pause a Video and Display Layers Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to link your published example and blog post. Forums: Start a new thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We'll link to your posts so your great work gets even more exposure. Social media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can follow your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you get started on this week’s challenge, check out the practical ways plain language can make complex information easier to read: Plain Language Examples RECAP #427: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. Got an idea for a challenge? Are you interested in doing a webinar showcasing how you made one or more challenge demos? Or do you have some comments for your humble challenge host? Use this anonymous form to share your feedback: https://bit.ly/ElearningChallengeForm.E-Learning Podcasts: Audio Interviews with Course Designers #266
Podcast Interviews with E-Learning Designers #266: Challenge | Recap Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to record your answers to the following 10 interview questions: Podcast Interview Questions: Tell us a little about yourself and the types of e-learning projects you most enjoy. How did you become an e-learning or instructional designer? What are the essentials of good e-learning design? Tell me about your most successful e-learning project. What are the most important criteria in evaluating e-learning? What are some common mistakes new course designers make and how can they avoid them? How is designing mobile learning different than designing for the desktop? How do you evaluate whether your course was effective? How do you keep up your skills and stay current in the industry? What is the future of e-learning? Recording and Sharing Your Podcasts Formats: Save each audio clip as its own file. Use a naming convention that makes it easy to identify each audio file with the corresponding question. You can use numbers or any format that works best for you. Recommendation: Rise 360 is a fantastic way to embed your audio recordings and add some additional media or information to support your podcast. SoundCloud was the tool of choice in our last challenge. You can set up a free account where you can post your clips. YouTube is another good option for uploading audio files that can be combined into a playlist. Extra credit: After recording your audio clips, post a summary of your answers on your own blog or in the forums. Bonus Feeling ambitious this week? Try doing a video podcast. You can cross-post in the webcam video challenge (#256) and knock out two challenges this week. If you record a video podcast, please post the audio-only version for this week’s challenge. New Entries Only We hosted our first audio podcast several years ago and that one is still one of my favorites. If you shared in challenge #39, please re-record your answers for this week’s challenge. Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example.. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure. Twitter: If you share your demos on Twitter, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you sound off in this week’s podcast challenge, check out the fantastic collection of tooltip examples your fellow challengers shared over the past week: Tooltips as Microinteractions in E-Learning #265: Challenge | Recap Wishing you a great week, E-Learning Heroes! New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos.How Can Designers Use Interactive Videos in E-Learning? #414
Interactive Video in E-Learning #414: Challenge | Recap Using videos in e-learning is an excellent way to grab learners' attention and develop engaging and relevant e-learning content. Incorporating interactive elements such as cue points, hotspots, buttons, and markers into videos allows you to elevate typical e-learning quizzes or scenarios into more engaging interactions for learners. And that's what this week's challenge is all about! Here are a few examples to give you an idea of what’s possible. Video Interview with Branching Quiz Questions This is one of my favorites. Amar first shared this example in the video interview challenge. I really like how this project alternates between presentation and quizzing modes. View the interactive video quiz Video as Answer Choices I like how Nick uses looping video clips as answer choices in the video quiz example. This approach is great for moving from static, text, and image quizzes to video-based assessments. View the video choices example Video Interviews Here's an older video interview I recorded with my daughter. I used an iPhone 5 to capture the audio and video and some background paper from Savage. The original idea was to make the pink paper fill the entire background, but my kid moved around so much that I had to cover part of the background. View the video interview example Videos to Show Progress in Quizzes Here’s a different take on using video in quizzes. In this example, Jonathan uses background video to show learner progress. Answer the question correctly, and you’ll see an upward-moving video taking you to the next floor. Conversely, answer the question incorrectly, and the video shows you moving down to the bottom, where you can try again. Brilliant. View the video background quiz example Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to share examples that show how interactive video can be used in e-learning. You can reshare a previous example or build something new this week. Related Challenges We’ve hosted several interactive video challenges over the years. Below you’ll find some recent challenges and recaps to help you get started. Cloning Yourself in E-Learning Video #289: Challenge | Recap Interactive Video Quizzes in E-Learning #258: Challenge | Recap Interactive Video Quizzes in E-Learning #157: Challenge | Recap Video Interviews in E-Learning #94: Challenge | Recap Resources Webinar: Create Interactive Video Quizzes with Storyline 360 How to Create Interactive Video Quizzes in E-Learning Interactive Video Made Easy Convert Your Bullet Points to Interactive E-Learning with Video Create Interactive Videos with These Storyline 360 Features Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to link your published example and blog post. Forums: Start a new thread and share a link to your published example. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We'll link to your posts so your great work gets even more exposure. Social media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can follow your e-learning coolness. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you interact with this week’s challenge, check out the enlightening ways course designers use lightbox slides to provide performance support to learners: Using Lightbox Slides in E-Learning #413: Challenge | Recap New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. Got an idea for a challenge? Are you interested in doing a webinar showcasing how you made one or more challenge demos? Or do you have some comments for your humble challenge host? Use this anonymous form to share your feedback: https://bit.ly/ElearningChallengeForm.E-Learning Podcasts: Audio Interviews with Course Designers #364
Audio Interviews with E-Learning Designers #364: Challenge | Recap Challenge of the Week This week, your challenge is to record your answers to the following 10 interview questions: Podcast Interview Questions: Who are you, and how did you get into e-learning? What did you do before e-learning? What is your design process, and how do you approach new projects? How do you work with subject matter experts? What advice would you offer to designers just getting started? What is your favorite part about designing e-learning? What do you like least? What do you think about storyboards? Do you use them? Do you avoid them? What is it you like or dislike about using storyboards? How do you solicit and incorporate client feedback? Have you ever pushed back on clients or SMEs? How did it work out? What do e-learning designers need to know about designing accessible courses? How do you measure a project's success? What would you like to learn in 2022 to help grow as a course designer? What's one thing you can tell us to get to know you better? Recording and Sharing Your Interviews You can use any tool or platform you like to host your audio clips. Check out the audio interview challenge from 2020 to get an idea of the many ways you can present and deliver your interview. Recommendation: After recording your audio clips, post a summary of your answers on your own blog or in the forums. Related Challenges Education Podcasts in E-Learning (#39): Challenge | Recap Podcast Interviews with E-Learning Designers #266: Challenge | Recap Share Your E-Learning Work Comments: Use the comments section below to share a link to your published example and blog post. Forums: Start your own thread and share a link to your published example.. Personal blog: If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure. Social Media: If you share your demos on Twitter or LinkedIn, try using #ELHChallenge or #ElearningChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. New to the E-Learning Challenges? The weekly e-learning 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. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. Learn more about the challenges in this Q&A post and why and how to participate in this helpful article. Last Week’s Challenge: Before you sound off in this week’s podcast challenge, check out the custom results slides your fellow challengers shared over the past week: Quiz Results Slides in E-Learning RECAP #363: Challenge | Recap
