Uploaded byCammy Bean
Writing better e learning
The document provides tips for writing better eLearning scripts, emphasizing the importance of keeping content light, human, and engaging. It suggests using storytelling to captivate learners, connecting content to personal experiences, and avoiding patronizing language. The author encourages maintaining flow and simplicity while fostering real-world discussions and actions among learners.
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Writing better e learning
- 1. Writing better elearning scripts. by CammyBean VP of Learning Design, Kineo US Published at Learning Solutions 2014
- 2. It was adark and stormy night.
- 3. Across town asubject matter expert handed off a 62 slide deck to an instructional designer.
- 4. Suddenly, a shotrang out…
- 5. In a darkalley, a woman screamed as she stumbled on this elearning module.
- 6. The people weptin despair.
- 7. How can wewrite better programs to stop this horror?
- 8. Sharpen your quillsas we share some top tips for writing better elearning scripts.
- 9. 1. Keep itlight.
- 10. Aim for shortand snappy. Less of… “This e-learning module is designed to explain the principles and practical requirements of the 11 step process …” More of… “Need to get your head around our process? You’re in the right place.”
- 11. Make it alittle fun.
- 12. (Comic books arefun.)
- 13. Joseph Conrad A writerwithout interest or sympathy for the foibles of his fellow man is not conceivable as a writer.
- 14. 2. Make ithuman.
- 15. Talk to me,baby. Less of… “Negotiating effectively is an important skill that we all use on a daily basis” More of… “When was the last time you negotiated something? Maybe it was more recently than you think….”
- 16. It’s all aboutyou. Make it personal.
- 17. Have a conversationwith people.
- 18. Connect the contentback to people.
- 19. Object to learningobjectives. As a result of attending this session you will be able to: •Identify three case studies of Fortune 1000 companies who are successfully using social learning models •Define the three models of social learning and how these map to specific strategies and tools •Evaluate the pro's and con's of different social interventions as solutions to specific kinds of learning challenges •Describe their own personal experience in using social media as a practitioner As a result of attending this session you will be able to: •Identify three case studies of Fortune 1000 companies who are successfully using social learning models •Define the three models of social learning and how these map to specific strategies and tools •Evaluate the pro's and con's of different social interventions as solutions to specific kinds of learning challenges •Describe their own personal experience in using social media as a practitioner Real people don’t talk like this.
- 20. You can stilltell them where they’re going.
- 21. So how canwe make this better? List the characteristics of humans that we need to be aware of when designing ships. List the characteristics of humans that we need to be aware of when designing ships.
- 22. What about thisone? Define the three main potential risks of not having an ITAM program in place. Define the three main potential risks of not having an ITAM program in place.
- 23. Is there hopefor this one? Define the three models of social learning and how these map to specific strategies and tools. Define the three models of social learning and how these map to specific strategies and tools.
- 24. Read it outloud. Would you want to listen?
- 25. Inject humanity. Letreal people talk.
- 26. Somerset Maugham If youcan tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.
- 27. 3. Tell greatstories.
- 28. Hook them witha gripping tale.
- 29. Put all thecontent in context—try a guided story instead of an info dump.
- 30. Win them withgossip.
- 31. Grab their attentionwith tales of risk and intrigue.
- 32. Alice Munro Anecdotes don’tmake good stories. Generally I dig down underneath them so far that the story that finally comes out is not what people thought their anecdotes were about.
- 33. So how doyou find the right stories? Ask the right questions. Where do people get this wrong? Where do people get this wrong? What do you want people to DO? What do you want people to DO? What mistakes do people make? What mistakes do people make? Where can people get more information and help? Where can people get more information and help? What are the three key takeaways? What are the three key takeaways? What stories can you tell me? What stories can you tell me?
- 34. Ask your expertsto think out loud. Get them narrate their work and walk you through the process.
- 35. Have them tellyou a story. The story about their slide deck. (It’s often whats NOT written on the slide that really matters!)
- 36. Use the wordsthey say, not the words they write. It helps if you type really fast or can record the conversation!
- 37. 4. Give itspirit.
- 38. Activate your writing. This?Or this? “The fabulous script was written by you.” “You wrote this fabulous script.” “The process briefing document is used to define our core requirements.” “The process briefing document defines our core requirements.” “Now that you have covered the basics of customer service, in the next section you will learn how to deal with customer issues.” “You’re one step away from maximizing your skills, but there’s a problem—a customer one in fact. Click ‘next’ to put your skills to the test.”
- 39. Rainer Maria Rilke Maywhat I do flow from me like a river, no forcing and no holding back, the way it is with children.
- 40. 5. Make itflow.
- 41. Stitch your ideastogether, connect the dots, make sure the story flows from one piece to the next.
- 42. Henry David Thoreau Notthat the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.
- 43.
- 44. Cut the blatherand focus on the doing.
- 45. Skip the fancywords and the jargon.
- 46.
- 47. Link to policies.Don’t replicate them.
- 48. Cut the information,focus on the doing.
- 49. E.B. White No onecan write decently who is distrustful of the reader’s intelligence or whose attitude is patronizing.
- 50. 7. Don’t patronize. Oops.Do you feel patronized now?
- 51.
- 52. Do you likebeing told what to do? “By now you have learned…” “You must do…” “This will take 90 minutes.” “To advance to the next screen click the ‘next’ button in the bottom right corner of your screen.”
- 53. Let people knowwhat to expect and give them choices. They’re grown- ups, right?
- 54. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Greatis the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.
- 55.
- 56. Take the actioninto the real world.
- 57. Get them talking(and writing) to each other. What did you think? What did you think? How did you do it? How did you do it? Here’s what I did that really worked. Here’s what I did that really worked. Here’s what I did that really didn’t work. Here’s what I did that really didn’t work.
- 58. Leave people witha clear call to action.
- 59. Repeat after me. Keepit light. Make it human. Tell great stories. Give it spirit (or “spirt”, even!). Make it flow. Cut it. Don’t patronize. Write the never-ending story.
- 60. Ernest Hemingway (AMoveable Feast) I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, 'Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.’
- 62. Hey, look. Iwrote a book! May 2014!
- 63.
Editor's Notes
- #41 Finding the flow is about using simple techniques to make one slide build off the previous slide to connect ideas and show people how it all fits together. It’s how we talk to each other and how we share ideas.