The Logical Blog by IconLogic

Articulate Storyline: Enhanced Multiscreen Support

by Kevin Siegel, COTP Articulate recently released Storyline 360, part of the Articulate 360 suite of products available through a subscription on Articulate's website. If you've spent any time using Storyline 2, you'll find that Storyline 360 is just about identical. And while it's true that little has changed between Storyline 2 and 360, there are some subtle improvements in the new version. For instance, there's access to the Content Library (I wrote about the Content Library last week). There is also enhanced support for multiple screens. In the image below, check out the five icons in the upper right of the preview window. By default, projects preview as a desktop user. However, Storyline 360 projects can be used by learners on several types of devices (such as desktops, tablets, and mobile devices). You can now use the Preview window to get an idea of how your content will look on those devices.

I'm curious to see what my layout will look like for tablet users. All I need to do is click the Tablet Landscape icon.

Not only does the slide resize to accommodate a Tablet, the Player (which was at the bottom of the Desktop version of the slide) becomes a mobile Player (it’s smaller and changes screen position).

I love the fact that it's now an easy process to get a reasonable peek at what my slides will look like on multiple screens/devices. I'm also happy to see the Player behave so responsively and reposition appropriately on different devices.

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Looking for training on your favorite eLearning tool? We've got you covered with an assortment of half-day and multi-day courses.

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Kevin Siegel, CTT, COTP, is the founder and president of IconLogic. Following a career in Public Affairs with the US Coast Guard and in private industry, Kevin has spent decades as a technical communicator, classroom and online trainer, public speaker, and has written hundreds of computer training books for adult learners. He has been recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide.

eLearning: A Dose of Inspiration from Sally Cox

What do you do when, as an eLearning developer, you hit a mental roadblock and cannot get inspired, no matter what you try? We all have situations like this (some of us more than others), so I would like to offer some tips for helping you get out of that rut and recharge with some fresh, new ideas. Read on.

Step Away

Sometimes, just a change of scenery or break from the mental pattern you are in can make a world of difference. Go for a walk, do some light chores, take a drive. 

During one evening when I was having inspiration troubles, I took a drive to Carson Valley near Reno, Nevada, and took the picture below. I've actually been able to use the picture in a few of my eLearning courses. Score!

 

Make a List

I am an ardent list maker. I make lists for grocery trips, packing for vacation--and I make a to-do list every single morning. Even smaller tasks go on the list so, when completed, I feel a sense of accomplishment. Just making a list and working through it--no matter how small the task--can be very motivating. I write my lists by hand, but you can use apps like Priorities and other list making apps to get the job done.

 

Brainstorm

These days, I create a lot of infographics for my courses. When I need a little extra push to get inspired, I brainstorm. Here are a few ideas I use to get my creativity pumping. 

1. List descriptive words that come to mind. No right or wrong answers--just jot down whatever comes to mind. Some of the silliest ideas can be reworked into something usable.
2. Think of what visuals you associate with the concept, and make notes and/or sketches about them.
3. Use pencil/pen and paper to sketch your ideas, and try variations. Keep your sketches loose and not too detailed. 
4. Focus on the story or message, and don't get sidetracked. 
5. Use mind maps (a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts) to get ideas flowing. Start with a general phrase in the middle of the screen or paper. Then start connecting ideas.
   
   
   
   
6. Create an outline, similar to a mind map, but in outline form. No sketching here, just your random thoughts in a structured format.

Next time: Resources for Inspiration

Adobe Captivate: Learning Interactions with Self-Hiding Instructions

by Jennie Ruby 

Scenario: Your SME wants to put a ton of text on a slide. "It's all important!" she insists. 

"Okay," you say. "But let's give the learner some control over the experience. Let's use a Learning Interaction." 

The Learning Interactions in Adobe Captivate are very useful for presenting a lot of text by topic or subheading. In this article, I'll show you how to address both the needs of the project and your SME's concerns. For this project, we'll choose the Tab interaction. 

Go to the Interactions drop-down and choose Learning Interactions. Then choose the Tabs learning interaction. On the resulting dialog box, double-click Title, and type your title. (Don't worry if your first double-click does not enable editing. These placeholders are notoriously difficult to double-click. Just keep clicking until the word Title goes into editing mode. Then type your title.)

 

Enter all of your text by double-clicking a tab, giving it a tab name, and then double-clicking the Button Content placeholder for each tab to enter your text.

When all of your content is in, click the OK button to create your interaction. Now preview it. It should work great. 

However, let's go back to our scenario: 

The SME is now unhappy because when you first arrive at this slide, the Tab area is completely blank. The learning interaction does not display any of its tab contents until you click a tab. 

 

"How does the viewer know to click a tab?" the SME asks.

 

"Good question," you reply. "We could give instructions in the voiceover narrative."

 

"I'd rather see printed instructions on the slide," your SME says. 

 

Now we have this challenge: how to create instructions and something to fill the blank tab area when the viewer first arrives on this slide, but without covering up the tab's text when the interaction is in use.

Captivate offers "actions" that can show and hide objects on the slide. We can create a text caption that will give the viewers some instructions. But how are we going to hide the text caption so the viewers can see the Tab text? We'll create a button along with the caption that will hide the text caption and also hide itself!

Start by creating a text caption containing the instructions: "Click each tab to read its contents." Format the caption and place it in the middle of the blank space on the Tab interaction. 

Then from the Interactions drop-down, choose Button. In the Properties inspector, Style subtab, caption the button with the word Start. 

After positioning the text caption and the button nicely on the slide, Select both the text caption and the Start button (shift-click should do it), and from the Edit menu, choose Group.

 

Select just the button, and on the Properties inspector, Actions subtab, set On Success to Hide, and in the Hide drop-down list, choose the group. While you are there, also deselect the checkbox for Continue Playing the Project. That way, once the button is hidden, the project will not proceed to the next slide before the viewer can click a tab! (Note: this assumes the project has a play bar that the viewer can use to advance the slide after viewing the Tab interaction.)

So far, you have a Start button that will hide the instructions and hide itself. But how can we make sure that these will always be visible on the slide to start with? After all, the viewer might visit the slide, hide the caption and start button, leave the slide, and then return. The solution is to add an On Entry action for the slide.

Click the slide in the Filmstrip, open the Properties inspector, Actions tab, and assign the On Enter action Show, and choose your group.

Preview your project, and each time you enter the slide containing your Tab interaction, you see the instructions, click the Start button, and then use the Tab learning interaction to view the text. 

Result: The SME is happy, you are a success, and the viewers know exactly what to do when they reach this slide.

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Looking for Adobe Captivate training? Check out these live, online Captivate classes.

Adobe Captivate: Object Level Audio Management

by Kevin Siegel   

 

When adding audio to a Captivate project, you can add audio in a couple of different ways. For instance, you can import audio directly to a project's background or onto a slide. In the image below, audio was added to a few slides. You can easily tell that audio has been added to a slide via the audio icon in the lower right of the slide.

 

 

 

Here's a quick challenge for you. The image below is a closer view of slide 2 (shown in the image above as a thumbnail). Notice that there are several objects on the slide. Some of the objects include audio. Can you quickly identify which objects have audio and which do not?

 

 

The answer to the challenge above is no. While it's easy to see the slides that have audio (via the Filmstrip), there's no obvious way to see object-level or background audio. Never fear... while not an obvious feature, with a few clicks of your mouse, you can view and manage slide-level, object-level, and background audio across an entire project.

 

Choose Audio > Audio Management to open the Advanced Audio Management dialog box. In the image below, you can quickly determine which slides have audio and if there's Background (or project-level audio). While useful information, you still cannot tell which (if any) slide objects have audio.

 

 

 

Another quick click and you'll have that issue resolved... click the Show object level audio check box (in the lower left of the dialog box).

 

 

 

And like magic, the Advanced Audio Management dialog box displays audio for everything! At this point, you can play the audio files, replace them, remove, and even export them.

 

 

 

Looking for eLearning training? Check out these live, online classes.

TechSmith Camtasia: Multiple Object Formatting Made Easy

by Kevin Siegel   

 

When developing eLearning, one important goal is to ensure consistency from object to object. In addition, unless you're a top-notch designer you should use just a few fonts and a limited color palette. (Lest you run the risk of creating an eLearning lesson that, despite your good intentions, is visually overwhelming to your learners.)

This week I want to show you an easy way to ensure objects used in a project are formatted consistently. The key to project-wide Camtasia consistency lies in the use of multiple tracks.

When I develop in Camtasia, I create several tracks and add similar objects to those tracks. For instance, I might add alert callouts to one track, speech callouts to another.

In the image below, notice that there are two tracks. The formatting of the callouts in Track 2 are identical so they're fine. Unfortunately, the callouts in Track 1 are a mess. Notice that each of the callouts is formatted differently. 

The first step to consistency bliss is to lock the track that you don't want to alter. Since the callouts in Track 2 are fine, I locked the track via the lock icon to the left of the Track (the icon is shown below in its locked state).

A locked track is easily identifiable on the Timeline thanks to the diagonal lines (as shown in the image below).

I then selected all of the callouts in Track 1 by pressing [ctrl] [a]. (I could have also selected objects via [shift]-click (to select contiguous objects) or [ctrl]-click (to select non-contiguous objects). In the image below, all of the callouts in Track 1 are selected. It is worth noting that because I locked Track 2, pressing [ctrl] [a] did not select any of the callouts in Track 2.

On the Callouts panel, I changed the color of the selected callouts to Purple.

 

Still working on the Callouts panel, I then changed the shape of the callouts to a Filled Rounded Rectangle.

You can see the results in the image below. All of the callouts in Track 1 are now formatted consistently.

The big trick here was working with multiple tracks, combined with the ability to easily lock a track (eliminating the possibility of changing anything about objects in the locked track).

 

Looking for eLearning training? Check out these live, online classes.

eLearning: Is it Time to Jump on the xAPI Bandwagon?

by Megan Torrance  

 

xAPI and the Tin Can Project... it's possible that you've been hearing about these terms for years. Or maybe someone just dropped one or both terms into a conversation and you're feeling left out. It's okay. Few eLearning developers have ever developed or seen an eLearning project that uses xAPI. However, given the fact that eLearning development tools and learning platforms now support xAPI, it may be the time to jump on the xAPI bandwagon. 

What is xAPI?

Many people say that xAPI is the next version of SCORM. While xAPI will replace SCORM, to say it's the "next version of SCORM" is like saying my smartphone is the next version of the rotary dial phone. SCORM is the technology standard that means any eLearning course can work in any learning management system. Not to put too much of a fine point on it, but it's the standard that has allowed for the growth and variety that you see in the eLearning world today. When we no longer have to worry about whether our course can talk to our learning system, we can then focus on the instruction. Clients can change vendors without fear because as long as we're all using SCORM the course should work. 

However, SCORM is outdated. It doesn't like to be disconnected from the internet. It only tracks what happens when you're logged into the LMS. And it only tracks a few shallow, boring metrics about what happens in an eLearning course. 

Let's face it, the vast majority of what people learn doesn't happen in the LMS. And that means it doesn't get tracked. You can't see it. You can't measure it. You can't report on it. At least not with much depth. And if you are tracking, you can't switch vendors. Along comes xAPI. 

So, really, what is xAPI? 

xAPI is a simple, lightweight way to send, store, and retrieve data about learning experiences and to share that data across platforms. This data is formatted and sent via structured activity statements by activity providers (like an eLearning course or performance support system) and stored in a learning record store (LRS). The LRS is analogous to the SCORM database in an LMS, but it is not required to handle all the learning management functions that your current platforms likely do.

Here's the magic. This isn't "LAPI" it's "xAPI" and that signals a huge difference in direction. The x in xAPI stands for "experience," not just the "learning" part of things. While an eLearning course can be an activity provider, and for many people that will be the primary source of learning data (at least for a while), xAPI takes us far beyond SCORM. With xAPI you can track activity in performance support tools, participation in online discussions, mentoring conversations, performance assessments, and actual business results. Now we can see a full picture of an individual's learning experience and how that relates to his/her performance.

The API in xAPI stands for Application Programming Interface: it's the way that software systems interact and share data. xAPI activity statements can be generated by activity providers and sent to the LRS, or they can be sent from the LRS to other systems, or from LRS to LRS. The point here is the interoperability. When we're all using the same standard--moving from SCORM to xAPI--tools and content from different vendors can all work together, paving the way to a smoother experience for the organizations we serve and the growth of the industry. 

An xAPI activity statement records experiences in an "I did this" format. The activity statement specifies the actor (who did it), a verb (what was done), a direct object (what it was done to) and a variety of contextual data, including score, rating, language, browser and platform, results, intersections with curricula standards, and almost anything else you want to track.

Is xAPI here to stay?

This is the billion dollar question. With any new technology, there is a small set of leading edge and early adopters who take the plunge, struggle through the kinks of working with something new and forge the way while others wait in the wings to see if this thing is really going to stick. A lot of new ideas fail. And when you're responsible for the learning and development of a large organization with millions of dollars on the line, it's wise to wait and see if this is going to get traction or if it's just a well-hyped flash in the pan. 

Until recently, using xAPI meant a lot of custom programming, close work with your LRS provider, and custom reporting tools. Everything was geeky and custom. It just wasn't scalable for enterprise-wide adoption. Today, xAPI is ready for wider adoption. Major courseware development tools have varying degrees of basic conformance with xAPI and can send statements to an LRS. Several LRSs are commercially available to choose from, and LMS providers are adding an LRS to their suites, either natively or in partnership with LRS providers. Their capabilities are improving all the time. If your current course development tools don't create the activity statements you need, keep in mind that sending xAPI statements requires only simple JavaScript. (If that seems daunting to you, rest assured it is not a big hurdle for your friendly neighborhood software developer.) xAPI is emerging as a geek-free option for the L&D industry. The DISC (Data Interoperability Standards Consortium) has begun the process of developing conformance testing so that tools and products across the industry can be certified. 

Should I use xAPI?

Yes. If you have something to track that cannot be handled by SCORM, xAPI is a viable option for you and it's not difficult to get started. For initial experimentation and testing, most commercial LRS products offer a free trial option.

Want to learn more about xAPI? Check out xAPI Camp or the xAPI Learning Cohort.

eLearning: Interactive vs. Engaging

by Sally Cox  

People love to talk about how they want their eLearning courses to be interactive, but to be really effective eLearning, it has to do more than just interact with the learner; it has to engage them. 

Just adding a simple button is interactive, but it's not engaging the learner. They have not been asked to think about anything other than tapping a button. No learning here! 

In this example, I am giving the learner a choice, asking them to make a decision based on what they have learned. Both buttons will take them to the next slide and explain the correct answer, but they have been asked to think. Therefore, I engaged them. This is a simple but effective way to add engagement.

 

Learn. Then Do.

 

Just as you would review with students in a traditional classroom, it's equally important to review with them in an eLearning course. Think "Learn. Then do."

 

This technique can be accomplished in a number of ways. One is to use survey questions after each topic the learner is taught. Survey questions are usually non-graded questions you can ask a learner--to keep them interested and to help review and retain the content.

 

Something as simple as a survey question can increase retention of knowledge learned. (By the way, the answer is the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, NV.) Try different types of questions--drag and drop, multiple answer, etc. to keep things interesting.

Video

Including video in your eLearning courses is another brilliant idea for adding engagement. Short, well-produced videos can spice up a course, and multimedia is always a welcome addition. Consider adding short (3-5 minute) videos throughout your courses, and follow up with a quick review.

 

Multimedia, such as video, adds a new layer of interest to your eLearning courses. Mixing it up is a good way to keep your learner on their toes.

Branching

To give your learners a non-linear learning experience, consider branching. Branching means you ask a question and based on the learner's response, they go in a different direction.

 

In this example, the learner is asked to choose a button. Each button takes them in a different direction--perhaps with detailed information on their hometown, or pricing sheets based on their location. Always give them a way to navigate, just in case they realized they chose the wrong answer or want a way back.

In conclusion, the best way to help your learners retain the knowledge is to engage them while they are learning. Interaction is crucial to any eLearning course, but give it a purpose.

 

If you'd like to attend some awesome 3-hour mini courses that focus on eLearning, check these out.

Articulate Storyline: Does Slide Size Matter?

by Kal Hadi 

 

I often get asked the question about choosing the right slide size in Articulate Storyline. The Slide size or as it's known in Storyline as "Story Size" in not one of those things that you really come across casually in Storyline. It's a bit out of the way.

 

When creating a new project in Storyline, you are not presented with a dialogue box to input slide size. Therefore, Storyline simply goes ahead and selects a size default for you which happens to be 720 x 540 pixels.

 

The more important value in project slide dimensions is really the aspect ratio which happens to be 4:3. (Width/Height for 720/540). This default aspect ratio is the most commonly used in computer monitors, TV sets, and most tablets. The other aspect ratio is 16:9 which is suitable for widescreen devices and should be used only if you know that your audience is using 16:9 displays.

 

Accessing the area in Storyline where you can modify slide size and aspect ratio should you decide to do so, is under the "Design" tab in either the story view or slide view.

 

 

The default slide size of 720 x 540px is a throwback to the NTSC video standard. One reason you may want to modify this default is if you need more canvas (real estate) in your slide. Perhaps your design and content require more space or just need to spread out.

 

 

 

Another factor that may need consideration when selecting slide size is the "Player Size" used when publishing your project. The default player setting is "Lock player at optimal size". This setting forces the output to maintain the scaling at exactly 100% of pixel dimensions (no scaling). Modifying the "Player size" to "Scale player to fill browser window" will scale the project regardless of the set width and height. 

 

 

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Looking for training or help with Articulate Storyline or Studio? Check out these awesome live, online Articulate classes.

eLearning: Two Awesome Microphones

by Jeff Harris  

In March, Kevin shared his techniques for improving sound quality by using sound absorbers. In this article, I cover two of my favorite microphones for voiceover recording: the Heil PR-40 and the Shure MV51. Each of these microphones delivers high quality sound for eLearning and podcasting applications. There are, however, important differences you should understand to determine which is right for you.

Let's start with the Heil PR-40, a dynamic microphone (meaning that it doesn't need power from a battery, USB connection, or mixer (sometimes referred to as "phantom" power). Dynamic microphones have a downside; they require a good quality microphone preamp to generate adequate recording levels. Without an amplifier, dynamic microphones produce recordings with low audio levels. This means that you may need to boost levels in post-production.

  

 

The PR-40 is well suited to recording voice-over because it has a full, warm sound that enhances the speaker's delivery. It is an "end-fire" microphone, which means you speak into the end of the microphone and sound is rejected from the side and rear. This design reduces unwanted room and background noise. Sound rejection is an important characteristic when recording in less-than-ideal circumstances. To get the best results from this microphone you will need a pop-filter and shock mount. If you want the "radio broadcaster" look, then get a boom mount that will allow you to position the mic in the most ergonomic position. The cost of a PR-40 is around $350, although a bundle that includes the shock mount and boom will push the price to almost $500.

 

The USB counterpoint to the PR-40 is the Shure MV51. The MV51 is a USB condenser that connects to your computer and draws power from the USB cable. The downside is that you can't connect the MV51 to an analog mixer to further boost or adjust the sound. For eLearning developers who are not using a studio or mixer this limitation may be a benefit.

 

 

 

The MV51 may look retro but it features several innovative "high-tech" capabilities. You can adjust the sound for different recording applications. For example, you can press a button to change from voice-over to music mode. The microphone will use an internal digital signal processor (DSP) to optimize the sound for the recording need. You can also adjust levels, mute audio, and monitor your recording directly from the microphone. Monitoring is very useful to make sure you hear how your mic position and speaking style are affecting the recording. You can monitor with your laptop or audio interface, but sometimes this introduces a delay which is disconcerting to the talent. The cost of a MV51 is $200. This includes the integral "kick-stand" that allows you to record on your desk or connect to any standard microphone stand. The MV51 uses a built-in pop filter so it may not be necessary to add an external pop filter depending on your talent.  

 

After reading this you may be thinking, "no brainer, I'm buying the MV51." Whether this is the right choice depends on your recording needs. If you record a solo speaker, directly into an application on your computer and you don't need the flexibility of using a mixer, then the MV51 is likely the best choice. If, however, you have bigger plans to record multiple speakers at a table or on-stage, then you should seriously consider the PR-40 and other professional analog microphones that use XLR connections.

 

Do you want to learn more about eLearning audio? Join me in the upcoming Audio Essentials course where I will get into more detail about these and other professional-class microphones and audio equipment.

Adobe Captivate 9 Now Supported on 32-bit Systems

Adobe Captivate fans lamenting the fact that Captivate 9 was only available on 64-bit operating systems will love the latest from Adobe: Captivate 9 is now available for older, 32-bit systems. This is a huge deal for people who wanted to upgrade to Captivate 9 but couldn't because they weren't able to upgrade their systems. (People who weren't able to upgrade were forced to stick with Adobe Captivate 8.)

 

Click here to see Captivate's new, improved system requirements. And here is a list of all of the updates available for Captivate.