National eLearning Award Winner
Award-winning eLearning Design|98.6% Course Completion Rate|Multiple Team Collaboration
Overview
As the lead instructional designer for First West Credit Union (FWCU), I spearheaded the development of an innovative eLearning program designed to educate and persuade members and employees on the benefits of transitioning to federal regulation, a process known as “federal continuance.” This case study outlines the creative approaches adopted to achieve high engagement and completion rates, culminating in national recognition for outstanding learning excellence.
SME Endorsement
“Gary is an absolute rock star and genius, it has been an exciting learning journey working with him and seeing his creative brilliance in action.”
Alicia Peters
Director of Corporate Initiatives
Subject Matter Expert
First West Credit Union
The Challenge
FWCU was on the brink of a significant transition from provincial to federal regulation. The challenge was to create educational content that was not only informative but also engaging enough to motivate a high completion rate and support for the federal continuance vote among 1,200+ employees and 250,000+ members, despite the inherently dry nature of the subject matter.
The Strategy
Collaborating closely with FWCU’s leadership team and subject matter experts, we crafted a four-module eLearning course that combined essential information with interactive and humorous elements. Frequent synchronous brainstorming sessions in Microsoft Teams and asynchronous commenting in Articulate Review facilitated a productive and enjoyable collaboration, enabling us to refine our approach and content effectively. Our key strategies included a thematic approach with interactive design, storytelling, and humour.
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Thematic Approach
The course was themed around a metaphorical journey, symbolizing FWCU’s journey towards becoming the third federal credit union in Canada. I utilized green screen technology and my voiceover and acting skills to create seasonally themed vignettes at famous Canadian locations, providing entertaining content reviews and previews. This excerpt demonstrates the first leg of my metaphorical journey across Canada.
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Humour and Storytelling
To lighten the dense material, humour was woven into transitions and quiz feedback, enhancing retention and engagement. For example, in keeping with our Canadian journey theme, we treated learners to a little hockey play-by-play excitement in their quiz feedback. To help learners who suffer from test phobia – and thrill hockey fans – quiz feedback was delivered in with clear goals.
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Completion Rate
The Results
The eLearning program was a resounding success, achieving a 98.6% completion rate among FWCU’s employees. Learners expressed high engagement levels, looking forward to each module’s humorous and entertaining elements. The project’s success led to several accolades:
- Company Recognition: Featured in an article on FWCU’s social media site, acknowledging my contribution to the project’s success.
- Financial Reward: Received a substantial bonus for my pivotal role in the project.
- National Award: Honored with a national award from the Canadian Credit Union Association for outstanding learning excellence.
The Conclusion
This project exemplifies how innovative instructional design, leveraging humor, interactivity, and storytelling, can transform dry regulatory content into an engaging learning experience. The success of the federal continuance eLearning program at FWCU underscores the potential of creative approaches to achieve exceptional educational outcomes and substantial organizational impact.
More Endorsements
Susan Coulson
Director of Special Accounts, First West Credit Union
I just finished Module 1 for Federal Continuance and I am obsessed with Gary!…this was the best Module I have taken in my 20 years here, and there have been some great ones over the years!
Shelley Besse
Chief Credit Officer, First West Credit Union
I love the enthusiasm and fun you put into this module – especially the hockey commentary during the quiz section!
Award-winning Course Design|98.6% Learner Completion Rate|Multi-team Collaboration
“Gary is an absolute rock star and genius, it has been an exciting learning journey working with him and seeing his creative brilliance in action.”
Alicia Peters
Director of Corporate Initiatives
First West Credit Union
Federal 101 Title Page
The Challenge
FWCU was on the brink of a significant transition from provincial to federal regulation. The challenge was to create educational content that was not only informative but also engaging enough to motivate a high completion rate and support for the federal continuance vote among 1,200+ employees and 250,000+ members, despite the inherently dry nature of the subject matter.
The Challenge
FWCU was on the brink of a significant transition from provincial to federal regulation. The challenge was to create educational content that was not only informative but also engaging enough to motivate a high completion rate and support for the federal continuance vote among 1,200+ employees and 250,000+ members, despite the inherently dry nature of the subject matter.
The Strategy
Collaborating closely with FWCU’s leadership team and subject matter experts, we crafted a four-module eLearning course that combined essential information with interactive and humorous elements. Frequent synchronous brainstorming sessions in Microsoft Teams and asynchronous commenting in Articulate Review facilitated a productive and enjoyable collaboration, enabling us to refine our approach and content effectively. Our key strategies included a thematic approach with interactive design, storytelling, and humour.
%
Completion Rate
The Challenge
FWCU was on the brink of a significant transition from provincial to federal regulation. The challenge was to create educational content that was not only informative but also engaging enough to motivate a high completion rate and support for the federal continuance vote among 1,200+ employees and 250,000+ members, despite the inherently dry nature of the subject matter.
The Challenge
FWCU was on the brink of a significant transition from provincial to federal regulation. The challenge was to create educational content that was not only informative but also engaging enough to motivate a high completion rate and support for the federal continuance vote among 1,200+ employees and 250,000+ members, despite the inherently dry nature of the subject matter.
More Endorsements
Susan Coulson
Director of Special Accounts, First West Credit Union
I just finished Module 1 for Federal Continuance and I am obsessed with Gary!…this was the best Module I have taken in my 20 years here, and there have been some great ones over the years!
Shelley Besse
Chief Credit Officer, First West Credit Union
I love the enthusiasm and fun you put into this module – especially the hockey commentary during the quiz section!