You identify as an Instructional Designer in the world of eLearning. What type of storyteller are you? Do you know how to “hook” your eLearning audiences and bring them along for a ride, adventure or lessons learned, regardless of the subject matter in your scripts?
Play with me a bit here and think about your educational experiences during formal school education or on-the-job. Whether in-person or online, how many memories stand out as cringe-worthy or painful, and you felt: “I didn’t learn anything, and I’ll never get that time back!” vs. “Wow! That was a fun surprise, and I can use the information to make a positive difference in my daily work.”? Sadly, many of us can relate to memories of poor-quality curricula, in form and/or execution, and the “pit in the stomach” feeling when told that you needed to participate in an upcoming eLearning training session.
Of course, there are many facets to creating a successful eLearning experience for yourself, the learners and the stakeholders involved. Let’s consider the makeup of your learning community:
- Do you know what motivates them to learn?
- Do they view the time needed to participate in training to be an investment in themselves or a waste?
- Why do they (or don’t they) care about the subject matter at hand?
- What’s needed to create engagement with them so that they buy-in, pay attention to the delivery of the material and complete the course with the “takeaways” that you and the sponsors of the training session need to measure for success?
- Are they feeling bored? Or are they having fun and anticipating the next module of the course?
These are just some of the questions you’re probably asking when analyzing your audience’s needs and wants…and you should be asking these questions before writing your scripts.
Once your materials are ready, collaborating with a professional voice actor can help raise the delivery quality of your hard work. How so?
A voice actor has the skill to bring your words to life and focus a learner’s attention on the story – while connecting emotionally with the learner in a way that can augment comprehension. When that happens, a person hearing your script can imagine being in the story and remember key takeaways with a different perspective. This can translate to better and more measurable outcomes (e.g., passing assessments; demonstrating the ability to implement a new job skill; or achieving a “next-step” milestone on a certification path).
If you’re ready to invest in a storytelling partner, I’m happy to explore how I can help you add value to your efforts – please reach out and let’s have a chat!