This week has been productive, despite occasional daydreams about attending SXSW! 😏
We began with self-introduction posts, which I always find fun. Most of my classmates come from professional teaching backgrounds, and their insights about their work, challenges, and observations are truly inspirational to read.
Our textbook, Clark, R.C., & Mayer, R.E. (2024). e-Learning and the Science of Instruction (5th ed.), has proven to be an engaging read. The first three chapters we covered this week establish the foundational concepts that will underpin the remainder of the book.
For our Learning & Development websites, Dr. H. gave us freedom to choose any platform as long as it's publicly accessible. While I briefly considered creating an AWS static website with a custom domain (one of my many technical rabbit holes!), I ultimately chose Google Sites. Building websites is something I find both fun and satisfying, but I recognized the importance of focusing on the core educational objectives of this class: developing student-centered multimedia e-learning activities while applying research-based learning principles and industry best practices.
This week we also posted our contract ideas. After careful consideration, I decided to create an e-learning activity focused on Japanese language, specifically targeting grammar and vocabulary sections for an exam I'll be taking on July 6th, 2025. This approach allows me to fulfill course requirements while simultaneously preparing for my upcoming test. If Dr. H. suggests a different direction, my backup plan involves exploring AI platforms for coding, such as Visual Studio Code with GitHub Copilot.
The contract discussion also prompted consideration of potential tools. Dr. H. recommended several options including Adobe Captivate, Articulate 360, and more general-purpose tools like Adobe Animate (formerly Flash) and Tumult Hype for macOS. I've decided to proceed with Adobe Captivate due to its affordability and industry recognition, though Articulate 360 would have been my first choice if budget permitted, given its dominance in job listings (1,756 compared to Captivate's 71 on Dice.com). I also plan to explore Adobe Animate, as I have previous experience with Flash and am curious about its evolution and potential integration with Captivate projects.