eLearning: Summary

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So, this has been a journey!

Hi.  My name’s Scott.  I help the people at corporations and organizations create web based training and eLearning tutorials.  Specifically, I help you write it, I create the content (sound, video, graphics, etc.) that goes with it, and I help you put it all together.

While writing this article, I came across a quote: Learning is chaotic. 

Today’s hard and fast rules for learning do not apply to every learner, and will not be the same hard and fast rules for tomorrow.

As creators of training materials, we try to build a framework around this chaos called learning.  We have to be adaptable and change with the times.

Learning is an interruption.  If we are going to be successful, we have to be disruptive.

I’m writing this summary on the day that some training courses I created for the University of Washington Social Work Continuing Education Department have been glowingly approved.  Direct quote from the project manager, via my email: 

Scott - Thank you Thank you Thank you.  These 3 courses really look great!

And one of the project manager’s bosses:

Scott, these look great!  I appreciate your rapid response and flexibility.
These are fantastic products!

For this UW project, I

·         Helped write the narration scripts (they drafted, I revised)

·         Created the content, which means:

o   Sourced the voice over talent

o   Used at least 6 different programs to create the graphics and

o   Edit the video

o   Created downloadable course transcripts, and then

·         Assembled the video, graphics, transcripts, quizzes, into training courses on their system

Two years ago, I created content for a 25 volume online University-style training system for a multinational insurance agency.  This is my Real World Example B from that section of this article.

As of this writing, that training required for all sales agents, and profits have risen.

For that project, I

·         Interviewed SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) and then drafted and revised their speaking scripts

·         Hired and supervised two freelancers to help me out with videotaping, video editing and graphics

·         Assembled the video, graphics, training manuals, subtitles, quizzes, pages, chapters, and modules on a beautiful custom system

Back in the wings right now I have a training project for a state agency.  My source material is Power Point files.  With them I am:

·         Writing the narration script

·         Sourcing the voice talent

·         Hiring help for particular parts

·         Putting everything into self-contained courses with Articulate

·         Posting the finished product to the agency’s system

Is this starting to look familiar?

Unique needs can be approached with simple steps and still create a unique, desired outcome.

I step in and execute those steps.  There might be a whole lot of steps (every need is unique), but I make my clients feel like it’s easy.

My clients (or more directly, my clients’ Project managers, managers at businesses and organizations, educators, human resources) already have their daily jobs to do.  When something like “build a training program for X,” is dropped on their plate, it can be a large order.  It took me 20-some pages to describe the various moving parts.  Particularly where creating the content is concerned; they may have never written a narration script, they might not understand the difference between the content itself and the way it is organized. 

I don’t think they should have to know any of this.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with not knowing how to do these things.  They are tasks best left to specialists.  There is no shame in not knowing how to do something, as long as you know how to hire someone who does.

A competent content specialist will be able to mesh his work seamlessly with your project.

Since 1994, I’ve been doing exactly this for all kinds of clients.  All kinds.  As I listened to a friend of mine giving me feedback on this article, he said something like, “Scott, do you know what a truly powerful force you are, how you have been so helpful to me and others as a project manager and content creator.  How you are able to quickly size things up then synthesize, reorganize and guide people.  Do you have any idea what a benefit that is?”

Yes, I do.  That’s why I wrote this.  What he said.  I like to call it my blender head.

                                                     haha, that’s a band logo.  Who knew?

BUT, back to the others described above:

Something I’d love to do for these educators, and any client with the need and the fit, is take advantage of Apples iBook Author, and start creating-then-posting fully engaging interactive iBooks to iTunes U, and otherwise branded eBooks for other convenient devices.

Something else I’d love to do, since I’m playing with ZebraZapps right now, is include this game-changing power (“game changing” - - get it?  Lol.) of game creation in more and more courses.

What do you want to do?

What do you want to create?

Learning should not be a hurdle to progress or a brick wall to growth. 
It should be fun.  And it has to be helpful - - to both the employee and employer.

                                                                                               -me

I’m Scott.  I help the people at corporations and organizations create web based training and eLearning tutorials.  Specifically, I help you write it, I create the video and graphics that go with it, and I help you put it all together.

 Scott Bell