Get Ready to Level Up Your Learning Design at the Adobe Learning Summit!

Calling all L&D rockstars! Buckle up because the Adobe Learning Summit details are finally here and are about to blow your mind.

Early Bird Alert! Score a steal on registration – it's only $399 until July 17th! That's right; you can snag access to this incredible event for a fraction of the price and for a limited time. But wait, there's more!

Double Down on Learning: Thinking about getting certified in Adobe Captivate? Here's your chance to stack some serious savings. Bundle the conference with your certification for just $699 (a whopping $400 discount!) Don't miss out on this opportunity to become a Captivate master at a fraction of the usual cost. This cert usually sets you back $1099, so this is a game-changer!

Top Secret Tech Preview: Adobe's something special brewing, and they are giving us a sneak peek! Get ready to experience a test kitchen of a new web-based version of Adobe Captivate! This could be a total game-changer for your workflow. Imagine the freedom of building courses from anywhere, right in your web browser! (That's all I can say for now, but trust me, you won't want to miss this!)

AI Assistant Makes a Return: Remember last year's mind-blowing glimpse of Adobe Captivate with AI Assistant? Well, buckle up because it's back for another round! Get ready to see how close we are to bringing the power of AI right into your Captivate projects. The future of learning design is here, and it's intelligent!

Keynote by a Visionary: Get ready for inspiration from Salman Khan, the founder of Khan Academy! His mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere, has transformed learning on a global scale. His book, "Brave New Words," explores the power of AI in education, and guess what? He's bringing those insights straight to the keynote stage! This is your chance to hear from an authentic leader shaping the future of learning.

The Adobe Learning Summit is shaping up to be an epic event. Take advantage of this chance to level up your skills, network with fellow L&D wizards, and get a glimpse of the future of learning design. See you there!

All-New Adobe Captivate - Add a Progress indicator

In this video, I show you how you can add a progress indicator to your All-New Adobe Captivate project.

Use Local Storage to Share Captivate Variables Between Projects

In this video, I show you how to export the contents of a user variable, such as a student name, to your browser's local storage and then recall the contents of that local storage in another Adobe Captivate 12 project.

This is a great way to personalize an eLearning course by frequently using the learner's names throughout many modules. This video is a solid introduction to JavaScript in the All-New Adobe Captivate.

You should use Visual Studio Code to double-check the syntax of your JavaScript. You can download it here: Download Visual Studio Code https://code.visualstudio.com/

Original video using Adobe Captivate Classic https://youtu.be/WIDeL4IGYMk

All-New Adobe Captivate - Variables

In this video, I introduce you to the concept of variables inside of the All-New Adobe Captivate.

FORGET Icons! Images CLICK REVEAL in Captivate (EASY HACK)

Use images instead of icons in Adobe Captivate and click to reveal (easy hack).

All-New Adobe Captivate - Partial Scoring in Multiple Choice

In this video, I show you how you can set up partial scoring in your Adobe Captivate multiple choice question slides.

Stop Wasting Time! Edit Captivate Audio FAST!

Are you tired of switching between Captivate and external audio editors? This video reveals a hidden gem—Captivate's built-in audio editing tools! Learn how to trim, adjust volume, and even record new clips without leaving Captivate. Save time, streamline your workflow, and polish your eLearning audio like a pro!

eLearning Lifehack - Get Adobe Captivate for FREE!

Adobe launched the Adobe eLearning Community in 2016 to grow the online community for Adobe Captivate. Shortly after, the Adobe LMS solution, originally called Adobe Captivate Prime, became Adobe Learning Manager. Adobe wanted their customers to talk together and share ideas informally rather than relying only on official help files. It has worked, as there are several hundred thousand members of the Adobe eLearning Community, including yours.

One little-known feature of the Adobe eLearning Community is its incentive program, which encourages participation in the community. Because of this program, I have not paid for Adobe Captivate since version 7. While you think Adobe has given me Adobe Captivate because of my YouTube channel, you would only be partially correct. Let me explain how this program works.

How does it work?

Visit elearning.adode.com and sign in using your Adobe ID. If you don't have an Adobe ID, it's free and easy to sign up and start using. If you don't already have access to Adobe Captivate, you can download a copy from here and start using it. The next step is to start sharing with the community. The easiest way to start participating is to post a blog post, ask a question, or start a discussion. For each of these activities, you will earn points. When you sign in, you start as a Newbie (I personally hate that word) and will have zero points. As you continue to engage with the community, your points will accumulate. You will graduate to an Explorer once you have gained 50 points, a guide at 150 points, a Master at 500, a Wizard at 1,000, and a Legend at 5,000.

Here is where it gets good

Here is where it gets good. If you get 150 points, you will receive one month of complimentary license usage for Adobe Captivate. Five hundred points get you 3 months of Adobe Captivate, 1000 gets you 6 months, and 5,000 gets you 12 months. For 1,000 or 5,000, you also get invited to Adobe Learning Summit, the conference in Las Vegas about Adobe Captivate, which includes a free pass and stay (you would need to figure out how to get there, though). This could include opportunities to present at the conference or within Adobe webinars and workshops.

How I use the program

Here is what I do. I'm making Adobe Captivate YouTube videos anyway, so once a week, when I release a new video, I merely post it to the Adobe eLearning Community, and just like that, I get 50 points. There are a couple of rules around posting videos. They should be more than 4 minutes long; the video must be about eLearning, or, better yet, specifically about Adobe Captivate; they should be well-produced and with recorded narration in English. I have enough points to cash that in for a 12-month complimentary license of Adobe Captivate. You can find all the details about the program here.

To check your current level and redeem your points, you want to visit your profile. To access your profile, click on the avatar of yourself in the upper right corner and click on My Profile. You will see your current points, lifetime points, the number of followers, and the number of other users you follow. 

My profile with accumulated points

You can request your points be converted into a complimentary license key to start using Adobe Captivate for free up to two times per year. One limitation of trial software is that anything you produce with it expires after 30 days. Not so with this version of Adobe Captivate. It is the full version.

Ideas for you to get started

If I were a new Adobe Captivate user, I would make it my goal to get to five hundred points as quickly as possible. Remember, five hundred points get you three months of Adobe Captivate, during which time you can focus on gaining an even higher level. Build something neat with Adobe Captivate and submit it as a free project. For this, you will earn two hundred points. That, along with a few separate blog posts, would be enough to become a Master and gain five hundred points. When you are ready to redeem your points, email elcommunity1@adobe.com and ask for your reward. Adobe doesn't issue the rewards daily, so be patient. For example, I have enough points for my following twelve-month complimentary license, which I will only need in October. To avoid disruption, I will request my redemption a few weeks before my license expires.

Learn more

If you have other questions about this program, be sure to look here. It includes an FAQ that should answer any questions you have.

Why I Focus on PAF for Simple Yet Effective Training

I was reviewing some of the learning theories that I have been taught over the years and discovered that many have either been completely debunked or have, at the very least, received some level of criticism. 

When I took a Teaching and Training Adults course at my local college, they taught me about learning styles. This popular theory proposes that learners have distinct styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and absorb information best when presented in their preferred format. However, research needs more solid evidence to support this categorization. Learners can be flexible and adapt to different learning methods. Accurately identifying and catering to individual styles can be impractical in many training settings. 

Another such theory is Multiple Intelligences. This theory proposes eight distinct intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, etc.) that individuals possess in varying degrees. While it highlights the importance of acknowledging diverse strengths, the theory is criticized for lacking a clear definition of "intelligence" and limited practical application in instructional design. There's also a debate on whether these intelligences are genuinely independent or simply different ways of using the same underlying cognitive abilities.

I often find myself drawn to a more straightforward, more natural, and direct approach to training: The PAF Model.

Why PAF?

Here's the thing: complex theories can get tangled up in their jargon, creating a labyrinth for learners. PAF, on the other hand, cuts through the noise with three simple pillars:

• Presentation: This is where you convey the knowledge or skill clearly and concisely. Think engaging presentations, demonstrations, or even well-structured handouts.

• Application: Don't just tell; make them do! This is where learners get hands-on, practicing what they've learned through activities, simulations, or role-playing exercises.

• Feedback: Learning is a two-way street. Feedback helps solidify understanding and identify areas for improvement. You can deliver through coaching, quizzes, or peer reviews.

The Power of Simplicity

The beauty of PAF lies in its straightforwardness. Learners can quickly grasp the flow of information, from introduction to practice to evaluation. This clear structure fosters engagement and helps them retain critical takeaways.

But what about those fancy learning theories?

Don't get me wrong, those theories have their place (well, some do). They provide a foundation for understanding how people learn. However, PAF takes those principles and translates them into actionable steps. It's the bridge between theory and effective training design.

Think of it this way: I imagine my father teaching me about computers when I was nine or ten years old. My father was a masterful teacher who understood how people learn without all the learning theory jargon. This is precisely what he would do.

• Show me how to write a line of code (Presentation)

• Get me to repeat the same steps but for my program (Application)

• Offered me guidance and feedback (Feedback)

PAF for the Win!

While complex learning theories can be interesting to explore, PAF offers a decisive and results-oriented approach to practical training design. It keeps things clear, engaging, and focused on the ultimate goal: ensuring learners walk away with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

So, the next time you design a training program, stay aware of the theoretical maze and embrace the simplicity and effectiveness of the PAF Model.

All-New Adobe Captivate - More than 1 Click Box

In this video, I show you how to add more than one click box in your software simulation.