For several weeks now I have been covering the process of creating an e-learning course.  You can view my previous posts Getting Started, Use of Visuals in a Course, Importing a PowerPoint into Storyline, Customizing the Player and Feedback Layers, and Using Audacity to view the process.  This week I am going to cover importing the audio into Storyline and syncing the animations and graphics with the audio.  

Shortcuts for Inserting Audio

First, I begin by importing all of the audio into Storyline.  Unfortunately there isn't a way to do a mass import.  So if you have a large course, the import process can be a little tedious.  The only way I found to speed things up a little was to add a shortcut for importing audio on to my Quick Access Toolbar.  All you need to do is right click the button for any Storyline feature and choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar.  In this case I right clicked the Audio button on the Insert menu and selected Add to Quick Access Toolbar.  

Now I see a small Audio icon on my Quick Access Toolbar.  Instead of clicking on Insert and then Audio, all I need to do is hit this Audio icon.  Or if you want to use a keyboard shortcut instead you just need to hit the ALT key and then the number key that matches that shortcut. The first icon on the Quick Access Toolbar is "1" and then it moves to the right from there.  So in my case below the keyboard shortcut would be ALT + 4, since the Audio icon is the 4th button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Now that you have your shortcut set up, you can use that on each slide to import the audio you recorded from Audacity.  

Other Timesaving Tips for Syncing Audio

Once everything is imported you can begin the process of syncing your audio to your animations and graphics on the screen.  You can do this manually by listening to the audio and then moving the items on the timeline.  However a great timesaving tip is to use Cue Points.  Here is a brief video that shows how to use cue points to sync up with your audio.   

Sometimes the audio you have is quite long and makes working with the timeline a bit cumbersome.  For way too long I spent a lot of time moving things manually along the very long timelines until I found out about another timesaving tip of how to shorten a long timeline.  Here is another brief video that explains how it works.  

Additional Resources for Working with Audio

Articulate also has many different tutorials on how to use the timeline, add animations and transitions, as well as sync and edit the audio.  Below are just a few:

Using the Timeline
Using the Audio Tools
​Adding Animations

Lastly, if you have already added your animations in PowerPoint before importing it into Storyline, you may see some differences in how Storyline handles the animation.  Here is a list of the different animations in PowerPoint and how Storyline handles them.

How Microsoft PowerPoint Animations and Transitions Are Imported

Well, that is all for this week's post.  Next week I will cover Adding Quiz Questions and Results Slides.  

Over the last several weeks I have been detailing my process for creating an e-learning course.  So far I have covered Getting Started on a Course which covered setting up the parameters, target audience, and learning objectives prior to working on the storyboard.  Next I covered the Use of Visuals in a Course which discussed how to select images as well as how to create some of your own using PowerPoint.  Then I discussed Importing a PowerPoint into Storyline which covered how Storyline handles the objects (text, graphics, etc) and animations that are set up in a PowerPoint file.  Then, last week I discussed Customizing the Player and Feedback Masters.  This week we will discuss recording the audio narration using a free tool called Audacity.   

What is Audacity?

Audacity is a free audio recording and editing tool.  It has all kinds of great ways you can edit your audio so it can seem a bit intimidating at first.  However, it is super easy to use when you just focus in on the basics.  Audacity has a great tutorial guide that can walk you through how to get started using the tool.  Below is a screenshot from the tutorial.  You can access this and more tutorials by going to the Audacity Manual.  The main things you will need to know are how to connect your microphone, how to record, and how to export the file to an MP3.  

​Other Equipment Needed

There is also some additional equipment you will need to record professional sounding audio narration.  Your budget will determine the type and quality of the equipment that you will purchase.  For instance in my case, I just needed equipment that would make the recordings sound good, not necessarily professional.  I purchased a Blue Yeti microphone for around $100, a pop screen filter for about $6, and a portable sound booth for around $200. If you have a limited budget, be sure to spend your money on a good quality microphone.  For the other items you can use things from around your home.  For example, for the pop screen filter you can utilize an old wool sock over your microphone instead.  For the sound booth, you can surround your microphone with two laptop bags or you can get a plastic bin and line it with bedding foam.  Check out this YouTube video to learn more.  

Recording the Audio

When you begin recording your audio there are a few things you should keep in mind.  Try to eliminate as much ambient noise as possible such as air conditioners, furnaces, etc.  You would be surprised how much of this noise can be picked up by your microphone.  

Also, always try to set up your environment and settings in the same fashion every time.  This will help you record more consistent audio across recording sessions.  It is best to record all the audio at once but many times this isn't possible.  So having a consistent set up will help with making the audio sound the same across the sessions.  You should be about 6 inches away from the microphone for the best recording.  

I like to stand up when I do my recordings.  This helps with your breath and makes for a better recording.  Also avoid drinking coffee or orange juice just before you record.  These can have a negative effect on your voice.  

Editing the Audio

You should always try to get the highest quality recording and limit the amount of editing you need to do.  By setting up my mic and sound booth properly I usually only need to do 2 things to my recorded audio - Noise Reduction and sometimes adding Bass.  

If I have set up my booth correctly there should be very little noise reduction needed, however there are still those unwanted sounds here an there that may be picked up by the microphone.  Audacity makes it easy to get rid of these using the Noise Reduction feature (formerly called Noise Removal). Learn more about using this feature by visiting the Audacity tutorial.  

Another feature that I use in Audacity is boosting the bass of my recording.  This can add warmth and a more professional sound to your recording.  You can test out the different levels and see which ones sound best.  Be careful with this feature because it will boost the the overall level of your recording and could clip the audio.   Learn more about this feature by visiting the Audacity tutorial.  

Once you have edited all of your audio and saved your files in Audacity, you will need to export them to a .WAV or .MP3 file.  I usually export to .MP3 since most programs can work with that type of file. It will compress your audio but I do not find that it reduces the quality in a noticeable manner.  If you do not want to lose any quality than a file type such as .WAV would be a better choice (if it is compatible with the program you are using).  To learn more about exporting your files, check out the Audacity tutorial.

Well, that is it for the audio recording.  Next week I will share how to import your recorded files into Storyline and sync it with the objects and animations on the screen.  

For the past several weeks I have been detailing the process I use in creating an e-learning course.  Last week I discussed importing a course that was designed in PowerPoint into Storyline.  This week we will cover customizing the player and the quiz feedback master in Storyline to make your course more unique.  

Customizing the Player

First, let's start with customizing the player.  Storyline has a built-in player that wraps your e-learning course.  The standard template has the menu and notes on the left side bar, the progress bar with Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of the player, and some additional links such as resources in the upper right hand corner.It is set to different shades of gray.    

























You can customize these items as much or as little as you want.  For instance, you can move the menu to be at the top left corner as a drop down so that you have no left side bar at all.  To do this you would click on the word Menu under Player Tabs in the Player Properties screen and use the down or up arrows to move it where you want it to be on the player - Topbar Left, Topbar Right, or Sidebar.

Lastly you can change the color of the player to match the colors in your course or to make the player invisible as I did in this course.  These types of changes are done under the Colors & Effects button.  There are several built-in color schemes to choose from under the Color Scheme drop down or you can create your own using the Show Advanced color editing link.  When using the advanced editing features, it can be a bit of trail and error trying to figure out what item is being changed.  So Articulate has created a cheat sheet to show you what each of the items will change. 

Customizing the Feedback Master

Another way to customize the look and feel of your course is to change the standard feedback master.  You can do this by going to View> Feedback Master.  All of the feedback masters will appear and you can edit these just like you would edit any other slide master.  Once you have made the changes to the feedback master, any quiz questions that you add in to the course will take on the new look and feel you created for your feedback.  Don't forget to add in animations as well to these masters!  In the example below, I just made the gray feedback shape stretch across half of the screen rather than being a small rectangle in the middle of the screen (the standard Storyline feedback master).  This also allows me to add in more feedback while keep the font a readable size.  

But you can be even more creative by adding in backgrounds, colors, characters, etc.  Whatever you can normally do for a slide, you can do for your feedback master.  Here is another example of a feedback master that has been customized.  

So those are just a few ways that you can customize the look and feel of your course created in Storyline.  Here are some additional resources to help you. 

• Editing Feedback Masters
• Customizing the Player

Next week I will cover recording audio narration in Audacity.  

Over the past couple of weeks I have been detailing my process of creating an e-learning course.  So far I have discussed identifying the initial requirements such as target audience, goals and objectives and identifying the key content to be used. Then I discussed the use of images within the course and how to create some of your own.  

Now I will discuss some tips I have learned about importing a course you have developed in PowerPoint into Storyline.  For the most part Storyline does a pretty good job of importing.  However there are a few things you should be aware of that will help you with the import process.  

How Storyline Handles Images and Fonts

First, Storyline doesn't handle grouped objects very well.  For instance, in this project I created several images for the course using shapes that I grouped together.  When imported into Storyline, the shapes oftentimes loose their size and sometimes even their location within the slide.  To help with this issue, I usually just save all of my grouped images as PNG files (right click on the grouped image and choose Save As Picture).  Then I need to insert the image file into PowerPoint.  

In last week's post I discussed the initial steps I take when creating a course.  As part of a recent assessment for a new contract position I needed to create a storyboard  for a course aimed at 20-something women on fixing a flat tire.  I decided to take the assessment one step further to help develop my portfolio and showcase all of the different steps in the process of creating an e-learning course.  For this post I will be focusing on the selection and/or creation of images for the course.  

Use of Images

We have all heard the adage - "A picture is worth a 1000 words".  This phrase refers to the notion that a single image or graphic can convey a complex idea quickly rather than describing it with just words.  Research has proven this to be true and it has become known as the picture superiority effect which states that people more easily remember concepts that are presented as images rather than as words.

So as an instructional designer, I am always looking for ways to convey the ideas of an e-learning course through the use of graphics and images.  There is one caveat to the use of images though in e-learning.  If an image is used inappropriately it can cause confusion or distraction thereby taking the learner's focus away from the content.  Therefore you should carefully select images that will enhance and engage the learner's attention. ​

Selecting Images

When I begin selecting images for an e-learning course, I usually decide up front if I want to go with vector graphics or with photos.  Both options have their pros and cons.  Vector graphics are great for diagrams and illustrations of a process.  Photos are great for engaging a learner and providing a more emotional attachment to the content.  To learn more about when to use the different types of graphics, check out Connie Malamed's book "Visual Design Solutions".  She provides a great table that shows the best uses for each kind of graphic.  She also covers a lot of other information regarding the use of graphics that is important to e-learning design.  I would highly recommend getting this book and having it in your personal library to refer to from time to time.  

Once you have decided what types of graphics you would like to use, your next step is deciding if you will be able to find the graphics or if you will need to create your own.  With all of the great images sites available on the web, finding graphics has gotten a lot easier.  Below is just a small list of image sites that I have used:

Paid Sites

• iStockphoto
• Shutterstock
• Dollar Photo Club

Free Sites

• Pixabay
• Morguefile
• Death to the Stock Photo
• Unsplash

For the fixing a flat e-learning course I decided I wanted vector graphics since the course would be showing a process.  Using photos would provide too many other distractions to the learner's attention and take away from the important concepts within the process.  Unfortunately after a few hours of searching the free and paid sites, I couldn't find any vector graphics that would go well with this project.  So I moved on to the next step, which is to create my own images.
​

 Creating Images

In the perfect world if I had unlimited money to spend on this project (or at least a budget for graphic design), I would hire someone to create the necessary images for this course.  Being that this is a simple course and there aren't that many images, hiring a graphic designer wouldn't be cost exorbitant.  AND it would greatly enhance the design of the course and the learner's attention to the material.  

However, most people are working on a shoestring budget and need to find alternatives to hiring a graphic designer.  So I went with the option of creating the graphics myself.  This is a good step to do even if you are hiring a graphic designer so that person can get an idea of the concepts you are trying to illustrate.  

In this case I just used the tools I had in PowerPoint to create the necessary images.  There are a ton of blog posts out there on how to do this so I won't go into detail.  My favorite posts have been from Tom Kuhlmann from the Rapid Elearning Blog.  Check out these posts on visual and graphic design.   

For this course I was able to find and modify some of the graphics from Pixabay and then created the rest in PowerPoint using shapes.  Creating graphics from scratch sounds pretty time consuming but when you know what you want to create, it sometimes can be faster than trying to search for that perfect graphic on the Internet.  
So in your next e-learning project or presentation remember the importance of graphics to convey ideas.  Decide what type of graphics you want to use throughout and stick with it.  Mixing the different types of graphics can be distracting and make your design feel disjointed. Don't be afraid to create your own graphics if you can't find any that suit your needs.  The more you practice creating your own, the better and faster you will get. Next week I will describe the process of importing my PowerPoint into Storyline.  

As a consultant, my job varies quite a bit from project to project.  In some projects I am working with a team.  In other projects I am working solo on a course from start to finish.  Recently I needed to create a storyboard for an assessment for a new contract position.  I thought I would take the assessment one step further to help develop my portfolio and showcase all the different steps in the process of creating an e-learning course.  So for this blog post series I'm going to be writing about the course development process and some different tips I have for each stage.  I will also include actual end products for each stage as examples.  

Parameters

For this project I was given a few of the parameters up front.  I needed to develop a storyboard for a course on how to correctly change a tire for an audience of 20-something women.  It needed to have at least one interaction and one final assessment of two questions.  It needed to be a minimum of two pages and a maximum of four. 

Learning Goals and Objectives

So with the parameters in hand, I started the process of creating the storyboard.  The overall goal for the course was to help a 20-something woman understand how to correctly change a tire.  The learning objectives would be to 1.) identify what was needed to change a tire and 2.) Explain the 6 steps to correctly changing a tire.

Target Audience

With the goals and objectives identified, I began developing the storyboard.  One of the things I kept in the forefront of my mind was that I was developing for an audience of 20-something women.  This meant that I would not be using "technical" jargon that my audience may not understand.  I also wanted to use images to help my audience identify the different tools needed for the process.  Lastly, my color choices were affected by the target audience. Even though my target audience was 20-something women which is usually associated with pink, I went with gender-neutral orange as my main color since it comes across as fun making the 6 steps not so daunting.  It can offer emotional strength in difficult times which is appropriate for this situation. Also orange stimulates activity which in this case would be a proper response I would want to achieve.  

Keep It Simple

As I developed the narration, I kept the instructions very simple and easy to understand.  I narrowed the process down to 6 steps.  I used 6 for a few different reasons:  1) It allowed for some alliteration in the title - "Six Simple Steps to Fix a Flat".  2.) It broke the process down into 6 manageable chunks with 2-3 smaller actions underneath each step.
​  
Process of Elimination

Since I was responsible for developing the content, I used the Internet for gathering as much information as I could.  I initially wrote a script that included every single detail that found and then began the process of eliminating information that was extraneous or didn't apply to every situation.  If this was a more detailed course on the process of changing a tire, some of the information that I eliminated may have remained.  However since this was limited to 4 pages I really need to narrow down the content to the most important steps and information.  
Identifying Key Points

Once I had the narration developed, I plugged it into the storyboard and began identifying what was going to be shown on the screen.  In this step it is important to NOT show what is being narrated word for word.  So I picked out key words that should be on the screen and identified images that represented those words.  Later in another blog post I will describe the process of creating the images.

Instructions for Design  

After noting all of the items for the screen, I finally begin the instructions for the designer on how the course will be displayed.  For this it is helpful to produce a Style Guide of colors, font, and any other items that would be standard throughout the course.  I have done this a few different ways: 1.) By writing it up in a Word doc or 2.) By creating a sample PowerPoint with the template using the specific styles.  In this case I used a PowerPoint because I also wanted to show the images that would be used and other styling.  However, if I am not the designer on the project, I would just use a Word doc instead.    

After completing each of these steps I ended up with a final storyboard and a PowerPoint.  Next week I will describe how I chose and created the images for the course.

In a recent project that I was working on I had to include a couple of short videos stepping through a registration process.  The course was initially being developed in PowerPoint and would be transferred over to Storyline.  I originally assumed I would do the short screen recordings using Storyline's built-in screen recording feature. However I also needed the screen recordings in PowerPoint and needed to design them with a computer graphic around them.  Since Storyline places the screen recording on the slide, I found I wasn't able to do much in the way of resizing the recordings to fit in my computer screen graphic.  

So I started looking for alternatives.  Lo and behold I found it right within PowerPoint itself.  I hadn't ever noticed the feature within PowerPoint, but there is a Screen Recording tool built-in to the Insert menu.  It recently came out in February 2015 and was added to PowerPoint 2013.  I tried it out and found that it works great!   

You can find the Screen Recording tool by going to the Insert tab and clicking on Screen Recording.  Here are the instructions from Microsoft on how to use the tool - Record your screen in PowerPoint 2013.  

When I tell someone that I work from home, I usually get all kinds of questions.  First, they want to know - "How do you stay on task?" Then they want to know - "How do you keep your work and home separate when they are under the same roof?"  Some even ask - "Do you get bored or lonely with only connecting to people virtually?"

All of these questions are quite understandable when you take into account a majority of the workforce actually goes into an office, a plant, or some place of business to do their work.  By being in this type of environment you usually have colleagues and/or a boss that is keeping tabs on what you are doing.  So you put your time in and at the end of the day return back home - for the most part leaving your work behind.  

When working from home you only need to walk down the hall or perhaps down or up the stairs to get to your office.  More than likely there are no colleagues or bosses there with you.  So essentially no one is keeping tabs on what you are doing throughout the day.  So how does one stay motivated to do the work that needs to get done?  

Luckily for me it is quite easy.  I am extremely driven to complete tasks and/or projects.  Also luckily for me (although sometimes I don't feel so lucky), the type of work I do is pretty much dominated by deadlines.  And I am even more driven by task or projects with tight deadlines.  I have yet to get a project where the client has said that I had all the time I needed to finish the course.  Sometimes the deadlines are more reasonable but most of the time the courses were needed yesterday and I am working in a feverish frenzy trying to get them to the client as fast as humanely possible.  Nothing like super tight deadlines to keep you motivated and working throughout the day even though there is laundry that could be done or dishes in the sink.  

So the second question is one that I have a bit more of a challenge with - "How do you keep your work and home separate when they are under the same roof?"  

Being that I am driven by deadlines and tasks, I find it very hard to shut off at the end of the day.  Being that my office is right there down the hall, it is a challenge not to keep working throughout the evening and into the wee hours of the morning.  However, with the exception of a few urgent deadlines that have needed to be met, I have been able to do a reasonable job of "leaving" my work in the evening and not returning to it again until the morning.  It helps to have a husband to remind you every now and then as well.  ;)  

Lastly, the question about being bored or lonely is interesting.  Yes, you don't have the face to face connection with people that you would in an office.  However, I do connect with my teammates on projects quite regularly through email, chat or phone.  I absolutely love all the people with whom I work.  Even though my connection with them is completely virtual - I feel like I know them quite well and that we have a wonderful working relationship.  With that said - I do have an urge to get out of the house in the evenings a lot more and organize social times through different groups of which I am a part.  

There are a few guidelines I try to follow to make my working from home more enjoyable as well as productive. 

1. I have an official office that is used strictly for my work.  In doing this, I can shut the door to the office and not be so drawn to go back to do a few more hours of work here and there in the evening.  The boundary, although a bit more artificial, creates a similar environment to leaving the office at a place of work.  Oh and don't forget the tax deduction aspect.  
2. Create a set schedule and try to stick to it.  For me - that is the typical 8am-5pm although some days may be a bit longer and others a bit shorter.  I also try very hard to not work on the weekends.  It helps to have a separate work email from your personal one so that you don't see requests coming in during your off hours or on weekends.
3. Get out of the house in the evenings and plan social times to get the face to face connection that usually is lacking when working from home.  Start your own Meetup group around a hobby or perhaps as part of your profession.  The later will not only give you social time, it will also provide you with networking opportunities.  

 If you have been thinking about making the transition to working from home, I would suggest starting slow and trying it out a couple of days each week.  That way you can ease into it and see if a home office environment would work for you.  In my previous position I worked from home 3 days a week and went into the office the other two days.  This helped me ease into the home office environment and made me realize how much I really enjoyed working from home. Working from home isn't for everyone, but if you are able to motivate yourself and remain disciplined with your schedule, it sure does beat driving into an office or place of business every day (especially during our Michigan winters.) 

Long before I started designing elearning courses I designed and created websites.  My initial foray into web design was before the WSYWIG editors became popular, so my web development was done completely from coding the pages by hand using HTML.  

I didn't realize how much those early skills I learned from designing websites would benefit my current career as an instructional designer.  Learning things such as whitespace, layout, optimizing graphics, font selection, and the utilization of color has become extremely helpful in my current position.  

Yet, the web as well as elearning has come a long way even within the last 10 years.  So what I learned about web safe colors doesn't really hold true as much today.  Screen quality has improved  so much over the last several years that many designers are adventuring beyond the few (quite hideous) colors that were considered web safe.  

During my Masters degree in Instructional Design I did learn about color choices and how color can create a visual impact and help organize content.  I also learned about color blindness and which colors to avoid using.   
One thing I didn't learn during my web design days or in my Masters degree was that color can have an affect on learning.  

Recently in a webinar on Visual Learning, I learned more about how color can actually impact the brain.  One of the articles that was provided as a resource was by Margie Meacham titled, "How Color Can Affect Learning".  

While the research is still being done on how our brains process color, there are a few initial findings that may be helpful to us as we design elearning.  

1. Color aids patttern recognition 
2. Brain fills in the color on black and white images of known objects
3. Color may stimulate specific brain functions

The last one is very interesting to me as I design my courses.  Each color I choose will have a specific affect on the brain.  For instance - red may generate feelings of energy while blue generates a feeling of calm and relaxation.  Knowing these affects up front before choosing a color scheme could have a big impact on your elearning.  

As a job aid for color selection, I have printed off this Color Emotion Guide and keep it handy in my workspace so I can refer to it when making color choices.  

So the next time you are faced with choosing a color scheme for your elearning course, don't forget to consider the affect a color may have on your learner's brain.  

I recently attended a webinar put on by Association for Talent Development (ATD) titled Visual Learning: A Picture is Worth an Hour of Training.  The presenter was Sheri Weppel of GP Strategies.  Sheri also wrote a blog post that coincides with the webinar and provides a list of great resources for visual learning.  

Below are some of my favorite tools/resources that she mentioned.  

Piktochart - want to make a great infogrpahic? The point and click editor along with all the great templates and images make creating an infographic with Piktochart fun and super easy.  Best of all the Standard account is free!

Xtranormal - makes creating animated videos super easy.  Many years ago I ran across Xtranormal and used it quite frequently for my work.  However they ended up closing down a while ago much to the dismay of many users.  Recently it was acquired by nawmal, ltd and they are working to bring it back.  So keep an eye out for the new release and see just how easy creating an animated video can be. 

Design Seeds - do you have a hard time trying to pick a color scheme?  Well, Design Seeds can help.  Scroll through the posts and see all the different color schemes they have pulled together.  Or use the Palette Search to search for a specific color palette.  

Powtoon - one of my all time favorites.  Powtoons helps you make great animated videos and presentations. It is super easy to use and provides a ton of images, animations and even royalty free music that you can use in your videos or presentations. They have limited free version.  They also have great education pricing for anyone in the world of Education.  

Paletton - is another great tool for picking a color scheme.  Choose the number and location of the colors on the color wheel, pick one color and get a color palette you can use for your next project.  

Be sure to check out Sheri's blog post to see more great tools and resources.  These are just some of my favorites but she lists many others.