Have you heard about how truly powerful video-based learning really is? Video-based learning is the knowledge or skills acquired by being taught using videos.

Video is the most effective and differentiated forms of media in the virtual learning environment. There is a vast amount of research showing that students understand more and retain information more effectively using video.

3 Benefits of Video-Based Learning

1. It is cost-effective. Videos can be created by simply using a mobile device or camera attached to your computer. Other than that, all you need is a video editing software and a microphone.
2. They are easy to make. Due to the simplicity of necessary components and advancements in technology, it does not take much time at all to create an instructional video.
3. It is easy to share videos. There are a vast amount of hosting platforms available where you can easily upload and share your videos with your learners. Most learning management systems even allow for you to...

Are you new to instructional design and lost on how to create an eLearning course from scratch?

I have been building a community for new instructional designers or people wishing to get into the field learn step-by-step processes on how to properly create eLearning content.

I am super excited to announce that the community will be reopening soon!

Why should you join?

Designing instruction using eLearning tools can be extremely difficult for instructors who have little to no experience. After becoming a teacher, I often witnessed ineffective instruction and came to realize that my true passion was in the design of curriculum. I decided to return to school and get my master’s degree in eLearning and Instructional Design.

I created a step-by-step process called the HARPER Method for other eLearning instructors and instructional designers to learn how to effectively design lessons that keep their learners actively engaged and mastering the learning...

When selecting a learning management system for the first time, or if the current one you are using isn't meeting the needs of your learners, choosing the right platform can be very critical for your eLearning strategy. It can get very overwhelming because there are a vast amount available to choose from.

I have laid out 3 steps that you should consider that will help the decision making process much easier for you.

1. Determine the needs of your learner.

You need to identify exactly what you need from your LMS as well as and who the learning content is going to be aimed towards. The first step in the HARPER method, Helping you understand your learners, can provide you with more details on how to analyze your audience.

Once you have identified the needs of your learners, it will be much easier to identify the specific elements necessary for your platform. It is also important to discuss with your team, fellow colleagues, and those who will be using the of their opinions on the...

What is Gamification?

Gamification is the use of game elements and game techniques in non-game contexts. It is a new and vastly growing trend and is being adopted by very large universities and corporations. Video games are becoming the foundation for doing things at and around the workplace.

Contrary to what some may think, gamification does not have to involve a complete submersion into a virtual world. It is actually quite simple to to utilize gamification techniques into an online course. Some learning management systems, such as D2L, even include special game elements embedded in their system.

Game elements include components such as:

• points
• levels
• rewards
• badges
• avatars
• leaderboards
• progression

It's also important that the instructional designer or eLearning instructor understand game design techniques such as aesthetics and artistic approaches. The designer must learn how to think like a game designer. This takes time...

Technology literacy is an imperative 21st century skill that learners need to acquire throughout their educational and training experience. From the past, we have learned that the developments in digital technologies have molded our current use of technology through the workplace and education.

Due to the advancements in recent technology, new trends have been emerging in online learning such as the ideas of personalized and adaptive learning. These new advancements are now allowing for learners to be put in the driver seat of their own learning.

Technology is Transforming How We Learn

In addition, technology is beginning to transform the ways in which students are being assessed, expanding from the traditional multiple-choice objective type testing, to real-world, problem-based assessment. Technology also allows for students to master their skills and knowledge which is leading to advancements in online learning.

The Common Core Standards mention the importance in framing...

Do you need help with keeping your students engaged in their eLearning courses? There are many ways in which instructors can create more interactive and engaging online courses. I will discuss with you some tried and true tips on how to keep your students successfully mastering the content in their courses.

1. Teamwork Strategies

Assign simple early projects to student teams to test the groups on how well they are working together. This way you can weed out the students who don’t contribute, and place those students into a new group of their own. This can help salvage the students who are actively participating in the course.

2. Evaluations

Instructors should collect formative and summative feedback regularly from students to check on how things are going. This can help you evaluate student satisfaction and the effectiveness of specific assignments or resources.

There are many ways that you can collect this type of feedback including:

• peer review and...

This is the second part of a two-part series on how to effectively use authentic learning in eLearning or the online classroom.

Click here if you missed part one.

PART TWO:

Authentic learning is an instructional approach that gives students the opportunity to create a meaningful, useful, and shared experience.

6. In real life situations, most activities are not subject specific. The sixth element of authentic learning is to have integrated subjects.

Although it is important to address specific subject skills, integrating other subject areas is paramount. eLearning instructors and instructional designers should obtain aligned curriculum expectations for their students to achieve success in their authentic event.

7. Once eLearning instructors have all subject areas represented and curriculum connections have been established, administrators and colleagues should work together in creating curriculum for creativity and deeper focus to flourish in their students.

8. The...

This is the first part of a two-part series on how to effectively use authentic learning in eLearning for instructional designers.

PART ONE:

Authentic learning is an instructional approach that gives students the opportunity to create a meaningful, useful, and shared experience.

It allows for students to explore, collaborate, and construct concepts and relationships involving real-world projects and problems in a meaningful way. Students are able to learn these concepts in a way that is relevant to them.

Authentic learning is real life learning. It is a learning style that inspires students to construct a tangible and purposeful product that is shared with their world.

It is the job of the instructional designer to provide students with the necessary resources to accommodate their success. The online teacher becomes a facilitator, guiding students on the side. Portfolios are used to organized the content that is processed.

The Hierarchy of Instructional Skill Development...

This post discusses some of the most trending techniques to use for presenting eLearning content for instructional designers. This is a great guide for beginner or intermediate level instructional designers to help create better engaging content for their students.

Storytelling

There are a variety of techniques that you may choose from for presenting content depending on the type of content and desired instructional approach. Storytelling provides information through a story narrative that places content in a realistic context and illustrates actions and decisions of its characters using illustrations, pictures, or videos.

The storytelling technique can be used to: provide job-specific knowledge, describe complex processes, add a realistic aspect to the lesson, and highlight the usefulness of knowledge.

Scenario Based Approach

In this type of content approach, lessons are built around a scenario. Learners are asked to make decisions by choosing among multiple options....

What is the Purpose of Storyboarding for eLearning?

Storyboards plot out eLearning course content, structure, and the overall flow. Building a storyboard is great practice when determining what media to utilize in your course as it gives you the opportunity to think about how and where elements will fit into the course. It will also help you with determining whether you have considered all necessary content to include in your course.

In order for content to be presented effectively, it is essential for it to be accurately prepared. Instructional techniques need to be developed creatively through an engaging and motivating learning experience.

Content can consist of many different elements ranging from documents and presentations to interactive simulations and job aids. This post will mainly focus on the development of interactive lessons, which is the most common form of developing eLearning content. Interactive content allows for instructional designers to use a...