Good instructors often tell stories and effective learners frequently remember the stories better than any other part of the course. Such stories are an indispensable part of much soft-skills training. If the words and tone of voice of the instructor are essential ingredients in classroom learning—well then, you had better find a way to include … Continue reading Stories →

An especially effective presentation can serve as the core of a topic or lesson. To turn a presentation into a more comprehensive learning experience, consider augmenting it with navigation controls to allow learners to move back and forth in the presentation. You may also need to add an introduction with instructions for playing the presentation, … Continue reading Augmented presentation →

Supply examples, examples, examples. Many lectures have too much theory and not enough concrete, specific, realistic examples. Remember, not everyone can reason from general concepts to particular applications, or at least not without the help of examples that they can understand and apply. About the Example The topic shown here is from a course on … Continue reading Extended examples →

Another very common type of software demonstration is the feature demonstration. It shows an important part of a computer program, such as a complex command or a valuable capability. About the example This example demonstrates the capability within the countdown timer to add names of people to a list and have a random name displayed … Continue reading Feature demonstration →

Another very common type of software demonstration is the user-interface tour. It shows an important part of a computer program, such as a complex command or a valuable capability. About the example This example demonstrates the capability within the countdown timer to add names of people to a list, and have a random name displayed … Continue reading User-interface tour →

Several types or genres of software demonstrations are possible. One popular type shows a scenario involving use of a program to accomplish a particular piece of work. About the example This example starts with the goal of adding a hyperlink to an object on a Keynote slide so that the learner can click the hotspot to display … Continue reading Scenario demonstration →

Creating a System DSN is an example of a multi-level software simulation. It contains a narrated and animated demonstration, a simulation, a self-test, and a real-world activity to teach learners how to confidently define a system data source name. This version requires Flash. If you have difficulties with the pop-up window, try starting the example … Continue reading Software demonstration →

Slide shows rely primarily on text and graphics to tell their stories. They may also incorporate sound, animation, and video. Some include interactive media like virtual reality models or small simulations. Although slide shows may allow some optional topics, the primary pathway is linear. This structure lets the designer control the order of learning experiences. … Continue reading Slide show presentation →

E-learning can be embedded in a computer program, within the online help for a program, in a diagnostic procedure, or among other sources of electronic information. About the example This example looks like a conventional Help topic, which it is. However, if we select the How to item from the menu, the Help window displays … Continue reading Embedded e-learning →

This exploratory tutorial comes from a course called Designing Knowledge Products. It teaches how to design paragraphs, bullet lists, checklists, and other pieces of text in Web pages and other online documents. About the example Learners are told to complete an assignment using an external text component catalog. The assignment is a scavenger hunt that … Continue reading Using text components →