eLearning Module Design: A First

    Over the last six weeks, I have been immersed in designing an interactive eLearning module. I’ll admit that, initially, reading the project's parameters left me overwhelmed and worried. I was expected to design and create a 15-minute interactive e-learning module using Articulate Storyline, an e-learning authoring tool with which I had no prior experience. However, my nerves eased when I learned I could choose from three different topics. I chose vermiculture, also known as worm ranching. Additionally, I was familiar with the basics of effective instruction from my years of teaching, but translating them into a digital, interactive learning experience was a new challenge. This project has been a transformative learning experience, one with frustration, gratification, and pride. It has also made me think deeply about the future of e-learning and how Generative AI, specifically, will shape the way we learn.

What Went Well

    My most significant success was meeting all major project deadlines. This is a personal triumph because the project's requirements and expectations were time-consuming and required a considerable amount of self-study. On multiple occasions, I thought I’d be submitting incomplete assignments; however, I managed to complete and submit all parts on time.

    Additionally, one of my most considerable successes was creating a branching structure in the wireframing tool, Twine. Initially, I struggled to imagine what my branching structure would look like, so I used sticky notes to map out pathways for my learners. On each sticky note, I labeled the title of the content slide and drew arrows to the next slide. I managed to include two branching pathways, one focused on different locations for worm ranching setups and another on the most common mistakes beginners make with vermiculture. By the end of it, my kitchen table was covered in sticky notes. Afterwards, I created the slides in Twine and detailed the content each slide would contain, including text, graphics, narration, and interactivity. This process took me nearly 30 hours in total, but it was worth it. Although time-consuming, once I began designing in Storyline, the content of each slide was already prepared. Seeing the branching and interactivity work as I intended was incredibly satisfying.

    Another triumph of mine is teaching myself how to design in Storyline Articulate. Before this course, I had no experience with Storyline, let alone understanding its functions and features. So, not only was I expected to design and create this 15-minute eLearning module, but I also had to teach myself HOW to do it. If it weren’t for my AI Mentor, I would have never successfully created my learning module. There were various occasions on which I asked my mentor to guide me step-by-step in integrating multimedia elements or input triggers properly, but the directions weren’t always accurate. On two occasions, I spent multiple hours troubleshooting, and despite feeling frustrated, I didn’t give up.

    Lastly, I enjoyed creating narration and placing it appropriately in Storyline. Early in the course, one of my assignments was to develop an instructional mini module in Adobe Express—the assignment required me to narrate the entire module and not use an AI voiceover. Initially, I felt uncomfortable and nervous about recording myself speaking; however, it prepared me to narrate my e-learning module.

What Didn’t Go Smoothly

    As expected, not every aspect of designing my eLearning module went according to plan. To begin with, one of my biggest obstacles was the time constraint. I am a full-time teacher who has changed school sites and grade levels this school year. Adjusting to new school logistics and learning how to teach a new grade level has required more time than I anticipated. Up to this point, I have managed to balance my work life with coursework very well. Between the two, I prioritize what needs to be accomplished first according to deadlines. However, this fall has proven to be more challenging than prior semesters, resulting in very long weekends. On two occasions, I spent over 20 hours on a weekend completing and submitting an assignment on time.

    In addition to balancing work life and coursework, another challenge was the steep learning curve of designing in Storyline. It was helpful to have mapped out the learning paths in Twine, but translating it to Storyline was a daunting task. I knew what I wanted to design and accomplish in Storyline, but without prior experience, I didn’t know where to begin or what all the features could do. Much of my time at the beginning was spent asking my AI Mentor to explain various features, such as triggers, variables, states, and layers. I also relied heavily on my mentor to guide me on how to accomplish a task, such as not letting learners click to the next slide until the narration was complete. The more I repeated these triggers, the easier it became, but one mistake can alter the entire project.

    Technical detours, such as not setting a trigger or not knowing which menu to use adequately, caused me to slow down. For example, I spent far too long trying to change the state of a button to disabled, and despite following the directions of my AI Mentor, I could not locate where he was referring me. Finally, after an hour or so, I realized that the location had disappeared and was no longer visible, which is why I could not find it. Minor dilemmas like that slowed me down and added additional time spent. Another issue that caused delays was that my AI mentor sometimes provided me with directions for PowerPoint’s menu and tabs. Both interfaces are similar, so I understand the confusion, but that led to much frustration.

 Looking Ahead: The Future of eLearning

    Reflecting on my experience building an eLearning module naturally leads me to imagine what eLearning might look like in the future. Based on my personal experience of relying on Generative AI to guide my development and design process, I anticipate that other emerging technologies will have a significant impact on eLearning.

    For instance, I already noticed some of the Generative AI features in Storyline Articulate. Besides generating closed captions for my narration, I did not use any. I am curious what effect they’d have on my project if I had chosen to utilize them. Aside from Storyline, Generative AI will likely transform the design process itself. Instead of the strenuous process of wireframing manually, designers might have AI instantly generate multiple storyboard options or branching scenarios. AI could also draft narration scripts and provide recommendations for accessibility enhancements. This would free up considerable time for instructional designers to focus on higher-level design decisions, thereby better serving learners.

Conclusion

               Designing my first eLearning module was both challenging and rewarding. I appreciate the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience and be placed in the position of an instructional designer. I can envision myself doing this in the future, especially with emerging technologies. Eventually, I may no longer teach in the classroom, but I can apply my years of experience to eLearning design.