Drag & Drop Word Tiles

Project Overview

Audience

Someone needing a quick but helpful tutorial on how to create a drag 'n drop interaction in Articulate Storyline.

Tools

Canva, SnagIt (Screen captures), Descript, Epidemic Sound, Articulate Storyline

Responsibilities

As the Instructional Designer of this concept tutorial, I was responsible for all aspects of this e-learning experience from initial ideation through to the final development in Articulate Storyline.

The Problem

Watching someone demonstrate how to do something is passive. Passive learning makes it difficult to remember what you learn.

The Solution

I created an active learning experience by first demonstrating what the final project would look like and then showing the learner each step - after which they would repeat what I had demonstrated. I also included a drag n drop in the middle of the interaction, giving them more hands-on practice with thinking through the order of the steps, so they could better remember what they had learned. Finally, some jazzy background music was add to create some emotional feelgood, as research confirms that emotions make content more memorable and improves learning outcomes.

The Process

I created this learning experience using a backwards design model.

• First, I formalized what I wanted the learner to be able to do at the end of the interaction: create a word tile drag n drop interaction. This became the learning objective.

• Learning objective created, I used SnagIt to record my screen as I created the project in its entirely. The video editor Descript was the tool I utilized to cut up the video into the various steps. I also took high-quality screen captures and added hover spots to create interactivity for the spots where the learner would practice what had just been demonstrated.

• At the end, I added a cute checklist of what they had just learned and demonstrated in order to facilitate reflection.

• For the setting of the interaction, I used a clean, modern office with an oversize version of those fun magnetic word tiles attached to millions of refrigerator doors the world over.

• Finally, some upbeat background music was added.