Topic (Lesson) 2: Allergies and Dietary Requirements

Assignment 3 inspired me to continue with creating the e-Learning English course for several of my students. I will use real scenarios and real-world issues that my learners face to develop this training course and design with them in mind.

What is the Business Problem?

·        The international airline industry often encounters difficulties in recruiting and retaining talent with proficient English skills.

·        Prospective flight attendants aspiring to join prestigious airlines like Emirates often lack the necessary English proficiency.

·        Experienced cabin crew may face challenges in progressing their careers or working for international airlines due to insufficient English abilities.

·        This language barrier not only impacts passenger service quality but also affects safety and communication in the aviation sector.

·        According to the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC), cabin crew must have a sufficient understanding of English to communicate effectively, coordinate tasks, and fulfil all required duties. Supriadi & Purbani (2019).

There are limited ESP (English for Specific Purposes) courses at our company therefore I created one to help current and aspiring flight attendants improve their English language skills.

Target Audience

South Korean flight attendants and aspiring flight attendants who wish to improve their English language skills to work at international airline such as Emirates. Many of our current students aspire to attend the Emirates recruitment events in Seoul where they must showcase their English language abilities.

The Learning Gap

Flight attendants whose first language is not English face challenges due to their English proficiency levels: Some of our learners are at a low-intermediate level (A2-B1 CEFR), insufficient for a career at an international airline or effective communication in English-speaking environments. Other learners are at an intermediate language level (B1 CEFR), but this falls short of career goals and service expectations at international airlines.

I am using Articulate Rise (with elements from Storyline and Vyond) to develop a multimedia e-learning course to help flight attendants improve their English communication skills with passengers. This platform is intuitive and offers various content display options.

To align with Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction, each chapter starts with a captivating 'hook' such as an intriguing fact, statistic, or demonstrative video to grab the learners' attention, followed by clear learning outcomes.

Units open with ‘Pre-knowledge’ questions/activities to stimulate recall of prior learning and connect it to new material. Content is delivered using Mayer’s principles of multimedia learning, effectively combining text, images, and interactive elements.

Incorporating the 3 Cs (challenge, choice, consequence), we present scenarios that require decision-making, allowing learners to see the impact of their choices. Each unit concludes with an assessment, aligning with Gagne’s elicitation of performance.

Early modules feature quizzes for immediate feedback, while the last module will feature a formative assessment. Creating the course wireframe helped me to visualise the overall structure and plan content and activities.

This process revealed that some modules were too similar, leading to a more concise course design in future to enhance the learning experience.

The course is structured to achieve five main learning outcomes outlined in the scoping document. The lesson I have focused on in this assignment includes an additional five learning outcomes, each tailored to deepen the learner's comprehension of handling allergies and dietary needs in a customer service context. I found this stage of the design process both enjoyable and enlightening.

Using the module framework, I divided the module into ‘Units’ composed of three core elements: an engaging activity, followed by targeted content, and concluding with another interactive activity. This approach facilitates a well-rounded learning experience that reinforces key concepts through active engagement.

As I familiarised myself with Rise 360, I opted to use the Digital Learning Institute’s storyboard template for planning and directly implemented the outlined blocks in the platform. Rise 360 proved user-friendly for a beginner like me, with its easily accessible sidebar making it simple to manage and arrange content blocks. I populated these blocks with a variety of media, including on screen text, bright images, interactive labelled graphics, and embedded YouTube videos. Additionally, I integrated scenario-based learning elements from Articulate Storyline and created a basic animated video with Vyond to illustrate real-life scenarios effectively.

I enjoyed developing the basic scenario-based learning using the 3Cs method: Challenge, Choice, Consequence. Scenario-based learning immerses students in practical situations, aligning with Gagne's theory to enhance both understanding and practical application of concepts.

The full course also features an introduction, clearly defined learning outcomes, self-assessment quizzes, interactive graphics, and a final quiz, all designed to reinforce the material and ensure comprehensive learning. This segmented approach not only prevents cognitive overload but also keeps learners engaged, thus meeting the learning objectives efficiently. The design promotes an active learning environment that benefits both learners and developers.

Developing this course has not only tested my existing knowledge but also refined my career goals and aspirations. Mayer's Principles, such as spatial contiguity, segmenting, and personalisation, were instrumental in guiding my content design to enhance interactivity and learner retention.

As I continue to explore design principles and tools, I recognise the importance of deeper research into scoping methodologies to improve future projects and further develop my skills as a curriculum and e-learning developer.

Although this was my first time using Rise 360 and I found it relatively easy to organise content blocks, I understand that mastering this tool will require further practice and dedicated effort. Overall, this project has been a valuable learning experience, highlighting areas for growth and improvement in my journey towards becoming a proficient e-learning developer.

Abdelhakim, A. S., Jones, E., Redmond, E., Hewedi, M., & Seaman, P. (2019). Cabin crew food safety training: A qualitative study. Food Control, 96, 151-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.08.021

Tulsiani, R. (2023). Enhancing the 3C model for immersive and engaging scenario-based learning. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/enhancing-the-3c-model-for-immersive-and-engaging-scenario-based-learning

Supriadi, M. F., & Purbani, W. (2019). The prospective flight attendants’ English language needs. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Current Issues in Education (ICCIE 2018) (pp. 344-348). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/iccie-18.2019.60

Rimmer, T. (n.d.). 5 cool ways to use characters to engage and connect with learners. E-Learning Heroes. https://community.articulate.com/articles/5-cool-ways-to-use-characters-to-engage-and-connect-with-learners (accessed August 11, 2024).

Botne, K. (2024, August 5). Elearning Multimedia: The Power of Visuals in Online Learning. EduMe. https://www.edume.com/blog/elearning-multimedia (accessed August 11, 2024).

Hogle, P. S. (2024). What is Bloom's Taxonomy for digital learning? Neovation. https://www.neovation.com/learn/27-what-is-blooms-taxonomy-for-digital-learning (accessed August 14, 2024).

Digital Learning Institute. (n.d.). Visual design for digital learning: C.R.A.P. principles. Digital Learning Institute. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.digitallearninginstitute.com/blog/visual-design-for-digital-learning-c-r-a-p-principles