Preparing PowerPoint for ELearning

By: Justin Ferriman • March 3, 2014
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trainingFor many people, PowerPoint is the go-to software tool for any instructional event – and who could blame them?

Nearly every organization has Microsoft Office so PowerPoint is pretty accessible. What’s more, most people are already very familiar with it.

Naturally, it makes sense to use it for training (perhaps there is too much dependence).

So let’s assume you have a pile of PowerPoint presentations that you would like to leverage to create an elearning course. What is the best way to go about this?

Below are six ways that you can ensure your PowerPoint presentations make a good transition to the elearning world.to help you get started.

PowerPoint to ELearning

Set Clear Learning Objectives – I harp on this quite a bit, probably the most important aspect of any training endeavor are the objectives. They describe what your learners will be able to do after the training.

Organize the Content – Presentations are often long and (seemingly) un-ending. Separate the content logically so that it flows in a natural course fashion.

Fill in the Blanks – If you are using the presentation for elearning, then there is a good chance you will need to add more detail to the course. Good PowerPoint presentations are meant to be short and concise, allowing the presenter room to elaborate. In an elearning environment, this isn’t always ideal.

Incorporate Interactive Elements – Don’t just take the presentation and create a recording of you going through the slides, it’s the surest way to lose your audience. Look to add interactive elements where they make sense, and where it enhances the content.

Use Games – This isn’t always an option, but if possible, use some form of gamification to increase the interest and involvement of the learning. Assessments, badges, and points are a simple way to do this, just make sure that they are used to guide behavior towards a desired goal.

Add Quizzes – An integral part to any course is the assessment. Break-up content with knowledge checks and lesson quizzes. Use more than multiple choice and true or false. Questions should be accessible but challenging.

Reference:
CommLab

Justin Ferriman

Justin started LearnDash, the WordPress LMS trusted by Fortune 500 companies, major universities, training organizations, and entrepreneurs worldwide. He is currently founder & CEO of GapScout. Justin’s Homepage | GapScout | Twitter