Videos Versus Narrated Photo Slideshows

Can narrated-photo-sideshows work in lieu of videos? Of course, it can. But there are good reasons to use video. To name a few:

1. Presenting highly motivational leader, like the CEO in orientation programs.

2. Showing complex operations of an equipment or skill, like a surgical procedure.

3. And many other reasons.

However, if you are cost conscious and must produce video like narrated photo case studies, interactions, or illustrations, the narrated-photo-sideshows might do the work.

In this example provided by Psychological Associates, Inc., owner of SPQ4 (Selling to the Power of Q4), it was decided that narrated-photo-sideshows can keep the emotions, drama, suspense, and impact at far lesser cost than a video production.

Preview the case study on: "Gina's Case - Sizing Up Behaviors?:


Ray Jimenez, PhD www.vignettestraining.com
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Managing SMEs for Rapid e-Learning

Based on a study on Rapid e-Learning published by the e-Learning Guild, one cause of delays in e-learning development is the difficulty in working with subject matter experts (SMEs). I have interviewed and worked with hundreds of SMEs and one thing is clear to me: e-Learning developers don’t provide SMEs enough tools and guidance in producing the content efficiently and at the fastest time possible. Here are some tips I used and which have worked for me.

1. Most SMEs are focused on the completeness and accuracy of content. They are not necessarily concerned with what the learner needs to know to perform. Your role therefore is to convert the content into useful learning tools. Try to get an agreement with your SMEs on your respective roles.
2. Your focus is to convert content that allows learners to perform their jobs as quickly as possible. To achieve this, you need to introduce a process that will allow SMEs to provide you content to get your end results – learner performance.
3. The process needs to cover:

a. Agreement of principles on why the process meets the best learning results, reduces cost, and speeds up delivery of the program.

b. A set of questionnaire that you can use to interview SMEs with, or that SMEs can use as guide to write their content.

c. Please see details of the SME Interview Guide (click here), SME Lesson Flow (click here), and SME Worksheet (click here).

Ray Jimenez, PhD www.vignettestraining.com
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

The iPod Video & e-Learning Looking Glass

The holidays are coming and I must find a justification for buying (as a gift to myself) the iPod Video. Currently, I am enjoying my 40 Gig iPod for music and have downloaded hundreds of my favorite songs. The cool thing about iPod is the way I can organize, listen, and purchase music anytime I want. I can personalize my iPod. I’ve also added audio books and have now tested Podcasting files.

I am however, amazed with how my fellow trainers respond to technologies in this case the iPod. I once asked a group of participants in a workshop about their reactions to the iPod. Only a few have actually experienced using it. But after showing the group how the iPod works, a couple of people had very strong feelings about how trainers are losing control over the learning process. The question raised was: how do we know if they are really studying? How can we track progress? And for e-Learning, how do implement SCORM (an electronic method of passing completion data of participants from one) so we know if they have completed the training?

Raising the question on losing control is very valid and this should be answered and a solution should be developed. However, it is better to ask the question: what can the iPod video do to improve ability of our learners to learn or perform on the job? And do we take advantage of this if the tool has the potential to solve a training or performance problem?
Answers to these questions may dwarf our concerns for control.

Here are some possible approaches.

1. Producing videos for iPods follow a different paradigm. Although the video production process is the same, the learning consideration is different. Videos should be very short, no more than one minute.
2. Use iPod video for highly motivational, high-celebrity, presentations. And you may need to zoom a little more on faces of people. I am sure there are other applications. iPod video is also good for highly changing content or event driven content, i.e.
   
3. Use iPod video not just for learner training, but also for client, customer and even sales presentations. (But it may be not a good idea to loan your iPods to clients – smile). Clients could view product demos, features and functions, or a message from your top executive on a new change in the business.
4. Blend iPod video lessons with e-Learning, classroom, and coaching sessions. In an integrated blended training delivery, viewing an iPod video lesson may distribute iPod videos as assignments. This will provide learners more flexibility for them to study materials.

If you have done applications of iPod video with your training, please share your story. Please email to rjimenez@vignettestraining.com.


Ray Jimenez, PhD www.vignettestraining.com
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Too Much Knowledge, Not Enough Time to Apply Learning

I had the opportunity to attend the presentation of Ken Blanchard in VNULearning Training Conference on Oct. 18.

Two key points stuck in my mind: Technology-based training tends to dump too much knowledge to the learners. It provides less opportunity to apply the ideas.Ken’s comments hit right smack into the heart of rapid e-learning.

Most e-learning development is slow, not primarily because of poor technology or software or non-cooperative technology staff and team members. The tendency is to carry over or migrate the classroom training workbooks or subject matter expert’s ideas on what ought to be learned directly into e-learning without critical thinking. As a consequence, the content is bloated, too heavy and massive to convert to any form of media, might that be video, PowerPoint, HTML, Flash or images. It does not only become slow, but also it becomes really costly.

The other consequence is that many of us become very busy in migrating or repurposing content, forgetting the more important issue: would learners have the chance to apply the ideas? Why is this important? Applying learning is our only way to help learners perform in their jobs. So less applications in learning will mean learning without performance or lack of delivery in results. In most organizations this is not an acceptable situation.

A case in point: a national chain of retail stores (4,500 stores in the US) have very high staff turnover – about 500% per year. Mostly, new hires stay for a few weeks and then leave. When I interviewed the e-trainers-developers and subject experts – I asked: What should the training of this staff look like? They presented to me a six-month program consisting of 3 curriculums and 80 modules. The problem with this response seemed obvious – but not really, to the many.

I followed up my own question. What would happen if we only provide the shortest required training to boost performance in critical jobs during the fist few weeks?

Guess what was the response? “No, we can’t do that since they need to learn all the steps of the content.”

Learning from Ken’s ideas, I suggest e-trainers and developers add to the critical evaluation this key question: Should we train learners on all of the content, instead of training them on the small content that really matters so that way they can perform?.

Ray Jimenez, PhD www.vignettestraining.com
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Choosing Authoring Tool That's Right For You

Topics this issue:
1. Choosing Authoring Tool That's Right For You
2. Organic e-Learning Activities
3. Blended e-Learning Workshop

1. Choosing Authoring Tool That's Right For You
What is the best authoring tool for e-learning? Despite efforts by many to develop or recommend one “best” authoring tool, the truth of the matter is, there is no single authoring tool in the market that will meet all the needs and match all of the capabilities of every organization.

From our experience consulting with various clients, we have learned that the best way to select an authoring tool is to FIRST assess your organization’s needs, capabilities, and available resources. This, of course, includes your learning strategies.

Nevertheless, there is a common *criteria that most organizations can use to assess if an authoring tool is right for them and we’d like to share them with you below:

• Ease of use
• Template-based
• Content reusability
• Richness of instruction
• Use of standards
• Managing content changes
• Write once, publish many
• Team development tool
• Minimal system requirements
• Value
• Product support
• Flexibility/portability of output
• Learning curve
• Cost of purchase/license

A final thought, the software output is only as good as your plan and design. Many trainers and developers jump into developing e-learning without planning their learning design. No amount of software can compensate for the absence of a good learning design.

*Authoring Tool Strategies
http://www.brandonhall.com/public/execsums/authoring_tool_strategies.pdf

2. Organic e-Learning Activities
Choosing the right authoring tool can enable you to create organic e-learning activities for your organization. Check out and see how it’s possible to make e-learning come alive.

» The Home Building Cycle

To preview more Vignettes, slideshows and highly interactive programs, register and be a member: http://www.vignettestraining.com/register.htm

3. Over 50 engaging interactive exercises, games, simulation, etc.
In the Blended eLearning Workshop, you will have access to over 50 interactive learning games, exercises, simulation, and in-box activities. You will be inspired to see the possibilities of an engaging e-learning program.

To know more about the Blended e-Learning Workshop, click here:
http://www.vignettestraining.com/workshops/index.htm

Ray Jimenez, PhD www.vignettestraining.com
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

How To Stay In Touch With Online Learners When Traveling

Topics this issue:
1. How to stay in touch with online learners while traveling
2. Featured presentation: “Directing e-Learning“
3. Long-distance management of your learners

1. How to stay in touch with online learners even when traveling
Doctors aren't the only ones who need to be "on-call". There are many instances when online learners need to have their questions answered by a mentor while in the middle of their "learning". However, if the mentor is traveling a lot, how can he or she stay in touch?

We can learn some effective techniques from some "globe trotters":

• Set a regular time for participants to contact the mentor by phone, emails and instant messaging.
  
• Announce the different methods learners can contact the mentor and clearly state your return call or response time policy and follow it.
  
• Use instant messaging as a "prompt" or (indication) that the mentor is present.
  
• Choose frequent teleconferencing over infrequent video conferencing.
  
• Pick the web collaboration tool where you and the participants can share files, share ideas and post comments and allow networking with your community of learners.

By the way, if you still think that instant messaging is just for kids, stop. IBM's Lotus Notes and Yahoo Enterprise version now provide organizations with Instant Messaging capabilities. New cell phone models also have instant messaging function.

2. Featured Presentation: “Directing e-Learning“
You will need Real Media player to view this presentation. Go to http://www.real.com/products/player/index.html/ to download your free player.

3. Long-distance management of your learners
Register for the Blended e-Learning Workshop. Learn how to create your own prototype e-learning project and ways to manage it, even while you are traveling.

Be an e-Learning Architect member to gain access to more flash and interactive presentations, articles and announcements. To register, please click here: http://www.vignettestraining.com/register.htm

Ray Jimenez, PhD www.vignettestraining.com
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Chunking Content for e-Learning Delivery: Does it really work?

Topics this issue:
1. Valuable tips in chunking content for e-learning delivery
2. Featured Vignette: “Baking the Right e-Learning Program”
3. Learning the methodology of converting content for e-learning delivery

1. Valuable tips in chunking content for e-learning delivery
Next time someone tells you to simply make “chunks” of your content to present them in e-learning format, ask this question: “What do you chunk and how do you chunk?”

Sometimes simple answers to complex questions lead to more confusion.

Chunking is defined as the process of separating learning materials into brief sections in order to improve learner comprehension and retention and allow quick access, exits and entries to topics. “Chunks” are shorter, smaller, and accessible learning modules.

Consider these ideas when you convert paper-based or classroom-based programs into an e-learning format:

1. The shorter, the better
   Your paper or classroom-based content is usually linear or in sequenced format. If you transfer them as is into an e-learning format, your program ends up as a long series of pages online. eLearners will quit your program. They do not tolerate long readings.
   
2. Prioritize and Reposition
   Reposition content so elearners will see the “must-be-learned” and “essential few” content first. You do not want them to miss this content.
   
3. Organize
   Separate clearly the “essential few” and “must-be-learned” content from secondary or supporting content like exercises, forms, references, examples, illustrations, etc. Position secondary content as secondary or optional links; they must not compete with the primary content.
   
4. Synthesize
   Finally, you cannot chunk content properly if you don’t do all of the above, as well as rewrite, reorganize and synthesize your content.
   

To see examples of this layout, click the link below: http://www.vignettestraining.com/rapid/onlinelearning.htm, register to be a member and select “Online Learning” from the table of contents panel on the left.

2. Featured Vignette: “Baking the Right e-Learning Program”
To preview more Vignettes, please visit http://www.vignettestraining.com/preview-main-vignettes.htm and register.
Already a member? Please login.

3. Learning the methodology of converting content for e-learning delivery
In the Blended e-Learning Workshop you will learn the methodology and easy process of converting content into e-learning that has been tested to work in actual projects. To learn more about the "Blended e-Learning Workshop", please click here http://www.vignettestraining.com/workshops/index.htm

Ray Jimenez, PhD www.vignettestraining.com
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"