September 4 2002 Strategies and Techniques for Designers, Developers, and Managers of eLearning THIS WEEK — DESIGN TECHNIQUES Beyond Interactivity: Immersive Instructional designers can take many cues Web-based Learning Experiences from successful immer- BY J. ALAN WHITESIDE, PH.D. sive experiences found he term “interactive” has been so overused and is on the Web. While only subject to such varied interpretations that it’s a some training solutions T challenge to find a technology-based training program call for the use of that isn’t billed as being interactive, even if it’s just basical- the most immersive ly a text-based page-turner. technology, the princi- What, then, defines a good, e-Learning or Web-based train- ples used in these ing (WBT) program? Among other things, it is a program that leverages the capabilities and overcomes the limitations of contexts apply to most the Web as a delivery mode. e-Learning. This article It’s time for us to take full advantage of results from the mandate, common within defines an instructional the capabilities that e-Learning offers for organizations today, to “move training onto substantive, meaningful training. This arti- the Web.” approach that will cle defines an instructional approach that Janet Murray, author of Hamlet on the engage more than just a will engage more than just a small amount Holodeck, makes this excellent point: of learner attention and lead to more sig- “When we stop thinking of the computer small amount of learner nificant and substantial learning. as a multimedia telephone link, we can identify its four principal properties, which attention and lead to Definition of an immersive web- separately and collectively make it a pow- based learning environment erful vehicle... Digital environments are more significant and Immersive instruction is a term that’s procedural, participatory, spatial, and finding its way into the vocabulary of encyclopedic. The first two properties substantial learning. instructional designers who know that make up most of what we mean by the effective instruction on the Web needs vaguely used word interactive; the remain- to be more than merely self-paced. ing two properties help to make digital cre- Immersion is a remedy for the superficial ation seem as explorable and extensive as A publication of and often ineffective e-Learning that Continued on next page WWW.EL EARNINGG UILD.COM DESIGN / techniques the actual world, making up much of what cesses, especially as they relate to analyz- range of design techniques in combination. we mean when we say that cyberspace is ing complex situations, synthesizing infor- A truly immersive environment: immersive.” mation about a situation and the related • Incorporates real-world stories and E-Learning has the potential to bring rules or guidelines, and making judgments tasks using scenario-based assignments learners more profoundly into the content and decisions about those situations. and narrative storytelling techniques by moving beyond simplistic interactions to • Appeals to the “head, heart, and gut” a cyberspace-like immersive experience — Characteristics of immersive of the learner (cognitive, emotional, and without the expense of building a space training physical aspects) rather than just the shuttle. Immersive training is all about Immersive learning experiences are “head” as in typical training deeply engaging the learner by providing an based upon many of the principles that • Includes all learner-required resources authentic, explorable, and extensive envi- instructional designers routinely employ on within the environment to maintain the feel- ronment where learners take responsibility an individual basis, but the key to a suc- ing of involvement or the sense of place for their learning. cessful immersive environment is engaging • Provides as much authenticity as pos- This instructional approach is particularly the learner holistically — cognitively, emo- sible in the environment to create a sense well-suited to teaching principles and pro- tionally, and even physically — using a of place versus a system-controlled envi- ronment • Utilizes a sense of real time and related synchronous events where pos- sible (e.g., a special, live presentation by an expert) Rationale for immersive learning experiences A lot of instruction is ineffective because Register Today! www.eLearningGuild.com it fails to involve and engage the learner, relying upon an information dump that These Workshops can be Taken Independently or as a Series ignores what the learner needs to do and when the learner needs to learn. Poor Developing Your Organizational instruction also seems to address the Strategy for e-Learning issue of relevance to the learner only at the most superficial level, rather than mak- October 1 & 2, 2002 ing the connection between job duties and the training so explicit that the learner pro- The goal of this workshop is to help participants prepare a strategy for vides his or her own motivation to acquire justifying, designing, developing, deploying, and evaluating e-Learning new knowledge and skills. throughout a corporation or institution. On the other hand, learning experiences are very effective when they involve the Developing Your Technology learner across the range of senses, with Strategy for e-Learning multiple delivery modes and features that October 3 & 4, 2002 are representative of the real job environ- ment. That’s why flight simulators and The goal of this workshop is to help participants prepare a strategy for computer-controlled mannequins are incor- identifying, specifying, evaluating, and acquiring the tools and technology porated into the curricula for pilots and needed to broadly implement e-Learning. physicians. These devices can be effective- ly used as components of immersive learn- Who Should Attend These Workshops? ing experiences. However, many learning • Senior e-Learning Project Managers experiences that are called simulations are • Training Managers not immersive. They are flat and sterile, • Training Directors such as a process simulation that simply • Human Resource Managers demonstrates steps and controls, only THE ELEARNING DEVELOPERS’ JOURNAL • Chief Information Officers engaging the learner cognitively and in a / • Chief Learning Officers rather superficial manner. The immersive Workshop Authors & Instructors simulation ignites significant cognitive pro- cessing and involves as many senses as Bill & Kit Horton, William Horton Consulting, Inc. possible within a rich, multi-dimensional environment. Realistic consequences are Bill and Kit are internationally recognized experts on the productive and appropriate use of new media and communications related to the learner’s actions and initial technologies. Bill is the author of numberous books including “failures” are possible. To the extent they Leading e-Learning and Using e-Learning. SEPTEMBER 3, 2002 incorporate these attributes, web-based environments will provide effective learning 2 experiences. DESIGN / techniques Put another way, the contrast between The use of techniques such as story- without extensive prompting and hand-hold- ineffective and effective approaches is telling and related synchronous events (like ing in an environment that reflects the job analogous to learning to swim by being a one-time presentation by an expert) and setting, then we’re probably teaching them taught lots of different strokes on dry land asynchronous connections with fellow to answer multiple-choice questions about versus finding oneself in the water strug- learners (chat sessions and listservs, for their duties instead of having them per- gling to reach the side of the pool. The for- example), coupled with a media-rich envi- form their duties, no matter how the objec- mer is only a mental (cognitive) exercise; ronment, can effectively appeal to the tives are phrased. the latter engages the whole person. whole learner and to learners with different An immersive, authentic, even exciting Three main reasons form the basis for learning styles. Offering the learner a way environment where learners take responsi- the use of an immersive instructional to add his or her piece to the story also bility for actions that have real-life conse- approach: adds to the cognitive engagement and quences is more likely to produce compe- • To increase learner motivation motivation of the learner, and meshes well tent learners than is a course that “pres- • To support high-level, performance- with a constructivist approach to learning. ents information” or “covers topics.” based learning outcomes • To increase transfer of training to the Support performance-based learning Back on the job after training job environment outcomes The transfer of skills and knowledge can We often proclaim that the best training be increased when the training realistically Immersion and learner motivation is performance-based and directed toward reflects actual job duties, situations, con- Increasing learner motivation to internal- actual job tasks. That means a core of the straints, and outcomes. The more immer- ize new knowledge and become competent training is focused on principles, process- sive the training is, the sooner the learner with new skills is key to reducing training es, and procedures (or at least at Bloom’s can perform competently on the job be- time or increasing the learner’s comprehen- “application” level), supported by facts and cause there is less “translation” of training sion and retention — or both. Appealing concepts (or in Bloom’s terms,