E-Learning Content Archive - Page 3 of 4

Even after more than 30 years, GIFs still enjoy great popularity, despite their somewhat dated appearance. The popular moving images are widely used, pixelated and limited colour spectrum notwithstanding, because they can be integrated almost anywhere and are easy to create and share. What’s more: Our digital communications, whether on Twitter, WhatsApp or Teams, would certainly be a lot less entertaining and descriptive without GIFs. Speechless? No problem! Joy, sadness, compassion, shame – no matter what feeling you want to convey, you can always find a GIF for it.

Social media is not the only place for GIFs. They can also make learning more vivid and entertaining. We have compiled the most important arguments for the use of GIFs in e-learning for you:

GIFs visually represent ideas and information in a few seconds
A GIF is easier to follow than a series of still images
GIFs usually run in a loop and are also perceived out of the corner of the eye
GIFs therefore do justice to the attention span of Generation Goldfish (<8 seconds)
Creating GIFs is much easier than creating high-end video content
GIFs play automatically on almost any system
GIFs trigger emotions. The stronger the emotion, the better the memory
GIFs are mobile-friendly and ideal for micro-learning

Our fifth Punky Talk is our 2020 Festive Season Special. As a one-off, it is dedicated to the e-learning basics rather than to trends. After all, countless lists of top trends for the coming year are popping up wherever you look. We would rather use the year-end to ask: What are the fundamentals companies need to have in place before they can focus their efforts on the latest digital professional development trends in 2021?

And who is better placed to answer this question than Sven R. Becker? Sven was appointed to the Management Board of imc in January 2019 after many years of service for the company. During his studies, Sven already worked intensively on e-learning and UX design. Having paid close attention to the developments in the industry for years, he noted: 2020 was not just the year of corona, but also the big moment for “digital literacy”. A digital mindset now exists pretty much everywhere. Consequently, the relevance of e-learning is no longer limited to large corporations and companies in heavily regulated industries.

Sven recommends that anyone seeking to venture into the digital professional development world in the new year take an iterative approach. The important thing now is to get started! When trying to decide whether or not a trend is useful for your company, Sven suggests taking a closer look at the target group.

Sven also talks about costs, grassroots movements and the impact e learning has on corporate success.

Enjoy watching!

Creating and digitising learning content has never been this easy. The days of substandard corporate e-learning courses are over. The new imc product claims as much. Starting in the first quarter of 2021, imc Express lets absolutely anyone quickly produce didactically prepared learning content with ease.

We spoke to Oliver Nussbaum about how exactly that is meant to work, and what exactly sets imc Express apart from traditional authoring tools. The Managing Director at imc in Austria was instrumental in the development of the software.

To put this into perspective: An authoring tool is like Photoshop. It allows you to do very complex things. You can move every pixel separately. You can fine-tune every shade in every cropped image. Yet, without prior knowledge or some initial training, the program will simply overwhelm you.

In comparison, imc Express is like an Instagram filter. You have an image that you want to post, and simply want to optimise it quickly. Instagram will automatically suggest various filters, you select one of them ... and you’re done. Instagram handles the design task.

Applying that same concept to Content Studio and imc Express means that you need to know your way around authoring tools to use them. You need certain skills. Once you acquire them, you can access a wealth of configuration options.

You can test things and design learning content exactly to your liking. Meanwhile, imc Express is geared towards a much broader user group. It is intuitive and requires no prior knowledge.

There are three aspects. First of all, 95 % of the people don’t have the slightest inkling of good design. That may sound harsh, but it’s true.

Secondly, few people understand how to structure learning content didactically. How can I design my training to ensure that people enjoy it and remember it well? How do I package all that into an interesting and conclusive process? Those key points are extremely important for the conceptual design while also requiring significant time investment.

Finally, there’s a technology hurdle. Most people are overwhelmed when a software offers too many features. They don’t have the time or energy to really learn about them, and will struggle to figure it out. That’s a motivation killer.

This is why we set imc Express up to “dictate good design”. Instead of making the user deal with countless possibilities, AI makes the decision for them and optimises content realisation.

Say, for example, you want to describe a product. You simply select the product description template and the software will give instructions, such as: “Enter a short text that describes your product in one sentence.”

Absolutely. It’s a major topic in the creation of barrier-free content. imc Express uses AI to automatically set the right tags in the background to every image you insert to correctly describe and store the image.

For instance, if you insert a picture of a red cat, words like “animal”, “cat”, or “red cat” are automatically tagged. Naturally, that also allows other users to find your image directly if they do a search for “cat”.

imc Express can also play any spoken text directly – that’s known as text-to-speech – or describe images using the tags. It goes without saying that the software can be used optimally on any device, it s both adaptive and responsive.

That was a key aspect for us. What usually happens is this: You prepare something and send it to a translation agency. When you receive the translated text back, you have to return it to the presentation format.

With imc Express, you simply tick the box for the additional languages you want to prepare the training in. The training course is then automatically and directly translated, staying with the corresponding layout. While it will still need a linguistic review, the time savings are enormous.

imc Express really is suitable for everyone – from marketing manager to apprentice, from consultant to production line workers. Every company can use the software to digitalise its knowledge. We equally see great potential for schools and universities. The tool is made for anyone who wants to share and digitalise information and knowledge.

Our mission is to enable all employees to create great learning content by themselves to make poor e-learning content a thing of the past!

Thanks for your time Oli and let's start creating awesome content!

Diversity is increasingly becoming a hygiene factor in our working world. We have arrived in a time where young people are specifically looking for employers that allow them to unleash their potential and to be themselves. Yet, that is not the only reason companies benefit from strategic diversity management. In the German imc E-Learning Inc. podcast, Mohanna Arzamandi, Chief Learning Officer at Microsoft Germany, recently announced: “Diverse teams are better at problem-solving.” Mohanna knows that the Diversity Management and Corporate Learning segments are closely linked.

This starts with training intercultural competences, encompasses barrier-free learning offers and involves illustrating diversity in the actual learning content. We discussed that last point with our E-Learning Content Project Manager Kenneth Littlepage.

Kenny: To me, that’s very much the same as saying: “People who have children cannot take advice from someone who doesn’t have kids.” So, if you don’t have kids, does that mean your opinion is not valid? You are not allowed to say anything? I believe that someone trained on the subject, or even someone very open to it can handle that without any issues. But, of course, it is far more authentic for the learner if the content illustrating diversity was developed by a diverse team. It is far more difficult to represent diversity and write about it when it doesn’t exist.

“It really is very simple: The more complex and dry a topic, the better the experience needs to be for the learner,” Sven R. Becker, learning expert and Member of the imc Executive Board sums up. As much as the learning experience is hyped up and features in the learning management system (LMS), it often falls by the wayside in company-specific training.

Topics like the latest GDPR provisions or IDD training as soon required in the insurance sector might not be met with great enthusiasm – but they are extremely important. Employees not only need to understand these topics, they must also internalise them and apply them in their daily work.

Audi is leading by example. The automobile giant ventured to try a courageous concept: Web-based training modelled on “Sin City” is leveraged to train all employees in fraud prevention. Right from the outset, it is obvious that this training course is different. Usually, a participant would click “Start training now” to make a start on their training course. Here, they are greeted with the following text: “Welcome to Fraud City. The city “eats” its residents – skin, hair and all. We hope you’re up to it. Enter at your own risk.”

Throughout the course, the participant accompanies Detective Fraudless who investigates fraud cases. In this game setting, the participants become familiar with the criteria used to identify cases of fraud while also becoming sensitive to suspicious behavioural patterns.

Since not everyone can justify the time and expense of highly customised training courses, a large selection of off-the-shelf content (OTS) is also available. In particular, this is a suitable solution for contents or certifications requiring adaptation due to regular updates, legislative changes or new guidelines.

Such off-the-shelf training courses fit the bill for product training required in the insurance, banking, pharmaceutical or medical sectors. It is, however, important that providers hold relevant certificates and accreditations and are able to guarantee automated learning content updates.

We have received outstanding feedback from our clients, especially on our standard data protection training. Our clients feel the design hits the spot, being neither too comical nor too serious.

One reviewer stated that they thought the training course achieved a perfect technical balance. Other courses they attended had been either too superficial or looked at the subject in such depth that they had switched off. We were thrilled to hear that. After all, we strive to present the GDPR in such a way that anyone can gain from it. Many employees have no need to dive deep into the subject matter. Rather, they must be sensitised to the topic in general.”

Training alone is not enough – whether based on customised or standard content. Traceability must also be ensured. This is best done with a suitable LMS that allows admins to allocate relevant training courses to each target group, and should also include setting end points and establishing escalation management.

Say, for example, insurance expert Ms Smith belongs to a group of employees who must earn a specific number of IDD points . The administrator can create an automated alert for relevant courses in the system. If she fails to complete the training by a certain date, she will receive repeated email reminders. At a pre-defined date, her direct supervisor can also be informed.

What should clients pay attention to when buying compliance training? Sven R. Becker summarises:

1. First of all, understand your target group. Does the target group need to acquire in-depth specialist knowledge? Or is sensitisation the primary goal? Your answer to this question must be reflected in the technical presentation.

2. It is generally advisable to establish a basic understanding for sensitive topics across the entire organisation, a compliance mindset. Each training course and each measure must be positioned within this mindset. It is crucial that management is setting an example. Integrating senior management into the training course is often helpful, and asking them to design realistic case studies can help learners see how the content applies to them.

3. Standard training is better suited to content more general in nature, as the provider must ensure that it is up to date. However, if a topic is specific to a sector or even just the company, it helps to customise at least parts of the training and only filling the gaps with standard content.

4. Ask yourself for how long you want to use a training course. If contents requires frequent adaptation, OTS content is often a better choice – provided that certifications and updates are guaranteed.

5. Don’t call it compliance training! The term alone is like a red flag for many employees. It pays to be brave and find a different name. Surprise your learners with training courses that polarise and stand out. This makes your contents more memorable than with run-of-the-mill courses. And maybe you can even have your employees enjoy the training – without the yawns.

Our fourth Punky Talk is fully dedicated to the topic of virtual classrooms. After all, digital lessons are the best answer to the corona pandemic and the associated prohibition of contact in many places.

The article “Rock 'n' roll in the (virtual) classroom” already examined in detail what a virtual classroom is and how it works. It then goes on to present three providers of virtual classroom tools. Vitero is one of these providers. The highlight of the Vitero software is its user interface. It depicts a meeting room of sorts which is based on the real world and arranges lesson participants around a conference table. Nevertheless, Managing Director Dr. Fabian Kempf firmly believes that poorly modelled 3D avatars are not helpful in the virtual world. In this interview, he shares his tips for adding opulence and glamour to the virtual classroom instead.

Enjoy watching!

Virtual classrooms can help companies through the difficult corona period, and even save them from bankruptcy.
Since speed is paramount, Vitero had to adapt its processes and launched a quick-start offer specifically tailored to the current situation.
The crucial element for developing a close teacher-student relationship is regular exchange, rather than physical proximity.
Trainers should therefore focus on interaction and collaboration to strengthen the relationship.
Good training allows a trainer in the virtual room to respond to common complaints like “I cannot hear you” with confidence, and design interactive lessons that generate discussion.
LMS and virtual classrooms are a perfect match. A learning management system with web-based training achieves independence in terms of time, inclusion of a larger target group and longer applicability – the half-life of contents. A virtual classroom removes the need for elaborate content creation. Moreover, live communication means that any comprehension issues can be addressed directly. Combining the two tools creates synergies between their benefits and provides optimal support for the realisation of blended learning concepts.
Incorrectly modelled 3D avatars are rather difficult to navigate in the virtual room. A more effective approach is to limit 3D content illustration to specific points where this boosts visualisation.

Needless to say, both immersion and virtual reality have become very relevant topics ever since the coronavirus crisis started. Just think of the number of people setting up Zoom or Skype meetings to stay connected and reduce the isolation that comes with social distancing as much as possible. Now think of the limits of these meetings when it comes to really making eye contact, branching off into one-on-one conversations, and even moving to a different room. That’s where VR can help.

Jennifer Fritz has worked as a learning concept designer, storyteller, and consultant for companies such as Virtual Identity AG and imc AG. Her passion is digital learning and teaching, and as a former member of the First German Business Association for Immersive Media (EDFVR), she knows that the future in this area belongs to virtual and augmented reality. In fact, she has seen a trend towards social virtual learning since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

Jenny: Well, as you probably know already, both are incredibly exciting new technologies. What’s worth pointing out is the fact that they’re finally seeing some proper development nowadays, and so there’s a lot of room still left for experimenting. When it comes to my personal life, I really like using entertainment applications such as Wonderscope, for experiencing stories in AR, and Beat Saber, which is a rhythm game.

In addition, I also work with these technologies whenever it makes sense to do so in my projects. In fact, I can’t overstate just how strongly I believe that AR and VR are both opening entirely new possibilities in terms of learning and storytelling.

Now, there are still many clients who are not too keen on the costs or the technology at this point, but I think it’s important to point out that VR in particular can really help us deal with the isolation resulting from social distancing during the coronavirus crisis and give us that sensation of “being there” that you don’t really get when working from home. And it goes without saying that an obvious application is daily VR meetings, but it can also extend far beyond that and include things such as professional development training and even onboarding. Moreover, the importance of this becomes more obvious when we consider that people have now been working from home for weeks and that new employees keep being added, which means that companies that have already implemented VR onboarding training have a clear advantage.

Jenny: Well, like you’ve said, VR is ideal for simulating dangerous situations and processes with valuable raw materials. But it’s important to keep in mind that VR training also makes sense when not enough training stations are available.

And once again, I can point out a good example related to the current coronavirus pandemic, this time derived from the fact that it’s a high-risk situation for medical staff. More specifically, a new VR training system has recently been used to train 17,000 doctors and nurses for the COVID-19 pandemic, which is something that would have been completely impossible to do with traditional training given the number of people. Most hospitals are overburdened and don’t really have capacity for urgently needed training, so a virtual space made it possible for the training participants to get their bearings in regard to the new coronavirus reality without having to put their own health, or that of their patients’, at risk. And on top of that, using virtual reality meant that valuable PPE was conserved. So if you think about it, this is a perfect example of every single factor in a single scenario: Compensating for insufficient training stations, conserving crucial raw materials, and providing safe training for a hazardous situation.

It’s also important to note that we’re seeing new scenarios that seem to be viable to various degrees arise on almost a daily basis right now. Needless to say, high-risk scenarios and limited capacity have been firmly established as cases where virtual reality training makes sense, but we’ll see others be confirmed as well with time. As I mentioned earlier on, social distancing makes it very likely that we’ll see – at least temporarily – areas in which VR training will replace what would normally have been in-person training, such as communication skills and sales.

Jenny: With the Oculus Quest’s launch a few months ago, we now have a headset on the market that offers full mobility in a virtual environment and that doesn’t need a PC or external tracking elements – all at a price of 400 euros. This saves additional costs that would normally be associated with equipment, and the head-mounted display (editor’s note: AR glasses) is easy to use. In other words, we have an affordable option for the HMD at least.

Now, in regard to content creation, it really comes down to what the company in question wants, and we’re talking from real 360° photos to highly complex 3D animations – I honestly think there’s an option for every budget out there by this point. Basically put, the market has stabilized. Of course, however, it’s important to consider that virtual reality training is really only worth it beyond a certain number of users, which is why it’s absolutely necessary for companies to sit down with the relevant service provider before beginning a project and analyse the target group, the specific needs, and the general conditions involved. This would then yield a recommendation on which format and which technology to use.

Jenny: Well, it goes without saying that it’s important to draw several firm distinctions here. AR is used on a multitude of devices ranging from smartphones and tablets to smartglasses, so the size of the device really matters. One thing that people should always do, however, is to make sure that their applications aren’t too difficult to use regardless of whether they’re using gestures or touch. Controls need to be clear and easy to use, and there’s hardly anything as frustrating as not knowing how to make progress when taking a training course. Another thing worth considering is that voice control and a generous use of audio and audio effects can be very good ideas for both technologies. In fact, even music can be ideal depending on how cinematic the end product should be.

Having said all that, there is one nugget of wisdom from “normal” e-learning that remains intact for these two new technologies too: Interactivity maximizes learning. In other words, it’s important to give the person taking the course regular opportunities to explore and try things out and interact with the course contents and the learning environment.

Jenny: I know as many “young people” without an affinity for digital tools as “old people” with that affinity. I think it’s less a question of age than of wanting to do it. However, incorporating a phase for getting used to things and a tutorial at the beginning of a training program is never a bad idea.

On top of this, it’s important to remember that HMDs weigh a certain amount and that the duration of the course should usually be shorter than normal due to this.
And finally, it’s absolutely crucial to make sure it’s not just a one-time gimmick to be all cool and cutting edge. If someone really wants to use XR learning, it’s important to make a long-term commitment and consult with a professional to identify the learning scenarios that make sense, the devices that should be used, and the way that implementation and maintenance should work.

Jenny: I think that’s happening by itself right now, to tell you the truth. The exigencies arising from the coronavirus pandemic have essentially made people much more willing to try out new things. In fact, Google Classrooms with VR are enjoying a surge of popularity right now, and we’re seeing less obvious solutions as well, such as people moving their travel plans to their VR headsets due to the lack of other options. And many others are now going to the museum or theatre with (web) VR applications. Now we’re suddenly doing things that would have been completely unimaginable just a few weeks ago.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that what has worked particularly well for me is introducing the new technology in a very relaxed and casual way. Simply bring the VR headset and let the person put it on and try out a couple of simple applications and they just usually realize right away that the technology can be fun and is nothing to be afraid of. And, of course, having an advocate team within the company that knows its stuff and can answer questions can be really helpful when introducing things.

Jenny: I think the most solid trend is probably that the coronavirus crisis has resulted in a new push towards joint virtual learning. And both social learning and virtual reality were already on every single trend list before the pandemic started, but now we’re seeing a move towards social virtual learning. I think we’re definitely going to see a bunch of new products hit the market in the next few months.

I also think that we’re going to see a greater integration of WebVR snippets into “normal” training courses, as that’s a great way to test the waters with this new trend.

Thank you very much for the exciting interview, Jenny!

Learning by quizzing: are you always looking for entertaining fun facts for your next small talk? We feel the same way. That's why today's E-Learning Punk article starts with a quick question for all the British Royal family fans.

The Queen…

A: celebrates her birthday twice a year
B: has already had a little plastic surgery
C: swears by yoga in the morning

You will get the answer at the end of the article. First of all we want to look at where the interest in quizzes comes from, how companies can make use of them in training and what needs to be considered.

Jeopardy and QuizUp are just two well-known quiz examples. Quizzing is simply fun, it activates the reward centre in our brain and provides flow experiences with the right questions. Companies can also take advantage of this and use quiz apps in professional development. The quiz apps combine the advantages of mobile learning and game-based learning.

Various game elements are used, which in combination contribute to the success of the format. Here are the three most important elements of quiz apps:

So now we know what elements make quiz apps so successful and at what point in the learning journey quizzing can provide a bit of fun and motivation. Finally, we have a few tips for you to make sure that the quizzes don't miss their effect and you don't get bored:

Limite the maximum number of games that can be played per day.
Do not use quizzes in an inflationary way. Instead, use them mainly for topics of strategic importance and with a manageable number of questions.
Pay attention to the flow channel when creating questions. A good question should not be too difficult, but also not too easy.
Provide small incentives that have a positive effect on the status of the winner, for example an exclusive meeting with the management board.
Leave the game as what it is: a game. Not a formal learning measure. Don't force your learners to participate.

The right answer is A, by the way.

The second Punky Talk focuses on game-based learning, quiz-based learning and AI . We are hosting Roman Rackwitz, gamification guru and CEO of Engaginglab GmbH.

Roman has been involved in game thinking and gamification since 2007. He has already been named one of the top 10 gamification experts in the world. He describes himself as a naive optimist who rebels against the mindset that gaming were a waste of time. He wants to break down barriers and make games a natural thing, even in a corporate environment.

In the interview with E-Learning Punk moderator Vanessa, he talks about why failure is so important for our personal progress, why content is king but context is god, and why rewards should act as feedback – not bribery.

The interview was recorded live at LEARNTEC 2020 in Karlsruhe (Germany).

Enjoy watching!

In our E-Learning Punk series, we publish a new article on current digital training trends each month. The last three months have been dedicated to the following three trends: video-based learning, blended learning and mobile learning. Now, in the first Punky Talk, E-Learning Punk editor Vanessa talks to Karlheinz Pape, founder of the German Corporate Learning Community (CLC), about these topics, but also about his favourite, self-directed learning.

With the CLC, Karlheinz has established a community network that drives new forms of learning. In our interview, Karlheinz appeals to the crowd to reject their prejudices against learning with video. He also explains why Twitter is his number one learning booster and why mobile learning is an artificial term for him.

Listen for yourself below.

Five tips for more fun with e-learning

Basics on the topic of GIFs

Good reasons for using GIFs in learning

tips for more GIF Ingenuity

Tip 1: Offer your goldfish entertainment

Tip 2: No information overload

Tip 3: Don't become Robin Hood. Or: No stealing for a good cause

Tip 4: Not everyone is familiar with Harry Potter

Tip 5: And the Oscar goes to... Hire a good protagonist

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Punky Talk #5: Sven R. Becker

The imc Board Member talks about basics like learning culture and target group orientation

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User-generated elearning content meets artificial intelligence

From 0 to 100 in 60 seconds – create learning content faster than ever with imc Express

Hello Oli! Thank you for taking the time. What is the idea behind imc Express and where did the product come from?

What is the difference between imc Express and authoring tools like imc Content Studio?

Why not simply use PowerPoint?

What are the greatest challenges for people not dealing with learning content creation on a regular basis?

Are there other applications that use AI?

How does the creation of multilingual content work?

Can I integrate the content I created with imc Express directly into the learning management system?

OK, in a nutshell, who can or should work with imc Express?

More about imc Express

A plea for diverse learning content

Why you shouldn’t neglect diversity in e-learning projects

“The diversity you want must also be reflected in your learning content.”

Hello Kenny! What does diversity mean to you?

You are project manager at imc, looking after clients like the UN, UNICEF, Lufthansa and PwC. How much do your clients really bring up diversity?

Is there a difference between public institutions, national and international companies?

What specific options are available for realising diversity in content projects?

How important is it that the content fits in with the real world? For example: If 90% of the managers are white and male, does presenting a multicultural learning environment not come across as dishonest?

What other challenges do you come across? What do you pay special attention to?

“Diverse teams should be involved in developing diverse learning content.” Do you back that statement?

How important is diversity education? Is more learning content on the topic needed?

tips for creating content that reflects diversity

Observe your environment

Sometimes, more is more

You are not the standard

Education is the start

Train the right topics

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Don’t call it compliance!

5 success factors for effective realisation of "boring" trainings

Creative realisation of dry topics like fraud prevention

Standard training for ever-changing guidelines

LMS integration

What to base your choice on

Further information

Contact

Punky Talk #4: Dr. Fabian Kempf

The specialist for virtual classrooms firmly believes: “Poorly modelled 3D avatars are not helpful in the virtual world.”

Summary of key points from the interview

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Is coronavirus bringing immersive learning to the forefront?

Jennifer Fritz explains the potentials that virtual reality offers as the coronavirus crisis continues

A key observation by the concept designer, storyteller, and consultant: “Now we’re suddenly doing things that would have been completely unimaginable just a few weeks ago.”

Hi Jenny! How would you describe the role of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in your day-to-day routine?

You mentioned concerns about cost earlier on. Aren’t AR and VR learning methods incredibly expensive in terms of hardware and content creation? How can someone decide whether it’s really worth it?

What are some important considerations when designing VR and AR experiences? Do you have any specific tips?

What should we keep in mind when introducing AR/VR – in terms of the target group, for example? Would it be true that the younger and more familiarized with digital tools, the better?

In addition to a phase for getting used to things and tutorials, are there any other tips you can offer for improving the willingness of students and trainees to use AR/VR learning applications?

What are some current trends in the field of immersive learning and where are things headed?

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The quiz show phenomenon in e-learning

Understanding why companies should rely on quiz apps in professional development

The success of quizzes depends on the mix

Avatars

Competition

Feedback

Quiz apps as a learning tool?

Areas of application for quiz apps in companies

Testing the state of knowledge

Consolidate knowledge

tips for the use of quiz apps in continuing education

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Punky Talk #2: Roman Rackwitz

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Punky Talk #1: Karlheinz Pape

The founder of a popular German learning community talks to us about self-directed learning

5 success factors for effective realisation of
"boring" trainings