Simple strategies for creating more engaging elearning

Editor's Notes

• #10: Flickr Photo: “Always be nice to the lunch lady” by MelvinSchlubman
• #12: So what are some ways to focus attention and minimize distractions in what is inherently a passive experience (elearning)
• #13: Get the learner to sit up – make them DO something right away. Get straight into the action. Ask questions – this focuses the learner’s attention on what they don’t know – and presumably what you’re going to cover in the program Find the killer fact, stat, or quote Lead with a killer mistake Some mistakes make such an impact on business performance that it’s worth highlighting them upfront to the learner. For example: “Did you know that 40% of our customers go elsewhere for services they would happily buy from us if they know we offered them?”
• #14: Ask provocative questions – turn things around in a surprising way. Rattle expectations a bit… Learn from the marketing team – strong visuals and text to hook the learner emotionally. ink to application share... http://www.kineo.com/showcase/file.php/30/age/index.html As a first screen, it ’ s a very good attention grabber... Ask provocotavie questions.
• #15: AIDA = Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action
• #16: We ’ ve all been handed a lengthy PPT or dry source content to start from. I like to call this “ clicky-clicky blah-blah ” .
• #17: What We Did A demo... Wish you were here...about the vacation policy – the surprise is that if you don ’ t go on holiday, it suggests you ’ re up to no good. They want you to take vacations so they engatge you upfront. This also shows you what can go wrong – what happens when you don ’ t follow the policy? Peer pressure – everyone’s doing – these success stories show how people who’ve mastered this learning are now benefiting from it. (Some clients have told us, “people are bored with that risk thing – we see it in all of the compliance courses…” The peer pressure approach can be a good alternative. Or perhaps the utopian ideal if we all learn this…e.g. BIW scenario “In the ideal workplace…”) Tell a story – show the risk (Michael Allen’s famous plane crash example, which has now entered into the annals of eLearning legend. Who’s heard of it? Who’s actually seen the presentation? Who’s actually seen that eLearning? Can I show this demo – or just screen capture? (I could mask the screen capture...) all my points made at the elearning guild still stand though - got good reactions when they put it in front of target audience as a potential approach. [5:29:25 PM] Stephen Walsh: and the HR dept were nervous about the approach etc.
• #18: Show demo…
• #20: So, how can we help those relatively new to the field deliver effective learning solutions as soon as possible? Rather than approaching every new project as a shot in the dark, roll-up-your-sleeves and-start-from-scratch initiative, we’ve identified a core set of learning design models to help. Even inexperienced practitioners can quickly understand these models and easily apply them to the vast majority of learning requirements that come their way. These models combine some of the best principles and leading practices gained from our years of research and experience. They can give your internal teams a shared vocabulary and point of view and ensures every program has a solid instructional design strategy at its foundation.
• #21: Whatever learning model you choose to use, there are some components that we think should always be present in the most effective learning experiences: the Start and the Finish. Sandwiched between this beginning and end you’ll find our learning models – where the core learning takes place. It’s the filling that you choose that makes each learning experience fundamentally different from each other.
• #22: All the best learning experiences should start by engaging the learner (the ‘what’s in it for me?’ element) and then providing the information they need to get the most out of the learning experience (setting the direction).
• #23: All the best learning experiences should start by engaging the learner (the ‘what’s in it for me?’ element) and then providing the information they need to get the most out of the learning experience (setting the direction).
• #26: You then need to finish the experience by making sure the learner goes away with the key learning points clearly summarized and, most importantly, with their next actions laid out—what they need to do to apply what they have learned in the real world. (Of course, it should rightly be pointed out that learning never finishes, but formal more structured learning experiences do have some form of end, often a launch pad to start applying those skills and ideas in the workplace.)
• #28: Let ’ s look at each in turn…
• #30: This was the original content we got from them...
• #32: Less is more!
• #33: Keep it light.
• #34: Keep it light.
• #47: Point about not being patronising
• #49: Reading from computer screens is about 25% slower than reading from paper Write 50% less text – and allow for images too Keep to short sentences, short paragraphs “ If I ’ d had more time, I would ’ ve written a shorter letter. ”
• #50: Reading from computer screens is about 25% slower than reading from paper Write 50% less text – and allow for images too Keep to short sentences, short paragraphs “ If I ’ d had more time, I would ’ ve written a shorter letter. ”
• #51: Reading from computer screens is about 25% slower than reading from paper Write 50% less text – and allow for images too Keep to short sentences, short paragraphs “ If I ’ d had more time, I would ’ ve written a shorter letter. ”
• #53: So how do you push back on that – Advertising – we get this message out to our customers in a fun catchy way, why not sell the learning this way as well? It capture interest Conversational tone engages more... Ask the learners what they prefer.
• #55: Most learners click NEXT on this slide.
• #56: Set direction via a menu. By using really clear wording – take it in, etc. The menu sets the direction for the whole program.
• #57: file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Cammy%20Bean/My%20Documents/Demos/M&S%20Writing%20Skills/main.html
• #60: Get war stories from your best people Get true stories from your newer people (they still know what they didn’t know) You don’t need fancy equipment We recorded this with skype + audacity – both free UFI_ask the expert.swf When you click on these you just hear short audio – no moving video or flipping stills. Sometimes these are video – sometimes just audio with stills. (think flip video camera – even an iPod Nano/or iPhone now has video)
• #61: Do an .flv/.swf… Video and audio where it counts Guerilla approaches to shooting and audio Flip video for secret shopper Skype for expert interviews
• #70: Are these the types of questions your courses include?
• #71: Are these the types of questions your courses include?
• #72: Are these the types of questions your courses include?
• #73: Make more mistakes. Find the mistakes that hurt the most Keep ‘ em real Play it out Provide useful feedback
• #74: Make it hard.
• #76: Show mistakes and what you can learn from them… As part of your initial TNA – find out where people make the most common (or the most painful mistakes) – make that the focale point of your design.
• #80: Space it out – create a campaign of events – emails, links, etc. – over a sustained period of time. Gentle nudges, short sharp eLearning bits to keep the concepts alive.
• #81: What ’ s the final call to action – Call to action and don’t let go what was the point of the whole thing in the first place. What do you need to go out and do.
• #82: They ’ re coming to get you… Take the Call to Action and make it personal. In this case, a real-live manager will follow up with the learner…
• #83: More call to actions...with specific links to take the experience beyond the eLearning event... ” beyond the course ”
• #85: Using survey monkey to get calls to action
• #96: http://www.kineo.com/elearning-reports/free-guide-10-ways-to-yawn-proof-your-e-learning.html
• #97: Contact us!