E-Learning Challenges - Complete List
The weekly e-learning challengesare ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of theprevious challengesanytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos. 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.If you share your demos on Twitter, try using#ELHChallengeso your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness. View a condensed list of the challenges How Do You Show Conversations in E-Learning? #105 This week your challenge is to show how dialogue can be shown in e-learning courses. You can focus on talking, texting, instant messaging, video chats, or any other form of communication. Build and Promote Your E-Learning Voice Over Portfolios #104 This week your challenge is to pull together a simple voice over portfolio for e-learning. Never mind the fact you’re not interested in becoming a professional narrator. The goal for this week’s challenge is to practice recording different styles of narration for e-learning. If you pick up some additional work along the way, that’s a bonus. E-Learning Voice Over Portfolios #104:Challenge|Recap Create an Infographic: What Do You Love and Hate About E-Learning #103 This week, your challenge is to create an interactive graphic using the data from theWhat People Love & Hate About E-Learninginfographic.You don't need to rebuild the entire infographic. Just find one or two sections you like and redesign those as an interaction. Love and Hate E-Learning Infographic#103:Challenge|Recap Gamify an E-Learning Course #102 Gamify an E-Learning Course #102: Challenge|Recap Before and After: Showing Visual Comparisons in E-Learning #100 This week, your challenge is to create an interaction to visually compare two images.You can use any technique you like to compare images. As much as we’d like to see real-world examples, this week’s challenge is more about the interactive ways course designers can create interactive comparisons. Show us anything you like! Before and After Visual Comparisons #100:Challenge|Recap How Are You Using Branching Scenarios in E-Learning? #99 This week, your challenge is to share one or more branching scenario examples. Your entry can be as simple or complex as you like. Branching Scenarios in E-Learning #99:Challenge|Recap E-Learning Buzzword Bingo Games #98 This week, your challenge is to create an e-learning buzzword bingo card or interaction. Your bingo card doesn’t need to be interactive — static is totally fine if you’d rather work on your graphics skills this week. Just share your bingo card in .pdf format so others can print and play. E-Learning Buzzword Bingo #98:Challenge|Recap Toggle, Switch, and Slide Your Way to More Creative E-Learning Buttons #97 This week, your challenge is to show one or more creative ways to use toggle buttons and switches in e-learning. Toggle, Switch, and Slider Buttons #97:Challenge|Recap Celebrating 2 Years of E-Learning Challenges This week your challenge is to catch up on at least one challenge you’ve missed. I’ll recap your entry in the original challenge recap as well as next week’s recap. Having a random selection of challenge entries should make for an interesting recap. 2 Years of E-Learning Challenges:Challenge|Recap Get Schooled by These Stellar K12 E-Learning Examples #96 This week, your challenge is to design an education-themed template or interaction. You can focus on any type of academic environment you like. Education Templates for E-Learning: Challenge|Recap Using Video Backgrounds to Visually Engage Learners #95 This week, your challenge is to show one or more ways video backgrounds can be used in e-learning courses. Video Backgrounds in E-Learning#95:Challenge|Recap Video Interviews: Creating Interactive Experiences in E-Learning #94 This week, your challenge is to create an interactive video interview. Video Interviews in E-Learning#94:Challenge|Recap Grabbing Attention and Motivating Learners in E-Learning #93 This week your challenge is to show one or more examples of how you grab attention and motivate learners. Gaining Attention in E-Learning #93:Challenge|Recap Guided Tours and Course Navigation Instructions in E-Learning #92 This week your challenge is to design a guided tour for an e-learning course, website, app, or digital product. Course Navigation Instructions #92:Challenge|Recap Get to Know Your E-Learning Community with Two Truths and a Lie #91 This week your challenge is to create a playful interaction using theTwo Truths and a Lieicebreaker game. You can build anything you like this week. Engage Your Learners with Interactive Conversations #90 This week your challenge is to create an example based on the interactive conversation model. Interactive Conversations #90:Challenge|Recap Creative Button Styles and Effects in E-Learning #89 This week, your challenge is to have fun with buttons! Play with different shapes, styles, and effects to show how you can use buttons creatively in e-learning. Be sure to include the Normal, Hover, and Selected states in your work. Creative Button Effects #89:Challenge|Recap Interactive Audio: Using Soundboards in E-Learning Courses #88 This week your challenge is to create an interactive soundboard.This week’s challenge is mostly a technical challenge so you can choose any topic and design style you like. Interactive Audio in E-Learning #88:Challenge|Recap Take Your E-Learning on a Summer Fakecation #87 E-Learning Fakecation #87:Challenge|Recap Interactive Maps in Online Training #86 This week your challenge is to show us where you live by creating an interactive map of your town or city. You can use any combination of photos, audio, and video to create your interactive map. Challenge|Recap Wireframes and Functional Prototypes in E-Learning #85 This week, your challenge is to build a functional prototype using theOSHA Fall PreventionPowerPoint slides. Challenge|Recap Using Image Sliders and Photo Galleries in Online Courses #84 This week your challenge is to show and share an image slider for e-learning. You can focus on any style or layout you like. Just show us what you can do with image sliders! Challenge|Recap E-Learning Reaction GIFs for Visual Storytelling #83 This week your challenge is to share a collection of reaction gifs for any e-learning topic you like. Challenge|Recap Show Us How You Create Online Courses #82 Challenge| Recap Show Us Your Best Ergonomics Training #81 This week, your challenge is to share an e-learning example for ergonomics training. You’re not limited to workplace-related topics so feel free to take on any form of ergonomics training you’d like. Challenge|Recap Can You Pass an Eighth-Grade Science Test? #80 This week your challenge is to design a learning interaction for a science topic. You can design a makeover for theBullitt County science quizor come up with something that interests you. Just keep the focus on science and you can do whatever you want. Challenge|Recap Show Us Your Custom Navigation Menus for E-Learning #79 This week, your challenge is to create a custom menu example for an e-learning course and share your favorite UI design tip for building custom navigation menus. E-Learning Challenge #79:Challenge|Recap E-Learning Icons: Show and Share Your Favorite Styles #78 This week your challenge is to create a set of icons, buttons, or stickers to share with the e-learning community. E-Learning Challenge#78:Challenge|Recap Get Your Emoji On with These E-Learning Examples #77 This week your challenges is to design a quiz or activity using emoji. You can work entirely in emoji or combine words and letters to create your projects. It’s up to you. E-Learning Challenge#77:Challenge|Recap Here's How Course Designers Use Animations in E-Learning #76 This week your challenge is to share one or morepractical examples ofeducational animations. E-Learning ChallengeRecap#76:Challenge|Recap E-Learning Games to Improve Punctuation and Grammar #75 This week your challenge is to design a learning interaction that teaches one or more concepts around punctuation. Challenge|Recap Using Toys for Storytelling in E-Learning #74 This week your challenge is to design a short interaction using toys as your primary characters.You can combine toys with photographs, illustrations, or hand-crafted scenes and backgrounds. Challenge|Recap Design a Cover Slide for the Oddest E-Learning Course Title of the Year #73 Silly book titles not only make for fun awards, they also give course designers an opportunity to practice their design, typography, and layout skills. And that’s what this week’s challenge is all about! Challenge|Recap Build and Share Your Own E-Learning Image Library #72 This week your challenge is tocreate a small set of e-learning imagesto share with fellow course designers. You can share images of people, places, objects, or anything you think will be useful. Challenge|Recap Teaching Math Concepts with E-Learning #71 This week your challenge is to design a short lesson to teach one or more math concepts. Challenge|Recap Sweets for the Sweet: Share An E-Learning Valentine #70 This week your challenge is to design an interactive graphic, demo, or activity that features a Valentine’s Day theme. Challenge|Recap Give Your E-Learning Skills a Checkup With This Medical Template Challenge #69 This week your challenge is to build an e-learninggame, presentation, or interactionfor a medical topic or concept. You can pick any area of healthcare you like but the focus should be around the medical industry. Challenge|Recap Champion Tips for Designing Football Training #68 This week your challenge is to design a learning interaction to teach one or more football concepts. Challenge|Recap Podcast: How Do Instructional Designers Get Things Done? #67 Challenge|Recap Creative Invoice Designs for Course Designers #66 This week your challenge is to create or share a creative invoice example or template. You can share something you’re already using or mock up a creative design for your entry. Challenge|Recap E-Learning Makeovers: Designing A Unified Template #65 This week your challenge is to findthree different templatesand combine them into a single template with a unified design. You don’t need to use real content in your final template design—the current placeholder content will work fine. Challenge|Recap How Can You Present Data Using Interactive Charts and Graphs? #64 This week your challenge is to show how interactive charts and graphs can be used in online training. Challenge|Recap What Can You Do with Pantone’s Color of the Year? #63 This week your challenge is todesign an e-learning template or interaction using Marsalaas the primarycolor. E-Learning Challenge #63:Challenge|Recap How to Survive the Holidays #62 This week your challenge is to help your fellow community members survive the holidays. You can create anything you like this week. Want to keep things simple? Create atypography poster. Want to take things up a notch? The sky’s the limit. E-Learning Challenge #62:Challenge|Recap Freelance Tips for E-Learning Designers #61 This week your challenge is to design a poster around yourfavorite freelancing tipfor coursedesigners. Challenge|Recap Using Progress Meters in E-Learning #60 This week your challenge is to show how progress indicators can be used in e-learning. Challenge|Recap E-Learning Games for Kids #59 This week your challenge is to build a simple e-learning game for kids. Challenge|Recap Digital Magazines and Interactive E-Learning #58 This week your challenge is to design a digital learning magazine. Challenge|Recap Preventing Workplace Violence: E-Learning Scenarios #57 This week your challenge is to show scenario examples designed to prevent or address workplace violence. Challenge|Recap 10 Things Instructional Designers Don’t Like to Hear #56 This week your challenge is to design an infographic, poster, or a simple list of the top 10 things instructional designers don’t like to hear. And then share your ideas for how to best reply to each. Challenge|Recap How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse #55 This week your challenge is to design a training interaction, job aid, or mini-course to help learners prepare for and survive the Zombie Apocalypse. Challenge|Recap Rapid Response Training: Ebola Outbreak #54 This week your challenge is to design a learning interaction around the Ebola outbreak. You don’t have to create a full course on the Ebola virus. Instead, focus on something short and quick to address one area of the virus. Challenge|Recap DIY E-Learning Characters #53 This week your challenge is to create your own pictogram characters for a specific industry or learning topic. Challenge|Recap Interactive Sliders in E-Learning #52 This week your challenge is to show creative ways to use sliders in online learning. You can focus your slider on functionality or visual design. Challenge|Recap Font Games, Quizzes, and Examples #51 This week your challenge is to create an interaction that teaches one or more basic principles of typography. This is a slightly bigger challenge than usual because it requires some content and interaction design. Challenge|Recap Flat Design Graphics and Examples #50 This week your challenge is to design an office or desktop theme based on your own workplace environment. Design as many objects as you like. For variety, try adding both top and front views of your workspace. Challenge|Recap Webcam Video in E-Learning #49 This week your challenge is to create awebcam videoto introduce yourself and the types of e-learning projects you enjoy most. Challenge |Recap Storyboard Templates for E-Learning #48 This week your challenge is to share an example of your preferred e-learning storyboard, blueprint, or scripting template. We want to seewhatyou use and learnhowyou use it! Challenge| Recap Call Center Training in Online Learning #47 This week your challenge is to design a call center interaction. You can choose any area of call center training you like. Don’t worry about scripting out a detailed or authentic storyboard. Prototypes, unfinished interactions, and even sketches are perfectly acceptable. Challenge|Recap Show Us Your E-Learning Portfolio #46 This week’s challenge is all about youre-learning portfolios. We already know you do awesome work, and we want to help others find your awesome work. Challenge|Recap Recording Audio in Online Training #45 This week, your challenge is toshare your audio recording deetswith the community. We want to know all about your audio recording: your best practices, your gear, your processes, even your quirks and tricks that give your audio that special something. Challenge|Recap Virtual Tours in Online Training #44 This week, your challenge is to design a virtual tour of a real or fictional location. You can use any photos, illustrations, audio, and video you like to create your tour. Challenge|Recap Interactive Org Charts and Meet the Team #43 This week, your challenge is to design an interactive graphic to introduce an organization’s team members or key players.You can focus on corporate teams, sports teams, or something more playful likecomic book characters. Challenge|Recap Smartphone Video Training #42 This week, your challenge is torecord, edit, and publisha training video using your smartphone.Choose a topic that allows you to record multiple videos for your project. The focus on this challenge is as much about editing as it is recording. Challenge|Recap Low-Tech, High-Speed Course Design #41 This week, your challenge is to create an emergency-response course usingpen and paper. Challenge|Recap Instructional Design Quizzes #40 This week your challenge is to create a quiz that tests learners on an instructional design principle, model, researcher, or theorist. Challenge| Recap Podcasts for Learning #39 This week your challenge is torecord your answers to the following 10 interview questions. Challenge|Recap Steal This E-Learning Template#38 This week your challenge is to repurpose theCreate Your Own Quest templateinto something of your own. Challenge|Recap Spelling Bees and Interactive Vocabulary Quizzes#37 This week your challenge is to build an interactive vocabulary quiz. You can focus your interaction on spelling, pronunciation, comprehension, or anything else. Challenge|Recap Interactive Step Graphics in Online Training#36 This week your challenge is to build a step graphic to tell a story or communicate a process. Choose any topic you like and see if you can find creative ways to present the step graphic navigation. Challenge| Recap What’s In Your Course Design Toolkit?#35 This week your challenge is to share your favorite, free tools that make your course design easier. Challenge| Recap Instructional Design Learning Activities#34 This week your challenge is to create aninteraction 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. Challenge|Recap Fix Your E-Learning Mistakes#33 This week your challenge is to give your slides a proper makeover. Assume the bad slide designs were given to you by your client and that it’s your job to make them right. Challenge| Recap Death, Taxes, and E-Learning Mistakes#32 This week, your challenge is to design one or more slides featuring common course mistakes. Yes, mistakes. Unleash those pet peeves and visual nightmares. Don’t hold back. Amplify the mistakes. Let us feel the pain of bad e-learning. Challenge| Recap Creative Resume Templates for E-Learning Portfolios#31 This week, your challenge is to design an interactive resume or portfolioshowcasing your e-learning work. You can show all your work or highlight only a couple of your favorite projects. Challenge| Recap What Do E-Learning Designers Really Do?#30 This week, your challenge is todesign a visual chartusing the “What People Think I Do / What I really Do” meme. You can choose any job role you like: instructional designer, course designer, Super Hero, or any other title that interests you. Challenge| Recap Summary and Resource Slides in Online Courses#29 This week, your challenge is to design an e-learning conclusion or summary slide.You can focus your entry on instructions for closing the course, job aids to support the course, or even additional resources for learners to continue learning. This week’s challenge is all about design ideas for presenting summary slides and resources. You don’t need to build out a working interaction—but I know many of you will, and that’s totally cool, too. Challenge| Recap Top 10 Things Learners Need to Know About Storyline#28 This week your challenge is to put together aTop 10list of “getting started” tutorialsfor any area of Storyline development you like. Challenge|Recap Visual Storytelling with Photo Collages#27 This week, your challenge is to create an interactive story around a photo collage. You can use placeholder photos and graphics, or rework an existing project into a photo collage. Challenge| Recap Interactive Screenshots for Online Training#26 This week, your challenge is to create an interactive screenshot for an application’s UI or specific features. Challenge| Recap Instructional Design Tips That Really Pop#25 This week your challenge is todesign a poster around your favorite education or instructional design quote. Your quote can be serious, playful, or even a little snarky. The text is simply the vehicle for your favorite tip designed as a typography poster. Challenge| Recap Create a Simple E-Learning Game#24 This week your challenge is to build a simple e-learning game in either Storyline or Quizmaker. Challenge|Recap Decision Map to Branching Scenarios#23 This week your challenge is to build a branching interaction based on theWhat Kind of Leader Are You?infographic. This challenge is all about interpreting an existing simulation map and bringing it to life. Use whatever design style you like. This can include using characters, boxes and arrows, LOL Cats or anything else you can dream up. We just want to see what you can come up with using the infographic as a starting point. Challenge| Recap Design an Olympic-Themed E-Learning Template#22 This week your challenge is to design an e-learning template for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. You can design a general template for the Winter Olympics, or focus your template around a specific country or event. Challenge| Recap Beyond the Basic Drag-and-Drop Interaction#21 This week your challenge is to build a drag-and-drop interaction based on one of the three examples above.Don’t have time to put an activity together? No problem. Just share some ideas for ways to use drag-and-drop in non-quizzing activities. We’ll pull the ideas together and use them for a future challenge! Challenge| Recap Ask Your Learners to Prove They’re Learning (NEXTCHA)#20 This week your challenge is to build your own NEXTCHA solutions that help reinforce learning content while preventing learners from mindlessly clicking the Next buttons. In the challenge, you don’t have to limit NEXTCHA to text entry fields, but please limit your demos to text-based interactions. Challenge| Recap Screencasts and Software Simulations in Online Training#19 This week your challenge is to record a screencast or software simulation. You can choose any type of topic that interests you. Challenge| Recap Using Characters in E-Learning#18 This week your challenge is to show us how to use characters in e-learning. You can create static slides that show character-based ideas, or build something more dynamic to show the interaction between characters Challenge|Recap Using Job Aids in E-Learning#17 This week your challenge is to show us how to use job aids in e-learning. You can share examples of job aids that were used in place of courses, integrated into courses, or offered as course alternatives. Challenge| Recap Creating Custom Drag-and-Drop E-Learning Interactions#16 This week your challenge is to show some creative ways to use drag-drop interactions. Challenge| Recap Create a Radiant Template with Pantone’s Color of the Year#15 This week your challenge is to useRadiant Orchidas the base color for your e-learning templates.Include at least three different content slides, and more if you’d like. Your slides can be static or built out as working interactions. Your goal is to work from a single color and show how you will carry that color across your design templates. Challenge| Recap Give Your Quiz Results Slides a Makeover#14 This week, your challenge is to show us your best, your most creative quiz results designs. Show us as many makeover designs as you can imagine. Challenge| Recap Interactive Timelines for E-Learning#13 This week, your challenge is to rebuildBig History Project’s interactive timeline. This is our first challenge where everyone is working from the same source project. The tool you use to recreate this project will impact your design considerations. For example, the dynamic menu effect is not possible with most tools. You’ll want to capture the essence of the effect, whichever tool you choose. Challenge| Recap Transform Infographics Into Interactive Graphics#12 This week your challenge will be to take a static infographic and rebuild it as an interactive infographic. Challenge|Recap Design a Comic Book Theme for Your E-Learning Course#11 This week, your challenge is to design your own comic book e-learning template. Try to include multiple slides so you can show how the template will carry through your content. Challenge|Recap Shoot Your Own E-Learning Background Graphics#10 Create a shot list of possible images and shoot your own background graphics using your office or work area as the primary location. When you share your photos, please include your shot list and at least one original photo so we can compare the before and after. Challenge|Recap Design an Ethics Course Template with Clipart#9 Using clipartStyle 1368, design a course template for a corporate ethics e-learning course. Include at leastthree content slidesandtwo quizzing slides. Your slides can be static or built out as working interactions. We just want to see how your template carries across your project. Challenge|Recap Create an E-Learning Template from Clip Art#8 Show and share your clip art-inspired template using one or more clip art objects.Create one or more e-learning template slides using free clip art objects. Challenge| Recap Converting Static Content to Interactive Knowledge Checks#7 Show and share your interactive makeovers using an existing slide from one of your projects.Convert an existing content slide and convert it to an interaction using one of the Storyline’s six free-form questions. Challenge| Recap Bring This Medical Training Course Back To Life!#6 Show and share your re-design ideas for a medical e-learning course template.Using the source files provided, create a clean, flat, medical design theme. Try to work within the provided color requirements (included in the forum thread and the source files) and comp out 2-3 slides for this design. Challenge|Recap Desktop and Office Theme Designs#5 Create an office or desktop course template. Include at least three different content slides, and more if you’d like. Your slides can be static or built out as working interactions. The objective is to show how us how your design will carry across your project. E-Learning Challenge #5:Challenge|Recap Flatten Up Your Course Design Skills#4 Show and share your best flat design template ideas for e-learning.Create a flat design course template. Include at least three different content slides, and more if you’d like. Your slides can be static or built out as working interactions. The objective is to show how your flat design will carry across your project. Challenge|Recap Gate Screens in Online Courses#3 Design a two-slide interaction that includes a content screen and a gate screen. The content screen can be a placeholder screen. The key is to show how your gate screen will load and close in relation to the course. Challenge|Recap What’s Your Best Tabs Interaction?#2 Design a 5-tab interaction. Tabs should be on the left or the right and need to be persistent over slides or layers. Challenge|Recap How Would You Show Meaningful Comparisons? #1 Design an interactive graphic to show relative sizes for a series of airplanes. Check out thisWikipedia entryon giant aircraft for inspiration. Challenge | Recap Post written byDavid AndersonHow to Troubleshoot Your LMS with SCORM Cloud
If you’re like many e-learning developers, your LMS has prompted numerous head-scratching (or head-banging) moments. Perhaps your course won’t play or resume in your LMS, or it isn’t tracking properly. Job number one: identify the problem. And to do that, we recommend a handy tool called SCORM Cloud. SCORM Cloud is an industry-standard testing engine developed by Rustici Software, an organization that knows a lot about SCORM and helped develop its successor (xAPI/Tin Can API). It supports all LMS specs—AICC, SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI, and cmi5—and it’s free, making it an ideal LMS troubleshooting superhero. (You can create an account here.) In this article, we’ll show you how to use SCORM Cloud to test your project, from zipping your content to verifying tracking. Here we go! Step 1: Zip Your Content First, publish your course for LMS and create a zipped file of the published output. If you’re using Storyline 360, Presenter 360, Quizmaker 360, or Engage 360, you can do this by clicking on the Zip button in the Publish Successful window. If you’re using Rise 360, export your Rise 360 course as a cmi5, xAPI, SCORM, or AICC package and save it to your computer. If you’re testing AICC content, see this article for special instructions. Step 2: Upload Your Published Output Log in to SCORM Cloud, then click Add Content and select Import a SCORM, AICC, xAPI, or cmi5 package. Then click Browse, find your Zip file, and click Open. Finally, click on Import Course. SCORM Cloud will upload your course and take you to the course home page. Step 3: Create an Invitation It’s possible to launch your course directly from the course home page, but opening it that way doesn’t mimic a true learner experience and results won’t show in LMS reports. That’s why we recommend clicking Share and then Invite. That will open up another window. Here, click on Create Invitation. This will generate an unguessable URL that you can use yourself or share with others. For an extra layer of security, you could also choose the Private Invitation option. Step 4: Test Your Course Copy the URL into the address bar of a new browser window. Enter your email address and name. Your results will be tracked under these credentials. Then, click on Ok. Now take me to my training. At this point, test your course and attempt to reproduce the problems that prevented it from behaving as expected in your LMS. Watch for display problems of any kind, make sure your content suspends and resumes as you’d expect, and keep an eye out for unexpected behavior in general. When you’re done testing, exit the course and confirm that your score and status are displayed correctly. Step 5: Verify Tracking Now that you’ve tested your course as a learner would experience it, you can review the SCORM Cloud reports for accuracy. To do so, return to the course details page, click Reportage, then drill down into the available reporting data. Tip: If your course details page is no longer open, just return to your course library and click the course name. What’s Next? If your course works properly in SCORM Cloud but not in your LMS, open a support case with your LMS provider to troubleshoot the issue. They’ll know how best to help with LMS-specific problems. If your Articulate content doesn’t play, resume, or track correctly in SCORM Cloud, submit a case to our support team so we can take a closer look. Be sure to include a copy of your project file so we can try to reproduce the problem. Need more help troubleshooting? Check out these other resources: The Secret to LMS Debugging Learning More About Your LMS: Suspend Data and Resume Behavior If you have any other troubleshooting suggestions, share your thoughts with us and other community members in the comments below. And if you’re tired of spending time troubleshooting your LMS, try Reach 360. Our frictionless LMS is integrated with Articulate 360 apps, so you can publish directly and be confident that everything will work as expected. It’s fast and hassle-free!5 Ideas for Turning Boring Bullets Into Engaging Interactions
Bullet points. They’re one of the easiest ways to break up lots of content and highlight important information. But the trade-off you make when you rely too heavily on bullet points in e-learning is a critical lack of learner engagement. After all, a slide full of bulleted text doesn’t really invite learners to think deeply, internalize the information you’re sharing, or interact with it— all activities that spark learning. So, how do you go about reimagining bullet points into something more inviting and interactive? And what are some creative ideas for presenting content that’s better than bullets? Keep on reading for answers to both of those questions. How to Reimagine Bullet Points One mainstay of presentation design is the good ol’ 50/50 slide layout. You know the one I’m talking about … where half the slide is a bulleted text box, and the other half is an image—often decorative? That slide layout can work well for presentations because a presenter can give the audience some context for those bullet points. But that same approach doesn’t work as well for an entire e-learning course. Screen after screen of bulleted text—no matter how compelling the audio narration or animations accompanying it—can be tedious and difficult for people to absorb and retain. To break out of that pattern, start by reframing those bullet points. Here are two techniques to try: Transform the bullets into a content outline. Start by morphing your bullet points into steps or top-level topics, and then bucket the other bullet points that support ideas underneath. From there, you look for information gaps and brainstorm questions learners might have. If you have speaker's notes or scripts to work from, you might find some of the answers you're looking for in there, but others might require further investigation. No matter how much work is in store, going through this process helps you organize the material, flesh out the content, and surface some creative ways to morph it into almost any of the interactions we’ll explore in this article. Imagine the “big picture” story behind the bullets. Another great technique is to piece together a narrative from your existing bullet points based on the topic or theme of the source material. For example, try creating some characters who embody bulleted dos and don’ts (a hero and a bully, for instance), or draft a quick backstory where applying the information in the bullet points would come in handy. Both of these ideas can be especially helpful when you want to design a branching scenario to make your content more relatable and interactive. 5 Ideas for Engaging Interactions With your bullet points organized, it’s time to start thinking about ways of using them as the foundation for a more interactive experience. Let’s take a look at five ideas for doing just that! 1. Use a Clickable Image Clickable images are one of the easiest ways to leave bullet points behind and invite learners to interact. Instead of giving learners a bunch of bulleted text next to a static picture, isn’t it much more inviting to urge them to explore that image in detail? See for yourself how much better that kind of learning experience can be with this super-cool example from Richard Hill, built with the labeled graphic block in Rise 360. With the labeled graphic block in Rise 360, you can easily add an animated GIF and some markers full of all the helpful information and resources you want to share with learners. That’s certainly more stimulating than a list of bullet points, don’t you think? 2. Create a Tabs Interaction Another easy way to reimagine bullet points is as a tabbed interaction, as you can see in this brilliant and beautiful Storyline 360 download from Montse. Creating a tabs interaction from a bulleted list is so easy to do. In Rise 360, just add an interactive tab block and pop in your content. Or, to quickly build a more custom tabbed interaction in Storyline 360, save some time and grab this free, easily customized Storyline 360 download. 3. Make an Interactive Video Adding hotspots to a short video is another great way to turn passive bullets into a more active, engaging experience for learners. Check out this Storyline 360 download that features three ways you can use interactive video for some design inspiration. Think video is too expensive or time-consuming? Think again. With Content Library 360 videos—like the ones featured in the example above—right at your fingertips, you have countless creative options for using video in your projects. Want to create your own video? Nowadays, almost anyone can shoot good quality instructional videos with the camera on their smartphone and edit them just as quickly using free or low-cost apps—or the built-in video editing feature in Storyline 360. To learn more about creating your own images and video, check out the pointers in this article, 4 Tips for Taking Your Own Pictures for E-Learning. 4. Design a Scenario One super-engaging way to rework static bullet points is to incorporate them into feedback for learners. Scenarios are a great way to give learners a chance to explore, practice, and learn through their choices—like in this Rise 360 example. This project uses a scenario block to branch to different outcomes depending on the learner’s choices. It illustrates one way you can use scenarios to help learners practice their upselling skills. And it’s a whole lot more engaging than a lengthy list of do’s and don’ts. Looking for some more inspiring examples of scenarios in action? Grab this handy Storyline 360 scenario template for prioritizing tasks or this Storyline 360 law enforcement-themed scenario starter to begin playing around with the possibilities. 5. Build an Immersive 360° Experience With the 360° images feature in Storyline 360, you’ll find you have all sorts of clever new ways to share text content. Add your 360° image and some interactive markers that entice learners to explore and interact. Or give learners a guided tour experience with navigational nudges that help move them through the experience. For some creative inspiration, check out one way you can combine audio, video, a scenario, AND 360° images in this brilliant, interactive storytelling example from Bianca Woods. Ready to get started with building your own immersive 360° interaction? Dive into this super helpful article from Sarah Hodge for some pro tips. Summing it Up Swapping boring bullets for enticing interactions doesn’t necessarily take a lot of time—just a little creativity. I hope the examples I’ve shared spark your imagination and inspire you to think of new ways of presenting information. What’s your favorite creative alternative to a bulleted list? Have an inspiring e-learning example to share? We’d love to see it! Leave me a comment below, or better yet, share your great ideas in our Building Better Courses forum. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest e-learning inspiration and insights directly in your inbox. You can also find us on LinkedIn and Twitter. And if you have questions, please share them in the comments.The Secret to Create Great E-Learning Videos
Videos let you show a learner what they need to know, not just tell them. And for soft-skills training, they’re invaluable for capturing the subtleties of personal interactions. In this e-book, we’ll share our expert tips on creating compelling videos and screencasts. Learn how to set up a professional-quality studio with simple, affordable equipment, including lighting you can find at your local hardware store. Get tips for speaking or narrating with a natural, authentic tone. Save time by effectively preparing your desktop for screen recordings. Enhance your videos with captions and interactions to make sure they communicate key points. You’ll learn how to: Find the equipment you’ll need on a budget you can afford Create the best environment for creating training videos Prepare to record your video Create screencasts efficiently Add interactions to your videoAccessible E-Learning Checklist
Did you know that some of the people in your organization might be missing out on critical training simply because your e-learning courses aren’t accessible? Now you can download and use this checklist to ensure your online learning materials and experiences are inclusive, accessible, and usable by the widest possible range of learners.How to Add a Timer to Your Storyline 360 Quiz
Sometimes it makes sense to limit the amount of time learners have to complete a quiz or survey. Perhaps you’re assessing time-critical tasks, or you want to create a sense of urgency similar to what they might experience on the job. In these cases and many more, a time limit can help keep learners accountable and ensure they complete an e-learning quiz or survey in a controlled amount of time. If you decide to add a timer, the good news is that it’s easy to add a time limit to your Storyline 360 projects. Let’s take a look! Step 1: Insert a Results slide The first thing you need to do is insert a Results slide into your project. Once you’ve added a Results slide, go to that slide, click the Design tab at the top, and then select Quiz Settings. Step 2: Add a time limit In the Quiz Settings window, look for the Quiz Timer. Select the checkbox and enter the total number of minutes you want to allow for the quiz. Step 3:Select Your Preferences Next, select the clock drop-down arrow and choose your preferences for starting and displaying the timer. Keep in mind, if you select Do Not Show Time, the timer will still function, it just won’t be visible to the learner. When you’re happy with your selection, click OK to close the Quiz Settings window. That’s all there is to it! When you publish your project, you’ll see the timer in the top right corner of the course player. What happens when time runs out? If a learner doesn’t finish the quiz in time, they’ll get a message telling them they’ve exceeded the time limit. Once they click OK, they’ll automatically be directed to the Results slide. Any unanswered questions will be marked Incorrect. Things to Consider Whenever you include a quiz timer, it’s only fair to prepare your learners. Add clear instructions so they know how the quiz will work and how much time they have to finish it. Keep in mind that while timers may be an effective motivational tool for some learners, for others they cancause stress and get in the way of learning. To be inclusive of all learners, it's a good idea to give them the possibility to opt-out. Summary Adding a timer to your Storyline course is super easy and can enhance the learning experience. Using a timer to assess time-critical tasks or to create a sense of urgency are just a few ways to use time in e-learning. Looking for some more quizzing tips and tricks? Check out these articles: How to Write Good E-Learning Quiz Questions Improve Your Quizzes with These Do’s And Don’ts How to Write Plausible Incorrect Answer Options for Quiz Questions What ways have you used a timer in your e-learning projects? Leave a comment and share your experience! Want to try something you learned here, but don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial, and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning.How to Fill Text with an Image in PowerPoint
Have you ever seen a text with an image fill, like this one, and said to yourself, “I wish I could do that”? Well, I have some good news. If you have PowerPoint, you can! Just follow the six simple steps below. 1. Add Combine Shapes Tool to Your PowerPoint Ribbon If you haven’t already, the first thing you’ll need to do is add the Combine Shapes tool to your PowerPoint ribbon. Check out this tutorial to see how to do that. 2. Insert a Background Image The next thing you’ll need to do is find and insert the image you want to use as the fill for your text. For this kind of project, it’s best to choose an image that’s easily recognizable. 3. Insert & Format Your Text The third step is to insert your text. Once your text is inserted, you’ll need to choose a font. I recommend using a bold font so that more of the image is visible. Then, increase the size and boldness of the font as desired. Finally, position your text on the part of the image you want to appear as the fill. In this example, I’m going to move the text over a little so that no green shows through. 4. Insert a Rectangle Next, insert a rectangle that’s the same size as the image. In my case, the rectangle covers the whole slide. Then, right-click on the rectangle, select Send to Back, and choose Send Backward. Your text should now appear on top of the rectangle. 5. Combine Your Rectangle and Your Text Now select your text, followed by your rectangle, click on Merge Shapes, and select Combine. At this point, your rectangle should have taken on the color of your text, and the place where the text was should be transparent. If you try and move your text, you’ll notice that the rectangle is still independent of the image, like in the screenshot below. If you don’t like the part of the image that’s showing through, move the rectangle around until you’re satisfied with the result. If you don’t need the image and the text to be a single object, then you can stop here. If you do, then move on to step 6. 6. Subtract the Image from the Text Select both the image and the rectangle, and then click on Merge Shapes and select Subtract. The image and text should now be combined in one object, like in the screenshot below. If you’re following these steps and the result doesn’t look quite right, try selecting your objects in the reverse order. Now you can go ahead and add any other text or images around it to finish off the look you’re going for. And you’re all set! Want to learn more tips and tricks for creating graphics in PowerPoint? Check out the tutorials below: Guide to Creating Illustrations in PowerPoint for People Who Don’t Know How to Draw Creating Custom Shapes in PowerPoint How I Created These Handy People Icons in PowerPoint And if you’re on the lookout for beautiful, royalty-free images, be sure to check out Content Library 360, the library of 10.3+ million assets that comes with an Articulate 360 subscription. Click here to start your 30-day free trial. Like this article? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest e-learning inspiration and insights directly in your inbox. You can also find us on LinkedIn and X (Formerly Twitter).3 Steps for Creating Your First Rise 360 Course
Everything you need to create modern, engaging e-learning is at your fingertips with Rise 360. Not sure where to start? This handy guide will help you create your very first microlearning or full-length course in three easy steps. Let’s get started! 1. Choose the type of learning experience you want to create: microlearning or a full-length course Start by choosing whether you want microlearning or a full-length course. Your choice will depend on the content you want to share with learners. Microlearning courses aren’t just short courses. They’re bite-size pieces of content focused on a single learning objective. They’re approachable, bingeable, and easy for users to review and apply. Microlearning courses are also great for learners on the go because they’re easy to consume on phones or tablets. Full-length courses give you the opportunity to go in-depth on a certain topic. Made up of multiple lessons and knowledge checks, courses may include multiple learning objectives and, as a result, take longer for the learner to experience. Learners almost always use a computer to access full-length courses. So how do you know which format to use for your course? When choosing between the two, ask yourself: How many learning objectives do I have? If you only have one, a microlearning course is the clear option. If you have more than one, could each one stand alone or are they interdependent? If they could be split up, you could create a series of microlearning courses. If they’re interdependent, then a full-length course is the best option. Once you’ve made your decision, go to your Rise 360 dashboard. Click Create New and choose Course or Microlearning. 2. Search for a template or start from scratch It's always a good idea to look at templates and see if there’s already material you can use or adapt to your learning objectives. Articulate offers two types of templates: placeholder and real content: Placeholder templates include guidance and ideas to help you create a fully customized course. Real content templates have pre-written content you can adapt to fit your learning objectives. After choosing the type of e-learning you’d like to develop, you’ll see all available templates. Select Preview to explore a template before you choose it. You can use the search bar to find templates by keyword. And for full-length courses, you can use the left-hand panel to explore templates by category. When you’re ready to use a template, click Select This Course. If you don’t find exactly what you need, don’t worry: You can always customize a template or even start from scratch. Just click +Blank Course/Microlearning to begin. 3. Add your content Once you’ve chosen a template or started from scratch, you can add in your content using blocks. Blocks give you different ways of formatting your content in a lesson or microlesson. There are many types of blocks: text blocks, image blocks, interactive blocks, knowledge check blocks, and more. You can use different block types to make your content unique and engaging. Clicking All Blocks or the + sign in your lesson or microlesson will open a list of block types in a left-hand panel. If you change your mind about the type of block, you can easily choose a different block from the same category by clicking the dropdown menu in the top-left corner of the block. For example, the paragraph block gives you the option of reformatting your content into different types of paragraphs, headings, statements, and a note. Not sure how to pick the right block? Think about what your learner needs. For example, if you have a lot of content that may be overwhelming as a text block, consider using a tabs block to break up the text. Or, if you want learners to compare and contrast different chunks of information, consider using an accordion or flashcard block. As the course author, this is your opportunity to get creative! Here are some articles for inspiration: 6 Rise 360 Blocks to Use Instead of Bullet Points 7 Creative Ways to Use Images in Rise 360 Courses 6 Rise 360 Block Types to Use to Compare and Contrast Concepts 5 Different Ways to Create Scenarios in Rise 360 3 Creative Ways to Incorporate Your Logo into a Rise 360 Course More Resources Creating microlearning or full-length courses in Rise 360 is superfast and easy. In just three steps, you’ve already started putting together an elegant course customized for your learners. And when you’re done drafting your course, you can share and review your content with stakeholders easily thanks to Review 360. Here’s more information on how to use Review 360: Getting Started with Review 360 Rise 360: Publish Content to Review 360 Your Most Asked Review 360 Questions Once they’ve been approved, you can easily publish from your Articulate 360 dashboard. Here are some guides to get you started: Rise 360: Share Content with Learners How to Share E-Learning Courses with Learners Want to try creating your first course in Rise 360, but don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial. And subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest e-learning examples.Learning More About Your LMS: Resume Behavior and Suspend Data
Have you ever run into a situation where your course doesn’t pick up where you left off when you view it more than once on your LMS? Or maybe it does, but you’d prefer it start over from the beginning? The way your course responds when it’s relaunched is called the resume behavior. If your course isn’t resuming as desired, you’re probably wondering what’s going on and how to fix it. In this article, we’ll help you figure that out. How Do I Control the Resume Behavior? First, let’s examine our options. If you’re using Storyline 360, Presenter 360, Quizmaker 360, or Engage 360, you can choose from three resume options: Prompt to resume If learners previously viewed part of the course, this option displays a prompt, asking learners if they want to pick up where they left off. Always resume This forces your course to open at the place where learners left off. They won’t see a prompt; it just happens automatically. Never resume This forces your course to always open at the beginning, even if learners completed part of the course previously. They won’t see a prompt. If you’re using Rise 360, the course will always resume from where the learner left off. How Does Resume Actually Work? As a learner makes his way through a course, a compressed chunk of information—called suspend data—is sent to the LMS after each slide. This suspend data describes everything about the current state of the course, including the learner’s responses, navigation history, object states, variable values, interaction results, and more. When the learner opens the course again, it asks the LMS where they previously left off. The LMS sends the suspend data back to the course, and the course uses it to resume at the same point and in the same state as before. Why Do Courses Fail to Resume? A few things could get in the way of the resume communication process: You exceeded the suspend data limit. Your LMS might be imposing limits on suspend data. Older LMS specs, such as SCORM 1.2, have outdated restrictions on suspend data. We recommend publishing for the latest edition of SCORM 2004, xAPI (Tin Can API), or cmi5. See these articles for more information: Storyline 360 Rise 360 Studio 360 You’re in a cross-domain environment. If you’re hosting AICC content on a different server than your LMS, you may experience a cross-domain conflict. See this article for solutions. (Note that this doesn’t apply to Rise 360 courses.) You already completed the course. The resume feature might not work as you’d expect after you meet the completion requirement. Most LMSs consider a course to be in review mode after the tracking requirement has been met. In review mode, resume data is no longer sent to the LMS, which prevents learners from accidentally changing their course status from Complete back to Incomplete. See this article for more information. (Note that this doesn’t apply to Rise 360 courses.) Can I Examine Suspend Data? Enable LMS debug mode to watch your suspend data flow back and forth between your content and your LMS. By doing so, you can verify that the data returned by your LMS upon resume is the same data that your content sent upon suspend—a common point of failure. To help you avoid exceeding suspend data limits (see above), we compress suspend data. As a result, the suspend_data string in an LMS debug log isn’t human-readable. You won’t be able to decipher what it means, but you can see if the data sent to the LMS matches the data that comes back from the LMS. Doesn’t My LMS Need to Read Suspend Data? No. Only the course itself needs to be able to decompress and read suspend data. The LMS just functions as a handy place to store suspend data between attempts. The Bottom Line Now that you have a better understanding of how resume behavior works, you should be able to troubleshoot these issues more easily if you run into them. Need more help troubleshooting? Check out these other resources: How to Troubleshoot Your LMS with SCORM Cloud The Secret to LMS DebuggingGamification Techniques: How To Apply Them To E-Learning
If you’re in the e-learning industry, you’ve heard the term by now: gamification. Sounds fun, right? But true gamification is more than throwing together some badges and a leaderboard. E-learning gamification is the application of game elements and gaming techniques to online learning content in an effort to make it fun and engaging. In other words, using game mechanics to encourage learners to explore and learn. What are some of these gamification techniques, and how can you apply them to e-learning? Let’s take a closer look at some examples. Narrative A key part of many games is the narrative, or the story, behind them. These stories often incorporate a protagonist (a relatable character), an antagonist (a challenge the protagonist faces) and a plot (a sequence of events). If you’ve neverdesigned ascenario-basedcourse before, hop on over to this article for some tips: Writing Effective E-Learning Scenarios. Rules Rules are a critical part of any game to set expectations and parameters. They let players know what they can and cannot do. When you’re incorporating game elements, it’s important to provide learners with specific and concise instructions. Clear communication about what you expect learners to do at every turn will ensure they’re never left guessing about what to do. Player Control Having control over the journey and the outcome is a common element of many games. Players love to feel in control of their potential for success. One way to give learners control is to let them choose an avatar or character that appears in the course. Another way is to open up navigation to give learners control over how they progress through the content. For example, you could let learners access content from a main menu with several possible choices, instead of forcing them down a linear path. Discovery Games often encourage discovery and exploration; for example, people love to “hunt” for a hidden treasure. One way to incorporate this technique in your course would be to ask learners to search for hidden nuggets of information to score some extra points. If you decide to implement this technique, keep in mind that while looking for extra information is a fun add-on, you should never make a learner dig for a critical piece of information. Rather, hidden information should be “nice to know” information that’ll help learners deepen their understanding. Also, be sure to provide learners with clear instructions about what they’re looking for. There’s nothing worse than clicking aimlessly without knowing what or where to look. Interactivity How many games have you played that required you to do nothing? None! Games are all about stimulation and engagement, whether mental or physical, and making a move is part of the process. Adding interactivity doesn’t simply mean asking the user to “click” more often. The key is to craft meaningful interactions that require learners to think and make decisions. Instead of telling them the information outright, make them select the correct choice from a list and drag it into place. Instead of presenting them with the steps of a linear process, get them to order the steps themselves. For more information about adding interactivity in a meaningful way, check out this article: 3 Things to Consider Before You Add Interactivity. Feedback Feedback is a key part of gaming. It lets users know their action has been registered or recognized, and it provides a cue to players about how they are progressing. Feedback doesn’t have to be text. “Unlocking” new features, for example, is a type of feedback that lets players know they’re doing well. Badges or checkpoints are a way to show feedback and achievement. Progress bars are also great for providing ongoing feedback and letting learners know how they’re doing. Time Constraints Games use time constraints to create a sense of urgency, which pressures the gamer to think and act quickly. To simulate a real-life constraint, consider using a countdown or a timer on your quiz. For example, if your call center expects calls to be completed in less than five minutes, give your scenario a time limit of five minutes for the learner to pass. Loss Aversion Loss aversion refers to the tendency of humans to prefer avoiding losses to acquiring gains. Studies have demonstrated that a loss is twice as powerful as a gain, and this mental propensity is used by many game developers. Use a points system in your course to let learners know where they stand, and let them know points can be taken away for incorrect answers. You could also use a visual progress meter, such as a map with checkpoints, to show learners whether they’re moving forward or backward as they progress through the content. Continuous Play Continuous play is the ability for gamers to pick up where they left off and continue the game. This means that even gamers who “lose” the game can start over and try again as many times as they want. When you design your content, consider giving learners the opportunity to keep going! It’s a great sign when learners want to retry or revisit content. It means they’re interested and intrigued. Remember: you want to encourage your learners to remember the content, so if they want to revisit it, why not let them? One way to incorporate continuous play into your courses is to allow learners to retake a quiz or assessment if they fail. Another way is to give them a second chance if they answer a question incorrectly. Rewards Bonus points or rewards make people feel good, and are used extensively in many different games. Consider giving learners “bonus points” for more difficult questions, or providing them with an ability to earn extra rewards based on good choices. Levels Achieving different levels, goals, or challenges is a common theme among games. Instead of having chapters or modules, organize your content into “levels” and “unlock” the levels when learners answer choices correctly or hit a certain number of points. Competition Leaderboards are one of the most popular ways to encourage competition in the gaming world. Leaderboards rank players and their scores, and people love them because they like to get recognition for their skills and effort. Use a corporate intranet page or your LMS to let learners see how their coworkers are progressing. However, be mindful of the information you share. Making low scores public could be embarrassing for learners, for example. It might be a better idea to focus only on high scores. The Bottom Line In order for gamification to truly add value to your courses, the game elements need to be well thought out and support the learning objectives. Want to learn more about gamification? Check out these resources: Gamification: How and Why Does It Relate to E-Learning? A Behind-the-Scenes Look at How I Designed This Gamified Quiz 5 Visual Design Tips for Gamified E-Learning And if you’re looking for some game templates, be sure to check these out: Storyline: Countdown Quiz Game Randomized Board Game Dice Quiz Game E-Learning Battleship Game Crossword Puzzle Game We’d love to hear from you in the comments! Which of these gamification techniques have you incorporated in your courses? What did that look like? Are there any gaming techniques we didn’t mention? Please share your experience and insights in the comments below. 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