How to Make Interactive Learning Content Better

Today in my Google Reader list I found a very interesting post from eLearning Designer Jeffery Goldman (@minutebio) called ‘A Great Example of Using Multiple Forms of Media‘.

Goldman’s post centers around a very successful interactive project created by Domani Studios and The Martin Agency called ‘We Choose the Moon‘. The goal of the project was to recreate the Apollo 11 mission to the moon in real-time online. It was produced last year as a celebration of the 40th anniversary since the first manned moon landing, and launched on the same day, at the same time, of the original mission.

From the Domani website:

‘For 4 days the site relived Apollo 11’s lunar mission, minute by minute, in real time – leveraging almost 110 hours of Apollo 11 audio transmissions, full screen 3D animations, and live twitter feeds in the voice of the  astronauts.’

I spent a good while looking at the site, it is a truly captivating work of art and definitely worth checking out.

A few notes about the ‘We Choose the Moon’ project:

  • It took 3 months to bring to life
  • The project uses over 400 unique audio, video, and photo assets from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
  • It was developed using Adobe Premiere Pro, among many other tools I’m sure

So, how does this relate to online learning?

Admittedly, the budget for this project was probably huge and it is very adventurous in terms of animation and interactivity, but Domani’s focus is on “extending brand through truly authentic experiences” (Jonathan Hills, Co-Founder at Domani). In this case, the site requires audience participation through the different interactions with a variety of media formats. This means you are no longer just a viewer, you really feel like you’re right there in 1969 watching history unfold and it makes the event so much more personal. It is that concept that is transferable to interactive online course design, no matter how small the budget.

@Schnicker