© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.1 of 29 Web Tools and Techniques for E-Learning Presented by Jack Massa Guidance Communications Inc.

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.2 of 29 Session Overview What Makes e-Learning Effective? Five Key Techniques to Ensure Effectiveness Two Authoring Tools / Plus

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.3 of 29 What Makes e-Learning Effective? Upfront Analysis and Planning Learner-Centered Design Iterative Development and Testing

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.4 of 29 Do the Analysis First What problem are you trying to solve? Is training the right answer? What kind of training is appropriate? What Makes e-Learning Effective?

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.5 of 29 Audience Analysis Who are the Learners? What is their current knowledge and skill level? What is their attitude and motivation? What Makes e-Learning Effective?

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.6 of 29 Task Analysis What Job or Tasks are we Teaching? What are the Sub-Tasks and Steps to perform each task? What conceptual knowledge and understanding must the person have to accomplish each task? What Makes e-Learning Effective?

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.7 of 29 For Further Study... Rapid Instructional Design by George M. Piskurich What Makes e-Learning Effective?

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.8 of 29 Effective Design What Makes e-Learning Effective? William Horton: 50,000 Years of Instructional Design in a nutshell 1.Show them 2.Tell them 3.Let them try 4.Repeat Change the order of the steps if needed.

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.9 of 29 Effective Design What Makes e-Learning Effective? Michael W. Allen: Three Priorities for Effective Training: 1.Ensure that learners are highly motivated to learn. 2.Guide learners to appropriate content. 3.Provide meaningful and memorable learning experiences.

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.10 of 29 Effective Design What Makes e-Learning Effective? Michael W. Allen: Effective Design is Learner-Centered, not Content-Centered. Learner-Centered means providing meaningful and memorable learning experiences.

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.11 of 29 Development and Testing Most effective approach is rapid prototyping and testing with learners Paper prototypes not necessary. Working prototypes are better. “ Successive approximation ” for success What Makes e-Learning Effective?

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.12 of 29 Session Overview  What Makes e-Learning Effective? Five Key Techniques to Ensure Effectiveness Two Authoring Tools / Plus

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.13 of 29 Five Techniques for Effective e-Learning 1.Tell them – Overviews and Concept Pages 2.Show them – Demonstrations 3.Let them try – Interactivity 4.Engage them – Metaphors and Stories 5.Put them in control – Navigation Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.14 of Tell Them – Overviews and Concept Pages Overview Pages preview each lesson and list the contents. Concept Pages explain or illustrate concepts, facts, or background knowledge. Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.15 of 29 Tips for Overviews and Concept Pages Keep text short Illustrate ideas with pictures and diagrams On Overviews, provide links to all topics Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.16 of Show Them – Demonstrations Learn by observation of an activity Example: Animated transaction in a software UI Example: Audio and text of an effective customer service session Allow multiple plays Follow up with questions or other exercises Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.17 of 29 Tips for Demonstrations Keep it simple Test the timing of animations on different platforms Allow muting of audio and always provide text as alternative Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.18 of Let Them Try – Interactivity Learn by doing. Practice learned skills. Quizzes Layered information to teach components Software UI simulations Problem-solving scenarios Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.19 of Engage Them – Metaphors and Stories Review, Michael W. Allen: 1.Ensure that learners are highly motivated to learn. 3.Provide meaningful and memorable learning experiences. Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.20 of 29 Engage Them – Metaphors and Stories Increase motivation by relating the content to the learner’s real-world situation Engage emotions and make learning experiences more compelling and memorable Humans instinctively respond to and learn from stories Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.21 of 29 Examples of Metaphors and Stories Simple metaphor – a Roadmap Superhero Characterization Life or death – SciFi Scenario Glamour and intrigue – Spy Real world management training –Lifescape EAP Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.22 of Put Them in Control – Navigation Let learners choose their own paths through the content. Provide multiple access methods: menu, course map, index, search (Horton) Links on each page: Next, Previous, Start Lesson, Course Home. Links on Overview Pages to each topic. Allow bookmarking if possible Five Techniques

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.23 of 29 Session Overview  What Makes e-Learning Effective?  Five Key Techniques to Ensure Effectiveness Two Authoring Tools / Plus

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.24 of 29 Authoring Tools Macromedia Dreamweaver Excellent starter tool Produces content for Native web browser: HTML and JavaScript Easy to do animations and show/hide layers Free extensions for creating quizzes, drag and drop exercises and interfacing to LMS. Main limitation: browser functionality Tools

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.25 of 29 Authoring Tools Macromedia Flash Industrial strength e-learning tool Produces its own application file (SWF) that runs via plug-in in the web browser Excellent for animations, exercises and simulations Main limitation: steep learning curve; requires ActionScript coding Tools

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.26 of 29 Authoring Tools Other tools of interest DemoShield by InstallShield Corporation RoboDemo by e-Help Microsoft PowerPoint Macromedia AuthorWare Firefly Macromedia Breeze Tools

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.27 of 29 Questions or Comments

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.28 of 29 Door Prize!!!

© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.29 of 29 My Contact Info... Jack Massa Guidance Communications Inc