The first week in May is Teacher Appreciation Week, a time designated to honor the extremely important role teachers play in the lives of students of all ages. I hope we’ve all had teachers who have touched our lives in an impactful way. We certainly owe so much to them; even in this technological age when we have more access to information than ever before, we still need teachers to teach us how to learn and how to use the information we find.
Before I became a full-time, professional actor, I was a teacher for seven years. I taught fourth grade, as well as middle school drama. Plus, I tutored elementary and high school students, and even a few adults. I’ve also been the director of youth theatre programs for fourteen years. No matter what the setting or the subject matter, I love to teach.
While nothing will ever beat the learning that happens in-person with a real-life teacher working with a student, because of technology, we have alternatives when the in-person learning structure isn’t possible. This is essential right now since schools are closed down because of the coronavirus pandemic. One alternative to meeting in-person that many schools have implemented is “distance learning” or “online learning”, which means teachers and students meet virtually to cover as much curriculum as possible from home.
However, the alternative I want to highlight today is e-Learning. e-Learning has been around for quite some time – decades, actually – and has become a very popular method of learning for many people. There are programs that utilize computer-assisted learning, which include interactive software for students and training software for adults. These methods use audio, visual, graphic, and text elements to enhance learning.
e-Learning is great for people who don’t have much flexibility in their schedules since they can go at their own pace and set their own time frame. Innovations in e-Learning development have led to adaptive e-Learning, which means data (like student performance, skills, abilities, and goals) can be taken into account to make the educational experience more individualized, which is always a good thing! e-Learning has also become more interactive, allowing teachers and students to communicate. Also a good thing!
Are you an e-Learning developer or instructional designer, or are you considering developing your own e-Learning course? It truly is a fantastic way to help people learn information in a non-traditional school setting. You can provide a service to your students or employees who need to be trained but don’t want to spend a day or a weekend at a training seminar and would prefer to learn the material at their own pace and schedule.
Hopefully you can see the great need for e-Learning programs. I also encourage you to think about the voice you choose for your program. Some styles of delivery are more appropriate and helpful than others, depending on the type of material and your audience. Usually, you want an engaging, conversational, and natural delivery; sometimes, a more serious, straightforward tone is better. You need your voice to have the right pacing, inflection, and phrasing to ensure comprehension. You do NOT want a boring, choppy, or uninterested or disinterested voice.
My extensive acting training, combined with my experience in and passion for teaching, ensures that your material is presented in a fun and engaging way that guarantees listener comprehension (which is the ultimate goal!) and a great learning experience. I can also provide character voices for when multiple characters are needed for a course or module. This can be really helpful for younger learners, but I’ve also created “real person” characters in some e-Learning courses for adults. It makes the material more personable and allows the learner to connect with it more easily.
Above all, e-Learning is another form of storytelling, and I love to share information in a meaningful, helpful, and engaging way. Your e-Learning courses don’t have to remind your students of a monotonous, boring teacher or professor! They should be a reflection of you, your company or brand, and the pride you have in your students or employees.
I look forward to using my acting and teaching skills to help you create the most effective e-Learning courses possible. Check out my website to hear samples of e-Learning projects for kids and adults.
Just a few examples of projects using voice over:
e-Learning / Digital Learning
Commercials
Audiobooks
Animation / Anime / Video Games
Toys
Tourism Videos
Explainer Videos
Training Videos
Online / YouTube tutorials
IVR / Telephony / Voicemail
GPS Navigation
Promos & Trailers
PSAs
Medical Narration
Technical Narration
Corporate Narration
Radio Dramas
Radio Broadcasting
Documentaries
Guided Meditation Exercises
Museum Tours
ADR/Looping
Real Estate Videos
Photo by Belo Rio Studio on Unsplash