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Sexual Harassment Training

Each year Articulate issues a challenge based on using Pantone’s Color of the Year in an eLearning example. Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year is Viva Magenta.

Pantone says Viva Magenta:

“… vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.”

I decided to see how well Viva Magenta works as a “wake-up” color in a Sexual Harassment Training mini-course, rather than using the more typical blues and greys that usually accompany HR training. This course was developed in Articulate Rise. It includes an opening video I created in Powtoon, and edited with Camtasia. Click the image below to view the demo.

Become a Space Cadet!

Click the image above to view the Articulate Rise demo.

Become a Space Cadet was submitted to Articulate’s eLearning Drag-and-Drop Challenge #380.

Authoring Tools

  • Articulate Rise 360 – I used the new Rise Horizon theme for this demo
  • Articulate Storyline 360 – the Solar System drag-and-drop interaction was created in Storyline
  • Powtoon – the two videos in this demo were created in Powtoon, and edited in Camtasia

Ice Core Timeline

Check out the demo by clicking the image above!

Articulate eLearning Heroes Challenge #369 was about using interactive timelines in eLearning design. I created an Ice Core Timeline video and interaction, about the fact that scientists are collecting and using ice cores to learn about the ways the earth’s climate has changed through the years.

I used several authoring tools to create this presentation:

  • Powtoon
  • Camtasia
  • Storyline 360

Vinegar Valentines

Check out the rude, crude ‘Vinegar Valentines’ of the Victorian Era by clicking the image above!

What’s a Vinegar Valentine?! is my submission to Articulate’s E-Learning Heroes Challenge #359Design an E-Learning Template or Interaction for Valentine’s Day.

In the 1840s, brash Americans invented a novel way to let potential suitors know they were barking up the wrong tea.

The solution? Send them the ultimate insult: the Vinegar Valentine, complete with a caricature, and an obnoxious saying!

Authoring Tools:

Powtoon, Camtasia, Storyline 360

Click-and-Reveal Portfolio Tips

Check out the demo by clicking the image above!

eLearning Portfolio Tips is my submission to Articulate’s E-Learning Heroes Challenge #349: Using Click-And-Reveals to Show More Info in eLearning.

Ned Newbie is a former teacher who is seeking a career change. He wants to be a freelance instructional designer who can work remotely.

This has been happening a lot lately, as more people have been changing careers for a variety of reasons, including the COVID 19 pandemic.

He’ll need an eLearning Portfolio, so he’s seeking some feedback on his first try at developing an online presence.

This demo features click-to-reveal interactions, and a Resources tab filled with eLearning Portfolio tips from highly regarded instructional designers and eLearning developers.

Authoring Tools:

Powtoon, Camtasia, Storyline 360

What’s so Exciting about DevLearn?

**Update Oct. 17, 2021**

Although I won’t be able to make it to DevLearn 2021, I’m excited for everyone who is going to the conference this year. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun and learn a lot!

From October 2019:

What’s so Exciting About DevLearn? is another demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #250: How are You Using Text and Images in E-Learning Design?

Click the image below to view the online demo.

Create Cartoons with PowerPoint

I created the icon of myself in PowerPoint several years ago, by using shapes and grouping them together. I saved the grouped images as a .png to preserve the transparent background, so that I could use the image in other applications.

Freebie Tutorial & Download

I produced an annotated video tutorial about the cartoon creation technique, and provided a free PowerPoint download here: https://tracycarroll.net/annotated-video-tutorial-create-cartoons-with-powerpoint/

Powtoon and Camtasia for Video Editing

I used Powtoon to compose the slides, create slide transitions, and add background music. Finally, I used Camtasia to edit the video and reduce the file size.

Authoring Tools: Powtoon, PowerPoint, Camtasia

Meet Bei Bei

This demo is a response to Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #346 – Using Anthropomorphic Characters in E-LearningAnthropomorphism means attributing human characteristics to animals and non-living objects. Using animals as characters can make the subject matter–in this case, the declining population of wild pandas–seem more friendly.

Click the image below to meet Bei Bei, and experience A Day in the Life of a Giant Panda.

Authoring Tools:

Powtoon animation, Canva images, Camtasia video editing, & Articulate Storyline 360

Name That Font!

This demo is another response to Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #345 – Using Font Games to Learn About Typography.

Click the image below to view the interactive eLearning game demo: Name That Font!

Development Details

For development details, see my blog post for Cheese or Font? The development process for both demos is essentially the same.

Authoring Tools:

Powtoon animation, Articulate Storyline 360

Cheese or Font?

This demo is in response to Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #345 – Using Font Games to Learn About Typography.

Inspiration

Articulate frequently revisits challenges after several years, and this challenge is no exception. I looked at the original challenge, and saw the title Cheese or Font, and thought it sounded like fun. Unfortunately, the link provided didn’t take me to a game, so I had to create my own!

Gamification

Sometimes you just have to memorize facts to get the job done (although probably not about cheese vs fonts). This short memory game demo shows an engaging, quick way to present this kind of task. Users can play the game several times, and teach themselves various ways to memorize the correct answers.

Click the image below to view the interactive eLearning game demo:  Cheese or Font?

Development Details

The animation application I used to create the intro to the game is Powtoon. I generally don’t start out knowing what I’m looking for when I create animated videos, I just look at numerous examples and templates on various sites until I develop some ideas of my own. Then I start out with a blank canvas and begin looking for the elements I want to use. In this case, I used a book prop from Powtoon combined with a mouse/cheese image from Pixabay.

Music is an important element, and I listen to music clips (sometimes furnished by Powtoon, sometimes by other applications/subscriptions) until I get the sound I want. Although the opening animation is only approximately 5 seconds long, I want the music to play for the entire Storyline interaction, so I include a couple of minutes to the video length of the Powtoon.

Camtasia Video Editing

After downloading the Powtoon video, I edit it using Camtasia. In this case, all I wanted to do was decrease the file size while retaining acceptable quality. I was able to reduce the file size of the video from 10,370 KB to 1,635 KB by removing the audio to a separate file, and adjusting the video quality settings before publishing.

Storyline Interaction

Since I want the music to play continuously throughout the interaction, the entire interaction needs to be contained on one Storyline slide, rather than using separate quiz slides for each question. This is done through the use of layers. The audio file is placed on the base layer, and plays continuously as the user interacts with each layer on the slide.

Video Tips

In Storyline, the video timeline and the slide timeline operate independently. By default, whenever the user clicks on a video (or touches it on a mobile screen), the video stops. However, the Storyline timeline marches on. This can wreak havoc with any timed interactions the developer plans to include on a video slide. In order to keep the video and slide timelines synchronized, I always include a “video shield” that I place on top of any videos I use on Storyline slides. The shield is simply a rectangular shape that covers the video entirely, set to 99% transparency. Now, the video timeline will be unaffected by a random touch. The user can stop or start the video only by using the play/pause controls that are used for the Storyline slide, thus making the video and the slide timelines function as one.

Using the Video Tools tab in the Storyline ribbon, I generally set the video compression to “none,” since I’ve already reduced the file size of the video in Camtasia.

Authoring Tools:

Powtoon animation, Pixabay, Camtasia, Articulate Storyline 360

Word Search

Coronavirus Word Search Puzzle

Coronavirus Word Search Puzzle is my eLearning lightbox demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #316.

Click the image below to play the online eLearning game.

Lightbox Slide for Optional Information

Like many other eLearning developers, I frequently use lightboxes to allow learners to access optional information, as they see fit. In this case, the Instructions button leads to a short video describing how to play the game.

Game Mechanics & Free Download!

To create the game mechanics, I am indebted to Paul Alders, who shared a free word search interaction demo and Storyline download in the Articulate community website. Select the image below to view Paul’s demo, and download the file he shared.

Customizing the Interaction

The first step I took to customize the interaction above was to enlarge the puzzle–I’ve had poor eyesight all my life, and that’s generally the first step I take customizing any eLearning template! I also changed the color scheme/background and added a Powtoon character.

Next, I decided to use sentences as hints for the terms in the puzzle, rather than giving the learner the terms outright. Finally, I created the lightbox slide with a short video to explain how to play the game.

Authoring Tools: Storyline 360, Camtasia, Powtoon

T. Rex to Tweety Bird

Using Interactive Timelines to Present Sequenced Information in E-Learning

Timeline: From T. Rex to Tweety Bird is my interactive timeline demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #315.

Click the image below to view the online demo.

Combining Animated Video with Storyline Layers

The base layer of this Storyline 360 presentation is an animated video I created with Powtoon, which includes background music. I wanted the background music to play across the entire presentation, but Storyline does not support playing music across several slides. So, I added the timeline links I created with Storyline to the end of the video. The timeline links lead to the various slide layers with dinosaur information.

This way, entire presentation is kept on a single Storyline slide, so that the background music can play without interruption.

Authoring Tools: Powtoon, Camtasia, Storyline 360

2 Truths and a Lie

Classic Icebreaker Practice: 2 Truths & a Lie is my demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #313.

Click the image below to view the online demo.

Animation Tools: Powtoon, PowerPoint, & Camtasia

I created the animated cartoons with Powtoon, and edited the videos with Camtasia. To animate the cat’s face with different expressions, I used PowerPoint shapes.

Authoring Tools: Powtoon, Camtasia, Storyline 360, PowerPoint

Passenger Safety Card

Health and Safety at Desert Air is my demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #309: Creating Interactive Passenger Safety Cards. Click the image below to view the online demo.

Powtoon

I created the animated cartoons with Powtoon, and edited the videos with Camtasia. Storyline 360 was used to add the interactive aspects of this eLearning sample. Powtoon published an excellent review of this eLearning demo on their YouTube channel:

Authoring Tools: Powtoon, Camtasia, Storyline 360

Urban Beekeeping

Keeping the Urban Bee is my demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #312: Combine Photos and Illustrations in E-Learning #312

Click the image below to view the online demo.

Using PowerPoint to Alter Photographs and Images

The background photographs were edited in PowerPoint, using the application’s Artistic Effects tool. Techniques used:

  • Tint the photos with sepia tones
  • De-saturate colors
  • Blurred background images
  • Darkened images

Some of the illustrations were also edited using PowerPoint, using the following tools:

  • Background removal tool
  • Sharpen contrast tool
  • Increase color saturation
Powtoon and Camtasia for Video Editing

I used Powtoon to create slide transitions, add the animated bee, and to add background music. Camtasia was used to reduce the size of the video and provide the video player.

Authoring Tools: PowerPoint/Presenter 360, Powtoon, Camtasia

Urban Beekeeping info from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_beekeeping

Keep Your Teeth!

Did you know that more than 36 million Americans do not have any teeth? Many more have lost at least one tooth. The purpose of the eLearning game Can You Keep Your Teeth, is (not surprisingly) to keep your teeth.

You can keep them if you answer the dental hygiene questions correctly! Make a mistake, and lose a tooth. Click the image below to play the game.

Update

I originally created this game in 2016, using Storyline 2. This version, submitted to Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #311 – Using Dials and Sliders to Select E-Learning Characters, has been completely updated in Storyline 360, with new graphics and a new video.

The animated video introduction was created with Powtoon, an online, easy-to-use video software application.

Authoring Tools: Powtoon animation, Camtasia, Articulate Storyline 360

Clinical Trials

Articulate’s eLearning Heroes Challenge #307 is about building the most common e-learning interactions. I decided to create a tabs navigation interaction about clinical trials.

Before a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19 could be released to the public, it had to successfully go through randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trials. Select each term in the tabs interaction demo to learn more about why such trials are referred to as the “gold standard” of clinical trials.

Click the image below to view the demo.

Authoring Tools

To create this presentation, I used Powtoon to create the intro video, and Camtasia to edit the video. Articulate Storyline 360 was used to create the tabs interaction.

Your Brain on Soccer

Click the image below for the demo.

Powtoon Animation

Soccer Training, Drills, and Examples in E-Learning is Articulate’s E-Learning Heroes Challenge #241. My example is a short public service announcement video that highlights the danger of brain injury from excessive head trauma. I created the video using Powtoon animation, and included an interactive hotspot (a hyperlink to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) by editing the video in Camtasia.

Authoring Tools: Powtoon, Camtasia

London Navigation

Getting Around London is my demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #250: How are You Using Text and Images in E-Learning Design?

Click the image below to view the online demo.

Using PowerPoint to Alter Images

The images were edited in PowerPoint, using the application’s Artistic Effects tool. Techniques used:

  • Gradients superimposed on images
  • Blurred background images
  • Darkened images
  • Transparent text boxes over images
  • Contrasting sharp and blurred images
Powtoon and Camtasia for Video Editing

I used Powtoon to create slide transitions, and to add background music. Finally, I used Camtasia to insert an interactive hotspot over the url for the Transport for London site, where they can get further information.

Authoring Tools: PowerPoint, Powtoon, Camtasia

Jet Lag

5 Facts About Jet Lag is my submission to Using Dials to Design Interactive Infographics, Articulate’s E-Learning Challenge #261. Click the image below to view the demo.

Powtoon

I created the videos in this online infographic using Powtoon animation. I used Camtasia to edit the videos–primarily to separate the 5 Facts video into five short lightbox segments, accessed by using the Storyline 360 dial feature.

Authoring Tools: Powtoon, Camtasia, Storyline 360.

Arctic Survival Game

The Arctic Survival Game is my demo for Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #252: Using Checklist Interactions in E-Learning.

Click the image below to view the online game demo.

Animation

I used the Powtoon animation application to create the retro animated video, and PowerPoint to create and/or alter some of the 8-bit images. Camtasia was used to edit the video. Finally, Articulate Storyline 360 was used to create the game (quiz). 

Authoring Tools: Powtoon, Camtasia, PowerPoint

Workplace Onboarding

The History of Workplace Onboarding is my demo for the new Articulate E-Learning Heroes Challenge #246: Using Interactive Timelines in E-Learning (2019).

Click the image below to view the online demo.

Creating the Videos with Plotagon & PowToon

I created four animated videos for this presentation–three using Plotagon Animation, and one using Powtoon.

Articulate Rise

To add some interactivity to the presentation, I imported the videos into a Timeline lesson block in Articulate Rise.

Authoring Tools: Plotagon Animation, PowToon Animation, Camtasia, Articulate Rise

Meet the Team

Meet the team at Generica, a warm and inviting workplace! Click the image below for the demo.

The presentation is my response to Articulate’s E-Learning Heroes Challenge #244: Meet the Team and Interactive Org Charts in E-Learning (2019).

Creating the Video with PowToon

I created this animated demo using PowToon, then edited the video in Camtasia.

Interactivity

To add some interactivity to the presentation, I imported the video into Storyline 360, and included a couple of interaction slides and feedback.

Authoring Tools: PowToon, Camtasia, Storyline 360

Reduce Your Global Footprint

Articulate’s  E-Learning Challenge #238 is to use a step-by-step approach in an e-learning example. Click the image below to see my demo, and learn how to easily reduce your carbon footprint immediately.

Step #3: Plant Greens!

For this example, I chose to use Articulate Presenter, a PowerPoint add-in, rather than Storyline, because I wanted some background music to play across several slides. Storyline 360 does not have that capability, but Presenter 360 does! It’s great to have a variety of e-learning tools in the toolbox.

I created the animated videos with PowToon animation.

Authoring Tools: PowToon Animation, PowerPoint, Articulate Presenter 360, Camtasia for video editing