The document discusses the use of instructional characters in eLearning courses. It defines instructional characters as fictional characters that provide instructional guidance to support learning. The document provides tips on creating effective instructional characters, such as making them realistic and ensuring they resonate with learners. Examples are given of different types of instructional characters and how they can be used, such as to introduce a course, provide guidance throughout, or explain concepts. Considerations for effective character creation like knowing the audience and providing realistic scenarios and feedback are also outlined.

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Instructional Characters
for eLearning
CHEAP AND EASY
Sue Weller, CPLP, SPHR
Learning Solutions Manager, Caveo Learning
August 18, 2015

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Have ever created
a course like this?
Have ever created
a course like this?
Have had to take
a course like this?
Have had to take
a course like this?
Know someone
who’s created a
course like this?
Know someone
who’s created a
course like this?
How Many of You…

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Makes You Wanna Go…

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Discuss examples
Provide tips and tricks on the
effective usage
Define instructional characters
Today’s Agenda
Create some characters

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Please Think…

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Poll: Have You Used Instructional
Characters in YOUR courses?
A. Yes, I’ve use them a lot
B. Yes, but my experience is limited
C. No, not yet, but I can’t wait to get started
D. Huh? What?

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All About Good First Impressions
You have
minutes to impress

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The Problem With Current Design
Not
engaging
Not
relevant
Don’t
allow for
practice
Boring
Boring
Boring
Information isn’t important.
It’s the application of information by the learner that’s important.
Information isn’t important.
It’s the application of information by the learner that’s important.

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Why Don’t We Do Better?

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Why Don’t We Do Better?
My courses are
technical!
My courses are
technical!
I don’t have
the time!
I don’t have
the time!
You need
fancy
software for
that!
You need
fancy
software for
that!
My learners
don’t have
the time!
My learners
don’t have
the time!
My company’s culture
doesn’t go for that!
My company’s culture
doesn’t go for that!

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Why Don’t We Do Better?
My courses are
technical!
My courses are
technical!
I don’t have
the time!
I don’t have
the time!
You need
fancy
software for
that!
You need
fancy
software for
that!
My learners
don’t have
the time!
My learners
don’t have
the time!
My company’s culture
doesn’t go for that!
My company’s culture
doesn’t go for that!

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Why Don’t We Do Better?
My courses are
technical!
My courses are
technical!
I don’t have
the time!
I don’t have
the time!
You need
fancy
software for
that!
You need
fancy
software for
that!
My learners
don’t have
the time!
My learners
don’t have
the time!
My company’s culture
doesn’t go for that!
My company’s culture
doesn’t go for that!

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Instructional
Characters
Scenarios
Key Definitions
Branching

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“Instructional agents” who provide instructional
advice and guidance to support the learning
“Instructional agents” who provide instructional
advice and guidance to support the learning
Various types
Various purposes
They are designed into the course
Instructional Characters

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A story or situation used to engage the learnerA story or situation used to engage the learner
A good story uses
instructional characters
Situational simulations or
learning experiences
Allow the learner to
make decisions
Scenarios

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A series of decision pointsA series of decision points
Learn the basics first, then try
branching
Can be complicated with a
series of decision points that
build off each other
Can involve multiple paths
the learner can take
Branching

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Talking head
Cartoon or avatar
Stick figure
Static image
Types of Instructional Characters
Video
Blah,
blah,
blah

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Creating Your Characters

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Creating Your Characters
• Think: What resonates with my learners?
• Age (How old should my character be? What resonates
with my learners?)
• Sex (Male? Female?)
• Race (Watch that your character aren’t always white. If
multiple, does the “mentor” always have to be white and
the “trainee” or “less experienced” are people of color?)
• Background (Is my character a newbie? A manager? A
mentor?

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Creating Dialogue
• Realistic
• Make it a dialogue
• People talk in contractions
• “Hi, I’m Sue”
• “Hi, I am Sue”
• People start sentences with “so”, “and” “but”
• Most importantly, read your dialogue out loud

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Five Ways To Use Your Characters
• To Open Your Course
• As a Guide or Mentor Throughout the Course
• To Conduct Wrap-Ups (Module/Units or Course)
• In a Quiz
• To Explain a Specific Concept

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Five Ways To Use Your Characters
• To Open Your Course
• As a Guide or Mentor Throughout the Course
• To Conduct Wrap-Ups (Module/Units or Course)
• In a Quiz
• To Explain a Specific Concept

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Example #1: GIS (Global Information Systems)

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Five Ways To Use Your Characters
• To Open Your Course
• As a Guide or Mentor Throughout the Course
• To Conduct Wrap-Ups (Module/Units or Course)
• In a Quiz
• To Explain a Specific Concept

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Example #3: Data Quality Course

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Five Ways To Use Your Characters
• To Open Your Course
• As a Guide or Mentor Throughout the Course
• To Conduct Wrap-Ups (Module/Units or Course)
• In a Quiz
• To Explain a Specific Concept

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Example #2: Project Management

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Five Ways To Use Your Characters
• To Open Your Course
• As a Guide or Mentor Throughout the Course
• To Conduct Wrap-Ups (Module/Units or Course)
• In a Quiz
• To Explain a Specific Concept

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Five Ways To Use Your Characters
• To Open Your Course
• As a Guide or Mentor Throughout the Course
• To Conduct Wrap-Ups (Module/Units or Course)
• In a Quiz
• To Explain a Specific Concept

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Example #4: Healthcare Practitioner Training

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Scenario Activity #1 – Let’s Design!
You have been tasked with creating a one-hour CBT for Cable Plus, a
provider of digital cable and home entertainment. This course will focus
on improving customer service skills including making the customer feel
valued, handling objections and professionally avoiding cancellations.
Directions:
1. Work with your partner to create a character.
2. Create the opening scenario/introduction of your character. Describe
what’s going on and what will your character say/do.
3. Be prepared to share with the rest of the group.
Some things to think about:
 What’s your character’s name?
 What is his or her physical characteristics? (age, sex, race)
 What’s his or her background/experience?
 Why will this character help your course?
 How do you plan to use the character in your course?
 What emotions do you want your learners to have when interacting with your
character?

71. Really Exciting Customer Service Course
Meet Sandra
Hi, I’m Sandra.
I’m one of the customers you could
be speaking with and, as such, I
want it to be a good experience for
everyone.
Throughout this course, I’ll be
 Helping to critique your
interactions
 Providing some additional tips
and tricks
Module 1: Making a Good First
Impression

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Tip #1Module 1: Making a Good First
Impression
Tip #1:
If you smile when you
great the customer, we
can hear the smile in
your voice.

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Which Picture Draws You In? - A

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Which Picture Draws You In? - B

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Which Picture Draws You In?
A
B

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Which Picture Draws You In? - A

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Which Picture Draws You In? - B

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Which Picture Draws You In?
A
B

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Scenario Activity #2 – Let’s Design!
Spend 30 seconds with your partner and decide whose course you’ll use
for this activity
Create the opening scenario/introduction of your character. Describe what’s
going on and what will your character say/do.
Using what you’ve learned in today’s session, along with the ideas that
you’ve heard from others, create a character that you could use in your
course.
Some things to think about:
 What’s your character’s name?
 What is his or her physical characteristics? (age, sex, race)
 What’s his or her background/experience?
 Why will this character help your course?
 How do you plan to use the character in your course?
 What emotions do you want your learners to have when interacting with your
character?

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Five Considerations
When Creating Your Characters
Five Considerations
When Creating Your Characters

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• How old are they?
• What gender is most prevalent?
• What ethnic groups are covered?
• What characters will resonate with
them?
KNOW
your audience!
KNOW
your audience!
Consideration #1

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• What situations might they
realistically be in?
• What decisions might they realistically
need to make?
• What are some other plausible
options?
• What are the consequences of getting
something right versus wrong?
Create REALISTIC ScenariosCreate REALISTIC Scenarios
Consideration #2

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• How does your target audience speak?
• What would they actually say?
• How informal can you make the
dialogue?
• How believable is it?
Create REALISTIC dialogueCreate REALISTIC dialogue
Consideration #3

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• Are you providing realistic, meaningful
and helpful feedback?
• Are you giving the learner more than
one opportunity?
• Is there a more complicated branching
option (which then means making sure
all options are realistic)?
Provide FEEDBACKProvide FEEDBACK
Consideration #4

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• How can you use a little creativity,
ingenuity or perhaps even humor within
your course?
• What does the learner expect to see and
how can you change it up a bit?
Consideration #5
Be UNEXPECTEDBe UNEXPECTED

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• www.elearningindustry.com
• http://blogs.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/
• http://blog.cathy-moore.com/
• Books:
• Design for How People Learn: Julie Dirksen
• Book: Made to Stick: Chip Heath/Dan Heath
• Book: Superb eLearning Using Low-cost
Scenarios: Benjamin Pitman, Ph.D.
Resources

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Thank you!
Sue Weller
Learning Solutions Manager
Caveo Learning
sweller@caveo.com
312-651-4000 x3057
Sue Weller
Learning Solutions Manager
Caveo Learning
sweller@caveo.com
312-651-4000 x3057
Contact the
Presenter
Contact the
Presenter
Questions?????

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