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Peer Review

Rapid E-Learning

Reviewed:

Mar 7, 2025 by Instructional Design and Technology
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.8 stars
Content Quality: 4.5 stars
Effectiveness: 4.5 stars
Ease of Use: 5.0 stars
Overview:

The Rapid E-Learning Blog is a resource for instructional designers and technologists. From the About link: "The Rapid E-Learning Blog shares practical tips & tricks to help you become a rapid elearning pro. It is hosted by Tom Kuhlmann who has over 20 years of hands-on experience in the training industry...."

This resource provides articles pertinent to Educational Technology professionals. Within each section, further exploration of the topic is encouraged through more resources.

Type of Material:

This is a website, the Rapid eLearning Blog, that contains various articles of interest to  professionals in the educational technology field.

The resources include:

 

Recommended Uses:

The information provided is useful to anyone working in the educational technology field. Every article provides additional links and resources for further exploration. The material could be used as stand-alone course content, and as resource information within a course.

Technical Requirements:

This site can easily be accessed with any web browser.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Visitors to the website will learn about educational technology, with emphasis placed on efficient (i.e., rapid) design.

  • Rapid E-Learning 101 - learn the basics of rapid elearning and how best to get your project off the ground.
  • Designing the Right Course - learn how to pull your content together to create the right type of elearning course. It covers everything from course structure to creative ideas for course design.
  • Instructional Design - explore key elements of instructional design to help you think through how to build courses that truly help people learn.
  • Building Scenarios for E-Learning - build interactive scenarios using branched navigation; build graphics and other assets that help the learner create an engaging and nice-looking scenario.
  • Managing E-Learning Projects -  explore tips for managing elearning projects effectively
  • PowerPoint for E-Learning - explore lots of practical, hands-on tips and tricks for using PowerPoint to create elearning.
  • Visual & Graphic Design - learn some visual design basics that make for more effective communication. 
  • Audio & Video Tips - provide tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the audio & video you do use in your e-learning courses.

Each article shows the date on which it was posted, and within each article are further areas to follow. Information includes how-to projects as well as scholarly research pertaining to the topic. For instance, in Rapid eLearning 101, the learner will learn the basics of rapid elearning and how best to get [the] project off the ground. In Instructional Design, the content explores key elements of instructional design to help [the learner] think through how to build courses that truly help people learn.

Target Student Population:

High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School, Professional

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

The learner will need computer literacy, but the material is presented clearly with opportunities for practice.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

The wide variety of presented topics is the main strength:

  1. Rapid E-Learning 101
  2. Designing the Right Course
  3. Instructional Design Building Scenarios for E-Learning
  4. Managing E-Learning Projects
  5. PowerPoint for E-Learning
  6. Visual & Graphic Design 
  7. Audio & Video Tips.
  • The depth of information provided is the right level for a beginning learner to experience. Additional resources and practice opportunities are provided.
  • Information is clear and concise, and does not send the learner elsewhere.
  • At the bottom is a link to Archives, which lists all articles by date (thus providing information about content currency).
Concerns:

None.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

  • Learning objectives are clearly presented.
  • Within each "article" - or topic - the learning material is varied and interesting.
Concerns:

  • Some of the material dates back as far as 2007; however, subscribers to the blog can access updated information (as well as a free e-book entitled The Insider's Guide to Becoming a Rapid E-Learning Pro).

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

  • The navigation is straightforward and consistent.
  • Instructions are clear.
  • The website is visually appealing.
  • Color is not used to convey meaning; color contrast is strong.

 

Concerns:

There were no concerns.

Other Issues and Comments:

NOTE: A homepage section entitled E-learning Resources & Examples for Success addresses current developments such as AI and changing uses of tools such as the mouse.

 

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