Vocal Health Course 

with Storyboard

Tools Used: Articulate Storyline, Camtasia, Canva, Genial.ly, Google Slides, Ocenaudio, paint.net, VideoAsk

Challenge: Many professionals who lead meetings or give presentations do not have formal vocal training. As such, they use their voices inappropriately or inefficiently, which leads to vocal health issues such as sore throat, voice loss, vocal nodes, and other ailments.

Solution: Using the backward design model, the learning outcome of this asynchronous 6-lesson course is for learners to use proper breath support and vocal placement during presentations in order to preserve a healthy voice. The objectives within each lesson build on skills that the learner will utilize in a video-recorded demonstration as a final assessment.

Learning Materials: Multiple edited videos and images, self-produced audio examples, interactive content such as various knowledge-based assessments (multiple choice, matching, etc.), and a summative skills-based assessment (through VideoAsk).

Story, Engagement, and Interactivity: The course is in a story structure where the learner follows a character, Blake, as he goes through the process of improving his voice. As Blake is on this journey, the learner is prompted to participate in the same activities that are introduced to Blake. Activities include (but are not limited to) learning about the human respiratory system through an interactive chart, video tutorials that encourage learner participation, and a final assessment that puts the learner as a character in the story who has to show their cumulative knowledge of the course by introducing Blake before a presentation.

Results: After working through this course, learners are able to use their voices more efficiently and healthily. However, as a skill, it needs continued practice, reflection, and review to keep the benefits consistent. As such, the course can be revisited at anytime.