Mark Twain has been credited with saying:”If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” Challenge It’s ironic that it may take a little more time and care to get content, such as a letter, reduced to…
Tag: story-based
Are Your Learners as Intelligent as They Can Be? – Tip #52
Research by Daniel M. Wegner and Adrian F. Ward featured in Scientific American asked people to rate how smart they felt (cognitive self-esteem) while using Google. The Googlers felt they were smarter (more intelligent) because they had access to the…
Discover the Secrets that Make the Story-Based Lesson Tick – Tip #55
Are you cutting your teeth for a compelling and effective story-based e-learning approach? The story-based approach is not black art that’s hidden from the uninitiated and available only to the gurus. There is a structure and a step-by-step process that…
How to Mold Smarter Learners by Using Patterns – Tip #51
I would bet anything that all of you reading this right now have a daily morning routine. I know I do. The good thing about a routine is that we don’t have to think about it once it is set.…
Have You Worn the Learners’ Glasses? – Tip #50
How do we use the Learner’s Glasses to our advantage? What steps can you take to find out what really matters to your learners? Chasing After Perspective Several years ago, a young man named Josh Sullivan conducted a social experiment to…
Instilling a Love of Learning – Tip #49
How do trainers and designers help learners love what they learn and do? Contrary to the practice of “I must teach, since learners don’t know any better” belief, our learners do love learning and have accumulated knowledge and experiences. The…
Stop That Dump Truck! Ask Questions to Know What is Important for Learners – Tip #48
Why do learners experience overload? What changes can we do to our design to eradicate bloated content and make learning more manageable and enjoyable? Have you ever seen a Dump Truck? Of course you have, since they are practically indispensable…
Are You a Credible Designer and Trainer? – Tip #88
Have you studied online lessons and felt that it was non-personal, cold and devoid of warmth? How does this impact the ability of learners to learn? What do you do to get rid of this chilly feeling and improve and…
Be a Story-Sharing Magician – Tip #47
How do we create magic when sharing stories? Which elements are needed to make not just the story, but the experience of learning it special and impactful? “Knowledge is Power” goes the old saying. But the thing about power is…
Why Simple Rules Produce Instant Learning and Application – Tip #87
Which is a better guide if you have to make instant decisions? (A) Follow the steps. (B) Watch out for this problem. During on-the-job situations where workers and learners have to make decisions to solve problems or make a change, they…
Dropping the Bomb: Using New Information to Zap Life into Learners – Tip #46
Ever been to a surprise party or having received one? How was the experience? What do you remember most about it? Surprise parties are extraordinary experiences. You take an ordinary day, with ordinary events and then suddenly: BOOM! The bomb…
Using Story Morals To Turn Bad Situations into Learning Goldmines – Tip #45
A story without morals or lessons might be entertaining, but does not add value to skills learning. Morals and lessons promise learners that they, too, can make a “turning point.” What makes story morals or lessons effective tools in learning?…
Creating Perfect Learning Moments – Tip #44
The Myth of Orpheus According to Greek legend, Orpheus was a young man with such a prodigious skill in music that he moved the clouds in the sky and the rocks under the earth every time that he played. When…
How to Use Questions to Immerse Learners in Your Lesson – Tip #43
The SRIA (Set Up, Relate, Interpret, and Apply) model is the cornerstone of the effective use of interactive stories in learning design. It contains the four key elements that gives the learner the best possible experience and helps him or…
Provoking Learners with Story Questions – Tip #42
Why are questions powerful and important? How do we design them to provoke, instigate and encourage learners to think and reflect and apply learning ideas? Shifting Gears Story questions help learners “shift gears” in their minds during learning and un-learning. …