What is shared between Compliance eLearning and Captain America and Anime Comics?

Synthesis
Cartoons and caricatures are affordable and easy to use graphical elements to enhance eLearning. However, they are only as good as the story you are trying to tell. Without stories, they are as weak as any other medium.

Comic-Con just ended this week in San Diego with over 120,000 attendees. Stephen Spielberg and Peter Jackson attracted much attention with the release of The Adventures of Tintin. In theaters, Captain America has now surpassed the last Harry Potter franchise in gross revenues.
Comics, cartoons, caricatures and illustrations have always been successful in engaging learners.
Below are examples of how I use simple cartoons, illustrations and animations in eLearning development.

Compliance Course on Bullying Manager

This is an example of a situation showing a bullying manager. (Click here)

This is an example of how to deal with a bullying manager.

"Stand up" (Click here)

"Who made you queen?" (click here)

Bad Hair Day

This is an example of using simple analogies and asking learners to comment and interact.
(Click here)

 Crisis Management

This animated character is used to stress a point that to follow-up clients in crisis incidents is important in crisis management. (Click here)
 

Benefits of using cartoons, caricatures, illustrations and animation

1. You can control the characters, events and conversations in exactly the right way to meet your needs.
2. They can be created into almost photo-real appearances.
3. They are easy to modify and update since you control the source files.
4. Style can be made consistent.
5. Compared to taking custom photography, cartoons are cheaper to produce.

Some objections
Objections to cartoons are often due to the culture of the organization and the nature of the message and content. There are content that may not fit well with illustrations, and photos work better - for example, when there is human pain, a human face can show it better than an illustration.

Another objection is the perception that caricatures are too much fun and game-like and that leaders often frown on the suggestion that learners are having too much fun (dah!).

Cartoons and caricatures are only mediums to stories

Cartoons and caricatures, however, are only means to an end. They have no added value if they do not show or illustrate a story.

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FREE Cartoon Graphical Resources
Send message and request access to the following:
Over 200 free cartoons for learning

PowerPoint templates using cartoons showing topics on:
leadership and coaching

Complete the form and type in the subject “Cartoon”. Write a note on where you plan to use the caricatures.
http://vignetteslearning.com/vignettes/contactus.php

References and Links

Comic-Con
http://theweek.com/article/index/217596/comic-con-6-things-people-are-talking-about

The Adventures of Tintin
http://www.tintin.com/

Captain America
http://captainamerica.marvel.com/

Contact form
http://vignetteslearning.com/vignettes/contactus.php

 

Ray Jimenez, PhD
Vignettes Learning
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

BP Gulf Oil Spills – a case of “be a manager, go to jail”

The news suggest that there has been early signs of the oil spill disaster. Oil rig contractors have detected earlier problems but failed to take the needed steps to avert the catastrophe.

Many years ago in my one of my first business endeavors I produced seminars on employment and safety compliance. It seems to me that one of the key issues in the BP Gulf Oil Spills goes back to the failure of companies to provide complaint systems to ensure that whistle blowers’ rights are protected. And hopefully avoid crisis like oil spills.

I am no legal expert, but I recall that some of our safety laws cover “be a manager, go to jail” requirements. These are laws that impose personal liability on managers and executives if it is proven that they failed to take necessary measures to avoid safety violations resulting to catastrophe events.

What would you do if you are the manager in an potentially disastrous environmental accident? How do you avoid going to jail?

I prepared a small exercise "Whistle Blower Rights." Your CEO wants a plan. What do would you do. Please the exercise, click here.



Ray Jimenez, PhD
3Minute Worlds - Learning Community
Social Learning, Work and Performance
3Minute eLearning Games
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Games in 48 Hours - Insights from Sid Meier

Thanks to mLearn Staff.

I had fun watching Sid Meier, considered "Father of computer game" in this documentary (23 minutes). My takeaways: Engaging to developers; Multiple mindsets; good to push what one can do in 48 hours. I love the quote from Sid "there are very little known bugs" - my thought, otherwise, bugs will lose their appeal! For my friends in eLearning, this has good insights into the world of programmers who labor like Zombies to meet your eLearning programs due now, must, immediately.

Have fun!




Ray Jimenez, PhD
Join us at 3MinuteWorlds Micro-Learning Community http://3minuteworld.trainingpayback.com
http://www.vignettestraining.com/
http://www.simplifyelearning.com/

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Creating Micro-Scenarios – X-Men Plays Hockey

The purpose of Micro-learning is to provide short, snappy and provocative stories to help learners reflect on a real-life situation or provoke social learning conversations in discussion rooms, Twitters, Blogs, etc.

Full-scale scenarios are elaborate scenarios with multiple branching while micro-scenarios are small vignettes with 1 to 2 branches or a single compelling story leaving learners to reflect on the choices and consequences.

Even if Micro-Scenarios are 1-3 minute activities, they contain these key elements:

1. An emotional event
2. Characters involved in a story
3. Emotions are high
4. Conflicts have to be resolved
5. Choices are presented
6. Consequences have failures or successes

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Preview Examples
To view examples of Micro-Scenarios, please click here, and Search (top right) for “Micro-Scenario.” Or you can visit www.simplifyel.com and Search (top right) for “Micro-Scenario.” You will find these two scenarios below.

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Hockey stick

The hockey stick has three parts: toe, heel and handle.

In storytelling, which is the heart of scenarios, the toe represents the past or present situation before problem (or the heel). The heel represents a depression or change where the emotions are heightened due to a problem that needs to be resolved; the heel is pointed down or at the bottom. And the handle represents an upward result from resolutions of the conflict.

This is a very rudimentary example.

“I was OK.” (Toe)
“But then something went wrong.” (Heel)
“Thank God with his help I recovered.” (Handle)

This is another example.

“My performance was great last year.” (Toe)
“Today, they are dropping to 30%.” (Heel)
“I was procrastinating on some tasks.” (Heel)
“What do I do?”(Heel)
“Once I started to focus on the must do tasks,
my performance started to excel.” (Handle)


Let’s use the X-Men playing Hockey illustration.

Using the X-Men approach represents having two or more involved characters. They have their respective toes, heels and handles. In X-Men we combine the two characters into one scenario. This approach is beneficial since many learning issues usually involve other people and emotions are oftentimes heightened between characters.

Let’s see an example below.

(1a/1b) Toes - John and Sarah

John was a manager and Sarah reports to John. John promoted Sarah because she has been an effective leader. Sarah was thrilled with the news.

(2)
Heels crossing between John and Sarah.

(2a)
Months went by and Sarah noticed that John has become overly demanding and to some extent unreasonable with his expectations.

(2b)
One day, John and Sarah had an altercation which ended with Sarah rushing to her lawyer and filing a suit against John. John was appalled.

(3)
When John was asked by Nancy, the Human Resources Manager, what happened, John said, “Well heck, I just asked her to treat one of our key customers to dinner.” Nancy asked: “So what should you do John?”

At this point, we now have all the elements: Event, Characters, Emotions, and Conflicts that needed to be resolved. Now you are ready to present the Choices.

Conflict Resolution Question

Before presenting the choices, we need to add a “conflict resolution question.”

For example: “So what should you do John?”

Then we can present the choices:

Choice 1 – “Nothing”, John Says.
Choice 2 – “What do you think Nancy,” asks John.
Choice 3 – “I should talk with Sarah and ask why?”

(4)
The scenario – the handle

Each choice has a consequence which leads to a resolution and/or a failure which could lead to more conflicts and choices. If the answer leads to a resolution, it allows John and Sarah to resolve the conflicts; the resolution represents the handle of the hockey stick. If the consequence is a failure and does not lead to a resolution, the problem continues to be in the heel of the scenario.

Scenarios without handles for self-reflections

Open-ended Micro-Scenarios are short stories without the choices and consequences. They are are excellent ways to provoke and encourage learners to submit and share their ideas on how to resolve the scenario. Learners can post their comments in discussion rooms, webinars, classroom training, and social learning sites like Twitter, Blogs and Wikis.


Related blogs

Compelling Characters
http://vignettestraining.blogspot.com/2007/02/compelling-characters-in-scenario-based.html

I’ve been robbed
http://vignettestraining.blogspot.com/2008/03/ive-been-robbed-ive-been-sexually.html

Ray Jimenez, PhD
http://www.vignettestraining.com/
http://www.simplifyelearning.com/

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Book Release - Scenario-Based Learning (SBL): Using Stories To Engage e-Learners"

After hundreds of hours conducting workshops, developing SBLs, learning and researching with friends, my book Scenario-Based Learning (SBL): Using Stories To Engage e-Learners" is out. Go to www.lulu.com, search for SBL or Ray Jimenez.

It has over 200 pages and a dozen of online demos, resources and references. The book has exercises and examples. I am happy to say that if the reader follows the exercises, he/she can develop an SBL.

I used storytelling in writing the book ... practicing what I am preaching.

These are some chapter titles:

Emotional bursts
Chatter
Fluff and absurdities
Bucket list
One thousand cranes
Groundhog day
Trip to the monastery
Etc.

I had so much fun writing the book!

A million for those who helped me.

I am sure you will it find valuable.

Ray Jimenez, PhD

Learning Games for the "Real-World" - Alternate Reality Games - The Cookies

After or while reading, do a cookie game and you will learn and see a personal impact and meaning. Ray's request.

Jane McGonigal with Institute for the Future has researched and developed alternate games that make people move games from virtual level to real-life alternate games.

In this example, "The Myth of Sisyphus" by Albert Camus", Jane started the game "the cookie is still rolling."

I love the inspiration of the game. And let me make a guess about what Jane is trying to accomplish (I could be wrong):

1. There are plenty of games, readings, ideas about life. In this case it is Albert Camus' essay on "Sisyphus" - which tells me the philosophy "The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

2. Jane introduced the cookie rolling game for her to express her experiences, needs or concerns (existentially) and encourage others to do the same.

3. Others do the real-life game (See links to photos); organized groups of people do the game the way they best find meaningful.

4. The game has caught on and is still rolling.

I asked myself about the "Why" (see the link For Why) and it occurred to me that Jane is reminding herself and others of a personal philosophy which helps her stay focused on being "happy" in spite the "rocks we have to roll" every day.

Jane says, these games help people develop games to help them stay "happy."

Just going through the readings and photos, already made me happy -- since as a person,
I do struggle with my own rock and I, too, believe Sisyphus is happy.

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

Saving the World Through Game Design

Jane McGonigal talks with Daniel Zalewski about alternate-reality gaming. From “Stories from the Near Future,” the 2008 New Yorker Conference.

Preview the video - it is inspiring to have newer ways of thinking about the future.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/video/conference/2008/mcgonigal

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

Who Says You Can't Do a Game on Serious Topics - from Nobelprize.org

"Trade Ruler Game" "Bertil Ohlin, awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1977, showed that countries engage in and benefit from trade if their production resources differ from each other."
http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/economics/trade/index.html

I find this interesting. A good example of making complex topics simple and engaging.
It is also a good design for interactive e-learning

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/economics/trade/game/ruler.html

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

Enews Reader Responses: Politics of LMS Implementation and The Basics of Games

Thanks to Terry, Al and Jeff for sharing their comments and observations.
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Enews, November 26, 2007

What is the politics of e-Learning?

Sadly, we all have to navigate the turfs, silos, and territorial waters. Story: A senior executive in-charge of e-Learning wants to proceed with the content development and refuses to synchronize his plans with IT/Tech Support department. "I don't want to get trapped with the slowness of IT. They have yet to purchase the LMS and we are behind. I don't want to wait. I'll have to deliver my part."

Silly? Some of us ignore the politics and we lose big time. e-Learning content and LMS delivery should be a one and all solution, cohesive, and strategically sound. It should fit like hand-to-glove. What do you think? Email your thoughts and I will share them with the community.

From Al Padkowsky

The senior e-Learning exec is correct. When you work in a large corporation, the reality is that you cannot let others hold your success hostage to their inability to deliver on previously-agreed upon goals. The executive’s primary responsibility is to deliver on those things he can control and if the IT department is not able to perform, then the exec can not use that as an excuse for non performance. A good analogy would be a football team where players are told to take care of their area of responsibility and trust other players on the team to perform as expected. If someone is not performing, then the coach (CEO) takes appropriate action.

Another important point is if the exec can deliver compelling content and show the value of his team’s contribution to the corporation, then that can be used to build the business case needed to secure additional resources such as a dedicated IT staffer or the ability to outsource the LMS. Using an open-source CMS like Moodle can provide enough interim functionality to deliver courses, monitor results and produce the reports necessary for the business case.

Best Regards,

Al Padkowsky
Senior Learning and Development Manager
Raritan Inc.
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Enews, November 12, 2007

Case situation: Game Development

A training manager from one of the largest retail stores asked if video gaming as a type of training really helps 18 to 21 year-old workers. So I asked the question: What is in video games that make them so engaging? Is it the hand-eye coordination, the power of the game software, or is it about a compelling story with strong plots and characters? The story of course. What do you think? Please email me your quick thoughts.


From Jeff O’Malley
To me, the basic appeal of stories lies in the mythological truths underlying them. It's the same reason why the message in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and in songs like "We Shall Overcome" still resonate so deeply among a wide spectrum of people.

Jeff O’Malley is the Prison Fellowship International Senior Director for Communications and Marketing and Senior Facultyof the Institute for Leadership Formation.

From Terry
The engaging factors of video games are more than a great story. There is a whole body of research on using the engagement techniques of games for learning. Marc Prensky has a one- page list of reasons games engage us. I think it is a good list, although a lot more can be said on the subject. Clark Quinn's book "Engaging Learning" addresses some of the research in depth.

Here are links:
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Why%20Games%20Engage%20Us.pdf

http://www.engaginglearning.com/

Terry duSolieil

Northrop Grumman

Slow Adoption: The Fall of e-Learning Programs

Topics this issue:
1. Slow Adoption: The Fall of e-Learning Programs
2. Featured Presentation: “Using e-Learning to Improve Economics and Efficiency of Training“
3. Learn how to construct highly interactive exercises using organics and stories.

1. Slow Adoption: The Fall of e-Learning Programs
Slow adoption of e-learning technology is one of the major reasons why e-learning programs fail.

Various factors cause this adoption lag. One common thread is clash of cultures. The eternal debate of whether new e-learning practices are as effective as traditional instructional methods still exists.

For more people to adopt e-learning, the relative advantage of this new method over traditional means must be highlighted. They must be able to compare the “old” way of doing things to the “new” way, and eventually form a favorable impression on e-learning.

Another cause of slow adoption is the perceived complexity of the technology. One of technology’s purposes is to speed things up and make work easier. If e-learning is perceived by potential users as something complicated and intimidating, they would of course prefer learning the “old” and “comfortable” way.

What can be done to speed up e-learning adoption?

• Stress on e-learning’s relative advantage such as savings in traditional training costs, customized learning, and availability of just-in-time knowledge.
  
• Give the potential users ample time to try out and get used to e-learning before setting it as a requirement so they would feel more comfortable about the technology.
  
• Keep e-learning programs simple, user-friendly and of course, engaging.

2. Featured Presentation: “Using e-Learning to Improve Economics and Efficiency of Training“

NOTE: To successfully view this, you will need to download and install real media player here:http://www.real.com/products/player/index.html/

We invite you to preview and pass to your peers (especially to the boss!) this Flash presentation on “Using e-Learning to Improve Economics and Efficiency of Training” and get faster approval of your e-learning projects!

To preview more Vignettes, slideshows and highly interactive programs, register for free to the e-Learning Architect: http://www.vignettestraining.com/register.htm

3. Learn how to construct highly interactive exercises using organics and stories.
Give life to your e-learning programs. Keep your audience awake, alert, and engaged with interactivities. Attend the Blended e-Learning Workshop! For more information, visit: http://www.vignettestraining.com/workshops/index.htm

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

Second Wave of e-Learning - Basic and Simple Ways to Engage Learners in e-Learning

Topics this issue:
1. Simple and effective ways to make e-learning engaging
2. Featured Slideshow: “Boring e-Learning Programs: Something is Lost”
3. Over 50 engaging interactive exercises, games, simulation, etc.

1. Second wave of e-learning - basic and simple ways to engage learners in e-learnings
The second wave of e-learning programs is now starting to surface in businesses. Tired of the first-generation products where focus was on software, developers are now paying more attention on how to make e-learning more engaging.

But even before you spend time, effort and money on high interactivity or multimedia, there are basic ways you can make your program engaging with basic, simple and effective methods.

Consider these ideas:

• Allow learners to jump around the lessons and randomly select topics they find relevant
  
• Use short lessons that are no more than 3-4 pages long, with only about 50 words in a page
  
• Present learners with synthesis of content and allow them the option to delve into the detailed long text; avoid requiring learners to read long text
  
• Organize your content so that learners can see first the “must-learn” and “high-value” content
  
• Write your content in a conversational style, and not in the traditional “impersonal” technical writing style
  
• Always write using stories, metaphors, case studies, examples, illustrations, etc.
  
• Use images to vividly illustrate your story and metaphors
  

2. Featured Slideshow
Preview the Flash Slideshow on “Boring e-Learning Programs: Something is Lost”
To preview more Vignettes, slideshows and highly interactive programs, please register and be a member: http://www.vignettestraining.com/preview-main-ela.htm

3. Over 50 engaging interactive exercises, games, simulation, etc.
In the Blended e-Learning 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 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"