Alternatives To ‘Correct’ and ‘Incorrect’: The eLearning Coach
Ideas for better feedback than the generic "correct" and "incorrect" used too often in e-learning. Consequences in a simulation are a form a feedback. So is branching in a scenario.
Tools for branching scenarios, from free and simple to expensive and complex. PDF, PowerPoint, BranchTrack, Inklewriter, Twine, Storyline, and SimWriter.
This is something I've struggled with--a good method for storyboarding branching scenarios. I've used several different Word and PowerPoint templates in the past, none of which have quite worked the way I wanted. I can write the branching in a linear document without much trouble (I once drafted one longhand in a notebook), but it makes my SMEs brains explode to try to follow them. I've seen recommendations for Twine in the past, and this explains in more detail how it works as a storyboarding tool.
Stephen's Web ~ Managing the Complexity of Branching Scenarios ~ Stephen Downes
Stephen Downes comments in response to my post on managing the complexity of scenarios that merging paths makes it "more like a narration and less like a game." Is it bad for stories for learning and with specific learning objectives to be a bit more like a narration? Perhaps that's a feature, not a bug. Also, most video games do this to some extent. Mass Effect does not have 27 different endings, for example.
Twine (and similar systems) allow paths to merge, reducing the number of possibilities, but at the cost of making the scenario more like a narration and less like a game.
Branching scenarios can be built in Google Forms. It may not be my first choice as a tool, but plenty of teachers in schools are restricted to Google tools. This post goes step by step to show how to provide either immediate or delayed feedback and how to create branching with the "Go to Section" option.
Tool for creating branching scenario training or interactive games. I haven't tried this yet, but there's a free version that would be enough to test it out. The tool collects data on user behavior. The website says it's using AI to analyze behavior, but it's not quite clear exactly what that AI is doing.
An H5P Branching Scenario That Might Break the Boat – CogDogBlog
Alan Levine built this very complex branching scenario in H5P and Pressbooks. This includes some scenario images and descriptions, plus a separate tracker where you have to fill out forms with info and keep track of finances and other notes. Alan's blog post explains how he built the random events (which were originally a card draw in the physical version).
Branching Scenarios: Yes, No, Maybe? – The H5P PB Kitchen
This is another post about Alan Levine's branching scenario built in H5P and Pressbooks. At the bottom of the post, Alan provides links to several other examples of branching scenarios built in H5P.
A humorous Choose Your Own Adventure branching scenario sample by Jonathan Hill. The look and feel matches the classic books. Jonathan includes a tip to consider adding decisions in the beginning that have no impact on the outcome (just a cosmetic change), but provide a tutorial or practice on using the controls.
Enterprise Viewpoint's February 2023 issue is focused on elearning. I contributed an article (From "Click Next" to "Choose Your Path": Elearning with Branching Scenarios. Also, check out the other contributions on a range of topics from Michael Allen, Tom Kuhlmann, Cammy Bean, Allison Rossett, Jean Marripodi, Richard Goring, and Charles Jennings.