Kathryn Copeland Instructional Design
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This project is entirely hypothetical as I am just beginning my journey as an Instructional Designer.
It is based on the premise that a rescue shelter needs to find a new way to train its volunteer dog walkers.
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The training is scenario-based, which is the most effective method for this type of instruction, given the potential for dangerous situations.
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Tools Used: Articulate Storyline 3 and Articulate 360, Freepix, Canva, MindMeister, Audacity, Microsoft Word, Pixabay
The Problem
The Friends With Paws Rescue Society is a fabricated organisation dedicated to caring for homeless and surrendered pets. They ensure the animals are comfortable and well cared for while promoting positive behaviour to increase their adoptions.
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A recurring issue among volunteers and employees is the need to reinforce good behaviour in their dogs during their daily walks. When proper handling procedures are not followed, injuries and dog bites occur, leading to the euthanasia of dogs.
The Solution
After identifying the problem, I analyzed the behaviours of volunteers and employees to determine if the issue was due to a lack of skill or knowledge. I concluded that it was caused by a deficiency in both areas.
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Dog walkers are often unaware of the behaviours to be on the lookout for and are unsure how to handle negative behaviour or when to reward positive behaviour.
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I felt the best solution was a scenario-based eLearning experience that demonstrates some of the more common behavioural issues dog walkers might encounter, as well as when to reward and how to handle any potential negative behaviours.
ADDIE
I utilised the ADDIE Model, which stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. This model is my preferred choice because it ensures that all aspects are thoroughly covered, allowing me to perfect the design and ensure its effectiveness in aligning with both the organisation’s and the learner’s goals
Action Mapping
I've included a snippet of the action map I developed through MindMeister as a means to visualise the correct actions the dog walker will need to take while walking a dog.
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In a real-life situation, I would show the full action map to the organisation for approval before moving on to the text-based storyboard.
Text-Based Storyboard
In the next stage, I composed a text-based storyboard, which served as an outline for the project. It contained the content, which included the questions and answers, as well as any programming and visual notes.
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The questions included responses that are common mistakes made and when chosen, demonstrate the possible consequences of taking that action but the user is given the opportunity to try again. Yet, when the user selects the correct choice, they will see a positive outcome.
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Additionally, if the user is looking for extra information or needs help, I have a “mentor” as well as a tip sheet on each page. This approach creates an engaging experience due to the bright graphics and animations in addition to the authentic consequences that teach in a way that is not easily forgotten.
Visual Guide
Most of the graphics and backgrounds used for this project were accomplished with Canva. This image shows how I used a variety of images such as clouds, the road, and the Friends With Paws sign.
I invented the name Friends With Paws Rescue Society in addition to the logo to add to the authenticity of the organisation. I based the colour scheme on the "brand" colours used by Friends With Paws which were incorporated into the design of the buttons as well as other aspects on each slide.
Here, you can see the variety of characters I used, in addition to the many objects for the inside of the kennel. The kennel itself is comprised of multiple items that I modified, edited and layered to give it the final look.
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Final Thoughts
As a self-taught Instructional Designer, creating my first project was a steep learning curve, particularly when using Articulate Storyline. However, by reading and watching numerous helpful tutorials, I became confident in my skills as a designer by the end of this project.
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I have a solid understanding of the importance of using the ADDIE model before designing, in addition to mapping out the steps in each slide in advance.
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I truly enjoyed creating this eLearning project and look forward to utilizing my skills to create compelling learning experiences for you.