AET541 - Reflection BLOG 1

During this AET541 course I created a Storyboard project to plan and deliver Data Conversion training for my customer base.  For this first reflection BLOG I am asked to list the eLearning principles within my project promote critical thinking skills.

My Data Conversion training storyboard employes the multimedia principle for eLearning by using sound, animation, and graphics to illustrate the topics.  Much psychological research shows that learners learn better with more than a single stimulus.  Recently NPR reported how the commonly held belief of learner types such as auditory or visual learners are not based in tested and documented research.  The conclusion was that variety is the key to learner retention.  The same is true in eLearning.  Stimulating the multiple intelligences can create greater knowledge retention.  This helps learners "see" the concepts in action through visual and auditory details.  

The contiguity principle references the use of text in relation to graphics to enhance understanding (Clark, 2002).  Within my storyboard, I used the blending of text and graphics to define specific emotion and relate that to the lesson.  I have a graphic that shows a woman about to scream in fear, the text added to the image is "Change is Scary."  This graphic and word combination emotes the fear that many experience when experiencing change.

I executed the modality principle within my storyboard by adding audio to go along with the images.  In my above example I added a three second scream from a sound effects file that demonstrates the feeling we all have when change is upon us when we aren't ready to have the experience.  Once again the learner is carried into the learning through the personalized emotional experience of a single slide.

Any time learning can take place in a virtual space, critical thinking is a natural result.  Proximity to the environment can open the learner to immediate application of these ideas.  For example, my storyboard project is based on a need within my organization.  Therefore I am constantly considering the real-life application of my studies.  My storyboard will begin the process for how to create and implement this as an eLearning course to assist my customer base transitioning to our software.

Reference:Clark, R. (2002). Six Principles of Effective e-Learning: What Works and Why. Retrieved from http://www.elearningguild.com/pdf/2/091002DES-H.pdf