I NTERN: KATI E KENNELLY

PROJECT: 201 4 SCT VI DEO

PROJECT
PHASE 1: RESEARCH
Understanding Your
Audience & Medium

Deliverables: Recommendations based on research


Demographics

My recommendations based on
interviews
B. Increase the effectiveness and accessibility of
videos by:
1) Using more real time situations rather than staged
dialogue to demonstrate a point.
The reaction should not seem forced because it is not as
convincing.
2) Making videos downloadable & accessible via
mobile devices
Everyone has a Smartphone or an iPad these days. We need to
respond to this by making our content available on those devices
or we will lose viewers..
3) Make sure all videos are updated
More current visuals and modern images (especially logos)
would more effectively capture viewers attention. We lose a lot
of credibility when things such as logos are not kept up
to date.
4) The videos would be improved if they all followed the
protocol of being: Quick, informative, and relevant.
Less is more. (especially in an age of shrinking attention
spans)


Demographics: The Impact of Age

My recommendations based on
my research
Older Adults and E-Learning - To increase the ease of
consumption for the older demographic:
1) Include printer friendly versions of training
materials for the older demographic OR provide written
transcripts of the audio content
Taylor et al. (2004) recommended providing print friendly versions of
Web pages since most older adults prefer to read from paper rather than a
computer screen.
Providing written transcripts can be helpful for visual learners or those
who have difficulty hearing.
2) Use slower speech in audio presentations
VanBiervliet (2004) emphasizes the need to use slower speech in audio
presentations based on the large body of research showing that many
older adults have a decline in working memory.
3) Allow for a slower pace in course progression and more
control over learning schedules through asynchronous
E-learning
Inappropriate sequencing of courses and undesirable course features can
result in frustrated students. Taylor et al. (2004) found that older adults
engaged in face-to-face software training preferred an informal structure,
instead of a formalized, linear class structure.
Asynchronous e-learning is well-suited to address these needs since it
provides the opportunity for self-directed learning and moving at ones
own pace.
Designs need to accommodate a learners need to stop and restart a
learning program. A progress indicator is helpful so that learners can easily
restart where they left off.




SOURCE:
Githens, Rod P. "OLDER ADULTS AND E-LEARNING-Opportunities and Barriers."
Quarterly Review of Distance Education 8.4 (2007): 329-38.
Attention Span

My recommendations based on
my research

Create Small Packages Of Content To confront
shrinking attention spans (across all age groups) and to minimize
cognitive decoding needs:
1) Chunk online learning programs into short
digestible segments.
Chunking content into small lessons means that you only
address one main objective per segment.
Simon Fraser University found that for literate
humans, the average continuous attention span was 8
seconds, with a maximum of 30 seconds. In addition, it
was determined that the average general attention span
was from 10-12 minutes.
In his book, The Media How-To Guide for Nonprofits, David
Perry said the continuous attention span for adult
learners is 15 seconds. 15 seconds!
Ralph A. Burns conducted a study on adult learners, finding
that the bulk of information the students were later able
to recall was received during the first 5 minutes of
instruction. Burns said that the lowest level of retention
occurred between the 15 and 20-minute mark.

(Recommendations continued on next slide)
Attention Span

My recommendations based on
my research (CONTINUED)

2) Distil content - The video mini-modules should
contain exactly what the learner needs, and
no more.
Extraneous content takes up the limited cognitive load capacity
without contributing to the learning objectives.
However, there is often related information that does not
directly apply to the learning objectives, but may be useful to the
learners. With e-learning, this information can be provided as
supplemental sources, with appropriate links to locations outside
of the primary instructional content.

3) Really focus on using and capitalizing on
visual elements to enhance knowledge retention
According to neuroscience research that is referenced in John
Medina's book Brain Rules, participants in studies only
remember about 10% of information presented orally
when they are tested 72 hours after instruction. However, that
number jumps by about 65% when an image is added to
the learning process.
SOURCES:
http://elearningindustry.com/make-e-learning-easier-elearners-brain-pain

http://elearningindustry.com/6-scientifically-proven-brain-facts-that-elearning-professionals-
should-know

http://www.sciencedirect.com.www2.lib.ku.edu:2048/science/article/pii/S0950705110001504#

Carliner, Saul. Designing E-learning. Alexandria, VA: ASTD, 2002.