This week, I made meaningful progress on my project because I moved beyond only learning Storyline 360 and started building the actual structure of my interactive English language timeline. Last week, most of my effort went into understanding Storyline through tutorials and troubleshooting access issues. This week, I was able to design the main slides for the project, including the title screen, introduction, timeline overview, major language periods, and review/quiz sections. The project is not fully functional yet because the buttons, triggers, and navigation still need more work, but I now have a clear visual foundation. My main goal for next week is to make the buttons work properly, test the interaction flow, and turn the slides into a more complete e-learning experience.
The readings helped me think about this stage of development more carefully. Chapter 13 on segmentation and pretraining connects directly to my project because the history of English can easily become overwhelming if too much information is shown at once. Clark and Mayer (2023) explain that complex material should be broken into manageable parts and that learners benefit from being introduced to key concepts before deeper instruction. This influenced my decision to separate the project into clear sections: Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English. Instead of making one crowded slide, I am designing the timeline so learners can move through each stage gradually.
Chapter 14 also shaped my thinking about navigation. At first, I wanted learners to have full freedom to click anywhere on the timeline, but Clark and Mayer (2023, Chapter 14) explain that too much learner control can be difficult for novice learners. That made me realize that I need to balance choice with guidance. My plan is to allow learners to click timeline buttons, but also include clear next/back navigation so they do not feel lost.
Chapter 15 influenced the tone of my project. Since language history can feel formal or intimidating, I want the wording to be conversational and supportive. Clark and Mayer (2023, Chapter 15) explain that conversational language can make e-learning feel more approachable when used appropriately. I want my final project to sound like a guided learning experience rather than a textbook copied onto slides.
Reference
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2023). e-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (5th ed.). Wiley.
Â