RobertBush.com — E-Learning and Instructional Design

E-Learning and Instructional Design Services

The following is a brief list of e-learning and instructional design services that Robert Bush can provide. This list is under expansion and development, and will include updated online examples at as time permits. For immediate questions, send email to rob@robertbush.com.

E-Learning Services
Here are some areas I may be able to help you with e-learning:
- Communications
  
  Effective communication involves the right message at the right time. Sometimes, all that is needed is basic communication, instead of elaborate training, to find and fix root causes of trouble.
  
  Communication can even be:
  • a simplified business form
  • better directions that make sense
  • improved tooltips on a system menu
  • relevant form validation messages that anticipate errors and reduce support calls
  
  Some of my communication solutions have involved setting up online user group blogs and knowledge bases for ongoing project development teams, as well as collaborating with systems teams to improve user experience.
- Course Conversion
  
  Some course content has a longer shelf life than its packaging. In those situations, a course needs to be ported to a new computer operating system or a new delivery platform. The current push for many such courses is to move them from Flash to HTML5, or from programs that run on a single computer to packages than can run from a web server and within a Learning Management System (LMS) to track course registration, progress, and completion.Course conversions involve capturing the original material and re-using as much of the electronic source data as possible, to improve transcription accuracy, increase conversion speed, and reduce production time and cost. Larger conversion projects also require significant planning, process design, program implementation, and Quality Assurance (QA) staffing.Legacy course types that I have converted include Flash to HTML5, Authorware to web-based Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS), PowerPoint and paper-based courses to HTML5 LCMS, and paper-based courses to ToolBook Instructor.I have also upgraded courses from older software versions made with Flash/Animate, Lectora, ToolBook, Storyline 1, 2, 3, and 360. Upgrades now include support for mobile devices, such as phones and tablets. For more about upgrading courses, see Course Maintenance, below. Feel free to contact me with your specific project inquiries.
- Course Development
  
  Instructional courses come in all shapes and sizes. I can work with you and your teams to build self-paced, instructor-led, and blended learning.
  
  From a project management point of view, course development and instructional design are components that fit within larger initiatives. The ADDIE model is therefore only one part of the overall logistical plan to create a learning experience.
  
  Alternative approaches include SSADM — Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology — and Agile. There are also several other considerations, ranging from the choice of technologies, to time and budgets, and ultimately to customer preferences for a particular solution.
  
  Some situations may dictate a particular approach for building and hosting an online course. Other situations may allow for more flexibility with people, time, and materials, to produce a “blended training” approach with both live instructors and online courses. Whatever the e-learning project may be, however, many will tend to follow this general pattern:
  
  1. Scope Definition is precisely that: “What do we hope to do?” This is a critical part of any project. It is at this stage that initial instructional design needs consideration – the Analysis and preliminary Design stages, in particular, of the ADDIE model. At some point during this phase, it is essential for those involved with the project to agree to milestones to confirm that, once started, the project stays on track. Clearly defined objectives and milestones will help assure project success. Many complex elements have to be coordinated to produce e-learning, including scripting, illustrations, animations, and interactive programming. It’s like producing a movie or a television program. By setting project scope up-front, feasibility is more readily assessed. The worst thing that can be done to a project is to allow scope creep or to permit radical ad hoc changes to plan objectives, after the scope has already been approved and work is underway. Newer, faster software tools can make ad hoc changes tempting, but ad hoc changes usually come at significant cost. Too many ad hoc changes could even derail a project. Said another way: Measure twice, cut once.
  
  2. Materials Collection happens, once the scope for a project has been established, and there are some preliminary instructional design ideas. Given common project constraints, we want to see what materials already exist that can be re-used. If the development team does not already have source material in hand, it will be necessary to interview Subject Matter Experts (also known as “SMEs”) to fill any knowledge gaps in the source material. At this early stage of a project, it is advisable to obtain as much raw information as possible. The best material to use is piloted material; material that has been proven to provide effective instruction to audiences in the past. It may be necessary to adapt such material to a new format, for example a transcript of a live lecture may need to be adapted to condensed notes to be read in front of a teleprompter for an online interactive video presentation.
  
  3. Content Establishment can happen when you have enough raw material to cull. At this point, content that fits the overall plan can be selected and applied to the product.
  
  4. Storyboarding orchestrates the content. There are many approaches to storyboarding, some very explicitly detailed, and others more thematic. In some rapid development situations, there may not always be time to lay out every minute detail, before the next step, Integration, but the better the plan, smoother the integration will be.
  
  5. Integration is the stage when everything in the storyboard comes together. Like when building a house, if all the sizes and shapes of rooms and fixtures are accurate, things will assemble well.
  
  6. Testing and Deployment is the stage when the e-learning product is ready to pilot (run an experiment to verify everything works) with the audience. This stage confirms or verifies that everything works as planned.
- Course Maintenance
  
  Sometimes courses just need to be updated with key facts and figures. Occasionally there is a challenge to update a course without breaking its existing coding, whether it is in Flash ActionScript, ToolBook OpenScript, HTML5, Lectora, or another format.
  
  I have experience analyzing the structure of an existing course to carefully insert or remove key parts as necessary, to keep it operating with new data.
- Games for E-Learning
  
  Feel free to contact me about how you would like to add games to your next project. Games are a great way to enhance interaction while tying activities back to learning objectives.
- Instructional Design
  
  I support all phases of Instructional Design.
  
  Instructional Design (ID) involves creating a strategy to convey knowledge to an audience so as to yield measurable outcomes at the completion of training. I have several years of practical experience preparing instructional materials and implementing training strategies via instructor led (ILT) designs, blended learning, and e-learning for adult audiences.
  
  A common ID approach follows the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate), or one of its variants, as part of a Performance Consulting solution. (Alternative approaches include SSADM — Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology — and Agile.)
  
  The flowcharts, below, walk through key ADDIE process steps. These steps conveniently feed into a project plan to establish budgets, form development teams, and manage production according to a schedule of deliverables.
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  This topic will be expanded as time permits.
- Mobile Learning
  
  Today, more than half of all online viewing comes through mobile devices. While some content is best viewed with larger screens and traditional interfaces, depending on user needs, it is possible to optimze many e-learning experiences for mobile devices. Contact me, if you would like to explore converting existing online courses to a mobile platform, or if you would like to create new mobile learning courses.
- Podcasts
  
  The key to podcasts is the ability to create, edit and distribute .mp3 audio files. I have several years experience with digital recording and editing, and can assist your podcasting needs.
- Project Management
  
  I have over ten years experience handling many aspects of e-learning projects, from initial project proposals to onsite and remote customer support of e-learning end-products.
  
  Some experience is individual, other experience is in advisory or supervisory roles.
  
  Feel free to contact me about your e-learning project needs.
- Scenarios
  
  Scenario based training involves creating multiple scenes for a given training interaction, to allow a person to explore the consequences of a particular desision. I have experience producing branching logic to support scenario type e-learning, as well as producing scripts and media to support variations on a common scene. Take a look at this example of a short, scenario-based lesson.
- Simulations
  
  As computers play an increasing role in all forms of business and education, there is an expanding need to train employees and customers how to use software for daily tasks. Live, one-on-one training, or live group training sessions are not always possible, practical, or cost-effective. Application Simulation exercises are a viable alternative. Trainees can “test drive” a fake version of the program that they are learning in a controlled situation or environment, without concern that they might “do something wrong” to the computer or its data. Simulations are particularly useful for training employees how to use business critical systems and reduce costly errors.
  
  I can create simulated training systems for either off-the-shelf or customized software programs, and have the simulations run over the Web or from a specific computer.
- Surveys
  
  Surveys can be a helpful component of an e-learning strategy, to help identify training needs and subjectively measure training success. I have used surveys for large audiences as a feedback channel for management to assess training and communication initiatives. Surveys can either use simple paper forms or more advanced systems. The best approach is what is easiest for your audience to use and for you to tabulate and analyze.
- Testing/Assessments
  
  Assessments are used to determine training effectiveness.
  I have several years experience designing and maintaining assessments. The most common forms of assessment are variations on multiple choice and true/false tests, but I can also create and maintain other forms of testing as suited to training material. Such testing can measure visual, motor, spatial, aural, or tactile skills; or a combination of these skills. As an E-Learning Developer Consultant, I can help you implement your assessment or psychometric designs, as needed.
- Vendor Evaluation
  
  Frequently, organizations need to outsource technical resources to reduce workload on fulltime staff, or outsourcing is a core component of a company’s business strategy to treat technical operations as a variable cost rather than as a cost fixed to company overhead. As a result, staff need to evaluate and manage vendors on a regular basis. As an E-Learning Developer Consultant, I have experience evaluating vendors for corporate clients, and providing independent assessment reports to Management. My assessments have included visiting vendor facilities, interviewing vendor personnel, testing vendor products and services, and researching independent industry data about a vendor to perform a thorough background check.
Software Development
The sections, below, summarize some ways that I can assist software development.
- Adobe Animate ActionScript Programming/
  Flash to HTML5 Conversion
  
  Flash conversion is an opportunity to revisit content, which is likely needing an update, rather than run a direct conversion. That way, material will be fresh when reimagined through up-to-date HTML5 media creation tools and processes.I have experience working through Flash to HTML5 conversion efforts.
  
  I have several years experience programming with Flash ActionScript, starting with Flash 5, up through more recent versions of Flash, including Flash MX, 2004, Flash 8, and CS3 through CS6, and Adobe Animate.
  
  I have worked with Flash objects exported from other applications, such as Swift 3D, SWiSH, Articulate, and Adobe Captivate. I have also embeded Flash objects into Captivate and establish bidirectional communication between Flash and Captivate via Captivate's Javascript API.
- Algorithms/Flowcharts/Logic
  
  Before pushing the first keystroke in most programming tasks, it's good to step back and firgure out what a program needs to do. Enter the algorithm. It could be a formula, or a set of steps to sift data or handle program exceptions. Whatever you are working on, it's good to have and algorithm before running for the programming language reference manual.
  
  Sometimes, plans extend to flowcharts to help visualize more elaborate systems or processes, which I have documented and analyzed to produce custom software.
  
  I also have experience programming microprocessors and designing electronic logic gate circuits, from several years ago. All of these experiences have helped solve lots of programming questions. I can apply these skills and experience to suit your project needs.
- SharePoint Sites
  
  I have developed and moderated SharePoint intranet sites as part of e-learning solutions for virtual business teams. I have also used SharePoint to preview and test online courses, before they are deployed to an LMS.
- ToolBook OpenScript
  
  I have several years experience programming with ToolBook OpenScript to build rich media training packages, cognitive testing systems, robotics controls, a javascript code analyzer/ automatic code generator, corporate training programs, and miscellaneous utilities/ applications, and a self-extracting software patch utility that is downloadable from this website.
  
  I have also adapted ToolBook programs to run from Web servers with the Neuron plug-in.
  
  Feel free to contact me about your specific ToolBook project needs, whether to build an application from scratch or to port a ToolBook application to another platform, such as Captvate, Articulate, or Lectora.
- Websites/HTML/JavaScript
  
  This website shows some, but not all of my Web programming skills and experience. Please contact me for specific Web programming or development inquiries.
Rich Media/Multimedia
This section briefly describes some of my background with rich media/multimedia.
- Animation and Graphics
  
  In addition to the built-in animation tools now available with most desktop applications, I also use Adobe Animate, Premiere, After Effects, Vyond, and others, to enhance courses, as needed.
- Audio/Video Production for E-Learning
  
  Video training enjoys a history that predates television. Its roots lie in training films that date back almost as far as film, itself, although training films became more commonly known during the 1930s and 1940s. Film or video training’s role has changed, as it has been integrated into multimedia training packages. From an Instructional Design perspective, video can be either the dominant mode for linear instruction, or it can supplement other interactive media to support a non-linear instructional method. In my roles as an Instructional Designer, a Multimedia Developer, and an E-Learning Developer, I have created both linear and non-linear video training packages, as well as hybrids of both forms.
  
  Below is a capture from from a non-linear CD-ROM video system that I developed several years ago, using Adobe Premiere, Illustrator, Photoshop, Camtasia, Sound Forge, SnagIt, ToolBook, and other programs. I am in the process of porting this to HTML5 to run over the Web. Stay tuned for updates.
  
  I have also worked with blue-screen studio video projects to create walking/talking human characters in integrated course video interfaces.
- Voiceovers
  
  Hearing what is shown onscreen reinforces the presentation experience and brings it to life.
  
  I also coach others how to record voiceovers for their online presentations and training programs.
  
  My studio setup includes professional quality desktop microphones for direct A/D sampling and editing in Sound Forge. With digital editing, sound recordings can be treated like word processing. Spoken words or phrases can be routinely cut and pasted as needed.
  
  I can record live presentations, and have experience capturing several hours of live training with wireless microphones, and later synchronizing it to Flash-based PowerPoint slide shows for Web/ Intranet distribution. I can also generate narration with synthesized speech, for rapid prototyping and animation setup.
  
  Using the latest tools and processes, I can quickly and affordably add voice to your products.
Other Services
Below is a partial list of other services available.
- Facilitator/Participant Guides
  
  Facilitator and participant guides help instructors or presenters lead in-person or blended learning classrooms and activities. I have several years experience collaborating with subject matter experts and stakeholders to rapidly produce guides that are tailored to specific audiences and certification programs.
  
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- Job Aids
  
  Job aids need to be relevant and short, to the point. Below are a couple short samples.
  
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- Performance Consulting
  
  Ways that I support performance consulting include skill gap analysis and recommended training interventions to improve productivity. I have several years experience with various training and performance consulting support roles, with an e-learning focus, for in-person and virtual teams in a corporate environment.
  
  My formal business education includes a Masters degree in Economics from the University of Rhode Island.
- Project Proposals
  
  The front end for a successful project plan is a well organized project proposal.
  
  I can assist your proposal development efforts by drawing on years of experience producing e-learning solutions.
  
  Feel free to contact me about your e-learning project ideas, and explore your business goals.
- Scripts/Screenplays
  
  Part of many media productions is the script. In addition to several years experience with leading word processing packages, I also have experience writing with teleprompter software and creating spec screenplays with programs, such as Hollywood Screenwriter and Movie Magic Screenwriter, which have advanced formatting features specifically dedicated to the screenplay format. These formats are also helpful for producing scripts for e-learning projects.
  
  Below is a sample screenplay for an e-learning course scenario with animated characters.
  (Refresh your browser, if the PDF preview on this page appears to be blank, or click the button, below, to view the document in a new window.)
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- Technical Writing
  
  If thoroughly documented, everyday tasks, such as walking down a flight of stairs or riding an elevator might seem to be impossibly difficult. A lot is implied in common sense, and yet, at times, assumptions need to be explicitly documented and described to others, to avoid confusion or to meet regulatory requirements. The goal of good technical writing, therefore, is to make the complex seem simple and easy to remember. I have extensive experience collecting documented and undocumented information and putting it into written format for others to use.
  
  Below is a sample task analysis that can be used to develop a technical document.
  (Refresh your browser, if the PDF preview on this page appears to be blank, or click the button, below, to view the document in a new window.)
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- Training
  
  I generally provide e-learning and blended learning solutions for adult learners.
  
  The instruction is broadly based on performance based learning objectives.
- Other Requests
  
  This list of service is only a sample. As mentioned elsewhere on this site, e-learning is a broad field with many types of applications. Contact me if you have a specific request that you would like to explore.