Instead of a progress bar I have seen a great example of this on a Web site:
http://www.lucasarts.com/games/legoindianajones/

See how when you go to different sections there is hidden treasure in the background (click on it). As you collect treasure points you can download the stuff in the tresure section.

I’m going to adapt this concept into a module I’m writing now.

Story + Games + Learning theory = training the brain can digest (and people enjoy)

I’m not a big fan of progress bars because I associate them with linear courses that restrict navigation to the Next button. If instead we use a clickable menu that shows the learner where they are in the material, we don’t need a progress bar or “X of Y pages.”

Also, a progress bar could reinforce the sense that a course is simply something to get through. If possible, I like to build in more emotional or job-related motivation.

Does anyone else have an opinion?

Your danger-with-a-mysterious-solution approach sounds like great fun.

If you’re able to turn your course content into a goal-based scenario, I think you’ve pretty much won the battle of learner motivation from the get-go. But even with such an intrinsically motivating design, paying attention to how you frame things goes a long way. One example is that instead of congratulating your learner for completing the first module… you congratulate them on unlocking the second challenge instead. Subtle, but it gives your course momentum.

Re: the story idea… (which is great!)… right now we’re in the early stages of development for a course that’s structured like an interactive movie. One of our goals is to establish some jeopardy at the begining of the course and then reveal bits of the ultimate solution as the learner moves through the course. Kind of like “Momento” where the audience sees Point B and then spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out how the character is possibly going to get there from Point A.

Thanks for the great post. Food for thought for sure.