Establishing the design of course flow and storyboarding are crucial steps in instructional design, particularly for e-learning
and educational content creation. Here's a comparison of methods for each:
Course Flow Design:
1. Linear Design:
• Description: A straightforward progression from one module or lesson to the next.
• Pros: Easy to follow, suitable for sequential learning objectives.
• Cons: May not accommodate diverse learning styles or complex topics well.
2. Branching Design:
• Description: Offers multiple pathways through the course, often based on learner choices or assessment results.
• Pros: Provides personalized learning experiences, suitable for exploration-based learning.
• Cons: Requires more planning and development time, can be complex to implement and maintain.
3. Spiral Design:
• Description: Revisits key concepts multiple times, each time in greater depth or complexity.
• Pros: Reinforces learning through repetition and gradual elaboration.
• Cons: May be challenging to design effectively, risk of overwhelming learners with repetition.
Storyboarding:
1. Traditional Storyboarding:
• Description: Sequential sketches or diagrams outlining the visual elements, interactions, and content
of each screen or page in the course.
• Pros: Provides a visual representation of the course layout, facilitates communication between
instructional designers and developers.
• Cons: Can be time-consuming, may not fully capture interactive elements or dynamic content.
2. Digital Storyboarding:
• Description: Using specialized software or digital tools to create storyboards, often including interactive
elements and multimedia.
• Pros: Allows for more dynamic and interactive representations, easier to revise and iterate.
• Cons: Requires familiarity with digital tools, may have a steeper learning curve for some users.
3. Scripted Storyboarding:
• Description: Combines traditional storyboarding with detailed scripts outlining audio narration, dialogue,
and on-screen text.
• Pros: Ensures alignment between visual and verbal elements, facilitates accurate voiceover
recording and synchronization.
• Cons: Requires additional scripting effort, may limit creative flexibility during development.
Comparison:
• Flexibility: Branching design and digital storyboarding offer greater flexibility to accommodate
diverse learning needs and interactive elements.
• Complexity: Spiral design and scripted storyboarding are more complex to implement but can be
highly effective for reinforcing learning and ensuring consistency in course delivery.
• Communication: Traditional storyboarding and scripted storyboarding facilitate clearer communication
between instructional designers, developers, and other stakeholders due to their detailed nature.
• Iteration: Digital storyboarding and linear design allow for easier iteration and revision during the
design process, particularly when using collaborative digital tools.
The choice between these methods ultimately depends on factors such as the nature of the content, the target audience, available resources, and the desired learning outcomes. It's often beneficial to combine elements from different methods to create a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.