Rapid learning
Encyclopedia
Rapid learning has traditionally referred to a methodology to build e-learning courses rapidly.
Typically the author will create slides in Powerpoint, record narration on top of the slides, with some software he/she will be allowed to add tests, or even collaboration activities between the slides and then send the whole package (most often as an Adobe Flash file) to a learning management system
or a website.
Some companies, for example the Rapid Learning Institute (RLI), are now using the term "rapid learning" to refer to the speed at which people learn. The RLI, for example, creates e-learning modules called Quick Takes that last six to 10-minutes.
E-learning has grown rapidly since the 90s but authors and organizations were confronted by the complexity of authoring processes. It is hard and expensive to build online courses from scratch. Hence the idea of recycling existing resources like Powerpoint presentations, and transform them into e-learning courses.
course from a simple Powerpoint presentation.
Some experts have highlighted the limits of this method or even insisted on the fact that rapid learning was the consequence of an attractive pedagogical fallacy of the form:
This criticism of rapid learning focuses on the idea that the richness of an interaction with students in the classroom
is not encapsulated in a PowerPoint presentation file. Consequently, an online course is a mere passive information presentation but not a training activity with questions, workshops, problems. Rapid learning has been criticized as ignoring the axiom that "we learn by doing." More globally, the critics of rapid learning have followed the same track as the critics on the use of PowerPoint in education.
The success of rapid learning has an economic reason. Many trainers and organizations are able for the first time to build their online course without the help of an e-learning team (instructional designers, art designers etc.).
The overall evolution of internet practice and the development of the Web 2.0
collaboration scenario
s might lead trainers to other scenarios. As a matter of fact, rapid learning is an inheritance of the CD-ROM
model and the idea that e-learning consists in an individual self-paced practice.
Students have complained for long that self-paced individual learning
can be boring and offers little chances of interaction, correction and success. But one can imagine mixed scenarios where the information is presented as rapid learning modules encapsulated in Flash SCORM
packages or distributed on Learning Management System
s, and the learning activities developed through other tools : blog
s, wiki
s, forums, videoconferences etc.
These best practices recommendations include:
to e-learning conversion can be estimated to take an average of 33 hours to develop.
, Alphastudy
, Articulate Presenter, Rapid Intake, Coggno
, Dokeos
, Lectora
, Odijoo, SmarterU Udutu and Wondershare PPT2Flash.
Some of these tools treat each slide as a learning object and allow to add tests and online activities between the slides. Some of these software are online services, the others are desktop applications to install on your computer.
A trend of the market is also to combine rapid learning (conversion of Powerpoint presentations) with screencast
(filming your screen and your mouse movements) so as to provide both a sequence of slides and applications demos. This combination is particularly powerful when authoring courses on how to use a software.
Typically the author will create slides in Powerpoint, record narration on top of the slides, with some software he/she will be allowed to add tests, or even collaboration activities between the slides and then send the whole package (most often as an Adobe Flash file) to a learning management system
Learning management system
A learning management system is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content...
or a website.
Some companies, for example the Rapid Learning Institute (RLI), are now using the term "rapid learning" to refer to the speed at which people learn. The RLI, for example, creates e-learning modules called Quick Takes that last six to 10-minutes.
E-learning has grown rapidly since the 90s but authors and organizations were confronted by the complexity of authoring processes. It is hard and expensive to build online courses from scratch. Hence the idea of recycling existing resources like Powerpoint presentations, and transform them into e-learning courses.
Limits of rapid learning
After 2000, a series of rapid learning tools (see below) were proposed on the market and became popular because of their simplicity and the feeling that anyone can build an e-learningE-learning
E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process...
course from a simple Powerpoint presentation.
Some experts have highlighted the limits of this method or even insisted on the fact that rapid learning was the consequence of an attractive pedagogical fallacy of the form:
- My face-to-face course works fine with Powerpoint
- I published my Powerpoint presentation
- Hence my online course works fine
This criticism of rapid learning focuses on the idea that the richness of an interaction with students in the classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
is not encapsulated in a PowerPoint presentation file. Consequently, an online course is a mere passive information presentation but not a training activity with questions, workshops, problems. Rapid learning has been criticized as ignoring the axiom that "we learn by doing." More globally, the critics of rapid learning have followed the same track as the critics on the use of PowerPoint in education.
The success of rapid learning has an economic reason. Many trainers and organizations are able for the first time to build their online course without the help of an e-learning team (instructional designers, art designers etc.).
The overall evolution of internet practice and the development of the Web 2.0
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
collaboration scenario
Scenario
A scenario is a synoptical collage of an event or series of actions and events. In the Commedia dell'arte it was an outline of entrances, exits, and action describing the plot of a play that was literally pinned to the back of the scenery...
s might lead trainers to other scenarios. As a matter of fact, rapid learning is an inheritance of the CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
model and the idea that e-learning consists in an individual self-paced practice.
Students have complained for long that self-paced individual learning
Self-paced instruction
Self-paced instruction is any kind of instruction that proceeds based on learner response. The content itself can be curriculum, corporate training, technical tutorials, or any other subject that does not require the immediate response of an instructor...
can be boring and offers little chances of interaction, correction and success. But one can imagine mixed scenarios where the information is presented as rapid learning modules encapsulated in Flash SCORM
SCORM
Sharable Content Object Reference Model is a collection of standards and specifications for web-based e-learning. It defines communications between client side content and a host system called the run-time environment, which is commonly supported by a learning management system...
packages or distributed on Learning Management System
Learning management system
A learning management system is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content...
s, and the learning activities developed through other tools : blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
s, wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
s, forums, videoconferences etc.
Best practices
Now that rapid learning has become an integral part of the authoring practice worldwide, some authors and consulting companies focus on how to reach the optimal compromise between the economic need for rapid learning and the pedagogical objective of a good instructional design.These best practices recommendations include:
- proceed to needs analysis and instructional design before building the online course so as to define the required learning activities to integrate in the course
- needs analysis should decide whether the course is a blended learning course or all online
- instructional design should decide which part of the course are online, which parts are face-to-face
- articulate Powerpoint-based content with tests and online activities
- web 2.0 tools and learning management systems allow to blend content modules created through rapid learning tools with rich interaction activities. The content modules make sense only if completing an interaction scenario or appearing as the feedback of tests and case studies
- using Powerpoint to build the course structure but rely on mindmapping to present the information in a more synthetic and visual way
How rapid is rapid?
A traditional e-learning development project can take several months. In contrast the aim of rapid e-learning is to build and roll out content modules within weeks. For example, while one hour of standard e-learning can take 73 to 220 hours to develop, a PowerPointMicrosoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint, usually just called PowerPoint, is a non-free commercial presentation program developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, and runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS X operating system...
to e-learning conversion can be estimated to take an average of 33 hours to develop.
Software
Several rapid learning software applications with varying capabilities are on the market. Most of them are authoring tools that include rapid learning as a feature. The list includes noticeably Adobe CaptivateAdobe Captivate
Adobe Captivate is an electronic learning tool for Microsoft Windows, and from v.5 Mac OS X which can be used to author software demonstrations, software simulations, branched scenarios, and randomized quizzes in .swf format. It can also convert Adobe Captivate generated .swf to .avi which can be...
, Alphastudy
Alphastudy
Alphastudy is a private Australian company that enables users to create their own web based learning and knowledge portals. The company's office is located in Sydney, Australia and was founded in 2008 by David Dinh.- History :The idea started in 2008...
, Articulate Presenter, Rapid Intake, Coggno
Coggno
Coggno is an e-learning software platform and courseware creation toolkit, Learning Management System , and Virtual Learning Environment.- Coggno features :* Text editor* User Interface * Podcast recording...
, Dokeos
Dokeos
Dokeos is a company dedicated to open source Learning Management Systems. Its main product is a SCORM-compliant open source learning suite used by multinational companies, federal administrations and universities....
, Lectora
Lectora
Lectora is an Electronic learning development tool, also known as authoring software, developed by Trivantis Corporation. Lectora is used to create online training courses, assessments, and presentations...
, Odijoo, SmarterU Udutu and Wondershare PPT2Flash.
Some of these tools treat each slide as a learning object and allow to add tests and online activities between the slides. Some of these software are online services, the others are desktop applications to install on your computer.
A trend of the market is also to combine rapid learning (conversion of Powerpoint presentations) with screencast
Screencast
A screencast is a digital recording of computer screen output, also known as a video screen capture, often containing audio narration. The term screencast compares with the related term screenshot; whereas screenshot is a picture of a computer screen, a screencast is essentially a movie of the...
(filming your screen and your mouse movements) so as to provide both a sequence of slides and applications demos. This combination is particularly powerful when authoring courses on how to use a software.
See also
- Adobe CaptivateAdobe CaptivateAdobe Captivate is an electronic learning tool for Microsoft Windows, and from v.5 Mac OS X which can be used to author software demonstrations, software simulations, branched scenarios, and randomized quizzes in .swf format. It can also convert Adobe Captivate generated .swf to .avi which can be...
- AlphastudyAlphastudyAlphastudy is a private Australian company that enables users to create their own web based learning and knowledge portals. The company's office is located in Sydney, Australia and was founded in 2008 by David Dinh.- History :The idea started in 2008...
- ChamiloChamiloChamilo is an open-source e-learning and content management system, aimed at improving access to education and knowledge globally...
- CoggnoCoggnoCoggno is an e-learning software platform and courseware creation toolkit, Learning Management System , and Virtual Learning Environment.- Coggno features :* Text editor* User Interface * Podcast recording...
- DokeosDokeosDokeos is a company dedicated to open source Learning Management Systems. Its main product is a SCORM-compliant open source learning suite used by multinational companies, federal administrations and universities....
- Electronic learning
- JackdawJackdawThe Jackdaw , sometimes known as the Eurasian Jackdaw, European Jackdaw or Western Jackdaw, is a passerine bird in the crow family. Found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa, it is mostly sedentary, although northern and eastern populations migrate south in winter. Four subspecies are...
- Instructional designInstructional designInstructional Design is the practice of creating "instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing." The process consists broadly of determining the current state and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and...
- LectoraLectoraLectora is an Electronic learning development tool, also known as authoring software, developed by Trivantis Corporation. Lectora is used to create online training courses, assessments, and presentations...
- Odijoo
- Powerpoint
- ScreencastScreencastA screencast is a digital recording of computer screen output, also known as a video screen capture, often containing audio narration. The term screencast compares with the related term screenshot; whereas screenshot is a picture of a computer screen, a screencast is essentially a movie of the...
- SmarterU
- Rapid interactivityRapid interactivityRapid interactivity is a method for rapidly developing interactive learning technologies....
- Rapid application developmentRapid application developmentRapid application development is a software development methodology that uses minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. The "planning" of software developed using RAD is interleaved with writing the software itself...
- Web 2.0Web 2.0The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...