Jackie Van Nice

E-Learning Goodness by Jackie Van Nice

Games

Free Tic-Tac-Toe Template in Storyline!

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Click Image to Launch Demo

Click Image to Launch Demo

I made a punctuation tic-tac-toe game this week for an ELHChallenge. Folks liked it and wanted to know how it was built, so I made it into a game template to share. I’ve replaced the images with a generic smiley face from Microsoft clipart, standardized the colors, and put in placeholder text – but other than that you’ve got the original file.

Tips to Help You Customize It

  1. Download it: Grab it on the download page.
  2. Tic-Tac-Toe Grid: The lines are on the master slide. To change it go to View > Slide Master.
  3. Disabling Clicks on the Grid: To keep the user from clicking on a question they’ve already answered, I added an invisible rectangle on top of each grid image on the base slide named “disable 1”, “disable 2”, etc. The initial state is set to Hidden, but once a question has been answered the rectangle is triggered to go to a Normal (yet still invisible) state to block mouse clicks. If you choose to keep this functionality, be sure these disabling rectangles are in front of the grid images rather than behind them.
  4. Images: Replace them by right clicking on each and choosing “Change Picture”. Keep in mind you’ll be replacing them on the grid and on all 27 layers that include images. (There are also 8 results layers, but they don’t include images.)
  5. “Learn More” Buttons: On each feedback layer there’s a Learn More button that originally linked to a URL. I left the trigger intact, but if you’d like to use it you’ll need to update it with the link of your choice.
  6. Compare it to the Original: If you’re not sure what to put where, just compare it to the original game. That should clear it up.

Have Fun!

I hope you enjoy making your own game. If you have questions just let me know in the comments below!

Hey! You Got Your Math in My Football!

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Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo

This week’s challenge is to teach a little something about math, and another recent challenge was to present a concept about football. I decided to tackle them simultaneously, hoping they’d add up to something I could use.

Place Value Presentation

Place Value Presentation

The Idea

Football Trivia Masquerading as a Place Value Example

A Place Value Example Masquerading as Football Trivia

As I perused ways to connect math and football in a way I had any chance of enjoying, I stumbled across a concept in each that I liked: The position of the place kicker in football, and the concept of place value in math. I imagined a little game involving both, and set out to make it happen.

The Design

My Place Value/Place Kicker Game

My Place Value/Place Kicker Game

I wanted this to be very, very simple. I created the place kicker in PowerPoint, and most other images in Storyline 2. Each concept is presented quickly and simply, and the demo’s focus is on allowing place value practice with ample opportunity to see hints and try again.

The Result

In the end, I’m pretty happy with it. If you’d like to try, feel free to place kick a few place values right here!

Select Image to Launch Demo

Play to Find Your Valentine!

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Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo

This week’s challenge is to create an interaction for Valentine’s Day. What could be more fun than that?

The Idea

I had an elaborate story/game design in mind, but needed something I could knock out far more quickly. I kept coming back to the whimsical appeal of vintage valentines and eventually found one I could imagine using.

The Original Valentine

The Original Valentine

Valentine Roulette

The problem with the spinning valentine was figuring out how to engineer it. Lucky for me, generous community member Geert De Rycke shared his javascript-powered, randomized spinning wheel and I happened to find it. Woo-hoo!

So Who Are the Hidden Valentines?

Every time someone tweets out my Dapper Dan pictograms I always say “I love those guys!” – because I do – so that’s what got me started. Using characters from past challenge entries just seemed like way to go.

The Result

Feel free to take the wheel for a spin right here and see if you find a valentine you like! There’s an excellent chance that at least one of these choices will make you happy.

Drag and Drop Activities: Not Just for Cowboys Anymore

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Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo

This Articulate challenge is to come up with some creative ways to use drag-and-drop interactions. Designing them to present information and provide opportunities for practice broadens their usefulness and makes them more involving than a standard drag-and-drop quiz does.

The Topic

I had already been working on a course that included choosing proper safety gear for construction workers. In this demo I came up with the cowboy option for contrast – but you could use this approach for any two (or more) job functions that require different gear.

Hints Rather Than Answers

Select Image to Launch David Anderson's Demo

Select Image to Launch David Anderson’s Demo

Using David Anderson’s lovely table setting example for inspiration, I provided learner-controlled hints in addition to the ability to check your final answer and get feedback. You can also easily start over and try again. It’s another one of those activities that’s just sort of fun to play with.

Give it a Try!

Someone needs to outfit this guy. You should give it a try!

Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo