Avatar Experience. Thoughts, Attitudes?
June 26, 2008 12:00 AM
My company is exploring this idea and I'm particularly interested in not just the How but the Why aspect, like what Ben mentioned above."Somethng like scenario based design or simulations that draw the learner in and cause them to have to make job-related decisions using the information learned is where e-learning can make a difference. Moving pictures, whether video or avatars or flash, just adds a bit of interest but not a great deal to what is learned and actually used on the job."I like that avatars seem to 1) humanize the e-learning experience and 2) create some interest; however, fully animated avatars seem like an investment with a low payoff to me. (And if you have evidence to agree or disagree, please share!) They add interest (at least at first), but not interactivity. Having said that, we're going to experiment with characters because we have an audience that is not very tech-savvy and we feel that characters will provide them with a buddy or guide as they take the CBTs. The idea is to make the experience more comfortable and personal, not to wow everyone with our technical skill.I also think that fully animated avatars can be limiting in the same way that full audio narration can be limiting; there are learners who learn better and faster by reading... as long as you keep their interest. Forcing them to sit through long audio explanations makes e-learning painful and ineffective, and no amount of lip movement on the avatar can improve that. (Incidentally, some role-playing video games make the same mistake -- making you watch characters speak when you interact with them. And if that doesn't even keep someone's interest in a video game context, how is it going to in a CBT on regulatory compliance?)Anyway, I wanted to throw some of these ideas out there. For our next CBT project, which is an "informational" module with very dry content, I'm going to use a minimally animated character with a speech bubble on each screen. (Minimal animation = a hand pointing out a concept, occasional eye movement, etc.) There will also probably be "decorative" audio (Good job!, Try again, etc), but not full narration. I'm hoping that achieves our goals of personalization and interest without breaking the bank on full animation.Oh, by the way, I like this site for cartoon characters:Cartoon SolutionsEdited to include hyperlinkEdited By: jkunrein on 2008-7-9 10:40:11
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