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The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian
Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Produced by
July 16 & 17, 2009
302
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 1Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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The Powerful Webcomic Approach –Learning from the Smithsonian
Robert Costello, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryDan Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton
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Hi. I am Robert.Hi. I am Robert.
[email protected][email protected] at: http://del.icio.us/Learning2007
[email protected][email protected] at: http://del.icio.us/Learning2007
Hey. I am Dan.
Hey. I am Dan.
Go on. Tell them.
Go on. Tell them.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 2Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Agenda
I. StoriesCompare a typical case study approach and more sticky story-based approach (see your hand out for Case Study One)The sticky story checklist
II. Visual Storytelling at the Smithsonian Why use visual storytelling, like Webcomics?Example design from the Smithsonian’s Webcomic –The Secret in the CellarResults and Lesson Learned
Stories are experience simulators. They provide the information, the context, and the models that people need to make decisions.
Stories are experience simulators. They provide the information, the context, and the models that people need to make decisions.
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How familiar are you with Storytelling and Visual Storytelling approaches?
Why did you choose this session?
Please type your replies into the chat window.
Please type your replies into the chat window.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 3Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Approaches for Making Your Learning Stick!
Visual StorytellingStorytelling
Impacts affective domain
Facilitates action-based stories with limited text
Offers knowledge instead of data
Taps into existing visual acuity skillsEnables emotional connections and advocacy
Improves recallYields deeper, more accurate learning
Increases the number of concepts learned
Engages learners
Makes oral and written text more concrete
Improves retention
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How do you turn a boring story about a machine into a sticky story that will produce
action?
An example from Sources of Power, by Gary Klein
http://www.decisionmaking.com
Using a Stephen Denning storytelling approach
www.stevedenning.com
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 4Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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We are going to present the same basic information it two waysFirst - A typical case study Second – A more sticky story-based
approach
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Malfunctioning Heart Monitor - a case-study story
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 5Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Read the case study below targeting new neonatal nurses and offer suggestions for improving the instructional intervention.
Case Study: Malfunctioning Heart MonitorTeaching Point: When a patient is suffering a pneumopericardium, the heart rate monitor does not reflect the real heart beat. Definition: pneumopericardium (new – mO – perI – cardium) - A condition of new-born babies: Air fills the sac that surrounds the heart and turns it into a balloon. The heart is essentially paralyzed.Scenario: A nurse in a neonatal unit notices a baby having subtle color changes over a period of several hours. Then in a matter of seconds, the baby turns blue-black… The Goldway 4000F Vital Sign Monitor shows that his heart rate drops but then holds steady at eighty beats per minute. The nurse assumes it’s a collapsed lung. He calls for X-ray, and a doctor to come and puncture the baby’s chest wall to relieve the lung. Because neither the doctor nor the nurse recognizes that a pneumopericardium is present in time, the baby dies.
How would you improve? Please type your replies into the chat window.
How would you improve? Please type your replies into the chat window.
Source: adapted from Klein, Gary (1998) Sources of Power : How People Make Decisions. MIT Press
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Action story
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 6Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 7Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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The boring story of a malfunctioning machine The courageous story
of Karen
A case study is made interesting
The story now provides simulation (knowledge about how to act) and inspiration (motivation to act).
The story now provides simulation (knowledge about how to act) and inspiration (motivation to act).
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 8Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Answer the ABCs to turn a case study into a story
Action - What is the starting event?Background - What is the situation?Conflict - What needs to specifically happen?Development - What happens and who is involved?End - Why is this valuable?
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Sticky Story SUCCESS Checklist
SimpleUnexpectedConcreteCredibleEmotionalSparks Action (or provides Solution)
Source: Adapted from Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die www.madetostick.com
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 9Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Can you predict the most effective communication method for an organization?
Which was the most effective method?
A. A story alone B. Statistical data aloneC. A combination of
statistics and storyD. A policy statement
by senior company executive
Source: Martin, J. and Powers, M. "Organizational Stories: More Vivid and Persuasive than Quantitative Data."
A study analyzed the effectiveness of four different methods of persuasion - when given the task of communicating that an organization really practiced a policy of avoiding layoffs.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 10Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Trouble at Checkpoint 4 was used to kick off discussions in online Army forums
Stories provide the context for learners to make decisions. Within 48 hours, Trouble at Checkpoint 4 was the highest ranked contribution of the 5705 knowledge objects posted in the discussionforum.
Stories provide the context for learners to make decisions. Within 48 hours, Trouble at Checkpoint 4 was the highest ranked contribution of the 5705 knowledge objects posted in the discussionforum.
Source: Command Performance Research, Inc.
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Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
We inspire curiosity, discovery, and learning about nature and culture . . . 6 – 7 million onsite visitors and 30 million online visitors in 2008
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 11Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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The Museum needed to expand reach and teach scientific learning objectives
• Increase public understanding of the process of science
• Increase public awareness of NMNH research
• Increase understanding of forensic science
STUDENT RESPONSES
Percent of students that selected “Very – Extremely Well” on the question - How well did the Webcomic inform you on:
The scientific process 67%
The practice of archaeology 57%
The practice of forensic 85%Anthropology
Colonial Chesapeake 52%history
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Audience characteristics – middle and high school students• Very computer savvy and connected• The members of the EYE generation are visually acute. They play
video games, watch movies, and read comic books.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 12Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Design idea: Webcomic with a main storyline and links to additional information and other activities from the main storyline
•Lessons•Definitions•Predictive activities•Branching story
Image Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Scene 1 – Introduce hero Scene 2 – The hook
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Why do a Webcomic?
Stories are experience simulators. They provide the information, the context, and the models that people need to make decisions.
Stories are experience simulators. They provide the information, the context, and the models that people need to make decisions.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 13Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
25
Visuals can help stories be more understandable – Example: Macbeth | Act I, Scene 2 MALCOLM.This is the sergeantWho, like a good and hardy soldier, fought'Gainst my captivity.--Hail, brave friend!Say to the king the knowledge of the broilAs thou didst leave it.
SOLDIER.Doubtful it stood;As two spent swimmers that do cling togetherAnd choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald,--Worthy to be a rebel,--for to thatThe multiplying villainies of natureDo swarm upon him,--from the Western islesOf kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,
Source: http://www.classicalcomics.com
Want more? See What is “Visual Language"?: What comics can tell us about the Mind by Neil Cohn.
Want more? See What is “Visual Language"?: What comics can tell us about the Mind by Neil Cohn.
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Have you seen the Manga section at your local bookstore and library?
“It's old news that shojo is hot. And the corollary, that girls are pushing graphic novel sales, is well known. What's less well known is that young female creators are among the hottest new comics artists.”
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 14Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Visual storytelling is sticky and an effective instructional approach
Visual storytelling:• Makes oral and written
text more concrete –more understandable
• Increases the number of concepts learned
• Improves recall• Taps into existing visual
acuity skills• Facilitates action-based
stories with limited text
Source: Stephen CaryImage Source: World Bank Comic: 1 World Manga Passage 2: HIV/AIDS - First Love
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Source: L10 http://l10.biz/ Click the image above and then use the arrow buttons to advance through the 9 pages.
Click the image above and then use the arrow buttons to advance through the 9 pages.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 15Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
29
What other options did we consider?
Decided not to do a game nor add audio.Do you think we were right?Decided not to do a game nor add audio.Do you think we were right?
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Webcomic Storyline Development Process
1. Pencils in PPT 1. Pencils in PPT
4. Limited animation and
text added
4. Limited animation and
text added
2. Inked in vector format
2. Inked in vector format
3. Colored in and put in Flash
3. Colored in and put in Flash
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 16Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Smart thing – Held focus group with middle and high school studentsWhen: After the pencils were doneHow: Each character role assigned to a student; read story aloud (no activities)
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Great feedback from the focus groups confirmed approach was on target
At first I didn’t think I would like it. I am not the type of person who likes comic book-type stories, like this one. Luckily, I enjoyed it greatly. I think most of the panels were excellent.
I thought it was good I liked it. It was a good story. If they made it a website it would be awesome.
I thought the overall impression of the story was nice because I understood what the story was saying. It’s also interesting because the story is about someone our age. The presentation was nice, a little boring but maybe it’s because there was no color
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 17Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Activities allow the learners to view new information in an article format and then apply it
After the learners were introduced to a need for knowledge and information within the story, they were provided the opportunity to dig deeper, make their own judgment calls, and compare their answers against other viewers. Sometimes, photos from the actual case were compared against examples.
After the learners were introduced to a need for knowledge and information within the story, they were provided the opportunity to dig deeper, make their own judgment calls, and compare their answers against other viewers. Sometimes, photos from the actual case were compared against examples.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 18Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
35
Used polling questions instead of standard static multiple-choice questions to make the activities more of a connected experience
Our audience is used to collaborating as part of an online community. Plus, we thought that they would pay more attention once they saw they were one of the few people to choose a certain answer.
Our audience is used to collaborating as part of an online community. Plus, we thought that they would pay more attention once they saw they were one of the few people to choose a certain answer.
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Design idea: Make activities modular for flexible use by teachers and incorporate Facebook fan site
The audience uses Facebook and hopefully will viral-market the site through their social networking.<link to Ana’s page>
The audience uses Facebook and hopefully will viral-market the site through their social networking.<link to Ana’s page>
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 19Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Would the Webcomic be more instructionally effective with audio?
You can also submit responses about the use of audio in e-Learning in a more complete survey.You can also submit responses about the use of audio in e-Learning in a more complete survey.
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Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 20Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
39
Google Analytics for Tracking With low numbers at the start of a rollout it is risky to say there are any trends at all, but …
• Bounce Rate is low -good
• Time on Site is high -good
• Behind the Scenes is highest page and exit page - good
• Print – Help is third highest exit page
• Top content roughly follows the sequence it is offered
• Highest traffic areas are VA and MD
Google Analytics generates multiple reports based on a small piece of script that was included on all pages, but …Google Analytics generates multiple reports based on a small piece of script that was included on all pages, but …
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Sample Survey responses
Who is using The Secret in the Cellar Webcomic?
• I am 72 years old and fascinated by the scientific study of the world around us.
• Parent, History Buff, Homeschool Mom, Forensic Anthropologist—really!
• Retired Diplomat, Museum Curator, Museum Educator, Budget Analyst age 55
• Retired Military, Retired Teacher, Genealogist 50 year-old
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 21Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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Would you recommend the Webcomic to a friend by sharing the Web address?
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• Sharing the information with my grandchildren and building theirinterest prior to visiting the exhibit
• That you could click on extra links to learn more . . . the process they go through . . . that really captured my 9 year old interest
• My kids all liked the comic aspect of it and the “mystery” aspect of the story
• Visuals, pictures are good for my memory and my type of learning• “Vote” is a seamless test your knowledge approach• I found myself interested in a topic that wouldn’t ordinarily interest
me• At first, I thought sound might help. However, on second thought,
it would prohibit the student from focusing on the PROCESS of learning, which I believe is the goal of Education.
Sample Survey responses to the question -What aspects of the Webcomic did you like best?
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 22Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
43
Section 508 Compliance Approach
• Long Description link (only seen by a screen reader) to text-only version
• Webcomic is readable by a screen reader – provided alternate text and revised text in a separate script for each page
• Printable and screen readable PDF versions available for the Webcomic and Activities
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The ABC Guidelines for Visual Storytelling
• Action – Show the story, don’t just talk about it • Balloons – No more than 3 to 4 balloons per cell• Cells – No more than 6 cells/panels per page• Dialogue – No more than 12 to 15 word per
balloon or 30 words per cell
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 23Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
45
Lessons Learned
• Instructional Designers should sometimes think about themselves as knowledge marketers and writers
• Sustaining an interesting story is a deliberate process (and you still have to work with SMEs)
• Apply multiple Section 508 (Flash, HTML, and PDF) approaches
• Surveys can be branched to capture the interests of different audiences
Write short simple surveys and then make them shorter
• Use social networking for marketing and feedback (Facebook)
• Adobe Flex is different from Flash
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What was Tom Hanks character’s big idea in the 1988 movie BIG?
Source: 20th Century Fox
Please type your replies into the chat window.
Please type your replies into the chat window.
Not Just a Pretty Interface: Visuals and Graphics that Enhance Learning
July 16 & 17, 2009
Page 24Session 302 – The Powerful Webcomic Approach – Learning from the Smithsonian - Daniel Bliton, Booz Allen Hamilton and Robert Costello, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
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The Secret in the Cellar Webcomic: http://writteninbone.si.edu/comic
Links to additional references and examples at:http://del.icio.us/Learning2007
Please complete the survey about the use of audio with static images in e-Learning at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Dpvvrq9312f5qcre97wy4w_3d_3d
Robert Costello ([email protected]) Dan Bliton ([email protected])