Preface

During this first section, you’ll receive a quick primer on the fantastic, and ever-expanding, world of eLearning. You’ll be introduced to some best practices when planning your projects, budgeting suggestions, and you’ll learn about the development process. Along the way you’ll pick up some awesome design tips from effective slide layouts to fonts to scripting to storyboarding.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Planning eLearning Projects
• Budgeting eLearning Projects
• eLearning Development Phases
• eLearning Development Process
• Designing Storyline Slides
• Fonts and Learning
• Scripts
• Storyboarding for Soft Skills

 Module 1: Exploring Storyline

During this module you’ll begin to put Storyline through its paces. You’ll open an existing project and explore the Storyline interface.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Explore a Finished Storyline Project
• Explore Slides and Panels
• Zoom and Magnify
• Explore Panels
• Preview the Entire Project

Module 2: Creating Projects

You’ll begin the process of creating an eLearning project that, when finished, will allow learners to lower their credit score. You’ll create a project from scratch, add slides, apply masters, and import content from Microsoft PowerPoint.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Create a New Project
• Apply a Theme
• Apply a Content Master Slide
• Insert New Slides
• Create a New Content Master Slide
• Apply a Different Master Slide Layout to a Slide
• Import Content From PowerPoint

 Module 3: Add Content

Content is truly kind. You’ll add such common slide elements as text, images, characters, and captions. You’ll also learn how to create and format shapes and work with a bulleted list.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Create and Format a Text Box
• Work with a List
• Add an Image to a Slide
• Add a Shape to a Slide
• Customize a Shape
• Insert a Character
• Insert a Caption

 Module 4: Interactivity

You’ll learn how to engage your learner by not only adding buttons, but controlling how a button looks as learners interact with it. You’ll learn about the power of layers, and give learners a place to type text within your lesson.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Add Buttons to Slides
• Change Button States
• Create Layers
• Insert a Text Entry Field

 Module 5: Triggers and Hotspots

Triggers are arguably the most powerful Storyline feature and are the key to managing interactivity. Triggers can be attached to slides or slide objects. They control what happens when a learner interacts with a slide object or enters or leaves a slide. During this module you’ll put Triggers to the test by adding them to slide buttons. You’ll also work with Hotspots, areas of a slide that can be made interactive. You’ll learn that you can draw a Hotspot on top of anything and quickly use Triggers to initiate the interactivity.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Delete Default Triggers
• Add a Trigger to a Button
• Hide Player Buttons
• Add Triggers to Layers
• Add a Hide Layer Trigger
• Add a Slide Trigger
• Add a Conditional Trigger
• Edit a Trigger
• Add a Hotspot and Lightbox Trigger

Module 6: Variables

Variables serve as buckets for data. The data can be used to provide feedback to the learner and/or allow you as the developer to create conditional scenarios. For instance, you could use a variable to capture a learner’s name. Once the name has been “stored” by the variable, the name can be displayed over and over again throughout the lesson.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Manage a Variable
• Reference a Variable
• Create a Variable
• Manipulate a Variable with a Trigger
• Create a True/False Variable
• Create a Trigger to Change a True/False Variable
• Add a Condition to an Existing Trigger
• Play Audio with a Conditional Trigger
• Add a Condition to a Button

Module 7: Audio, Animation, and Video

Research has shown that adding voiceover audio to an eLearning project greatly enhances the learner experience. You’ll learn how to import, record, and edit audio. You’ll also learn how to animate Storyline slides, and how to insert videos.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Add Voiceover Audio to a Slide
• Change Slide Audio
• Edit Slide Audio
• Add Silence
• Record Voiceover Audio
• Control Object Timing
• Animate an Object
• Control Animation Options
• Insert Video
• Delay Object Start Times
• Trim Video
• Animate a Video
• Add a Slide Transition

 Module 8: Quizzes

Storyline includes a wonderful array of Quiz Slides including Multiple Choice, True/False, Matching, Fill-in-the-blank, Pick One or Many, and even Drag and Drop. During this module, you’ll get a chance to add a quiz and a few questions.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Insert a Multiple Choice Slide
• Insert a Matching Drag-and-Drop Slide
• Insert a Freeform Drag and Drop Quiz Slide
• Insert a Quiz Result Slide

 Module 9: Recording and Publishing

You can use Storyline to create the videos of just about anything you can do on your computer. Storyline captures multiple versions during the recording process including interactive simulations and videos. During this module, you’ll capture a video and insert it into an existing Storyline project. You’ll also learn how to publish your finished eLearning project for the widest possible audience.

 In This Module You Will Learn To:

• Rehearse a Script
• Record a Video
• Edit Player Properties
• Reorder Slides and Edit Triggers
• Publish Course Content

Kevin Siegel is the founder and president of IconLogic, Inc. He has written hundreds of step-by-step computer training books on applications such as Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline, Adobe RoboHelp, Adobe Presenter, Adobe Technical Communication Suite, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, QuarkXPress, and TechSmith Camtasia Studio.

Kevin spent five years in the U.S. Coast Guard as an award-winning photojournalist and has nearly three decades experience as a print publisher, technical writer, instructional designer, and eLearning developer. He is a certified technical trainer, a veteran classroom instructor, and a frequent speaker at trade shows and conventions.

Kevin holds multiple certifications and was named one of the top trainers in the world by Adobe Systems, Inc.

Kal Hadi is a Certified Technical Trainer with more than 20 years of experience in computer graphics, imaging, and electronic publishing. Kal is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology Electronic Publishing graduate program. He is also the author of many books and papers in graphics and web publishing.