LTD 504 Lessons Learned

          

 Developing the eLearning for this class was very labor intensive. Not necessarily for the learning part, but for me more learning to use the technology. I really enjoy taking information and turning it into learning materials for others. I have noticed over my time in this program that I excel at research and organizing information. I even do well with the design ideas and how to lay things out. Where I struggle is implementing those ideas, especially when using a new program. 

            This is where I encountered a lot of my roadblocks in the implementation phase. Learning and understanding storyline was a complicated process for me. I watched so many different Youtube videos the last six weeks that they started to blend together. It felt like even when I was following the steps that I still couldn’t implement the navigation or audio quite right. I’m sure that having to shift to someone else's PC probably had a little to do with that as well. There were definitely some areas that I missed and things that I forgot in the struggle to just get a basic working learning module figured out. 

Even with the struggles, I feel that I got Twine figured out decently and it was helpful having the roadmap when trying to put everything together. I feel like Audacity was also pretty easy to use. I think the only thing that would have helped me with creating my audio was having a better computer. I ran into the issue of not actually being able to hear the playback even with headphones in so I kinda had to hope for the best. Overall I really enjoyed using both programs and found that playing around in them helped me learn how to use them properly. 

I also feel like the slides I designed were done well and created the draw needed to maintain interest and engagement in the topic. I think that if I wouldn’t have had so many things come up unexpectedly, I would have been able to devote more time to fine tuning the module and ensuring that I didn’t miss key factors necessary for the assignment.

After using the different programs I do think that there will be many changes over the next ten years. One area that I think could really use improvement is developing a program that can complete all the steps in building a learning module cooperatively. For example, once you have built your wireframe you can then move it to build the initial module without moving programs. It would be nice to have each slide of the module be added/removed as you add/remove to the wireframe. 

I also see eLearning becoming much more user friendly and interactive. I feel that as we continue advancing technology and our understanding of the ways that we learn, that we will begin incorporating both into future eLearning modules. With these changes the way that eLearning is developed will need to be advanced to keep up. Rather than building slides I can see it become similar to building video games. 

I really think that this shift will keep certain learners more engaged and even support different learning needs. Most people's everyday lives are fast paced and constantly moving. Having learning follow in a similar manner wouldn’t be out of the norm. We have already seen accidental situations of this type of learning. With people who play certain video games being able to get around in foreign cities because they recognize the landmarks from the video game maps. In a world where having a real life learning experience may not be an option, being able to immerse yourself in a video game or augmented reality would provide learners with a way. There are endless possibilities as we continue to make advances in the way people are provided opportunities to learn.

Overall, I really learned a lot in this class. Not just about building an eLearning module, but also about how I deal with the impact of outside stressors. Given that I am looking to shift to a remote position, it was an important insight to gain. There were a lot of outside influences that were not in my control but had a definite impact on my ability to complete my assignments and tasks during this course. While I may not have completed each item at the standard I would have liked I did complete them to the best of my ability and got them turned in on time. Which really is huge, given some of the adversity I have faced over the last six weeks. 

I am also more confident in my ability to learn and use a new program relatively quickly with moderate success.  Which is also an important skill and confidence builder. Given that I do not consider myself at all technologically savvy, this was a huge gain from this class. While my grades are obviously important, I found they did not matter as much as my ability to learn and understand new programs. Then I could implement them and create what was needed for the assignment, and be completely comfortable with whatever grade I received. It may not be this way for most people, but I have spent the last few years with limited technology use in my everyday life. There isn’t much need when developing a learning curriculum for children under six years of age. While I wouldn’t want to repeat the course, I am very proud of myself and the strides I made in making my goals a reality.