Tools
Storyline 360
Rise 360
Studio 360
Camtasia
eLearning Design
& Development
Storyboard Development
​Visual Design
Audience
Responsibilities
This self-guided eLearning was developed for scholars in The University of Tampa's Instructional Design & Technology master's program to acclimate them to the Articulate software.
OVERVIEW
Problem
The University of Tampa Instructional Design and Technology master's program provides students with a subscription to Articulate 360 however there is no training or guide for using the programs. Students expressed the need for education on the various programs at the start of their time in the program to better aid them throughout their program of study.
Solution
I developed a self-paced Storyline 360 course that could be provided to entering students and accessed throughout their program. To cover the entirety of the Articulate suite 4 modules were developed: Getting Started, Rise 360, Studio 360 - which covered Presenter, Quizmaker and Engage-, and Storyline 360. Each module includes an overview of the program, how to publish, and provides instruction on how to use some of the main features. The primary instruction method is the use of short videos, developed in Camtasia, so learners could follow along or watch the videos while using the product. To keep the learner interested the functionality taught for each program is different. Further, the learner is presented with an interactive quiz at the end of each module to reinforce the concepts covered.
MY PROCESS
For this project I was the sole instructional designer and drew on my experience as a student in The University of Tampa's IDT program as well as feedback I had heard from my peers to determine what information would be valuable in an eLearning course on the Articulate suite. I chose to use Merrill's Principles of Instruction to guide my process because the overarching goal was to have learners incorporate the information as they first start building eLearning courses in the program.
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I structured the course to allow for flexibility while still providing essential fundamental concepts to the learner first. Learners are able to demonstrate learning through knowledge checks at the end of each module. Aligning with Merrill's principles for the demonstration of tools, there are questions in each knowledge check that replicate the Articulate interface and ask the learner to select or identify correct areas on the screen.
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Throughout the development I received feedback from my classmates - who also had first-hand knowledge of the problem I was solving - and from my professor.
Text-Based Storyboard
For this process I first developed a text-based storyboard to outline learning objectives and fundamental concepts to cover throughout the training. These topics were derived from feedback from peers, personal experience, and by identifying what core concepts are needed to develop a sound eLearning program.
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After creating the storyboard I identified which topics would be best delivered using a video and which topics were suitable for self-direct learning via tabbed interactions or step-by-step instructions. I then developed scripts for each video and developed concise directions for any self-directed topics. ​
Visual Planning and Design
I wanted to design a learning environment that was cohesive with the colors of The University of Tampa therefore I chose black, reds, and grays to maintain a simple yet noticeable connection to the university community through similar colors.
After choosing the design scheme I created slides in Storyline using the Slide Master and then mocked up a visual storyboard to plan the flow of the course.
UX Navigation Menu
A unique aspect I incorporated into this course was the redesign of the UX interface. I was aware that the learners for this course were new IDT students with minimal, if any, experience in Articulate and that they were also being provided with a lot of information and would be readily using that information in their courses. Therefore, I wanted to limit the amount of "noise" and I felt one way this could be accomplished would be to streamline the menu in lieu of using the one provided by the Player built into Storyline.
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I elected to turn off all features of the Player interface and chose a black background for the course to sit on. I then built a new menu bar. 'next' and 'back' buttons. In the slide Master I leveraged the Slide Master, layers and triggers in Storyline to have a menu pop-up when the learner selects the menu icon, designated by the clipboard at the bottom of the screen.
Results & Takeaways
This project received tremendously positive feedback from my professor and peers - who also fell under my target audience - and my project was provided to the program for use with future students.
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Developing this project was a rewarding experience as I saw first-hand how the course was positively impacting the students in the program. As I progressed through the design process I received positive feedback from my classmates and professor. The most rewarding part for me was when I shared parts of my course with classmates to help them build their courses for the semester. A few things I'll carry with me as I develop additional courses are:
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Creating a visual design blueprint is essential. This was the first time I developed a visual design blueprint that I could refer to throughout the development process. This improved my efficiency as I developed each slide and helped maintain a cohesive design.
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Maintain a learner-perspective. For this course I was both the instructional designer and part of the target audience which gave me a unique perspective throughout the design and development process and, I feel, contributed to the success of the project. I believe that broaching any project as a learner and asking "What am I learning?" and "What do I need to learn to be successful?" are critical to keeping design rooted in improving learner outcomes.
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Allow yourself to learn something new from the ID community. A personal goal of mine was to enhance my Storyline skills throughout this project. To accomplish this I explored the Articulate and instructional design community to identify creative ways to enhance the course. Through this process I learned how to create the navigation panel I developed. This aspect of the course is one that I am most proud of because of the benefit it provides to the learner and also because I was able to increase my skills.
