Andrea Gregg, Ph.D., and Ronda Reid, PMP., examined the usability of a new learning management system at Penn State. They used the think-aloud method to watch and understand how users perceived and … [Read more...]
Why Less is More in Learning Design
A drop is better than a firehose. A common error in the design of learning experiences is burdening the learner with too many facts and lengthy explanations all at once. This is problematic because of … [Read more...]
Using Scale in Your eLearning and Slide Layouts
One powerful aspect of visual design you may not be optimizing is the use of scale in the composition of your eLearning, slides and job aids. This design principle has the power to enhance visual … [Read more...]
Designing Learning for Mental Models
Did you have trouble the first time you tried to start a keyless car? Or perhaps the first time you took a panoramic picture? According to a well-known theory, these tasks were difficult because you … [Read more...]
ELC 076: How to Get Started with Data-Driven Learning Design
A Conversation with Lori Niles-Hofmann
There are many paths that help us build learning experiences that are in tune with the audience and the organization. One aspect that too many of us ignore is the rich data set that likely exists … [Read more...]
Newsletters I Like Outside of Learning & Development
It happened when I wasn't looking. It was a slippery slope. One day I realized I was hooked on newsletters. I was getting LOTS of them. Perhaps too many. I couldn't stop myself from subscribing … [Read more...]
ELC 075 Finding a Career Path in Instructional Design
The diversity of career paths in instructional design is greater than you may think. This solo episode is for people who are trying to break into instructional design and those who are new to the … [Read more...]
Using the Think Aloud Protocol to Test Usability of Learning Designs
Usability testing is missing from the traditional instructional design process. But not having a way to find problems is a problem. We need to make sure that eLearning courses, learning portals, … [Read more...]
Design for Bottom-Up and Top-Down Processing
In order to design for the human mind, it's helpful to understand how attention guides a person to perceive and then comprehend information while learning. Outside of research circles, one under … [Read more...]
Six Ways to Use Examples And Nonexamples To Teach Concepts
Your brain likes to generalize. It forms generalizations out of individual examples, similar to fitting together the pieces of a puzzle. This is more or less how we form concepts—by grouping together … [Read more...]
Persuading Clients To Accept Your Course Design
I received an email from an experienced instructional designer who had a problem that is all too common in our field. She was having trouble persuading clients to accept her course design. She … [Read more...]
Talent Stacking For An Instructional Design Career
Sometimes an obvious concept takes on a deeper meaning when you see it from a new perspective. For me, talent stacking was one of those ideas. We all know that being multi-skilled increases your … [Read more...]