The Rapid Elearning Blog

Articulate Rapid E-Learning Blog - Seinfeld's George Castanza needs the missing Penske file

An essential ingredient for interactive and engaging elearning is to let the learner explore and collect information that assists in making decisions. A common design concept to facilitate exploration of content is the interactive desktop where the learner can select desktop objects to collect information.

Today I am offering a free elearning template designed that can be used to craft an interactive experience.

Design Ideas for the Free E-Learning Template

Here’s a flat desktop design I found a while back. It’s from the docTrackr site. I like the clean and simple design. It looks good and it’s really easy to build for someone with minimal design skills. They’ve changed their site since then but fortunately I kept a screen grab in my inspiration and ideas folder.

Articulate Rapid E-Learning Blog - free elearning template based on a flat desktop design

When I find a design I like, the first thing I do is try to replicate it. And then I try to add my own spin. This lets me learn to use the tools I have better and to think through the design structure and construction of the design elements.

Examples of the Free E-Learning Templates

As I mentioned above, the desktop illustration is a great way to present content collection. So I took the desktop idea and then made it interactive. Below are some examples of the templates in action.

The first one is made in PowerPoint and the second in Articulate Storyline.

Articulate Rapid E-Learning Blog - free elearning template built in PowerPoint

Click here to view the PowerPoint elearning example.

Here is the same interaction created in Articulate Storyline. Storyline offers more interactive capability so I included descriptions for each object, visited states, and a collection meter that triggers a completion response.

Articulate Rapid E-Learning Blog - free elearning template built in Articulate Storyline

Click here to view the Storyline elearning example.

Download the Free E-Learning Templates

Here are links to the free elearning template downloads:

Production Tips When Creating Your Own E-Learning Template

You are free to use the templates in your courses. However, I encourage you to create your own desktop designs. It’s a good way to practice and get better using your elearning applications.

If you do create your own templates or add content to the free elearning templates then here are a few tips to help design the illustration and the interactivity.

  • Keep it simple and don’t add too much detail to the objects. This makes production easy for you and the template will look clean.
  • Avoid clutter and allow for lots of white space to give your eyes a break.
  • Use clutter. So you want to ignore tip #2, that’s OK. Leverage clutter the same way you might for “I Spy” or one of those “Waldo” diagrams. This could work if it’s contextual but it could also be frustrating. Something to keep in mind.
  • Why be flat? The desktop used the classic floor-wall-baseboard technique. That helps center the eye and maintain a clean design.
  • After making a selection, where will the information show? You need a place to show the information. Another consideration is how will you show it? Will it be a click, drag, or hover?

If you create your own flat desktop, feel free to share it. I’d love to see what you do.

Events

Free E-Learning Resources

Want to learn more? Check out these articles and free resources in the community.

Here’s a great job board for e-learning, instructional design, and training jobs

Participate in the weekly e-learning challenges to sharpen your skills

Get your free PowerPoint templates and free graphics & stock images.

Lots of cool e-learning examples to check out and find inspiration.

Getting Started? This e-learning 101 series and the free e-books will help.



4 responses to “Here’s a Free PowerPoint Template & E-Learning Interaction”

I work in the K-12 setting, and I was recently awarded some grant money to put together a “Mobile Media Production Studio,” which provides students with hardware to work with their school issued MacBook Airs.

I have been trying to think of a slide design for the eLearning course to introduce the tools to the students. From your recent post, I think I will end up creating interactions over each of the objects on the slide to open video demonstrations or content related to each of the tools.

I used Keynote to create all of the objects within the PDF. It’s definitely not perfect but it is a start. Thanks for the inspiration! Here is my version of a flat design desktop/work area: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6kMl1ab34swd2ZmSzlxRGpXRkU/edit?usp=sharing

Hi Tom,

Thanks so much for showcasing our website design, we are glad you like it! If your readers would be interested in taking a look at our updated home page design, they can see it here.

http://www.doctrackr.com

Our new design is also flat!

April 29th, 2014

Thanks Tom for another great inspiration source.
This would also be a great screen to use as a ‘toolbox’ of job aids needed to solve a situation.
Thinking even further, a use of variables could let it be built up slowly as you go through the course and accumulate extra job aids/working materials to solve even more complex problems.

Lggi qui la traduzione in italiano autorizzata:

http://www.mosaicoelearning.it/blog/?p=2604