Using analogies

Instructional designers without classroom experience can sound a bit pompous and hollow. So when I found this bit of advice that actually made real-life sense, I felt I should share.
http://instructionaldesignindustry.com/how-to-design-analogies-for-elearning/
Much of it is familiar but reframing ideas in new contexts or hearing old songs sung with new voices (an analogy, get it?) can be refreshing.

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6 Creative Ways to Make Your eLearning Courses More Visual

I just read this article, 6 Creative Ways to Make Your eLearning Courses More Visual, and I happen to agree with most of it. The reason I wanted to post this article now is that all of the suggestions are easily to accomplish in Canvas, Butler's new LMS. In fact, the Canvas interface almost demands some of these. The list includes:

1) Theme or Brand Your Course

2) Use Infographics and Images of Words and Numbers

3) Embed a Short Video

4) Use High-Quality, Professional-Looking Photos and Images

5) Use Visual Menus

6) Do Some Formatting

 Take a quick look at the article to learn more about these techniques and to access some resources to help incorporate them. Let you course manager know if you need any help.

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Free Snagit Guide - Get Snagit 1/2 Price

We recently posted about Snagit and their half-price offer. Snagit has so many valuable features that it is easy to overlook some of what you can accomplish with this tool. Check out the Getting Started Guide embedded below. You can download the guide to your computer for quick access or just scroll through it here.

Note: Until April 15th you can purchase a Snagit single-user license for the upgrade price - a savings of 50% off the original price. Simply enter the promotion code below before you complete your purchase to get Snagit at the upgrade pricing. 

Use Promo Code: JINGPRO to get Snagit at 50% off (coupon expires Monday, April 15, 2013)
The Getting Started Guide for Snagit was posted earlier on the TechSmith Blog.
 

Getting Started Guide for Snagit 11.2 (Win) and 2.1 (Mac) by TechSmith

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Butler Online Advent Calendar

Butler Online is celebrating Advent with 25 days of tech tips for you to try out and use! In addition, we have added a comment each day about unique and fun features of Canvas to get our instructors a little "sneak peak" of the new LMS. Enjoy!

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Gagne's ID Steps

I got introduced to these in graduate school, but this is a fresh, vivid illustration

Rethinking Gagnes Nine Steps of Instructional Design from Donald Clark

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