A recent study suggests that the common habit of “building” information on a slide can interfere with learning.

The researchers used Camtasia Studio to create two presentations on information security. The audio narration was the same in both presentations. The visuals were the same, too, except one presentation used an average of 3.4 animations per slide to make bullet points, words, or images enter at different times. The other animation had static slides—the information was simply there.

After viewing the presentation, students answered a multiple-choice quiz. Students who saw the flying-bullet-points presentation scored 71.43%, while students who saw the more static version scored 81.98%, a statistically significant difference.

What does this mean? (more…)

Here’s a cool way to help learners experience what would otherwise be boring data: Turn the data into a roller coaster ride.

(If your organization blocks YouTube, you might be able to watch the video here on BlipTV.)

This video introduced me to the world of roller coaster simulators, such as this inexpensive one for Mac and Windows. I unfortunately don’t have time to experiment with new software, but if you do, please let us know how it works for you in the comments.

Are there any other inexpensive ways to turn statistics into a first-person adventure?

The right image can turn a blah message into a memorable, meaningful experience. But how can you find stock images that aren’t, well, stock?

Last fall I did a quick overview of how to find good stock photos. Here are more in-depth tips that will help you use stock photos to reach your learners’ hearts as well as their minds.

Aim for the evocative

In a previous life as a marketer, I learned the difference between functional and evocative company names. For example, compare the names of two computer companies:

• Digital Equipment (functional–it simply describes the product)
• Apple (evocative–involves our senses, suggests simplicity)

The same concepts apply to images.

For example, more courses than I ever want to see use sterile images of bland business people because the courses are about business, and “everyone knows” that business involves people in suits talking at meetings or shaking hands. That’s the functional mindset, and it has spawned thousands of lifeless photos.

But our courses aren’t really about stiff, overdressed people whose souls have already departed. They’re about problems that need to be fixed or changes that will improve our lives. To communicate that, we need emotionally evocative images.

Quick guide to finding evocative images

Let’s say your course discusses the importance of building trust in others. How can you quickly find good images about such an abstract concept? (more…)

See examples of 10 multimedia approaches in USA Today’s Interactive Bag of Tricks (from Multimedia Learning). The short presentation includes many links to examples, and you can download a PDF with the key points.

A timely example for people in the US is the Candidate Match Game. Answer questions that gauge your opinion on key issues, and the candidates that most closely match your views rise above the others.

If you like the examples from USA Today, visit the elearning examples page in this blog to see several more from other producers.

Want to develop your ability to show abstract ideas? Find inspiration at these unusual sites.

Le Grand Content: PowerPoint, death, and hamsters

This short video takes typical PowerPoint visuals into quirky philosophical territory. According to the artist, Clemens Kogler, “Intersections and diagrams are assembled to form a grand ‘association-chain-massacre’ which challenges itself to answer all questions of the universe and some more. Of course, it totally fails this assignment, but in its failure it still manages to produce some magical nuance and shades between the great topics death, cable tv, emotions and hamsters.”

What are some ways you could use similar “absurd” visuals in your next elearning project?

Indexed: life condensed onto a notecard (more…)

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Today’s post is a Flash that shows a few effects you can create using Keynote, a slideshow product for the Mac (edit in May 2009: doesn’t work with Keynote 09! Only Keynote 08). For more examples of Flashes created with Keynote, see the following posts:
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We expect learners to make complex decisions on the job. Then why don’t we let them decide how to use a simple course?

Novices need structure. But how should we show it?

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On January 27-29, VizThink 08 will bring visual thinkers to San Francisco to discuss “the power of visualization for learning and communication.” The planners say that most of the conference will focus on “small group discussion, practical experience, and, wherever possible, hands-on practice.”

You can see the full list of facilitators here, but for me the star attraction is Scott McCloud. He’s the author of Making Comics, which is an indispensable guide to graphic storytelling and a must-buy for any elearning developer who uses stories with pictures.

An early registration discount ends Sept. 28.

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