Elearning samples
This page links to samples of interactive graphics, simulations, and other materials that could give you ideas for your own projects.
Want more ideas? You might like the Elearning Blueprint, an interactive job aid that helps anyone design lean, lively elearning.
Simpler interactives
These don’t need lots of Flash wizadry. Most use photos and some illustrations. Many of these demonstrate how good visual design can make a simple animation more effective.
- Timeline of US history. Clever combination of clickable map and timeline.
- A Seat at the Table. You make decisions that affect your ability to get enough food. Done in Flash but could easily be created with simpler tools that support branching.
- The Wealthiest Americans Ever. Excellent graphic design makes a simple rollover impressive.
- AIDS at 25. Simple graphs and photos tell a compelling story.
- Turning a Corner?. Clear explanations make this animated graph about economic cycles easy to understand.
- Choose a Different Ending. Video that uses YouTube’s linking annotation feature to create a compelling first-person story (warning: uses some violent content to deliver an anti-violence message).
- Forest, Fields and the Falls: Connecting Minnesota. Lush illustration and real-life stories make this somewhat simple interactive compelling.
- Amazing Girls. Photos with audio interviews of high-achieving high school students. A similar format could be used to introduce a company’s culture to new employees.
- RSS in Plain English. Not interactive, but a clever and low-budget approach to a video demonstration that uses pieces of paper. They describe their equipment briefly here.
- Birth of a Tornado. Explanation is provided by text that’s placed near the graphic–the efficient and cost-effective alternative to audio.
- Laptop ports. Review the ports, then click on the port you would use for each task. Lets you explore the laptop and skip what you already know.
- Crimescene game. Simple branching scenario in which you interview a teller after a bank robbery. The page includes several versions of the game with different production levels.
- A. Pintura, Art Detective. You help determine the painter of a mystery picture. Good example of branching while not the strongest example of graphic design.
More advanced interactives
The samples below include panoramas, multiple layers of navigation, or more sophisticated animation.
- Join the Mouse Party to learn how drugs affect the brain.
- National Museum of Australia. Several Flash activities, including ones that have you explore mystery objects or create your own museum exhibit.
- The Wright Brothers: First in Flight. Interesting mix of interactive panoramas, still photos, and text.
- What Is a Print?. Make four types of prints in this fun interactive from the Museum of Modern Art.
- The Elegant Universe. A PBS site on string theory. Try “Multidimensional Math.”
- Explore the Concorde. Includes interactive panorama, narration, text. Much more interesting than a guided tour.
- Homestand. Behind the scenes at a baseball game. Includes real video animations of players; you choose an action for the player to demonstrate while captions explain the rules.
- The Making of a Brick. Shows how Legos are made. The text is hard to read, but the cartoon incorporates video in an interesting way.
- Is It Better to Buy or Rent? Interactive graphic that lets you input data to see when it’s better to buy a home. Much more efficient than pages of text-only explanation.
- Peter Packet. Help Peter Packet deliver information that will improve lives in developing countries, and learn about the Internet as you play.
- Crash Scene Investigation. Use trigonometry, physics, and geometry to figure out what happened at an auto crash scene.
- Skeleton game. Drag the bone to the right area of the body. Explore the site to try many other games.
- Blood typing game. Figure out each patient’s blood type and give them the right transfusion before it’s too late. Simple graphics but compelling situation.
Simulations
- Better Business Choices. Can you create a business that’s profitable, responsible, and sustainable?
- Design a Cell Phone. Use market research to design a popular phone that will fit a certain budget.
- The Great Flu. Choose a flu and try to prevent it from becoming a global pandemic.
- Industry Player. Two business simulations: download (Windows) and browser-based.
- Many simulations of health and disaster scenarios.
- Bricks or Clicks. You’re the CEO of a toy manufacturer about to launch an online sales channel. Mix of text and interactive graphics.
- Lead an army troop. You’re a junior-level officer in charge of a battalion in a country like Iraq or Afghanistan. Third-person, highly produced video simulation.
- The POD Game. Dispense drugs and medical advice to people during an emergency.
- Airport security. You’re an airport screener. Can you correctly identify risky items hidden in baggage? Uses actual X-ray images of dangerous devices.
- Trade Ruler Game. Simulates international trade. Simple graphics but complex topic.
- Aftermarket profit potential. Read a paper about the aftermarket profit potential for products and services, then experiment with several types of offerings.
- Nursing simulation. You’re a nurse and need to make decisions about two patients.
- Global warming simulation. You’re in charge of development decisions in Brazil. The decisions you make speed or slow global warming.
- Manage the budget of France. French-language simulation that requires you to balance the country’s budget and win parliamentary approval.
- Virtual Trader. Practice trading stocks under real market conditions.
Vendor demonstrations
- Clearly Trained. Custom Flash interactions.
- Allen Interactions. Several course demos (registration required).
- SuddenlySmart cruise sales training (demo of learner-centric design).
- Jellyvision interactive conversations. Answer questions from a lively, witty character. Intended for marketing but the same approach could be used in elearning.
Artistic and political
- Folksongs for the Five Points. Drag five points around the streets of New York’s Lower East Side and hear sounds from all points simultaneously. Use the mixer at the bottom of the screen to change the mix or stop individual sounds.
- Suspended Life. Essentially a PowerPoint-like presentation based on a comic. Notice how much use the artist gets out of a small collection of images.
- Billy Collins Action Poetry. Animations interpret the poetry of former US poet laureate Billy Collins. Shows very evocative ways to visualize text.
- Their Circular Life. Drag a pointer around a circle to advance through photos and audio of an everyday scene in Italy.
- The Story of Stuff. Combines video of a human presenter with line art to show the impact of consumerism. Not interactive, but an interesting approach to persuasion.
More collections
- The Blog of e-Learning Tyro has a collection of elearning demos.
- Communication Arts runs a yearly competition for interactive media; view the 2007 winners here.
- The Learning Circuits Blog has several links here.
- See the E-Learning Showcase at the Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies
67 comments
on October 19th, 2007 at 1:21 am
Hello,
Glad that you shared my blog in this useful post.
Regards,
e-Learning Tyro
on October 21st, 2007 at 11:15 am
[...] Elearning samples [...]
on October 21st, 2007 at 9:58 pm
These are awesome. I find that even the “simple” interaction, when done well, can really get the point across as well. Thanks so much for creating this! Examples act as a “muse” for new ideas manytimes…thank you thank you thank you
on October 21st, 2007 at 10:25 pm
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change [...]
on October 22nd, 2007 at 12:31 am
[...] out this interesting post here. This post has got quite a few examples of e-learning. Published [...]
on October 22nd, 2007 at 5:39 pm
[...] always impressive Cathy Moore provides a great list of eLearning samples over at the Making Change [...]
on October 23rd, 2007 at 12:15 am
Good collection. I have a bunch that I’ve collected over the years. I need to weed through them. The Nobel has a lot. So does the Smithsonian Institute. Here’s one of my favorites. Build a sod house.
Sometimes the best learning comes from deconstructing what others have done. I like to look at the award winning products (when you can see them) and try to replicate elements of what they did.
on October 24th, 2007 at 12:09 am
[...] Elearning examples – Good examples to emulate infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change (tags: design elearning learningobjects resources interactivity e-learning) [...]
on October 24th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Tom, thanks for the sod house link. The same site led to another good activity, in which you examine a painted buffalo hide and try to answer questions about the symbols it uses: http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/kids/buffalo/hideactivity/index.html
on October 26th, 2007 at 10:09 am
One of the most impressive simulations that I have seen is the AMD Virtual Experience 2.0. This is on the HIGH end of simulations, but we managed to replicate some of the blue screen technology in a training program that we did for a customer. Much like Tom I like to borrow from high end examples and incorporate elements into our training.
Check out the AMD simulation at:
http://ave.amd.com/
on October 28th, 2007 at 10:02 am
[...] Moore, Making Change October 26, 2007 [原文链接] [Tags: Online Learning, Security Issues, RSS, Learning Objects, Metadata] [...]
on October 28th, 2007 at 11:46 am
[...] examples of what others are doing in elearning; specifically what their design looks like. First Cathy Moore and now Tony Karrer have provided lists of links to elearning [...]
on October 28th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
[...] Cathy More posts a list of some interactive eLearning materials. She’s included some of the CommonCraft videos that I like, as well as a range of (perhaps a little US Centric) other good examples. Listen to this podcast [...]
on October 30th, 2007 at 5:56 am
[...] graphics, simulations, and other materials that could give you ideas for your own projects. LINK A very interesting page that comes via Stephen’s [...]
on October 31st, 2007 at 5:27 am
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses (tags: elearning) [...]
on November 6th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
[...] eLearning examples November 6, 2007 Filed under: new and cool, random musings — jj @ 3:25 pm Links to samples of interactive graphics, simulations, and other materials are available at http://blog.cathy-moore.com. [...]
on November 7th, 2007 at 11:04 am
[...] Click here for all sorts of eLearning samples including simulation. [...]
on November 9th, 2007 at 11:36 am
[...] Elearning samples [...]
on November 11th, 2007 at 4:20 am
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change i heart Cathy Moore! Here’s yet another reason why – elearning samples is a collection of ideas from simple to complex & flashy of how to bring true interactivity into elearning (tags: elearning design samples Web2.0 resources learningobjects education learning) [...]
on November 11th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change (tags: Learning_activities) Write a comment [...]
on November 11th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Hola, muy buenos todos estos recursos. Gracias.
on November 12th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
[...] Ejemplos elearning [...]
on November 12th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change Cathy Moore’s list of interactives and e-learning is a handy resource to have at hand when looking for ideas and inspiration (tags: e-learning learningdesign) [...]
on November 13th, 2007 at 2:22 am
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change Cathy Moore’s list of interactives and e-learning is a handy resource to have at hand when looking for ideas and inspiration (tags: e-learning learningdesign) [...]
on November 14th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
[...] Kathy Moore’s E-Learning Page – I just found this in an eLearning Guild message board, and it has lots of neat examples. [...]
on November 18th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Hi Cathy
I’ve just seen http://cambridgeenglishonline.com/Phonetics_Focus/ – - which you might like to add to the list.
It strikes me as a good example – with lots of different games, and I particularly liked the small app to allow you to record your own attempts at the different phonemes. (I did the intro test – and clearly need to use it all a bit more; I’m hopeless at knowing which symbol is for which sound!)
on November 20th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses This page links to samples of interactive graphics, simulations, and other materials that could give you ideas for your own projects. (tags: design inspirations) [...]
on November 21st, 2007 at 12:14 pm
thanks for the GREAT post! Very useful…
on November 21st, 2007 at 5:39 pm
[...] Elearning samples [...]
on November 25th, 2007 at 7:02 am
[...] of learning flick: http://flickr.com/photos/zscheyge/49012397/ Tony Karrer refers to Cathy Moore’s post on good e-learning examples and he points back to an earlier question ‘What are the [...]
on November 27th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Great compilation of Learning Samples Cathy. Thank you!
Question, where does the Jellyvision iCi approach fall into this? REF: http://www.jellyvision.com/examples.htm
on November 28th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
[...] Elearning samples [...]
on November 28th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
MM, thanks for the link to Jellyvision. I was so inspired by them that I wrote an entire post: http://blog.cathy-moore.com/?p=149
on December 2nd, 2007 at 9:55 am
[...] the simple but effective video clips that commoncraft produce (both found via Cathy Moore’s blog). Am looking forward to experimenting with them. Clearly these have fantastic potential [...]
on December 5th, 2007 at 6:58 am
Hi Cathy,
Very interesting collection of samples. Thank you.
Regards,
Anitha
on December 9th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change [...]
on December 11th, 2007 at 4:43 am
[...] Hon ger mycket bra exempel på bra och tydliga sätt att arbeta med olika interaktiva material. Det handlar ju ofta om att aktivera kursdeltagarna genom att använda olika metoder. Hennes Dump the drone är ytterligare ett bra exempel på att tydligt förklara hur viktig metoden är gentemot teknologi. [...]
on January 4th, 2008 at 4:01 am
[...] Cathy Moore hat hier einige Beispiele zusammengestellt: interaktive Grafiken, Simulationen “and other materials that could give you ideas for your own projects”. In den Kommentaren finden sich weitere Hinweise, wie z.B. “Building a Sod House”. Nun, das soll bei Dauerregen zwar nicht unproblematisch sein, aber online funktioniert es – ich hab’s ausprobiert! (via Tony Karrer, der zugleich an eine ähnliche Sammlung aus diesem Sommer erinnert) Cathy Moore, Making change, 18 Oktober 2007 [...]
on January 8th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Great collection! Many thanks for that! (I have one here: http://del.icio.us/guenter_w/BestPractice)
Are you aware of any excellent learning material that has been designed following a specific instructional design model? (e. g. learning material that has been designed following Merrill’s ITT or following Schank’s Learning by Doing or …)
on January 8th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Günter, thanks for your comment and the link to your collection. I’m not familiar with any material that has been designed by following a specific model. I’d be interested in hearing from others about this. It would be especially cool if we could see the same topic presented in two ways, according to two different models.
on January 9th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Just wrote my own blog-entry about that: http://wageneder.blogspot.com/2008/01/elearning-designed-following-specific.html … let’s see whether there will be some reaction.
on January 31st, 2008 at 11:22 am
Love your site, but your elearning samples page isn’t working.
on January 31st, 2008 at 11:30 am
Bob, I’m not sure what you’re referring to. Your comment is on the elearning samples page, so it seems like you’re able to view it. Are you saying that some links to examples on other sites don’t work? That could easily be possible. I know one site (Minneapolis Historical Soc.) is having trouble at the moment. It’s also possible that your organization is using an internet filter that blocks some of the domains.
on January 31st, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Hello, I enjoyed Forest, Fields and the Falls-Connecting Minnesota. Would you happen to know what program was used to create the interactive in the scroll window? Is it possible it was created in a game or simulation shell that can be purchased? Thanks!
on January 31st, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Joan, thanks for your question. The Flash was apparently developed by Invioni, a web design firm (see http://www.invioni.com). They have information about the program on their site, but I couldn’t get the link to work. Maybe you’ll have better luck!
on February 12th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
[...] February 12, 2008 at 9:21 pm | In e-learning, learning | This page of e-learning examples from Cathy Moore looks like a good resource to keep on hand, if only as a reminder of what the basic ingredients are [...]
on February 12th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
[...] Elearning samples [...]
on February 15th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
[...] sezione del sito poi mi sembra particolarmente ben fatta: quella dedicata agli elearning examples. Qui vengono riportati i collegamenti a esempi di elearning basati perlopi
on March 5th, 2008 at 11:14 am
[...] Elearning samples [...]
on March 9th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Good collection. Thanks
on June 6th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
[...] seguida, veja exemplos de trabalhos já criados, como os exemplos da AskLearning e os links da Cathy Moore. Conheça as empresas do mercado, dentro e fora do Brasil, e não se engane: existe a possibilidade [...]
on July 22nd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
[...] C. (2007) Making Change: Ideas for Lively e-Learning [...]
on October 27th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
[...] Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses » Making Change (tags: blogpost virtualfieldtrips simulation links elementary middle high) [...]
on December 23rd, 2008 at 7:08 am
Thanks alot for the list!
on January 28th, 2009 at 11:42 am
ABC
English Picture Alphabet Activity For each letter,
write a word in English that starts with that letter, and draw a picture of it. …
on March 2nd, 2009 at 3:59 pm
[...] Click here for all sorts of eLearning samples including simulation. [...]
on May 11th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
[...] a good place to look if you need some creative inspiration. You might want to check out her post in eLearning samples. It contains one of the best collection of eLearning samples I have seen. Common Craft: [...]
on July 10th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Just wanted to tell you all know how much I appreciate your postings guys.
Found you though google!
on July 14th, 2009 at 5:14 am
We’re going to develop course. This post will help.
on July 25th, 2009 at 8:37 am
[...] humorous I’M IN YOUR LMS presentation was noted earlier on Mission to Learn) has posted a great collection of e-learning samples: “interactive graphics, simulations, and other materials that could give you ideas for your own [...]
on July 29th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
[...] – Examples Chapman Alliance: Bryan Chapman, LMS Short List, Blended Learning – Interaction Elearning examples — infographics, simulations, and online courses Making Change Hope that helps, David Attached [...]
on October 8th, 2009 at 9:23 am
[...] similar. So, these days I have been scouring the web quite a bit for sample e-learning demos. Cathy Moore added quite a few to her blog. Tyro posted some on his blog as well. I especially enjoyed the [...]
on October 23rd, 2009 at 6:31 pm
[...] them got tired of looking. Need to go back and check out the more advanced group and simulations: http://blog.cathy-moore.com/elearning-samples/ < Posted by mperno Filed in Resource, design ideas No Comments » Create a free [...]
on October 26th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
[...] are still more examples to check out. Vendor Demos and below. http://blog.cathy-moore.com/elearning-samples/ < Posted by mperno Filed in Smartbuilder, design ideas No Comments » Create a free [...]
on November 25th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
[...] Good examples [...]
on December 2nd, 2009 at 7:28 am
Nice site. Well done and thank you for the help.
on December 6th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
This site is great! Its already in my favourite. There is so much sharing of instructional design and great pieces of work!
I used it to explore ideas and see how online teaching can be done more effectively and also with an element of fun while learning and have gained alot of insights and examples.
Great Site! Well done and thank you Sir.