Right from the start, I will say the challenge is on the eye of the programmer (kind of like the idiom that says “Beauty is in the eye of he beholder”). But, why is that? Let’s explore a few different factors that may let us easily decide whether to use stock photos on our eLearning module. Client requirements First and foremost, it is very important to clarify at the beginning of the project, before programming the eLearning module, if the client is okay with us using stock

We recently reviewed all the great clients we've created elearning for over our 13 year history and made a series of posters showing them all off. You can check them out below! Goods and services elearning clients Financial elearning clients Automotive elearning clients Healthcare elearning clients Government elearning clients Telecommunication elearning clients Education elearning clients If you're interested in joining this list of great elearning clients, contact us today

When you are starting a new eLearning project in Storyline, it is always best practice to first take care of several elements that you know won’t change easily or at all. These elements could be: Player style Player buttons Master slides (for content, quizzes and feedback) Slide size Font style Working on setting the ground for all these at the beginning of an eLearning project will make your life easier and will certainly speed up your process and ensure consistency througho

When programming an exciting, eLearning module audio is always a key component. Without audio eLearning modules often feel very bland and have that dreaded PowerPoint type of feel. To make our modules more dynamic we use several audio files in various areas to create a unique and interactive feel to our eLearning modules. Types of audio usage in eLearning modules: Voice over Narration Instruction Character Activities Background music Sound effects Interactive object feedback

Reflecting on the majority of eLearning modules, in most cases the use of Sound Effects (SFX) weren’t utilized. SFX can be a great and underused tool, presenting information and emphasising it via an audio cue, that will alert the user and garner their attention. Some clients have expressed that SFX take away attention from the Voice Over, however, I feel as though this is not true if the SFX are used to enhance and emphasis the key points within your eLearning modules. Below

In general, an elearning slide is a fairly simple thing. It should contain a few points of information and/or interactions, may or may not have some imagery to go with the text, and be legible, appealing and professional to look at. However, there are some things to avoid when building a slide that will interfere with learner engagement and retention. 1. Don’t have pop-up content partially cover text on the main screen Although giving the illusion of depth is a great effect,

Normally, I balk at having conversations in the gym. Definitely, while doing anything that smacks of cardio. In part, because I really love the few minutes of uninterrupted TV time I get. But mostly, it’s because I’ve never been especially adept at talking and running (at least not without sounding like my lungs are seconds from bursting from my chest). However, today I had a delightful impromptu conversation with a member. A chat that began before I actually got on the equip

As we welcome 2019, here at Pathways Training and eLearning, here is a message from our Managing Partner, Kurt Tiltack: #trainingandeLearning #eLearningfortablets #innovation #videobasedlearning #learningtechnology #mobiledesign #traininganddevelopment #Corporateeducation #TrainingandeLearning #eLearningOntario #topTorontoeLearningcompany #Torontotrainingvendor #elearningmodules #NorthAmericaneLearningvendor #CanadianeLeaningcompany #elearningmodule #Torontoelearningvendor #P

As I sat down to write this entry, I found my inspiration coming from an unlikely source... a simple client project. This particular Pathways partner always utilizes a blended approach to learning. Each departmental curriculum we've supported them in creating, has used multiple mediums to drive maximum learner engagement and knowledge transfer, as participants navigate their programs (onboarding, health and safety etc.). So what? Fair enough. There isn't anything particularly

Whenever you are setting up development on any software that requires functionality to be developed it is critical to outline what those functions are. This is particularly important when you are defining requirements for an eLearning, gamification or mLearning project. Typically, this is done in a list called the Functionality Requirements or Systems Requirements depending on the context of what is being developed. The reason it is critical is because it outlines everything

All eLearning modules have several different factors that make them successful and appealing to the eye of the learners. From instructional design, to graphic design and programming, there are a lot of different little things that contribute to a very “sexy” eLearning module. One of the things, in graphic design, that can make an eLearning module less static and more dynamic, or easy on the eyes, is the font. You may encounter in your work as an eLearning developer, that you

When it comes to eLearning learner expectations are higher than they use to be, not only do learners expect to take training on their PC but also on the go using their smartphones, tablets and laptops. As a result of this when designing eLearning and digital training it is important you cater for these needs. For example when a learner takes eLearning on a smartphone it is a very different experience to when they take it on a computer, some of these differences include how th

When you are running a business which employs human resources, you need to train these resources on how to use your customized tools, programs or software, offer services, engage with clients, and everything else. Assessing training needs and training employees is one of the most crucial functions for any business. This is where brains behind training content and eLearning developers get together. What you need next, is to follow a checklist to ensure a good quality eLearning

Over the past several weeks I have written about communication best practices, including most of the concepts that we (Pathways Training & eLearning) focus on when facilitating customer service or similar training, or through our suite of eLearning courses. To wrap up this discussion, here is a summary of the key concepts we covered which for the most part, dealt with effective communication within your workplace. The goal of interpersonal communication is to establish conn

An organization implements eLearning for their audience which may be internal (employees and contractors) and/or external audience (customers and business associates). To make a long-lasting impression on these groups, it is important that the look and feel of all digital and print material is consistent, including eLearning modules. Up to what extent can you really embed the corporate style guide of colors, fonts and aesthetic design in eLearning? Since eLearning became a co

The concept of responsive learning is that eLearning and web-based training should operate and act similarly regardless of which device it is being accessed on. Having content that can adapt and look good on a range of devices is becoming more important as learners are increase accessing training on the go. Below are four things to consider when developing responsive eLearning: 1. Multi-Platform Learners expect to take eLearning on a number of devices including laptops, table

Last week I continued to write about communication and interpersonal skills, a topic that was triggered by a discussion I was having with our programmer manager regarding the applicants we were seeing that were applying for the numerous positions we have available at Pathways Training & eLearning. As I also mentioned last week, while “excellence in communication” is usually a hi-lite of most resumes we see, we do not always share the same understanding as to what this really

Last week I started a discussion on the importance of protecting your business’s privacy, so this week I would like to offer a few tips that apply both to the organization and the individual employee. As I mentioned last week, we take the protection of our customer’s privacy very seriously, so much so that we have developed programs, both eLearning and instructor led, that cover all aspects of safeguarding customer privacy. So let’s get started by asking the question, what

Let’s continue from where we left off on the previous post, but first let’s do a quick recap on things we have already discussed regarding translation of eLearning modules: Account for space, meaning that always keep in mind what languages the eLearning module is going to be translated into, when designing the layout - For example, when creating a French eLearning module, and the original eLearning module is English, you need to account for 30% more screen text as the French

Regardless of what your role within an organization is, we all have a responsibility to protect our customers’ privacy. The above statement may seem an odd way to open a blog, but I wanted to be sure the objective of this discussion is stated as clearly as possible, as I have discovered over my 25 years in training, that not everyone shares that same opinion. At Pathways Training and eLearning, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of client’s asking for customized