Effective Engagement Strategies

Currently under construction . . .  bear with me as this is further developed to showcase my instructional design skills from beginning to end. 

Overview

 

This is a scenario-based eLearning concept project designed and developed to help facilitators increase their engagement. Throughout the course, learners will engage in low-risk situations on how to increase engagement using strategic randomization. 

 

Audience: Educators who are novices creating student-centered classrooms.

Responsibilities: Survey, Needs Assessment (Action Mapping),  Storyboarding, Visual Designs, Mock Ups, eLearning Development

Tools Used: Vyond, PowerPoint, Google Forms, Microsoft Word.

KPI: Facilitators will improve their level of engagement and length of engagement by 60% in six weeks.

The Problem 

 

After a new initiative to implement a new curriculum that required more learner-to-learner interaction, Charleston County School District administrators noticed that many learners were often disengaged and lacked communication and collaboration. Many educators were still trying to guide learners in a traditional setting, with only 20% engaged throughout 20% of the class period. Understanding the importance of student engagement in the new curriculum, administrators wanted some alternative ideas to increase interactions. After conducting a needs assessment, it was found that facilitators lacked the strategies to build a more learner-centered environment. Knowing that the new curriculum would be highly effective once the students were engaged with the new material and format, they reached out for help.  

The Solution 

 

After careful analysis with the administrators of the needs assessment, I determined that the problem was procedurally related and caused by the lack of knowledge of building interactive and thinking environments. To solve this problem, I proposed an immersive scenario-based eLearning experience to help facilitators use easy-to-implement techniques in a real-world setting. The learning experience would help the facilitator connect the implementation techniques with increased learner engagement.  

The ADDIE Process

Using the ADDIE model, I began each stage with an idea in mind. I iterated until I felt as though the learning experience was crafted in a way that engaged the learner through visual storytelling. In order to create a seamless experience, I followed the protocol of action mapping, storyboarding, designing visual mock-ups, and prototyping.

Action Mapping 

Once the administrators approved my proposal for a learning solution to enhance learner thinking and engagement, the next step involved delving deeper into the performance issue and its underlying contributing factors.

I assumed the subject matter expert (SME) role, leveraging my proficiency in facilitating learner-centered experiences. Employing Cathy Moore's strategic action mapping approach, I initiated the process by defining a quantifiable performance goal for the learning experience. This goal is depicted on the left side of the accompanying action map.

Following establishing the business goal, I assumed the subject matter expert (SME) role to collaboratively brainstorm the observable tasks and behaviors essential for learners to achieve the performance goal. Additionally, we identified behaviors to be avoided. Subsequently, I thoroughly analyzed the generated tasks and behaviors, organizing them into distinct actions and sub-actions.

Once complete, I meticulously assessed each action, determining its potential to contribute to the business goal significantly. Through this evaluation, I identified seven essential actions forming the learning experience's core content. These actions played a pivotal role in shaping both my design and development approach. In the attached action map, these influential actions visibly emanate from the learning goal.

 

 

Action mapping constitutes a pivotal element within my design methodology, enabling me to align with client requirements while maintaining the significance and pertinence of the learning experience content for the learners.

This e-learning experience becomes more than an informational session by focusing on an achievable and quantifiable performance objective. The actions that a facilitator should perform are the core driver of the experience. Actions will be shown to have learner reactions, making the retention of information paramount for implementation success.

Storyboarding

After identifying the key observable tasks and behaviors through action mapping, I proceeded to create and refine a text-based storyboard, which served as a foundational blueprint for my final output.

In order to optimize learners' achievement of the established performance goal, I carefully prioritized the core elements to be integrated into the learning experience. Ensuring the final product was scenario-centric and aligned with specific actions from the action map was paramount in averting information overload.

Additionally, I placed considerable emphasis on incorporating learner feedback contingent upon their chosen actions. By employing a combination of sound effects, wording, and visual design, learners were positively reinforced for accurate choices. In cases of incorrect decisions, learners observed the unfolding consequence scenario, learning from it, and subsequently making improved choices.

With the course's critical components firmly prioritized, I had a clear roadmap to finalize the storyboard, enhancing learner engagement within the scenario. To further aid learners, I introduced a mentor figure and a job aid to provide accessible information whenever necessary.