Useful Instructional Design Site #3

This blog was listed among the top 10 best blogs for instructional design by CollegeOnline. The blog is called Flirting w/ eLearning onWordPress.com blog. The author’s name is Nicole Legault. With mixed desires to become a teacher, lawyer, or artist, Nicole obtained a B.A. in Law. She then landed an instructional design job with the help of her father and began an eLearning and instructional design career. She has since earned certificates in web design, graphic design, and instructional design. In addition to the blog, you can follow her on twitter. I have enjoyed reading her blog. It is organized, well written, and provides a lot of practical information from an obviously experienced instructional design perspective.

The first article I encountered was her most recent about using videos in e-Learning. The article addresses the pros and cons of using video, situations for using video, steps for using video, key considerations, optimal formats, file size considerations, and finally hints and tips. I have used video in online training, so I know a little bit about the challenges. She points out that using video in e-Learning is no longer prohibitive due to the fact that practically everyone has a video camera on their smartphone or laptop. This makes the use of video cheap and accessible. However, just because it is available does not mean that it is the best option. I can tell you that bad video can make your product look cheap. Videos used in e-Learning should be well-planned and edited. This is just one of the many useful articles that Nicole has authored.

I like the way she organizes her blogs. They are logically presented and obviously created by someone who knows about instructional design. She not only presents practical information, but also provides information about application of learning theories and instructional models. Unless you are looking for something specific, I suggest browsing from top to bottom and discovering what she has written. If you are an instructional designer yourself, I am quite sure you will learn something new or find something that you can use.