Jackie Van Nice

E-Learning Goodness by Jackie Van Nice

Show Your Work

Checking Out Some Ergonomics

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Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo

This week’s Articulate challenge is to create an ergonomics training demo, so I sat up a little straighter and started brainstorming.

The Idea

I usually see ergonomic guidelines for sitting at a computer or lifting boxes, and wanted to find something different. I had some entertaining ideas, but then I realized the challenge comes down to images. With more time I could make my own, but it’s not that kind of week.

OSHA to the Rescue!

Luckily for me, after endless searching, I found a less-traveled topic and good images at OSHA. I included the full document as an attachment in the demo.

OSHA Ergonomic Guidelines

OSHA Ergonomic Guidelines for Retail Grocery Stores

OSHA Grocery Store Ergonomics

OSHA Grocery Store Ergonomics

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The Design

I kept it simple and let the images be the stars. It actually took me quite awhile to make all of the design decisions – (layout, what to present, how much to present, how to present it, colors, navigation, hover states, player choices, and on and on) – so though it’s simple, it took time.

See The Result!

What do grocery clerks’ toes really need? Check out the demo to find out!

Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo

Why Flies Should Pay Attention to Science

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Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo

This week’s Articulate challenge is to create a science-related interaction, so I legged it to my desk and started spinning a plan.

Web Inspiration

I wanted a simple topic and found inspiration on the Everyday Mysteries/Fun Science Facts page of the Library of Congress. “How do spiders avoid getting tangled in their own webs?”  seemed like a fair question, so I brainstormed from there.

The Library of Congress Has Questions

The Library of Congress Has Questions

Creating The Spider Slider

Visual Design

It had to be inviting enough to get you into the topic, so I went with a good-quality image with a color scheme I liked. All colors came from the photo using Storyline’s eyedropper tool.

Instructional Design

How can I pique your interest enough to get you to check out the content? By making you the fly. Not unlike my golfer safety course, you’re going to pay more attention if you think you might get eaten. It’s Motivation 101.

With more time I would have shown you your fly self (you’re already familiar with your fly self – but I mean detailed visuals of you as an actual fly), used motion paths to zip you around, and embedded more content – but this is a quick version to give you a sense of the approach.

Storyline Design

It’s a slider done in Storyline 2. It’s one slide and each slider position reveals a slide layer. Add in some animations and transitions and it’s a quick, clean way to present information. One of many reasons to love Storyline 2’s sliders.

Will You Click Into My Demo?*

Watch your step and enjoy it right here.

*Homage to Mary Howitt’s poem The Spider and the Fly. (Here’s a nice reading of it!)

DIY E-Learning Icons (+ Free Download!)

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This week’s ELH challenge is to create and share a set of icons for the e-learning community. (I’m in!)

Theme: Language Learning

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture

List or Knowledge Check

List or Knowledge Check

Listening

Listening

Reading

Reading

Role Play or Discussion

Role Play or Discussion

Speaking

Speaking

Viewing

Viewing

Writing

Writing

For last week’s emoji challenge I created a language learning demo. It’s a topic near and dear to my heart, so I kept the theme going this week. These are the icons, and they align with most of the basic activities you engage in when learning a language.

Design

I created them in PowerPoint and made them simple and flat. To save time I took one of David Anderson’s challenge suggestions and pulled the basic images from The Noun Project. Credit and links back to the original images are in the file.

Colorize Your World

Snack Pack Colors

Snack Pack Colors

To show how you can customize them I mocked up a few color combos. They’re in the PowerPoint file, too. To color the PNG images I used Format > Color, and to add texture I used Format > Artistic Effects.

Download Them Now!

Black & White

Black & White

If you’d like to download the PowerPoint file with these fully-customizable icons, you can grab it on the download page.

Feeling Neutral

Feeling Neutral

Icon Feel the Blues Coming On

Icon Feel the Blues Coming On

Texture Becomes Electra

Texture Becomes Electra

Getting Emoji-nal: Teaching Vocabulary

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Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo

This week’s Articulate ELH Challenge is to create an interaction using emojis – or basically to use simple graphics in place of text.

Pear The Idea: Vocabulary Practice

Anyone who has learned or taught languages knows pictures are indispensable for vocabulary practice, so I thought I’d create one with emojis.

WatermelonI wanted it to be in Turkish, partly because it would be way cool and partly because I need the practice, but to save time I stuck with English.

The Design: Simple

AppleI kept it emoji-simple. From layout to images to instructions it’s easy to figure out, easy to navigate, and easy to understand the teaching points.

It’s technically a drag-and-drop I made into a free practice activity. The feedback – even for incorrect answers – is designed to help you learn vocabulary, so I didn’t see the point of keeping score. Sometimes it’s just nice to play.

So Much More

There’s a ton more you could do with the concept, including adapting it to work on listening skills or writing skills rather than reading skills. Maybe I’ll get the chance to adapt it in other challenges down the road!

Give It A Try!

Ready to test your vocabulary skills? You can check out this emoji-nal little demo right here.

Select Image to Launch Demo

Select Image to Launch Demo