Story-Based Learning

Founded in 1999, WisdomTools was spun out of Indiana University’s Center for Excellence in Education. They take a story-based approach to learning and design scenarios to address a range of business needs. These scenarios are customized, web-based learning tools that leverage the power of stories. Like movies or a good book, they have the power to transport users into authentic settings and into the lives of interesting, believable characters.

The approach to learning may vary, but there is no doubt that a story-based approach will grab and hold the learner’s attention. Add to that an element of suspense, and you have aroused the learner’s curiosity. The learner is kept in anticipation until the next installment, or scene, of the eStory is received.

WisdomTools was looking for an innovative approach to designing and presenting their e-stories. Their objective was to bring stories to the desktop by presenting the learner with a rapid succession of e-scenes to provide an interesting and engaging, yet suspenseful, learning experience – the equivalent of a book that you just can’t put down.

Upside created a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that reflected the subject and tone of the story: serious, crisp, and clean.

A set of practical yet user-friendly controls was provided in the bottom bar, allowing learners to control the pace and flow of their viewing experience. Learners can drag a slider bar to move to a specific point of the scene or can skim through the scene viewing text (including speech bubbles) and graphics in progression, without any animation or audio.

The flow of the story was planned and presented in such a way that the visual focus shifts between the narration text shown and the scene animations. To cater to a wide target audience, a cast of realistic, no-frills, multicultural characters was created, ranging in age from the mid-20s to the mid-40s. Character profiles were made available on click at the end of the scene.

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