Here you will find interactive software and app simulations and reviews that guide and instruct learners on how to use specific software.
If a below learning item specifically covers an AI topic or software, that course or software simulation will also be listed under the AI Courses page.
1. Articulate Rise 360: Create Rapid Interactive Microlearning Courses Using Rise 360 Templates
This interactive software simulation has both a demonstration video and a learner-controlled navigation walk-through.
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This course is intended for beginner-level eLearning authors new to Articulate Rise 360.
It begins with a brief introduction reviewing the key benefits of Rise 360, which is then followed by a video demonstrating a rapid authoring process using Rise 360’s microlearning templates. The video covers the entire process starting with signing in to Rise 360, finding and selecting the desired interactive microlearning template, customizing it, reviewing it with stakeholders using Review 360, and then publishing the finished masterpiece.
After the video, an interactive module exists allowing the learner to control navigation in a step-by-step process repeating what was essentially covered in the aforementioned video.
Objective: This course was created as part of an upskilling effort for instructional designers and eLearning developers who had minimal prior exposure to Articulate Rise 360. The course offers a view into Rise 360’s interface, how to navigate around in it, and ultimately produce a published interactive course.
Primary Authoring Tool: Articulate Rise 360
Key Interactive Feature used:
- Process Interaction – used for the step-by-step, learner-controlled navigation of the entire process.
Secondary Design Tools: MacBook Pro for screen captures and screen recordings, Adobe After Effects for motion graphics, Adobe Illustrator for graphics, Adobe Premiere Pro for video clips and motion graphics compilation and assembly, and Adobe Audition for voiceover recording and editing.
2. Microsoft Designer Software Review (Part 2)
An interactive software simulation review of Microsoft’s new AI-powered design tool. It covers how to create and edit AI-generated images. It includes an interactive learning activity that is scored and can be published to a learning management system (LMS).
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This training is the second entry in a series of interactive software simulations reviewing this enjoyable and powerful AI-powered design tool.
This particular review offers a comprehensive screen review including a deep stretch to all corners of its newly revised Home screen.
If you want to learn how to create AI-generated images and edit them with easy-to-use tools and resources, this training for you.
An added element is an interactive simulation assessment with scoring that can be published to a Learning Management System (LMS).
Objective: This Part 2 seeks to explore the deepest corners of the new Home screen, along with its My Projects and Project Editor screens.
Additionally, we cover how to access the tool. It is free after all.
Primary Authoring Tool: Articulate Storyline 360
Key Interactive Features used:
- True-False Variables – used for Slide Completion Tracking, Menu Navigation (Section Progress Indicator State Changes), and Interactive Simulation Assessment Unlock – becomes accessible after all sections are completed.
- Screen Recording (View Mode) – used for demonstration video screen recording and play.
- Screen Recording (Test Mode) – used for video screen recording with learner-controlled selectable navigation for interactive simulation assessment.
- Layers – used to display custom feedback for correct, incorrect, and try again during the interactive simulation assessment.
Secondary Design Tools: Techsmith Camtasia; Adobe Illustrator, Audition
3. Microsoft Designer Software Review (Part 1)
This interactive software simulation reviews Microsoft’s AI-powered design tool. It introduces the application and offers both a demonstration video and a learner-controlled walk-through with hints.
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This simulation is intended for beginners and is planned as the first entry in a series of interactive software simulations reviewing this enjoyable and powerful AI-powered design tool.
This particular review introduces the application and its main home screen, covers how to generate an AI image using the tool’s ‘Prompt Templates’, and finally how to download a generated image.
Objective: Many adults do not know this tool exists even though it is a major Microsoft entry into the AI-powered image and graphics generation space. This software simulation was developed to offer a glimpse into the tool and its most basic function of creating an AI image and downloading it.
Primary Authoring Tool: Articulate Storyline 360
Key Interactive Features used:
- Screen Recording (View Mode) – used for demonstration video screen recording and play
- Screen Recording (Try Mode) – used for video screen recording with learner-controlled selectable navigation with ‘Hints’
- Layers – used to display custom alerts to provide the learner feedback for incorrect clicks or selections in the learner-controlled walk-through.
Secondary Design Tools: Techsmith Camtasia; Adobe Illustrator, Audition
4. Interactive Software Simulation: Using ZOOM for Virtual Counseling
This interactive software simulation was created to educate counselors on how to utilize ZOOM for virtual counseling on a large government contract.
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* This course may have proprietary information, so there is not a publicly available link to open it right now. However, if I am asked, I can make a special arrangement to give temporary secure access with a password.
This interactive software simulation is an educational guide with a video menu board containing 7 separate videos from which to choose. It also conveyed very specific requirements. It was designed, developed and published for a recent employer, who managed a major government contract that included a network of thousands of counselors.
It was intended, one, to complement a live, virtual one-on-one training delivery to those counselors; and two, to educate other trainers in the organization who soon would be engaged in the live training delivery.
Objective: This served two purposes:
1. Training for Counselors – I delivered live virtual training to over 1000 counselors on how to use ZOOM for our organization’s Telehealth program, which had very specific requirements. During the live virtual training, a static PDF user guide was sent and reviewed covering the key requirements and steps to follow. We then practiced those steps with a climactic conclusion of connecting over ZOOM video.
This interactive simulation (or guide) was intended to serve as a self-help, ‘post-training’ resource. It covered the same requirements and steps reviewed during the live training. It also reflected the material in the PDF.
We had the ability to publish it to each individual counselor’s profile and curriculum on our Learning Management System (LMS) allowing them to access it for self-help.
It saved the organization money as it resulted in a significant reduction in technical support, it also improved training effectiveness, and it improved counselors’ virtual sessions outcomes.
2. Train-the-Trainer – the organization had a need to have other trainers educated on how the live virtual training delivery occurred. When the time came for them to perform the training, we had consistency in our content and delivery. Along with the PDF user guide, this interactive guide was used to train the other trainers. We also enabled trainers to be able to access this published interactive guide on our Learning Management System (LMS).
Primary Authoring Tool: Articulate Storyline 360
Secondary Design Tools: ZOOM, Camtasia, Adobe Creative Suite: Premiere Pro, After Effects, Illustrator, and Audition.