How companies are using video podcasts to educate their market

I'm showcasing this video by Syberworks, Inc. because I think it is a great way that companies can spread the message about what they do and promote their area of expertise.

Information, or content, marketing, is replacing 'interruption' marketing on the Internet today. Interruption marketing is a technique we've all come to know well-- marketing that interrupts what we are doing, e.g., banner ads that pop up or commercials during a broadcast.

With content marketing, customers come to you for one reason or another, and you supply information that is perceived to be of value--either education or entertainment targeted to your market.

We also offer this service for our clients, as we believe valuable exposure is gained through video sharing sites and posting video podcasts on corporate websites.

This example is useful because learners can discover how elearning is being employed by police officers and about the company Syberworks, too. It isn't too selly, and for those interested, the 4 1/2 minutes spent watching is time well spent (at least we hope).

Visual technical communication: XBRL in Plain English

As the volume of information we need to stay current continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to deliver digital content in a way that sticks with learners. In order to avoid information simply flowing past learners' minds, we need to apply best practices for multimedia learning to our content.

Research shows the combined use of narration with visuals is effective for learning. Known as dual channel processing, it allows our brain to process information through both the eyes and ears at the same time. Done correctly, this can be a powerful way to reach, and more importantly, stick in learners' minds.

Connecting a visual image to the words we are hearing helps us make more sense from a multimedia message. It's when we make meaning--by linking what we learn to what we already know--that transfer to long term memory occurs.

The alternative is information, or cognitive, overload. We've all been there: transfixed gazes at computer screens or glazed-eye syndrome during a lecture in a dimly lit room.

In the above example, Just Systems adopted the digital storytelling technique used by Common Craft to describe the role of XBRL in financial reporting. It's a complicated subject and, in approximately six minutes, they've done a rather good job of explaining it. You could call it content marketing or selling your idea, but it's about getting a message across as effectively as possible. In a world where competition for our online attention is ferocious, making a message stick becomes as important as the message itself.

As making meaning from the online or mobile content remains the challenge of the day, I think we serve learners well through the effective use of visuals in the form of digital storytelling, mind mapping, videos, charts, graphs and the like.

Educating and entertaining your market using video sharing sites

Instead of using fancy brochures to showcase the strength and versatility of their blenders, Blendtec uses an inexpensive, highly visible approach like YouTube.

With views ranging from 80,000 to almost 5 million, I think Blendtec has found a great way to market their product while entertaining and educating their audience at the same time. I wonder how many more companies will attempt a similar strategy?

Product and sales training in a 3D environment

I've been making notes and currently exploring learning opportunities in SL, but haven't grouped my thoughts together enough to make a decent post yet.

In the meantime, I'd like to share this informative video about using 3D worlds to enhance learning. The video shows an example where sales reps are trained about the features of a new product. The creator of the video, Karl Kapp, has shown a 2D learning approach in a 3D world, and how it can be made more effective by taking advantage of the unique features offered in a 3D environment. Clearly, the 3D training looks like it would be better for learning and also a lot more fun.

Educational uses of Second Life

Another video showcasing the educational possibilities of using Second Life for learning.

The video doesn't mention the potential for mixing with more undesirable folk (naked furries for example) and this is one of the downsides of the SL experience. However, I think that the negatives of SL will be corrected over time. The technology is still young, and it's hard to deny that learning possibilities exist in virtual worlds.

I'll be subscribing to the learning blog www.karlkapp.blogspot.com as well.

Learning science in Second Life

This video encompasses what I've been exploring on my own in SecondLife. It is a well organized overview of the various opportunities for learning genomics, molecular biology and even clinical skills. If you haven't created an avatar in SL yet, I encourage you to do so and go see some of the locations mentioned for yourself. You very likely will be amazed at the potential for learning that it offers.

Using a story-based approach for teaching complex issues

Here is a simple explanation of the Cynefin model and why using a narrative or story-based approach is useful for teaching complex issues such as leadership, innovation and culture.

The teacher is using a tool that evokes the image of sitting in a coffee shop while someone simultaneously explains an idea and sketches it on the back of a napkin. If you find this form of learning appealing, you might really like Sketchcast, a free online tool.

Narration, images and cognitive load

Here is a helpful lesson explaining why it's better for learning to use audio narration to describe an image rather than audio narration of onscreen text. Ruth Clark and Richard Mayer's recently published book E-learning and the Science of Instruction outlines how, in multiple tests, learners retained more information when a visual was explained using audio narration versus text. This is a useful fact to keep in mind when knowledge retention is an important part of your digital instruction. Listen to the different examples explaining how a cell phone tower works and see which one helps you to remember the information the most. Thanks to Articulate's Tom Kuhlman for providing this example.

Interview with Joe Miller of SecondLife on corporate communication and learning

Here is an interesting interview by the ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) with Joe Miller, who was the keynote speaker at the recent ASTD 2008 TechKnowledge Conference. In the interview, Mr. Miller discusses topics such as what sort of environments are best for learning in virtual worlds, how companies are using virtual worlds to communicate with their customers and what areas of SecondLife hold the most promise for learning professionals.

New DIY Quizmaker by Studiyo

I recently discovered a free quizmaker tool by Studiyo (beta). Rather than write about it, I quickly built a short quiz on elearning tips to show you some of what it can do. This took about an hour to make (including time to find the photos). Studiyo might be worth adding to your elearning toolkit.

Improving linear navigation in your elearning

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A great slideshow from Cathy Moore of Django Labs. I find Cathy's examples prove elearning without audio can be quite effective.

The 21st century learners are coming part 2

Again, another post about the 21st century learner. This is an interesting video of different educators discussing their desire to see traditional education morph into something that gives students a chance to participate and create rather than regurgitate and memorize. They explain that students are active content creators in their free time, yet they are expected to be passive content receivers when they enter the classroom. I think expectations are rising for what people want from education. Soon, if not already, it will not be enough to send people to a class to sit and listen and then call that training.

The 21st century learners are coming

Are we ready for them? These learners are creators, self-taught, gamers and are used to having a sense of control over what and how they learn. I am watching three of these learners develop before my eyes on a daily basis in my home and find it fascinating. All of my children have used a computer from the age of three, can text message, use an ipod, play online games and are increasingly comfortable with creating content and using new forms of technology.

The new century learners' poor grammar, lack of political correctness and inability to pay attention to what does not capture their interest may be cause for concern. On the flip side, we also see individuals who have a strong desire to contribute, participate and be engaged. How will this affect workplace learning? What will we do about it?

Workplace training and development will need to center on finding ways to capture interest in order to foster the best environment for learning. This won't be easy and making this happen might be the most important goal and challenge we will face. The immersive nature of virtual worlds for learning and just-in-time information resources delivered on video and audio will help teach people what they need to know in the future. And, for those who are really interested in a subject, an old-fashioned, well-written book will always be a winner.

Instructional design in virtual worlds

I attended a class this week in instructional design for virtual worlds hosted by the Gronstedt Group in Second Life (SL). As an aside, you might want to check out the article Anders Grondstedt wrote about training and 3D worlds in Training and Development magazine. When the class began, we teleported to MIST Island and were shown instructional design examples by our guide, Abbott Bundy (his SL name), a teacher in SL.

We learned some interesting things in the class, almost all of it related to instructional layout and design for 3D worlds. In the image above we are seen entering a large classroom with floating chairs for viewing three screens. The instructor spoke about optimal layout and design for maximum viewing. We also discovered techniques for learner engagement, such as creating treasure hunts to gather information and learner checkpoints to measure progress. We also learned how to build a training center that gives the idea of a separate space without a huge time investment spent building the architecture.

I'm convinced the need for sound instructional design will not go away. With the currently changing information landscape, there are many new ways to deliver content to learners. What is exciting are the variety of ways we can engage learners, a vital component of today's knowledge economy.

When marketing and elearning collide

This morning I came across Apple's elearning when reading a blog entry called elearning is selling. I tend to agree with the opinion put forth in the blog. Today, people don't want to waste time being 'sold'. Consumers are smart and they know what they want. Show the the goods, how to use them, and let buyers decide is a better approach to marketing communication. I predict that marketing and elearning will increasingly collide as consumers seek answers to questions they have prior to buying a product or service.

I wanted to showcase this example of instructional design. I particularly like the way each short topic-based video clip appears as a graphic because the mind can simultaneously see both the specific topic and what they will learn as a whole. A suggestion would be to include the time in the lower right hand corner, e.g., 30 sec, to give the viewer an idea of how long each clip is.

This is an appealing way to present the content. The layout of the videos takes into consideration the fact that we recognize objects more quickly in patterns than in lines or lists. For example, if you place many marbles side by side in a line it is more difficult to accurately estimate the number than if they are separated into a polygonal or hexagonal shapes. With patterns, our mind makes a visual connection to the whole and can more easily break it down into parts. Any other thoughts you have on the instructional design of this example?

Addressing engagement in elearning

The author of the Courseware Development blog posted an interesting entry about the challenges of keeping people engaged in elearning. In addition to the bang-on comments of other readers found there, I'd like to add two that I think are important to capturing attention:

1. Addressing the WIFM (what's in it for me) factor
2. Applying the psychology of change management (refer to Michael Allen's sage advice found on his website here)

For #1, corporate sponsorship of any large elearning rollout is critical. People think - if this is important to management, I probably need to pay attention. Making the learning as engaging as possible and addressing cognitive load are also key factors.

For #2, Mr. Allen deals with the psychology of change management, which is often overlooked in our field. Since much of our elearning material aims to change a situation in business, e.g., reducing workplace hazards, improving compliance, increasing sales, it is important to consider learners' current perception of the need to change. If the perception is that the status quo is fine, there will be limited interest in more training. In such cases, deal with the perception first and, as people see how their lack of knowledge fits into the larger picture, they will be more motivated and receptive to learning. Mr.Allen has a number of resourceful webinars and interviews on his site that address this topic and others like it.

Since I already added the above thoughts in the comments section of the original post, you might want to go there to add any comments you have.

Instructional design in virtual worlds

This image (click to enlarge) was taken at the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) location in Second Life (SL). I found it was an effective instructional design example and wanted to post it on my blog. It is strategically placed when you arrive at the ASTD headquarters in SL so that, as a first-timer, you can quickly get up to speed and start making your way around in SL. This makes me think about my profession and whether there are different techniques for improving technical communication in a virtual world.

As a member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and working as an instructional designer for online learning, I've often seen the overlap between the two fields. Most of the people I know in the technical communication field specialize in writing. I think as more people go online for learning and training, the shift toward more visual instruction is necessary. Why? It is too difficult to sit and read large amounts of text while staring at a screen for long periods of time. I'd like to see an area of training develop on how to best instruct for virtual worlds. I will definitely continue exploring this while I build training there. I would also welcome any tips, books or links anyone would like to share on how to improve instruction in SL.

Podcast tip #1: Level out sound using GigaVox Levelator

A useful technique for capturing subject matter expertise is to record an interview. This can provide an invaluable resource to go over if you will be producing any instructional content on a topic. There might be times when you will want to broadcast the interviews as a podcast to your learners and would like to improve the quality of the sound. Here is a short (1.5 minute) demo showing a free tool called the GigaVox levelator that improves the sound quality by leveling out different volumes of two or more speakers.

How Do you Teach People about Hardware and Software?

I saw this on another blog, and had to send it to my husband, who works in IT, and share it here. A funny plug for the usefulness of screencast demos.

Good elearning example by Lectora

Part of my informal education in instructional design includes learning from examples, both good and bad. Obviously, I try to recreate the good things I see and avoid the not-so-good in my own projects.

Here is an example of elearning by Lectora that I find particularly effective and well done. I guess if you're in the elearning business then your elearning better be pretty darn good. To view the elearning, you'll have to go to the Trivantis website and click the View Tutorials button. I'm not promoting the product, and have never used it, but find the training is interesting and easy to grasp. It's broken down into very short snippets of about 23-30 seconds each that can be navigated, viewed and reviewed separately. I also like the way the agent speaks in the front while the application tips are displayed in the background. Haven't seen this technique used before and, at first glance, I liked it.

I'd be interested to hear any thoughts on this example or any others you've come across.

Twitter training and update

Over the last few weeks, we've been busy learning Plone 3 for our new website and responding to clients requests for instructional design services. Hence, I've neglected the blog once again.

To make amends, I'll leave you with a short video from my e-learning heroes at Common Craft. This time they are explaining Twitter: a tool for quickly spreading personal newsflashes, but I use it mainly to learn about industry-specific news and trends. Keep 'em coming!

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