As I read online, I bookmark resources I find interesting and useful. I share these links about once a month here on my blog. This post includes links related to AI, accessibility, storytelling, troubleshooting Storyline, PowerPoint design tips, freelancing, animation, and translation.

AI for character images and tutorials

RenderNet: Create AI images with character consistency

RenderNet is an AI image generation tool specifically designed for creating consistent character images. After experimenting with Midjourney and being pleased with the preliminary results, I want to try this next. This technology works differently from Midjourney. Instead of basing it on a generated image, this uses face swapping. You can also set up different poses based on a source image.

Wizardshot – Create AI-Powered Step-By-Step Tutorials In Seconds

This is a Chrome extension to capture your clicks and automatically create tutorials, similar to Scribe.

Accessibility

Apple’s New AI-Based Accessibility Features Are Pretty Wild

AI may be able to make technology more accessible to more people. AI-generated captions and transcripts are already making it easier to make audio and video content accessible (even with the inevitable errors). Allowing technology to be controlled with eye movements rather than a mouse or keyboard is a significant potential leap for accessibility.

Storyline Accessibility and Mayer’s Principles – Scissortail Creative Services, LLC

Kayleen Holt shares tips for creating accessible courses in Storyline beyond just adding closed captions. This includes tips for adjusting the focus order when you have animated content, providing a “skip animation” button for screen reader users, and allowing users a choice to autoplay media or not.

PowerPoint design tips

Cognitive Load, Student Attention and PowerPoint Presentations

Results of an eyetracking study of PowerPoint slides with tips on how to design slides so the information attracts attention and is easy to scan.

Our top 5 tips for PowerPoint presentations summarised

Less is more

To optimise student engagement and comprehension, use minimal text per slide and present examples before explanations.

Keep text with diagrams to a minimum

Minimising text on slides containing diagrams focuses students’ attention on the visuals, facilitating better engagement and understanding of complex information.

Focus on how you present information

Focus on delivery by breaking down content into key words, bullet points or simplified blocks to ensure student engagement and comprehension when presenting extensive information.

Draw attention to key information

Vocally guide your students through the content of data-heavy slides to ensure focus on essential information and accommodate varied scanning habits.

Use handouts

Providing handouts alongside PowerPoint presentations can significantly enhance your students’ learning by emphasising key points and consolidating information, offering a more engaging and effective reference tool.

Storytelling, scenarios, and simulations

Tip 13: Experiment with Structure

Hadiya Nurridin continues her series on storytelling with more examples of narrative structure and how they affect the message of a story. When we use storytelling for training, we’re not just trying to entertain people. We’re using the story to convey a specific message, shift attitudes, or motivate people to change behavior. Different structures may change the message or create a more compelling story.

Exploring different perspectives in personal storytelling enriches the narrative by fostering a deeper understanding and empathy toward the characters and situations involved

-Hadiya Nurridin

Masters’ Q&A – Christy Tucker

My answers to questions on simulations on Dan Topf’s blog. I share my views on why simulations and scenarios are valuable, how they help participants demonstrate learning on-the-job, why they’re meaningful, and what energizes me about my work.

Troubleshooting in Storyline

TIP: The Eightfold Path of Troubleshooting – Articulate Storyline Discussions – E-Learning Heroes

Judy Nollet’s tips for troubleshooting Storyline courses. Judy gives great advice in the Storyline forums, and she’s seen a lot of the same kinds of errors come up over and over. Following best practices like naming your objects and variables will make your life easier when trying to track down issues.

Freelancing

Contract Creator – Freelancers Union

Free fill-in-the-blank form for creating basic contracts for freelancers

WorkWise Design | Instructional Design Subscription

This is an interesting model for instructional design work. It’s essentially a retainer, where you subscribe and get to make multiple requests per month (but only 1 or 2 at a time). This is focused on workshops and classroom training, not elearning, but you could use a similar model for selling elearning development as a subscription/retainer.

Animation

Moho Animation Software – Professional 2D Animation

For projects that need animation control beyond what’s possible in tools like Vyond or Powtoon, you need dedicated animation software. Moho is an alternative to Adobe Character animator that can animate characters and lip sync animation to audio. The Moho Debut product for beginners is reasonably priced ($60 for a lifetime license).

Translation

Expansion and contraction factors | Andiamo! The Language Professionals

When you translate between languages, the text often expands or contracts. Going from English to German, the word count may decrease, but the text expands. Going from English to Spanish, both the word count and space for the text may increase 15%-30%. For translating elearning, that means we have to keep in mind the extra space needed when we design.

Sharing and distributing files

Tips to share your files – Google Workspace Learning Center

Directions to share links for Google Drive files as PDF files

scormPROXY | cloud SCORM for remote elearning distribution

SCORM Proxy works similarly to SCORM Cloud Dispatch. You upload a SCORM file and then create a connector/dispatch package that clients can upload to their LMS. With the dispatch, you can manage licenses for different clients and update content remotely.

Additional resources

Check out my complete library of links or my previous bookmarks posts.

Share this:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Email
• More

• Reddit
• Pinterest
• Pocket

Related Tags: Accessibility, AI, animation, cognitive load, freelancing, google drive, PowerPoint, scenario-based learning, scorm, simulation, Storyline, storytelling, translation Continue Reading Previous AI, DEI, Twine: ID Links 4/23/24