Interactive Learning Module Creation

One of our clients—an international energy company—was undergoing a massive transformation, shifting from oil to e-mobility and sustainable fuels. The board’s mandate was clear: build a workforce ready for tomorrow’s challenges. During my first week, I visited a remote field site. Standing beside a team of engineers, I could sense their anxiety about unfamiliar technologies, stricter compliance audits, and the relentless pressure to deliver results. The old training modules? They barely scratched the surface of what these teams truly needed. We soon realized that off-the-shelf courses just weren’t enough. Understanding how people actually felt about new work processes was essential. I spent hours with field and office teams—listening, mapping out real pain points, and asking sometimes uncomfortable questions. How can we help our people make critical decisions on the ground? How do we build capability at scale, rather than just ticking compliance boxes? Once we gained that clarity, everything began to shift. Our team created an interactive learning journey—complete with role-based simulations, gamified crisis scenarios, and data-driven feedback loops. Each module put learners in the driver’s seat, dealing with real-life emergencies or optimizing EV infrastructure in realistic ways. It wasn’t all smooth sailing. Our first pilot exposed significant gaps—some learners felt overwhelmed, while others needed more hands-on support.We responded quickly by launching peer forums, field workshops, and targeted communications to bridge those divides. Within just 90 days, employees became noticeably more confident. Sites reported improved safety, efficiency, and even reduced downtime. This experience reinforced for me how real listening, strategic design, and a willingness to adapt can transform not just results, but the culture itself. I aim to make every learning initiative feel like a story worth living—for teams and for the business. #LearningAndDevelopment #EnergySector #Transformation #CriticalThinking #ProblemSolving #EVReady (Photo by <ahref="https://lnkd.in/gQWCp5Qf">Stockcake</a>)

Most learning experiences fail. Not because they lack content. Not because they aren’t engaging. But because they confuse motion with action. - Learners finish an interactive course—but can’t apply a single concept. - Employees earn certifications—but their performance stays the same. - Teams attend workshops—but nothing changes in how they work. Your beautifully designed courses might be keeping learners busy without moving them forward. The difference between motion and action explains why so many well-designed learning experiences fail to create real change. Motion 🔄 vs. Action 🛠️ in Learning Design Motion is consuming information—watching videos, reading content, clicking through slides. Action is applying knowledge—practicing skills, making decisions, solving problems. Motion FEELS productive. Action IS productive. ❌ What doesn’t work: - Content-heavy modules with no real-world application - Knowledge checks that test memory, not mastery - Gamification that rewards progress, not proficiency - Beautiful interfaces that prioritize scrolling over doing ✅ What works instead: - Micro-challenges that force immediate application - Project-based assessments with real-world constraints - Deliberate practice with quick feedback loops - "Demo days" where learners publish/present their work 3 Common Motion Traps 🪤 1️⃣ The Endless Content Cycle Overloading learners with information but giving them no space to apply it. A 40-page module doesn’t drive change—practice does. 2️⃣ The Engagement Illusion Designing for clicks, badges, and completion rates instead of real skill-building. Just because learners show up doesn’t mean they’re growing. 3️⃣ The Passive Learning Trap Building "Netflix for learning" experiences that entertain but don’t transform. Learning feels good—but does it change behavior? What to Do Next? 💡 - Audit your learning experience. Calculate the ratio of consumption time vs. creation time for your learners. - If learners spend more than 50% consuming, redesign for action. The best learning designers don’t create the most content. They create the most transformation. Are you designing for motion or action?

Project to Try This Weekend: Create a Gamified eLearning Experience in Articulate Storyline 360 🎮 Gamification in elearning development is always exciting! Throughout my journey, I’ve had the chance to design and develop complex gamified learning experiences, projects that felt more like real games while driving strong learning outcomes. These required advanced skills, creative logic, and deep integration between Articulate Storyline and JavaScript. While many of these were created for clients and government education initiatives, I wanted to share the logic and structure I use in my gamification builds with our elearning and instructional design community. So, I’ve put together a sample game project, complete with source files and reusable JavaScript code, for you to explore and learn from. In this project, JavaScript powers: ⚫ Smooth animations and movement ⚫ Object collision detection ⚫ Dynamic question control based on variable states Instead of fully depending on the Storyline JS API, I focused on clean, modular, and reusable JavaScript logic (in a 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙧.𝙟𝙨 file) making it easy to extend for multiple gamification scenarios. 📂 Download Source File: https://lnkd.in/dskmzC4Y 💻 Download JavaScript Code: https://lnkd.in/d_Q5YpWS #instructionaldesign #elearning #elearningdevelopment #instructionaldesigner #elearningdeveloper #learning #articulate #articulatestoryline #elearningcommunity #gamifiedlearning #storyline360

“We need to break up the content.” “I threw in a drag-and-drop to keep it engaging.” “It’s just something to click.” Sound familiar? Here’s the thing - interactivity shouldn’t be decoration. It should be purposeful. The biggest mistake I see in eLearning? 👉 Adding interactions that don’t do anything for the learner. True interactivity should make them think. It should deepen understanding, simulate a decision, or reinforce recall. 🎯 Here’s how to shift from fluff to function: ✅ Replace “click to reveal” with a mini-scenario ✅ Use branching to explore real consequences of choices ✅ Add drag-and-drop only when it mirrors a real process or sequence ✅ Always ask: “What does this interaction help them learn or practice?” 💡 Remember: interaction isn’t engagement if it’s empty. Let’s design learning that’s active and meaningful. What’s your favorite example of an interactive element that actually improved learning? #InstructionalDesign #LearningExperienceDesign #eLearning #IDOLAcademy #EngagementWithPurpose #LXD

Are the interactions in your e-learning course about clicking, not learning? Try this 3-step method to fix it. You spend hours trying to design interactive e-learning—adding clicks, drag-and-drops, and hotspots. But learners rush through, and leadership barely notices. 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳? Many instructional designers feel stuck; they don’t know how to create meaningful interactions instead of interactions that let people click. The key? 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Here’s a simple 3-step method to design interactions that truly enhance your e-learning courses: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱 ✅ 𝗗𝗢: Before designing an interaction, ask yourself: *What should learners be able to do after this?* ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Add interactions to make a course "look engaging." 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: If you aim to teach customer service skills, don’t just add a drag-and-drop activity where employees match cybersecurity terms to definitions. Create a simulated phishing attack in which learners must identify suspicious emails, decide whether to open links, and take appropriate action to protect company data. 2️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 ✅ 𝗗𝗼: Use interactions that make learners think, not just click. ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Overuse simple interactions (like clicking hotspots) without real engagement. 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Instead of a basic hotspot where learners click on different parts of a customer service desk to "learn more," create a decision-based hotspot interaction. For example, learners see a busy retail counter with different customer scenarios. Based on urgency and priority, they must click on the right customer to assist first. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 ✅ 𝗗𝗢: Gather feedback and track learner performance. ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Assume that an interaction is effective because it "looks fun." 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Check if learners are engaged or just rushing through. If they struggle with assessments, go back and refine the interaction—maybe it needs more explicit instructions, better feedback, or a stronger real-world connection. By following these steps, you’ll move beyond generic interactions and create learning experiences that help learners retain knowledge—while making your work stand out. Which of these 3 steps do you already use? Follow me - Mark Spermon - to learn more about creating e-learning courses that engage and deliver results with Articulate Storyline #InstructionalDesign #eLearning #CareerGrowth #L&D #ArticulateStoryline

8 Creative Authoring Tool Features Every Retail Brand Needs 👇 🌟 Retail brands require more than a basic content builder, they need a creative authoring environment that protects brand identity while accelerating performance at scale. The most effective platforms combine branded slide libraries, interactive video capabilities, branching scenarios, AI-supported content creation, automatic translation, PowerPoint integration, multi-device optimisation, and integrated project management. Together, these features enable teams to design immersive, visually refined, and operationally relevant learning experiences that resonate on the shop floor. 🌟 In a sector where storytelling, product expertise, and client interaction define success, a modern authoring tool becomes a strategic asset — turning training into a powerful driver of brand consistency, engagement, and measurable retail impact. 1. Branded Slides Library: Create Learning That Reflects Your Brand A branded slides library ensures every training module reflects your visual identity, tone of voice, and storytelling standards with complete consistency. 2. Full Video Capabilities: Transform Video into Interactive Learning Advanced video capabilities turn passive viewing into interactive learning through embedded quizzes, hotspots, and decision-based engagement. 3. Branching Scenarios: Simulate Real Retail Situations Branching scenarios allow learners to practice real-life client interactions in safe, decision-driven simulations that build confidence and skill. 4. Automatic Translation: Scale Learning Globally with Speed and Accuracy Automatic translation enables rapid multilingual deployment while preserving brand tone and training consistency across markets. 5. AI-Supported Authoring: Accelerate Content Creation and Optimisation AI-supported authoring speeds up content production, enhances quality, and helps optimise learning experiences with intelligent assistance. 6. PowerPoint Export and Import: Bridge Existing Content with Modern Learning PowerPoint integration transforms existing presentations into dynamic, interactive learning modules without starting from scratch. 7. Multi-Device Formatting: Optimize Learning for Mobile, Tablet, and Desktop Responsive multi-device formatting ensures seamless learning experiences across mobile, tablet, and desktop environments. 8. Integrated Project Management: Streamline Collaboration and Validation Integrated project management tools simplify collaboration, approvals, and content validation to accelerate go-live timelines. 👉 Is your authoring tool truly designed to elevate retail performance and reflect the strength of your brand?

If our students passively absorb info, we failed them. They need active, meaningful, enduring learning. We do that by increasing conceptual friction (nod to Jason Gulya). Students need challenges and complexities to increase Critical thinking, problem-solving, deeper understanding. ✅ 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 #AI 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ➡️ Structured academic controversy Assign students different stances on an issue. Use AI to generate arguments for each side. ➡️ Predict-observe-explain (POE) activities Students predict outcomes, observe results, and explain observations. Use AI to simulate physical phenomena or historical events. Students test predictions and refine their understanding. ➡️ AI-generated prompts for critical thinking Generate complex, open-ended questions. Require students to apply knowledge in new ways. (Use Ruben Hassid Prompt Maker GPT to improve prompts.) ➡️ Interactive simulations and scenarios Create interactive simulations that mimic real-world scenarios. In a physics class, AI can simulate different frictional forces and their effects on motion, allowing students to experiment and observe outcomes in a controlled environment. ➡️ Analyzing AI responses Ask AI to write an essay or solve a problem. Students analyze and critique the AI responses. Identify errors, biases, and areas for improvement. ➡️ AI as a debate partner Use AI to simulate a debate partner. Help students practice argumentation skills. They respond to AI-generated counterarguments in real-time. ➡️ Scaffolded assignments Students use AI tools at different stages of their work. Brainstorm ideas, draft an outline, and refine final product. ➡️ Role-playing and simulations Simulate negotiations or market analysis. Provide a dynamic, interactive learning experience. Students and AI take on different roles in a simulated environment. ➡️ Feedback and revision cycles Provide instant feedback on student work. Encourage multiple revision cycles. ➡️ Ethical and societal implications Explore ethical and societal implications of decisions. Simulate the impact of different policies on society. ✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ➡️ Co-create expectations With students, define appropriate use and how AI should be cited. ➡️ Encourage reflection After using AI, students reflect on their experiences: How they'll use AI differently in the future. How AI influenced their thinking. What they learned. ➡️ Provide support and resources Tutorials, help sessions, online resources. Explain how to use AI effectively and ethically. ------------------------- Thoughtfully integrate AI into your classroom to ⬆️ conceptual friction. Challenge students. Promote critical thinking. Prepare them for an AI-infused future. ------------------------- ♻️ 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿

☀️ I've been diving deeper into Instructional Design and LOVING IT... A few years ago, while working alongside talented Instructional Designers on data-related training projects, I found myself becoming engulfed in the art and science of learning design. Fast forward to today — in my current role as an Instructional Designer, building a 1-year data analytics fellowship (as a team of one!), I’ve only grown more immersed in ID principles, methodologies, and creative design strategies. I’m excited to share one small example of that journey: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e5Vr76zJ This is a short microlearning module, designed as part of a larger Python programming course, geared toward high school and early college students. These are learners who may know nothing about Python yet — and may still be exploring which career or major is right for them. In designing this, I drew heavily on: ✅ Gagné’s 9 Events of Instruction ✅ ARCS Model of Motivation ✅ Mayer’s Principles of Multimedia, Contiguity, Personalization, and Embodiment ✨ What I’m proud of: 🎉 Creating a thorough planning document (needs analysis, user personas, use cases, methodology — which I’ll share later as part of my portfolio build) 🎉 Designing an on-screen static coach to guide learners throughout 🎉 Thoughtfully chunking concepts and making them approachable Incorporating real-world, audience-appropriate use cases Prioritizing accessibility: 🎉 Code blocks use plain text (to allow screen readers to read/copy/paste, avoiding inaccessible image-based code). 🎉 Alt tags on all images, accessible color choices, and inclusive, sensitive language choices. 🎉 Providing answer-level feedback on knowledge checks 🎉 Adding interactive elements: flashcards, sorting activities, interactive images 💡 What I want to enhance next time: 🧠 Stronger video editing, with closed captioning scripts and better production 🧠 More robust scaffolding: adding medium-to-hard coding tasks, not just simple ones 🧠 Building in a post-course feedback mechanism -------------------------------------------------- And above all — a reminder to myself (and anyone reading this): Something doesn’t have to be perfect to put it out there. It’s better to share, reflect, improve, and keep building. Drop some feedback in the comments for me! #InstructionalDesign #LearningDesign #DataAnalytics #Python #EdTech #Accessibility #PortfolioWork

Would you believe that students learning SQL for the first time can develop interactive games such as the Database Detective? That is the experiment I am running in the data management course, where we #BuildToLearn Students learn a concept, and then build an interactive artifact by prompting an AI tool and iterate till the artifact matches their mental model of the concept. They are free to learn as they build by referencing notes and course discussions. However, this is not enough. They then share this artifact with their peers, and peers get to pick one from the many artifacts and comment+improve upon the one they like, and share back with the class. If the mental model of the first student is incorrect, the peer feedback is likely to give them an opportunity to improve. Small micro artifacts/simulations/games to surface mental models of the target student, iteration through interaction with AI tools, peer feedback to have some cognitive load on the (other)human brain to verify and then extend , close the loop with the first student learning from peer review. A sense of ownership for the student who created the artifact, increases likelihood of them expanding on the simple artifact to do something more. Builds creative confidence, particularly in context of AI tools, and contributes to AI literacy. Active learning, versus passive learning. Hopefully leads to agency which can create a cascading effect on curiosity. These are the skills we want students to build. Full list of 40+ artifacts published publicly(without student names of course) in comments.

5️⃣Types of Teaching Tools to Make Your Classes More Engaging, Interactive and lnclusive!🧑🧑🧒🧒 In today’s digital age of learning, keeping students engaged is more challenging—and more critical—than ever. I have used these tools to turn my classes into an interactive learning hub! 🌟 📌1. Simulation Tools🧪 🥽 Allow students to explore real-world scenarios virtually, bringing concepts to life. They can manipulate and create new scenarios from skills learned. Examples: -PhET Interactive Simulations – Science and math simulations for hands-on learning. -Labster – Virtual labs in biology, chemistry, and physics. -ExploreLearning Gizmos – Math and science simulations for K-12. 📌2. Gamification Tools 🎮 Turn learning into a fun and competitive experience to boost engagement and motivation. Examples: -Kahoot! – Quizzes that make learning a game show. - Classcraft– Gamified classroom management and learning. - Quizizz – Competitive, self-paced quizzes that students love. 📌3. Interactive Presentation Tools** 🖥️ Make your presentations come alive with animations, sounds, videos and embedded interactive features. Examples: - Nearpod – Turn presentations into interactive experiences with quizzes, polls, and VR. - Pear Deck – Engage students directly within your Google Slides. - Mentimeter – Create live polls, quizzes, and word clouds during lessons. 📌4. Multimodal Tools📖 🎧📺🩻 Support diverse learning needs by providing text-to-speech options, images and videos to improve comprehension and support multiple means of engagement, representation and expression.(UDL) Examples: -Flip (formerly Flipgrid) -Encourages students to record video responses, allowing for auditory, visual, and verbal communication in discussions. - Natural Reader – Turn any text into audio to support auditory learners. -Book Creator - Book Creator allows students to create interactive eBooks combining text, images, audio, and video. 📌5. Collaboration Tools🤝 Facilitate group work and communication, even in virtual environments. Learning Management Systems (LMS) also make your classroom a community and fosters collaboration. Examples: - **Google Docs** – Real-time collaboration on writing projects and reports. -Google Classroom – An LMS where Teachers and students can create posts for discussions, encouraging the whole class to engage with each other and share ideas. - **Miro** – An interactive whiteboard for visual collaboration and mind mapping. Most of these tools are FREE so why not integrate them into your classroom today. 💡 What tools have you found useful in your teaching especially in the virtual teaching space? ❔What tool will you be trying out? ♻️Be kind enough to share this so that other educators will know. Remember, When we know better, we do better. Cheers 🥂 Myra Samuelson The Digiteacher #EdTech #OnlineLearning #InteractiveTeaching #Engagement #EdTechCoach