In the age of eLearning, many educators and corporate trainers are searching for innovative tools and strategies to create effective and interactive online courses. ThingLink’s Scenario Builder templates have been developed as the easiest to use tool in this arena. Designed for both novice and veteran instructional design experts, this tool allows you to easily construct completely bespoke, real-life learning experiences that promote learner engagement, decision-making and critical thinking.

Why Scenario-Based Learning (SBL) Works

Scenario-based learning (SBL) is an active learning strategy that places learners in a real-life or realistic scenario that simulates their own work environment or situation, requiring them to use decision-making and problem-solving skills. This type of eLearning course offers an effective learning experience by mimicking real-world situations, allowing learners to practice new skills or understand concepts in a safe environment. It’s a powerful tool, especially in corporate training settings, where soft skills and decision-making are essential.

Benefits of Scenario-Based Learning

• Retention: By participating in real-world scenarios, learners tend to remember the concepts better and for longer periods.
• Interactivity: Interactive scenarios can incorporate gamification, realistic videos and easy to understand animations, time-pressures and decision points, fostering active participation and engagement. With ThingLink, you can easily incorporate multimedia into your training. Add mages, videos, 360 images and videos, animations and 3D objects, to make your scenarios more engaging.
• Real-World Context: It helps in bridging the gap between theory and practice, offering a real-world context to potentially abstract concepts.
• Safe Environment: Learners can make mistakes without any real-life consequences, making it perfect for compliance training or any training where errors can be costly.

Watch and learn

Some short videos at our dedicated YouTube playlist shows just how easy it is to build interactive scenario based learning with ThingLink! Hear from ThingLink Founder and CEO Ulla-Maaria Koivula on the top features of the tool, and watch a webinar where we create an entire learning scenario from scratch in under 20 minutes.

Explore: Example course in ThingLink’s Scenario Builder

Using ThingLink’s Scenario Builder Templates

Creating an online course or training program becomes substantially easier with tools like ThingLink’s Scenario Builder. And now our easy-to-adapt and edit templates make it even simpler and quicker! Here’s how to start planning your scenario-based learning content from scratch:

1. Identify Learning Needs: Understand your learners’ needs and set clear learning objectives. Do you need them to learn a new process or skill? Do you need them to understand a concept? Are you trying to enhance their problem-solving abilities? Or focus on soft skills? Perhaps you want staff to work on a module together to enhance and improve their teamwork?
2. Choose the Right Template: ThingLink currently offers four types of scenario templates for you to use and adapt (see more below). From branching scenarios that simulate decision-making pathways to microlearning modules ideal for SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) on the go, there’s a template that you can use and adapt for every learning strategy.
3. Design Scenarios: Using ThingLink, integrate real-life situations and design scenarios that promote critical thinking. Incorporate decision points, challenges, and possible outcomes based on the storyline you want to convey. Pro Tip: Solid planning in the best foundation for building your course! You can use pencil and paper, flipcharts, online tools – or why not use our handy Canva Whiteboard template – see link below!
4. Test & Revise: Before launching your eLearning course, test it among a small group. Gather feedback and revise the scenarios accordingly to ensure effective learning.

The Self-Exploratory Scenario Template

The scenario featured above was based on the Self-Exploratory Scenario template, where learners can choose the path or branch they would like to go down first, depending on their own individual needs. Once they have finished that branch, they can then either finish the scenario, or go back and choose another branch to explore. Summative and formative assessment can be added if required, but this isn’t necessary.

What other types of scenario templates are there?

In these related blogs you can explore example of courses created with the simple but engaging Linear template, the Escape Room template and the Simulation Scenario template. Or see the full guidance document linked below where we also look at all four models.

Free downloads and templates to help you get started

• You can read about all four of the templates, how they behave and how they could be used at this comprehensive guidance document to download and keep.

• If you would like to copy the templates for the media used in the course above, you can modify and adapt the Canva template which includes each individual scene.
• Planning tool: Our handy Canva Whiteboard template will help with planning out your scenario
• 360 images in an instant: One of the best ways to create truly immersive content is to add interactive 360 images to your course. If you don’t have a 360 camera, our Pano to 360 tool is completely free to use – no ThingLink account required! Simply upload any panoramic photos from your smartphone and it’s converted instantly, ready to download.

Examples of Scenarios in Online Training

• Corporate Training: Design a challenging situation where an employee navigates office politics, demonstrating soft skills and problem-solving.
• Compliance Training: Create a scenario where the learner must choose the correct course of action based on company regulations.
• Soft Skills Training: An interactive scenario might revolve around a difficult customer, where the learner must employ patience and understanding.

Integrating Learning Scenarios in Existing Training Programs

For educators or corporate trainers with existing training programs, ThingLink’s scenario builder templates can supplement and elevate the learning experiences. Whether you aim for better learner engagement, higher retention rates, or simply a more immersive real-life learning strategy, scenarios can provide the real-world context your course might be missing. training content created in Scenario Builder can be embedded into other authoring tools like Articulate Storyline. It also integrates fully into any LMS, or can be embedded anywhere or even shared with a direct link.

What are you waiting for? Start building your first course today!

Incorporating ThingLink’s scenario builder templates into your online training or online course ensures a high degree of interactivity, placing learners in real-life situations that resonate and are relatable. This approach not only promotes decision-making and critical thinking but also ensures that learners are better prepared for the challenges of the real world.

From microlearning modules perfect for quick refreshers to extensive branching scenarios that mirror complex decision-making pathways, ThingLink offers the versatility to cater to various learning needs.

In the evolving realm of eLearning, where the focus is gradually shifting from passive consumption to active learning, tools like ThingLink, combined with effective instructional design, can significantly transform learning outcomes. Whether it’s in corporate training, retail, hospitality or any number of other sectors, the potential benefits of scenario-based learning are vast, making it a compelling choice for educators and trainers worldwide.

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In the world of elearning and corporate training, creating engaging and effective online courses that truly engage your trainees is every course creator’s goal. With the surge in demand for online training, educators and corporate trainers are constantly on the lookout for innovative tools and techniques that cater to the learning needs of their learners, but that are simple to use, build and update. Enter ThingLink’s Scenario Builder templates: a game-changer for elearning course creation.

Why Choose Scenario-Based Learning (SBL)?

Scenario-Based Learning (SBL) is an instructional design strategy that replicates real-world situations, placing learners in a decision-making role. It enhances critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills by immersing learners in real-life situations that demand these competencies.

Benefits of Scenario-Based Learning:

1. Real-world Context: SBL offers a realistic scenario, allowing learners to connect their learning experiences with real-world applications. This bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
2. Active Learning: Instead of passive consumption, learners engage in active decision-making, promoting retention and deeper understanding.
3. Safe Environment: It offers a risk-free environment where mistakes become learning opportunities without real-life consequences.

Learn more about ThingLink’s Scenario Builder

Check out our dedicated YouTube playlist featuring short videos that demonstrate the simplicity of crafting interactive scenario-based learning with ThingLink. Listen to insights from ThingLink’s Founder and CEO, Ulla-Maaria Koivula, as she highlights the tool’s standout features. Plus, catch a webinar where we design a complete learning scenario from the ground up in less than 20 minutes.

Leveraging ThingLink’s Scenario Builder Templates

Creating a compelling storyline for your elearning course can be challenging. However, ThingLink’s templates make it easier, providing a foundation upon which you can build your learning scenarios.

1. Choose the Right Type of Scenario: Depending on your learning objectives and the complexity of the subject matter, you can opt for microlearning episodes that follow a linear path (or paths) – or more extended multi-branching scenarios. For instance, compliance training may need in-depth branching, while soft skills training can benefit from shorter, focused (but still highly interactive) linear scenarios.
2. Incorporate Real-life Elements: Use 360 images and videos, with added interactive elements, that replicate real-life situations to create a sense of authenticity. This boosts learner engagement and mirrors the challenges they might face in a real-world context.
3. Decision Points: Integrate decision points within your scenarios to test and enhance learners’ decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
4. Gamification: Adding elements of gamification, like scores or badges, as well as timers to increase the pressure, can make the learning experience even more engaging.

Integrating with Other Authoring Tools

While ThingLink is powerful on its own, integrating it with other authoring tools can amplify its capabilities. For instance, combining it with tools like Articulate Storyline can allow you to import PowerPoint slides, enhancing the interactivity and richness of your elearning course.

Learning Needs and SMEs (Subject Matter Experts)

Before diving into the design scenarios, it’s crucial to identify the learning needs of your target audience. Collaborating with SMEs can also ensure that your content is accurate and aligns with the desired learning outcomes.

The Perfect Tool to Create Microlearning Experiences

Microlearning refers to bite-sized learning modules, often spanning 5-10 minutes. This strategy aligns with the modern learner’s attention span and is perfect for teaching new skills. By utilizing ThingLink’s templates, creating effective microlearning modules becomes a breeze.

Scenario Templates and Corporate Training

The four different scenario builder template we have developed can be tailored and adapted for different aspects of corporate training. For example:

1. Soft Skills: Our Simulation Scenario template is ideal for this type of training. In the blog Create Branched Learning Scenarios with ThingLink’s New Simulation Template we show how this template has been used to build a scenario exploring Leadership Styles. Alternatively you could use the simple but effective Linear Template, which still allows plenty of scope for exploring interactive and immersive content incorporating 360 images and videos and rich multimedia annotation. You could also build your scenario using the Self-Exploratory template which allows the learner to follow the branch related to the subject of their choice.
2. Compliance Training: For this type of training, it’s best to use a template like our Escape Room model, where employees are faced with decision points and see the immediate consequence of these, ensuring they understand company policies and real-world implications. Below is an example of a short course we have built using the escape room template.

The Escape Room model

Get started with our free downloads and templates

• Dive deep into our four templates by accessing our detailed guidance document – it’s available for download and is a valuable resource to understand each template’s functionality and potential applications.
• If you’re inspired by the media used in our showcased information security course and wish to adapt it, feel free to modify our Canva template, which covers every individual scene.
• For sketching out your scenarios, our Canva Whiteboard template is at your service.
• Create your own immersive content: Enhance your course with interactive 360-degree images. Don’t have a 360 camera? No worries! Our Pano to 360 tool, which doesn’t even require a ThingLink account, is at your disposal. Just upload your panoramic photos from your phone, and they’ll be transformed into 360 images instantly, all set for free download.

Maximizing Learner Engagement

The success of any online course lies in its ability to engage its learners. By designing an interactive scenario using ThingLink’s Scenario Builder templates, educators and trainers can ensure that learners are not just passive recipients but active participants in their learning journey.

Elearning made easy!

Scenario builder templates by ThingLink have revolutionized the elearning landscape, offering an unparalleled level of interactivity and realism for the learners or trainees, combined with ease of build for the creators. Whether it’s for corporate training or broader online training programs, using these templates ensures that learners are equipped with not just knowledge, but the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed for real-world success. Incorporating gamification, microlearning, and other modern learning strategies, these easy-to-adapt templates are the future of effective learning in a digital age.

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Get inspired by some of the content shared by our creative communities!

• ThingLink LinkedIn Page 
• LinkedIn Community 
• X / Twitter ThingLink Page 
• X / Twitter ThingLink Edu Page
• X / Twitter Creative Learning Design Community 
• ThingLink Education Facebook Group. 

• ThingLink Facebook Page 
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In this blog we will showcase why the templates are such a useful tool to help you create your interactive scenario learning content – plus we show you the most straightforward of the template styles in action – the Linear model.

Crafting tailored scenarios for your learners’ specific training needs can be a daunting prospect. However help is at hand! ThingLink has unveiled an array of adaptable Scenario Builder templates, poised to be the ideal start to creating e-learning or corporate training material using branching scenarios.

When you start to design scenarios on ThingLink, you’ll be shown four distinct models ready to act as your blank canvas. You can then seamlessly swap out our placeholder content with your own text, questions, branching, and media, making customization easy. Of course – if you prefer to start your content from scratch, you still have the freedom to craft your unique scenario your way.

With the added power of the super-helpful new built-in AI content creation tools, the challenge to craft simple or intricate learning scenarios becomes much more manageable. These scenario builder templates are your secret weapon for developing diverse employee training experiences with interactivity built-in. Whether your primary objectives revolve around fostering new skills, amplifying existing ones, or elevating employee engagement and retention, these templates will become invaluable.

How do you use Scenario Builder?

For an introduction to Scenario Builder and why it’s the perfect tool for creating immersive learning experiences, watch this short video intro:

What exactly is Scenario based Learning (SBL)?

Explore the foundational principles behind Scenario-Based Learning in this informative introductory blog post: What is Scenario Based Learning? Learn why it is so popular as a method of instructional design, and why it’s ideal for compliance training, safety training, soft skills training and more.

You can also watch all of our Scenario Builder content on the dedicated playlist here, including our masterclass webinar, where we build a whole scenario from scratch!

Explore the simplest of our new Scenario Builder templates: Linear Scenario

The most basic of the scenario builder templates is the Linear Model. Here’s an example of what it might look like in action. We have created an online course in Understanding Bias which takes the learner through the types of bias. They then have an exercise to complete to identify what bias is being demonstrated in a series of true-to-life situations.

Want to replicate these images for your own course? Use our free Canva background template for the images we used in this above course on Understanding Bias.

However a linear template could be used to deliver any type of training! Our Certified Creator Course is a great example of the linear scenario model in action!

What else can you add to the linear template?

• Incorporate gamification principles into your learning journey with elements such as completion badges and points earned as learners progress.
• Make it more challenging by integrating formative assessments with questions at various stages. These questions challenge learners to provide the correct answers before advancing, employing a conditional transition. If an answer is incorrect, the feedback gently nudges learners to backtrack and review the material or reconsider their response. However, unlike the more complex escape room model which is another alternative template offered to creators, here, the wrong answer yields a uniform, generic message, without individual consequences. There are no decision points which can steer you down an alternate path or transport you to another scene or text.

• In all models, you can add as many media items as you want. Remember these can be any type of ThingLink! An interactive image, video, 360 image/video or 3D model. Your media can also be an entire virtual tour – or Guided Tour! Here is a guide to the 6 blocks that can be added to any scenario.
• Plan your scenario structure with our handy free Canva whiteboard template.
• Create a virtual learning environment: Use 360 tours of different rooms/areas/environments to introduce each in sequence. Great for onboarding!

What other types of scenario template can I choose?

There are three other types of scenario model for which we have created these handy templates. These are:

• Escape Room – as demonstrated in this linked blog.
• Simulation Scenario – take a look at this blog to see this in action!
• Self-Exploratory – which we explore in this blog post here.

For a full round-up of all four, see our new Scenario Templates PDF guide.

What are the benefits of Scenario Builder for training content creators and learners?

1. Tailored Training Solutions: With Scenario Builder, crafting and adapting training materials in-house is simple. This means you can effortlessly cater to the unique training needs of different departments or individual employees. Quickly address competencies and skill gaps by identifying knowledge deficiencies and updating your entirely customized scenario-based learning content within minutes.
2. Versatile Training Approaches: ThingLink enables the creation of online training courses and learning materials that can flexibly accommodate various training methods. You also have the flexibility to embed a wide array of apps and integrations, expanding the diversity of content you can offer.
3. Convenient Scheduling: Design a training schedule that harmonizes with employees’ other commitments. ThingLink’s online learning packages can be conveniently completed from the comfort of home or during daily commutes. Real-life situations and environments and real-world problem-solving can be recreated and explored safely – anywhere!
4. Comprehensive Learner Insights: Take advantage of built-in statistics features to assess and monitor each employee’s progress. This empowers you to closely track individual performance and milestones. Set training objectives, measure outcomes, and fine-tune the training process as needed. See how employees respond to decision-making in a challenging situation.

No matter the learning outcomes you have in mind, and the specifics of your employee learning objectives and needs, Scenario Builder is purpose-built to assist you in crafting immersive and captivating training resources – from bite-size micro-learning, all the way up to entire courses and training programs. Plus, with the introduction of our new templates, the process of creating impactful courses and modules has been further streamlined for your convenience.

Connect and engage with fellow creators

For more ideas, use cases and inspiration on content creation, join our communities on social media! Twitter / X ThingLink or ThingLink Education, LinkedIn Community and ThingLink Education Facebook Group. 

Why have we developed these templates?

Crafting the ideal scenario for your learners’ or organisation’s specific training requisites can sometimes present a challenge. So we’ve introduced a diverse range of scenario templates that offer the flexibility to duplicate, modify, and tailor them to your unique e-learning or training content.

As you embark on creating your scenario, you’ll encounter four distinct model options. Effortlessly substitute our placeholder content with your preferred text, queries, branching paths, and multimedia elements. But if you prefer to start from scratch, you can still fashion a completely customized scenario without our templates.

For a summary of the 4 new models: Linear, Escape Room, Simulation Scenario and Self-Exploratory, download this PDF of the new Scenario Templates which gives you full written guidance. Or why not catch up with our comprehensive webinar where we build a scenario from scratch! You’ll find it on our dedicated Scenario Builder playlist on YouTube.

When combined with ThingLink’s innovative built-in AI content creation tools, these scenario builder templates streamline the process of constructing either straightforward or multi-branching scenarios. These templates prove invaluable for crafting a spectrum of employee training materials, whether your primary training objectives involve acquiring new skills, refining existing ones, or boosting employee engagement and retention.

Why Use ThingLink’s Scenario Builder to create elearning and training?

To see why Scenario Builder is considered such a useful authoring tool for building immersive learning experiences, watch this short video intro:

Want to know more about Scenario based Learning (SBL)?

Read more on the fundamentals of Scenario-based instructional design in our introductory blog: What is Scenario Based Learning?

Focus on: The Simulation Scenario Model

This multi-branched template provides learners with a realistic depiction of the ultimate or collective outcome resulting from their decisions or choices – all within a safe environment. Perfect to reinforce compliance training or for real-life situations where safety is a concern.

For instance, when used in medical training, students engage in diagnosing virtual patients by assessing the symptoms presented. The patient’s condition dynamically evolves, either deteriorating or improving in response to the student’s decisions, thereby offering a true-to-life simulation of real-world medical practice.

The branching types of scenario all incorporate soft skills such as decision-making, problem-solving and critical thinking which replicate real-life situations. However in contrast to the Escape Room model, in this scenario template, learners continue to progress whatever choices they make. Unlike the escape room model, there are no categorically “wrong” answers that force learners to backtrack and try again for the correct answer during the intermediate phases. Instead, learners encounter choices, each with distinct consequences, steering them along diverse paths as they advance. It is the closest to the “choose your own adventure” concept from which Scenario Builder was conceived!

The examples are just a basic starting skeleton for all the different model types. 

• In all of the templates we have created for you, you can add as many media items as you want. Remember these can be any type of ThingLink! An interactive image, video, 360 image/video or 3D model. Your media can also be an entire virtual tour of an environment or place! Explore the media block and the 5 other Scenario Builder blocks in this handy ThingLink!
• Create a virtual learning environment: Use 360 tours of different rooms/areas/environments to introduce each in sequence. Great for onboarding! no 360 camera? No problem! Simply use our free tool Pano to 360 to instantly turn any panoramic image into an immersive photosphere.
• In the branching models, you can add as many or as few branching levels as you require.
• Need an extra helping hand with planning your scenario? Why not use our super useful free Canva whiteboard – here’s the link to the template!

See it in action!

To see the Simulation Scenario model in action, below you can explore an example we have built to demonstrate. This very short corporate training elearning course (sometimes called microlearning) demonstrates how a learner can find our what sort of leadership style they tend towards. In this example, they also have the choice to move back and see what different outcome they would have reached if they had made different choices.

If you would like to recreate the style of base media we have used in this course below, you can download the free Canva template to copy!

What other outcomes can you use in this model?

There are three primary variations that can be implemented with this model:

1. Range of Outcomes: In this variation, each final outcome presents a distinct scenario.
2. Binary Result: Alternatively, you can opt for a binary outcome, for example pass or fail, or the patient recovers or they do not – simplifying the end result.
3. Point Accumulation: Another approach involves assigning points to each choice made at every decision point. This adds an element of gamification for learners. The cumulative points can then determine the overall outcome. For instance, the points accrued may result in passing or failing, choosing between a refresher or repetition, or moving on to the next module. Interestingly, in this scenario, it’s possible for two learners taking different paths to accumulate the same number of points.

What other scenario templates can you use?

• Take a look at another of the templates: the Linear model at this blog.
• The Escape Room template – as demonstrated in this linked blog.
• The Self-Exploratory template – which we explore in this blog post here.

Why do training content creators use Scenario Builder to build courses?

1. Tailored Training Solutions: Scenario Builder offers a hassle-free way to tailor your training content. You can effortlessly tweak, duplicate, or refine it all in-house. This means you can cater to the unique training needs of each department or even individual employees by swiftly adapting to their competencies and skill gaps. Pinpoint those knowledge gaps and swiftly bridge them with fully customized scenario-based learning content that’s updatable in mere minutes.

2. Versatile Training Methods: ThingLink empowers you to craft online training courses and learning materials that accommodate a variety of training methods. Plus, you can seamlessly integrate a vast array of apps and tools into your ThingLink training content, instantly expanding the possibilities of content delivery.

3. Flexible Scheduling: With ThingLink, you have the flexibility to create training schedules that align with your employees’ other commitments. Our online learning packages can be completed from the comfort of home or during the daily commute to and from work.

4. Insights into Learner Progress: Harness the power of built-in analytics to monitor and assess individual learner engagement and progress. Keep a keen eye on their performance and milestones, enabling you to set training goals, measure outcomes, and fine-tune the training process as needed.

Your helping hand in training content creation

We wanted to design Scenario Builder to be the easiest method of crafting immersive and captivating training materials and online courses in a real-world context. And we developed our new templates to further streamlined the process, making it even more straightforward to develop highly effective employee training programs – whatever your training and learning outcomes!

Connect with and inspire your fellow creators!

For more ideas, use cases and inspiration on content creation, join our communities on social media! Twitter / X ThingLink or ThingLink Education, LinkedIn Community and ThingLink Education Facebook Group. 

We’re excited to unveil ThingLink’s new Scenario Builder Templates – the latest in a range of assistant tools to help you create amazing interactive training and learning content!

We know it can sometimes be tricky to know which type of scenario to create for the specific training needs of your learners. So we have developed a versatile range of scenario models that you can clone, adapt and edit to create your own bespoke elearning or training materials. The four types of model will appear when you start creating your scenario. Simply replace our dummy content with your own text, questions, branching and media! But don’t worry – you still have the ability to build your own bespoke scenario from scratch if you prefer!

Used in tandem with ThingLink’s super-helpful new built-in AI content creation tools, you’ll be able to create simple or branched learning scenarios in no time! These scenario builder templates will be invaluable for creating all types of employee training – whether your main training objectives are learning new skills or enhancing existing ones, or even increasing employee engagement and retention.

Why Use ThingLink’s Scenario Builder to create employee training?

For a recap or an introduction to Scenario Builder and why it’s such a fantastic tool to create immersive learning experiences, watch this short video intro:

Want to know more about Scenario based Learning (SBL)?

Read more on the fundamentals of Scenario Based Learning in this great introductory blog: What is Scenario Based Learning? Here’s our handy PDF of the new Scenario Templates!

Why do training content creators love Scenario Builder?

1. It addresses your specific training needs: Training created with Scenario Builder is easy to update, clone and edit – all in house! This means that you can provide for the individual training needs of each department, or even individual employees, by easily and quickly responding to their competencies and any employee skill gaps. Identify knowledge gaps and address them effectively with completely bespoke scenario-based learning content that can be updated in minutes.
2. Flexible Training Methods: Online training courses and learning materials built with ThingLink can accommodate multiple training methods. You can also embed a huge range of apps and integrations into your ThingLink training content – which instantly widens the range of the type of content you can provide.
3. You can create a training schedule that fits around employees’ other commitments. Online learning packages created with ThingLink can even be completed at home or during the commute to/from the place of work.
4. Learner Metrics: In-built statistics features allow you to analyze and monitor the progress of each individual employee, letting you keep track of individual employee performance and milestones . Set training goals, measure the outcomes, and adjust the training process as required.

Explore our new Scenario Builder templates

1. Linear Scenario

The most basic of the scenario builder templates is the Linear Model. Here’s an example of what it might look like in action. We have created a sample Onboarding course for new employee training. This employee onboarding template would ensure that the onboarding process is smooth for all new team members. It demonstrates how a structured onboarding initiative could be delivered, ensuring that new hires understand company values, policies and culture.

However a linear template could be used to deliver any type of training! Our Certified Creator Course is a great example of the linear scenario model in action!

You can add an element of gamification with completion badge and points along the way. You can also add formative assessment via questions at any stage which challenge the learner for the correct answer before they proceed (a conditional transition). The wrong answer message can suggest that they move backwards and review the material again or reconsider why their answer may be incorrect. However unlike the escape room model (below), they are given the same, generic wrong answer message – there is no individual consequence for that choice. It does not take them down a different branch or to another scene/text. 

Here’s another example below which could be used for employee training.

2. Escape Room Scenario

The escape room is an ideal employee training template for a huge range of learning outcomes and subject areas. You can embed a wide range of training materials into the escape room scenario, and only by answering a series of questions correctly can the learner “escape”. It adds an element of gamification to any learning or training process and is particularly effective when used in team training. Here is an example in action below.

• Only one answer is correct at each decision point – at each wrong turn they have to face the consequence of their choice, ie they are taken to another scene or text which shows or explains the consequence of their choice. They have to return to that decision point until they escape. 
• The goal with the escape room format is to escape as fast as possible. In ThingLink you can add a timer to your scenarios – ideal for virtual learning environments which replicate real-life time-critical situations.
• Additional information/learning points/tours can be added before each decision point to give context. However the format/pattern is the same: each choice will result in EITHER a correct choice (moving forward) or an incorrect one (moving back to the choice block). 

Here’s another example of the escape room format in action below!

3. Simulation Scenario Model

• This model allows you to demonstrates the ultimate or cumulative consequence of the learners’ actions or choices to them.
• For example: In medical training, students diagnose virtual patients based on symptoms presented. The patient’s condition worsens or improves based on the student’s decisions, offering a realistic simulation of medical practice.

As opposed to the escape room model, the learner keeps moving forward regardless of their choice. There are no “incorrect” answers (ie a step back) at the intermediary stages, unlike the escape room. There are simply choices which have different consequences and send the learner down a different path. Here’s an example in action below.

Three are three main variations on this model. The result could be: 

• Range of outcomes. Each final outcome is different.
• A binary result. Pass or fail, or the patient does/does not recover etc. The example below “Survive the Middle Ages” shows this in action!
• Each decision at each stage accrues points. The total points accrued could determine the result eg they pass/fail; they either do a refresher/repeat or they move on to next module. In this scenario, as opposed to 3.1, it could be possible to accrue the same number of points as another learner who took a different path.

4. Self-Exploratory Scenario Model – with or without assessment

This is a tour-based scenario model where the choice of which topic (branch) to explore first is left up to the learner – based on what learner is most interested in or feels they need most help in. In a way it’s similar to the linear model, but just has multiple branches, with no further choices or decisions.

Here is what it could look like in action:

Learners are able to go back and forward and explore different areas as they choose. Jumping back is a CHOICE – not a consequence. There are two variations:

Simple self-guided: can be ended at any point and the learner does not have to explore entire scenario. “What would you like to learn about today?” They can then go back and explore a different path or revisit what they have already explored.

Self-guided with summative and/or formative assessment: The learner can choose to repeat a section, or the entire scenario, or not. They are prompted to explore all of branches before attempting assessment. 

Whatever your employee training initiatives and requirements, Scenario Builder has been designed to help you create immersive and engaging training materials. And the new templates now make it even easier to create effective employee training programs.

Whether it’s onboarding new hires or upskilling veteran employees, a structured employee training plan is crucial for any business who values its employees and helps them reach their career goals.

Whether you’re revamping your existing training program or starting a new one, ThingLink’s Scenario Builder Templates will be the cornerstone of a successful and effective employee training journey. Dive in and see just how easy it can be!

Connect and Collaborate

For more ideas, use cases and inspiration on content creation, join our communities on social media! Twitter / X ThingLink or ThingLink Education, LinkedIn Community and ThingLink Education Facebook Group. 

Increased accessibility

The main benefit that online learning provides is the potential to provide education to individuals who may not have had access to traditional learning opportunities for a wide number of reasons. Whilst any system that is entirely dependant on the speed and reliability of an internet connection will never be entirely accessible to all, advancements in technology are making online education increasingly more accessible globally. In many areas with limited connectivity, the majority of learners access distance learning via mobile devices rather than laptops. Educators and trainers will start to create much more mobile-optimized content for this reason.

Focus on: Increased accessibility in higher education

Accessibility has many facets. One aspect of remote learning is that, unlike traditional classrooms, online programs can be delivered either in real-time or as asynchronous lessons. This benefits of this for learners are enormous and were one of the aspects highlighted in the research published by Dr Adam Jeffrey et al in their paper “Thinglink and the Laboratory: Interactive Simulations of Analytical Instrumentation for HE Science Curricula”
You can read a summary of the findings as well as a case study here.

Another benefit of creating high quality online learning materials is that they can provide access to otherwise inaccessible locations and sites. In the ThingLink case study Virtual Field Trips for Post Grads, we showed how an academic at Queen’s University Belfast was able to increase the number of students on his course when providing virtual international field trips for the first time whilst coronavirus restrictions were in place.
Further reading for Higher Education: How to ncrease enrollment with a virtual tour of your college or university campus

Online learning can provide more personalized learning

Online platforms can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to analyze learner data and provide personalized e-learning experiences. This includes adaptive learning paths, customized content, and tailored feedback, catering to individual needs and learning styles.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

These technologies have the potential to transform online learning formats by creating immersive and interactive environments. VR and AR can simulate real-world scenarios, allowing learners to practice skills and explore concepts in a more engaging and practical manner. For training in high-risk environments where safety is paramount and equipment is high-value, this is a highly cost-effective learning method that ensures students are up to speed before being placed in the real environment for the first time.
We summarise some key findings in this paper: How effective is training using VR and AR?

Blended Learning will become far more commonplace

Blending online and offline learning approaches is becoming more prevalent. The future may see a combination of online courses and in-person experiences to create a well-rounded educational experience. This approach can provide flexibility while still offering hands-on, face-to-face or collaborative activities. There are some innovative learning environments that incorporate the best elements of VR and in-person learning, creating a collaborative virtual classroom. Igloo Vision for example provide in-person immersive spaces for engaging shared virtual reality experiences.

Gamification will continue to play a key role in online learning

Incorporating game elements into online learning can enhance engagement and motivation. Gamified learning experiences often include rewards, challenges, and progress tracking, making the learning process more enjoyable and encouraging learners to stay motivated. One example of this approach is the growth of online and virtual escape rooms which we covered in our blog How to Make a Virtual Escape Room.

Growth of collaborative learning

Online learning platforms are increasingly integrating features that foster collaboration among learners. This includes discussion boards, group projects, and peer-to-peer learning. The future may see further enhancements in these areas to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing. In this blog we showed how schools across Hungary collaborated online to create a joint virtual exhibition together.

Microlearning and bite-sized content

Short, focused lessons or microlearning modules are gaining popularity. This approach provides learners with easily digestible content that can be consumed in smaller chunks, fitting into busy schedules and catering to short attention spans.

Skill-based and lifelong learning

Online learning is well-suited for acquiring specific skills and knowledge, enabling individuals to upskill or reskill throughout their careers. The future may see an increased emphasis on skill-based learning, catering to the evolving needs of the job market and supporting lifelong learning journeys.

Recognition of online learning will increase

Online learning is increasingly recognized and accepted by employers and educational institutions. The future may witness the development of standardized and universally recognized credentials for online learning achievements, ensuring their value and credibility.

In summary: what is the future of online learning?

The covid-19 pandemic certainly brought online learning to mainstream attention and put traditional education under the spotlight. A blended approach that combines the best aspects of online and offline learning is likely to be the most widely adopted model in the future – one that is collaborative, gamified, personalized and highly accessible.

For more insights and innovative use cases by our global community of content creators, why not join one of our social media groups such as the ThingLink LinkedIn community?

Online learning is flexible

Online classes mean that students can study at their own pace and around their own schedule. Classes can be delivered in real-time for students who need this face-to-face aspect, and can also be recorded to be studied asynchronously. This approach particularly benefits those who may have circumstances that make it difficult to attend traditional classes. For example, students who train and compete in elite sports, or students whose parents are required to work overseas and have no high-quality first-language education provision in their local area. The curriculum could be adapted from full-time to part time, evenings only or any other pattern that suits the student. Asynchronous learning does require a greater degree of discipline and time-management from students, so it is certainly not suitable for everyone. But on the other hand, these are essential life skills which once mastered will prove invaluable for the learner in later life.

Accessibility of online learning

Students can access online courses from anywhere with an internet connection. This means that students without access to traditional educational institutions for any reason can still pursue their education. It also provides an education via distance learning for students who may have access issues for any number of reasons including physical, behavioural or sensory processing ones, or suffer from high levels of anxiety in a traditional classroom setting. For this reason fully or partially online programs are a far more inclusive, accessible solution.

Online education is a cost-effective solution

Online learning is on the whole less expensive than traditional education. Without a physical school campus to maintain, the only real substantial outlay for any online school provision is staff costs and technology costs. In areas of the world where attending a traditional learning setting is prohibitively expensive, accessing online education via a mobile device is a cost effective alternative that widens access to those who might otherwise receive limited education provision.

Online learning can be customized and personalized

Online education allows educators to develop a customized learning experience that best suits their individual students’ needs. Additionally, students themselves can choose lessons, modules and courses that align with their own interests, skills or strengths, as well as choosing the pace at which they complete the coursework.

Online learners benefit from increased collaboration and a wider network

Online education allows students to collaborate with other online students from around the world who are also pursuing an e-learning approach. A virtual classroom could in theory contain students from across the entire globe, making connections and friendships that could last a lifetime! It provides a unique opportunity for students to learn from people with different backgrounds and perspectives to their own.

Online learning is constantly advancing

The nature of online education means that it is a fast-adaptive format that is constantly evolving and improving as technology advances. This means that online courses are using learning platforms that are ever more interactive, more engaging, and more effective.

Study: The development of VR learning

One method of learning that is becoming increasingly popular is virtual reality (VR) training. This learning method is generally delivered via a VR headset and has been proved to be remarkably effective in giving the student experience of an environment or situation that could otherwise be hazardous or high-risk, or requires them to familiarise themselves with high value equipment. It is used increasingly in medical training for this reason. We have summarized the evidence gathered in a recent study by PwC into the effectiveness of VR and AR training in the download here: Latest Developments in VR and AR Learning

Online learning is the green option

One of the most significant environmental benefits of online learning when compared to traditional education is the reduced carbon emissions that come from school transportation. When students and instructors are not commuting to and from classes, carbon emissions from cars and buses are greatly reduced.

Online learning also helps to conserve energy and water. School buildings require electricity to power lighting, heating, and cooling systems, plus a significant amount of water for grounds maintenance and cleaning.

Online learning also reduces paper usage. Despite most schools having embraced paperless learning to a greater or lesser degree, students and educators still use a significant amount of paper for assignments, notes and handouts. Online learning, on the other hand, generally eliminates entirely the need for physical copies of course materials, reducing paper waste.

Further reading: Online learning in Higher Education

In this selection of blogs we look at examples of online learning in the Higher Education space.

How to engage students in online learning

Awesome examples of interactive education online

What is a virtual lab and how to create one

The benefits of diversity training for organisations

Organisations of all sizes should aspire to creating an equitable and inclusive workplace, where all team members can thrive regardless of different backgrounds, socio-economic status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.

Effective diversity training programs help to ensure that all staff feel respected and accepted by their co-workers while promoting an inclusive culture and inclusive behaviors. The bottom line for you as an employer is that creating an inclusive environment like this, where employees feel valued and respected, will assist both with attracting strong candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, and with staff retention.

What does diversity training cover?

Diversity, equity and inclusion training programs (or DEI for short) can cover an enormous range of issues and subjects. These may include such areas as cultural diversity, unconscious bias (eg racial bias) and sensitivity training.

Identifying your own specific workplace diversity training needs will help create more relevant and meaningful learning outcomes

Establishing clear and relevant learning objectives and anticipated outcomes is essential for the success of any employee training course, and a diversity program is no different.

Individual companies must decide the particular types of diversity training courses they require, to ensure that the training is realistic, useful and relevant to their own setting or environment. It may be that the location or nature of your organisation means that certain workplace diversity issues are more commonplace or problematic than others.

Key learning: Creating realistic scenarios based on real-life environments and specific situations will mean that the training you provide will be instantly more relatable, understandable and more easily applicable for all employees.

The benefits of using ThingLink’s Scenario Builder for employee training

Scenario Builder is the simplest way to create realistic and authentic virtual learning environments that perfectly mimic your company culture and the environments where your employee learners might find themselves during their working day. This has a number of benefits:

• It allows them to practice decision-making and problem-solving skills in a safe and low-risk environment.
• It allows them to explore the potential consequences of their decisions via branching scenarios that take them along a different path depending on the choices they make.
• Scenario Builder is a particularly useful tool for diversity training as it allows the learner to experience a situation or environment from a range of perspectives which are different from their own. This can give them an insight into how their own behaviour can be perceived from a different viewpoint.

Scenario Builder allows you to:

• Create questions which will prompt reflection and promote understanding among learners.
• Easily create realistic virtual environments at low cost with images, 360 images, videos or 360 videos captured in your own work spaces.
• Assess employee knowledge within the employee training scenario.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of your DEI training materials; using built-in metrics to assess and perfect your diversity and inclusion training.

Video: How to create a scenario for employee training

Further information

The three blogs below are a really helpful introduction to Scenario Based Learning and should provide further inspiration for creating your own course.

Scenario Based Learning for Corporate Training

How to Create Scenario Based Learning Experiences

5 Great Examples of Scenario-Based Learning

An employee training plan is simply an outline of the key skills, competencies and knowledge that your staff require to fulfil their job role(s). The key purpose of any employee training plan is to enable your team members to learn new skills, and develop those, within the workplace. It is likely that even the smallest of businesses will require a number of different training plans depending on individual employees’ skills and the key competencies required in your particular business sector.

Any well thought out plan should outline the overall goals for training, the timelines involved, and a guide as to how staff will go through the training process, whether that’s in-person or online.

Why is an employee training plan important?

By providing team members with effective learning that meets their individual needs, the best types of employee training plans help ensure that staff are well-prepared for their job role. It also prepares them to tackle any changes and updates in the workplace and sector. In addition is means that any skill gaps can be identified and remedied.

Developing staff training is a time-consuming process. It’s a good idea therefore to create a set of employee training programs which between them will encompass all the potential training needs of your current and future employees. These can then be used as the basis of employee training templates for new team members who may join in the future – and adjusted as necessary of course.

The benefits of an employee training plan

For employees

Providing a training plan boosts employee confidence, enabling staff to be better equipped to handle new challenges on the job. It can also help employees identify potential career goals and make an active decision about how best to reach them.

For employers

In turn this will lead to a higher level of job satisfaction amongst confident and competent team members. You are likely to see a higher rate of employee retention from staff who feel they are valued and receiving the training they need.

Being able to demonstrate that you provide new employee training and that you put a high value on upskilling your staff will help attract the best candidates for any new roles you advertise.

Overall, in providing the right training for your employees, you will boost employee performance and are far more likely to reach your business goals more quickly.

What should a training plan include?

Your training checklist should incorporate:

• An initial training needs assessment; this should help you identify your training goals. What are the knowledge gaps in your organisation? Consider that there may be short-term goals that can easily be met with training, as well as long term initiatives that your training can help with.
• An outline of the types of training sessions you plan to provide. These should incorporate a range of alternative training methods – acknowledging that there are many different types of learners. Consider how the training will be delivered: will it be instructor-led? Will training courses be outsourced or provided in-house? Will training materials be delivered in person, online, or blended? Perhaps there will be an aspect of ongoing mentoring provided as part of the plan?
• Metrics and milestones for measuring progress. As well as metrics for each individual module, it’s also essential to identify milestones within the training program so that each employee’s progress can be tracked.
• Don’t forget to provide ongoing assessment of the learning outcomes and training objectives that you decide upon. These may change over time as your organisation grows or your business changes and evolves.
• Your employee training plan template should also include some sort of structure that provides ongoing support and feedback wherever necessary. What do your staff feel about the training? Is there anything they would change or anything they feel is missing? Provide a platform for them to feed back into the training plan. This can be anonymous if that would make staff feel more comfortable in submitting responses.

Employee onboarding for new hires

Ideally, new employees should be able to hit the ground running with the key information they need to do their job – which may include company policies and company structure as well as key skills, knowledge and competencies. Therefore a clear onboarding process for new hire training is one of the most important employee training plans that you can create. Make your onboarding plan easy to visualise with an interactive roadmap or timeline like the one below.

The perfect way to present and embed your employee training plan

This New Joiner Induction Roadmap above is a clear visual representation of an example training schedule which sets out the steps in order with information embedded in rich media tags. This type of roadmap can in fact be adapted and used for all types of employee training plans. Links to the training modules can be embedded in the interactive tags and tests and assessments can be easily incorporated. Explore our examples below for more use cases where employers have created training with ThingLink.

Have you considered diversity training?

Another key element of employee training is DIE or diversity, inclusion and equity training. This helpful blog covers What to include in a Diversity and inclusion training plan.

Further examples of employee training using interactive online learning

Here are some more examples of how these employers used ThingLink to create training for their employees.

• Fingrid creates virtual safety briefings with ThingLink
• Norelco use virtual learning environments for safety training of electricians
• Using virtual tours to create online customer service training
• Scenario-based learning (SBL) is quickly becoming the industry standard for corporate learning or workplace learning and development. Learn more in this blog all about Scenario Based Learning for Corporate Training

The answer is yes – and much more easily than you may think! In recent years, physical escape rooms or breakout rooms have become increasingly popular as team-building activities for employers, companies, organisations and groups of friends. Alongside this has been a huge growth in digital escape rooms. This format offers the same type of challenge but can be completed either individually or online as a remote team. The general concept is that the participant(s) have to answer questions to escape the room.

Fortunately, there is a really easy way to bring the fun and challenge of an online escape room into the virtual world with ThingLink! We will also provide some great escape rooms ideas and user-created examples.

What is ThingLink?

ThingLink is an interactive media creation platform that allows users to very easily create engaging digital stories by adding videos and images to base media – images, videos, 360 images/videos or 3d objects. Interactive tags can be placed on the media and filled with text, videos, quizzes and other interactive elements such as links and audio clips. This makes it easy for you to create and instantly share a virtual experience that is both fun and informative. There is no coding or experience required – anyone can ThingLink!

Examples of Virtual Escape Rooms

We’ve linked to three case studies where ThingLink creators have designed imaginative and original escape room experiences. In all three of these cases they have been designed for students of some sort. But these could just as easily be adapted for your organisation.

Teamwork in your Escape Room

A virtual escape game like this is a great way to improve teamwork. This is particularly useful if you work in remote teams with diverse skills. Your virtual team will have to use their individual skills together to reach the end. If you simply want to create a fun version that does not reflect the work undertaken by your organisation, you could always base the questions on trivia or simple puzzles. A virtual team can communicate online using Zoom, Microsoft Teams or any similar video conferencing platform.

In this first case study How to Create a Virtual Escape Room for Students we show how an escape room scenario was created at University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) for inter-disciplinary students to practice their skills together. The problem-solving they had to undertake together during the gameplay helped improve their delegation and communication skills and helped them practice life-saving decision making under stress. Explore the example below!

In this example, Using ThingLink to Develop Virtual Team Building Activities for Nursing Students, ThingLink was used in the University of Huddersfield to create a murder mystery game. Their approach could be applied in any work environment to enhance teamwork and collaboration whilst practising core skills.

Creating Your Virtual Escape Room

It’s very simple to create your own virtual escape room with ThingLink. Your first step should be to set up an account, which you can do here.

To create an escape room, you will be using the Tour Tag and the Conditional Transitions feature. In short, the player(s) can only escape the room (or move to the next room if your game features multiple rooms) if they enter the correct answer into the box which appears when they click on the tag! The answer to that question can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. By exploring the interactive tags or hotspots placed around the image or 360 scene, they should be able to read, watch and listen to the clues you provide that will help them reach the final answer they need to escape.

More escape room ideas

To make the challenge more complex or just longer to complete, you can take one, some or all of the following approaches.

1. Increase the number and difficulty of clues that are provided. This may involve increasing the number of tags. The participants can only escape once they have gathered the information from each tag, all of which is required for the answer to the Conditional Transition question. For example, the answer they require to escape could be a word made up of the first letter of the answers to all the questions/images in each tag within the room. You may want to number the tags so they have to move through them in sequence.
2. Create multiple rooms or scenes that the participants have to move through in order to finally escape the last room.

Adding More Interactivity to your Virtual Escape Rooms

To really engage participants and make it feel like they are playing an actual escape room game, add interactivity wherever possible. For example, link from the tags or hotpots to other websites or pages where participants can find additional information or resources related to their task at hand. You can also add audio recordings of yourself explaining certain tasks or objectives in order to give participants “hints” along their journey through the virtual escape room.

You could include clues and puzzles or riddles along the way that will help participants reach their ultimate goal. You could also add some fun elements like videos or image galleries that provide background information about the topic you’ve chosen for your escape room.

Escape rooms for students

As the examples demonstrate, virtual escape rooms can be a great teaching tool and their popularity as such reflects the growth of gamification as an approach to learning. They are ideal for teaching and practising problem solving skills. Most students will be familiar with the basic concept as they roughly behave as a video game behaves, where the participant works to find their way out to the next section or level.

The new easy way to create 360 images for your escape room

NEW! Creating virtual tours, exhibitions, escape rooms and other immersive content just got even easier! ThingLink has now launched Pano to 360, an easy way to create a 360 photosphere from a panoramic image using any smartphone. For more information including step-by-step instructions see this helpful support article. 

FAQs

What other virtual teambuilding games can you build on ThingLink?

Similar to the escape room format is a virtual scavenger hunt. Your participants have to find a number of objects hidden in each scene. This works really well with 360 images.

Use ThingLink’s simple Scenario Builder tool to create a fun “Choose your own adventure” game. Read more about how you can create immersive and engaging learning experiences using scenario based learning here. Or watch this quick 2 minute video to see how it works!