E-Learning Course
Topic: Data entry for reports
Tools used: Articulate Rise; Storyline 360; Camtasia; Snagit
Challenge and Solution
Challenge:
At the organization this e-Learning course was produced for, the report writing process is complex and educators struggled with the correct process for data entry. As a result, the project manager lost valuable time dealing with this issue, and educators were also frustrated with data entry complications. Furthermore, new employees coming into the organization from overseas need to be trained on the reporting procedures.
Solution:
Given the fact that the employees are computer literate but have limited time to meet together for in-person training, an e-Learning course was designed and developed. This would also permit new employees to easily access the training as part of their onboarding experience.
A cognitive approach was used, with built in exercises that helped shift course participants from consciously incompetent to consciously competent on the learning curve.
Link to Learning Models, Theories and Strategies
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Objectives were clearly provided at the beginning of each section and knowledge throughout the course build on previous understanding.
Content was presented in a multiplicity of modalities, and learners were given an opportunity to practice through scenarios, short tasks, pairing activities and drag-and-drop activities.
Feedback was provided at the end of each lesson through comments provided on knowledge checks.
There was an end of course summative assessment provided at the end.
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Multiple interactive opportunities were built into the course to ensure learners enjoyed the process (level 1) and to ensure engagement with the content e.g. scenarios; tasks; drag and drops; etc.
Knowledge transfer (level 2) was also built in through the setting of knowledge checks and a summative assessment.
As this e-Learning course has just been developed, implementation has yet to take place. This will happen later in the year, after which it will be possible to evaluate the extent to which it has changed behavior (level 3) and influenced performance (level 4)
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All elements within this e-Learning course are designed to prevent cognitive overload:
Lessons are structured into clear, manageable chunks
Information is provided in bullet-point format, or short sentences
Pictures are clearly labelled without long, unnecessary explanations
Learning is reinforced at each step through the presentation of content in different formats and knowledge checks
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Jimenez encourages the use of patterns to connect the dots of learning. A number of his ideas have been incorporated into the design of this e-Learning course:
Each lesson has the same format to ensure learners anticipate the same structure, thus aiding learning. For example, each lesson starts with the objectives, then incorporates content delivery, and ends with a knowledge check.
Trial and error exercises have been built into the design of the course to aid pattern development in the brain.
Deliberate “chunking” of content helps to facilitate pattern building.