IntroductionTable of Posts Sadly, many of us have lost the art of a being a craftsperson. In olden days, many people used their hands to carve wood, draw, stencil patterns, practice calligraphy, and knit clothing. Today’s fast-paced population doesn’t make…
DIYEL #15 See a therapist to cure yourself of the disease, CONTROL-ITIS.
IntroductionTable of Posts If you suffer from Control-itis (over-emphasis on controlling how learners should learn), please see a therapist. This disease, consisting of old habits, severely impacts your eLearning design. (This is a series of post from my book “Do-It-Yourself…
DIYEL #14 See a therapist to cure yourself of the disease, CONTENT-ITIS
IntroductionTable of Posts Doctors tell us that some of us may be predisposed to a certain disease because our bodies already carry some degree or level of the virus that causes it. When an individual actually contracts the ailment, it…
DIYEL #13 How to avoid impersonal programs and encourage conversations.
IntroductionTable of Posts When was the last time you had a face-to-face conversation with someone and that person was not really present with you? He or she was “not really there”? How did you feel? You were probably annoyed or…
DIYEL #12 Why we love Slumdog Millionaire, Borat, the Gladiator and Casablanca.
IntroductionTable of Posts They are inspiring, absurd, ridiculous, insulting, heroic and romantic. But most of all, these movies work. Training programs have become too sanitized and sterile, devoid of life and fun. They bore learners to death. Learners are often…
DIYEL #11 Ask learners to tell their stories and also to listen to others’ stories.
IntroductionTable of Posts We are used to people telling us stories. My grandmother used to scare my sister and me with her stories of vampires and gremlins. As I grew older, I learned there is another side of storytelling, and…
DIYEL #10 Learners recall stories, not facts.
Introduction Table of Posts People learn best when they can relate information to real-life situations. They do not remember facts easily. The good classroom trainer (i.e., not boring) knows that stories – anecdotes, illustrations, demos, applications, metaphors, examples, etc. –…
DIYEL #9 Be a gold prospector. Separate nuggets from the tons of dirt. This will serve your learners well.
IntroductionTable of PostsMost trainers and eLearning designers would go bankrupt if they were gold prospectors. Prospectors spend their efforts screening the few gold nuggets from the tons of dirt, pebbles and rock. On the other hand, typical trainers and eLearning…
DIYEL #8 Idea applied, idea learned = results.
IntroductionTable of Posts Somewhere in the history of the training profession we forgot that training and learning are about results. We got fuzzy from thinking too much about tracking and ROI, multimedia, games, interactivity, and other stuff that does not…
DIYEL #7 Use a straight-line micro-incision on content to instantly apply ideas. All else wastes precious time.
IntroductionTable of PostsPicture this: a surgeon uses a scalpel to create a straight-line incision to begin an operation: sharp, quick and instant. This is how our training and learning designs should be. Instead, most of them are dull, prolonged and…
DIYEL #6 eLearning design is like peeling the artichoke before you eat it.
IntroductionTable of Posts Do-It-Yourselfers know the difference between bananas, oranges, apples and artichokes. Back when we changed from using transparencies (which many of you don’t remember at all) to PowerPoint slides, the transition was as simple as peeling a banana,…
DIYEL #5 Avoid the temptation to buy software before you understand your needs.
IntroductionTable of PostsGuilty! We all are. The seduction of buying software instantly is a disease we acquired as part of the technology era. Resist the temptation, especially if you have not done some thinking about your content and your business…
DIYEL # 4 – Adopt a tech kid from your local community college. He knows more than your IT person.
IntroductionTable of Posts Seriously, the typical IT person in your company is not the guy you run to for eLearning advice, especially if you don’t know squat. You must think of your self-preservation. Think of your job security. And if…
DIYEL #3 First kidnap, highjack, beg, borrow, steal, cannibalize, and scavenge. Only then ask for a budget.
IntroductionTable of Posts“Do-It-Yourselfer” should be a job function in business with a job description and a position on the org chart. If you have the DNA of a corporate employee, it is a common and expected behavior to ask for…
DIYEL #2 ADDIE is like an expired medicine; it looks good but no longer works.
IntroductionTable of Posts Sometimes, we cheat ourselves. One day we open the medicine cabinet looking for a pill. We grab the bottle. The expiration date has passed but we take the medicine anyway because we are in pain. We hope…