Ever wished eLearning quizzes were more than just a string of multiple-choice questions, a dull assignment that barely sparks your interest? Monotonous question formats can lead to learner fatigue, diminishing the overall effectiveness of quizzes. Maintaining variety within questions is often a challenge faced by instructional designers and course creators. One innovative approach to address this is incorporating image-based questions into your eLearning courses.

The Power of Using Visuals in Questions

Well-designed questions challenge learners to think critically, reinforce key concepts, and apply knowledge. Unlike traditional text-based questions, image-based questions can grab learners’ attention by leveraging visual elements, fostering a more interactive and immersive learning environment. Whether it’s recognizing patterns, analyzing charts, or identifying objects, images provide a versatile medium for assessing understanding. This allows course developers to create questions that resonate with a broader audience.

Use Cases for Image-Based Questions

Here are some compelling use cases for integrating image-based questions into your eLearning arsenal:

• Workplace safety: Assess learners’ understanding of topics such as emergency response, hazard identification, equipment operation and safety, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and ergonomic principles by incorporating relevant images in the questions.
• Education For subjects that require visual recognition, such as geography, art history, architecture, botany, physics, and engineering, image-based questions provide an effective means of evaluation.
• Medical and healthcare training: Enhance questions by incorporating images for topics such as anatomy identification, patient assessment and diagnosis, interpretation of medical reports, surgical procedures, and instrument recognition.
• Interactive process mapping: Create visual quizzes that require learners to map out sequences, identify key steps, or arrange components of processes and workflows in the correct order.
• Data analysis and interpretation: In fields like statistics or data science, use image-based questions to present graphs, charts, or data visualizations. Assess learners’ ability to analyze and interpret the visual representation of data.
• Language learning and vocabulary building: Enhance language learning by integrating images into questions that require learners to associate words or phrases with corresponding visuals.
• Coding and programming: Evaluate coding skills by presenting visual code snippets or flowcharts, challenging learners to identify errors or understand the logic behind the code.
• Culinary arts: Test knowledge of ingredients, cooking techniques, and presentation by incorporating images of various culinary concepts.

Let’s explore how to implement these ideas using the new Captivate.

Adobe Captivate for Image-Based Questions

Adobe Captivate offers five different predesigned question slides including multiple choice, true or false, match the column, short answer, and sequence. It also has eight different prebuilt interactive widgets including flip cards, tabs, carousel, timeline, hotspots, click to reveal, certificate, and drag and drop. Let’s see how you can make creative use of some of these to build engaging image-based questions.

• Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Slide

You can create an MCQ with images as answer options. To do so:

1. Insert the Multiple-Choice question slide in your project.
2. Select the slide design option that supports images from the Visual Properties inspector on the right.
3. Modify the question properties from the Visual Properties inspector such as the number of answer options, correct answer, and appearance. Add feedback text under Review mode.
4. Select the Slide type as Graded (an assessment question) or as a Knowledge Check in the Visual Properties inspector.
5. Add the question and instruction text on the slide.
6. To add images, click on a placeholder image on the slide and select Image under APPEARANCE in the Visual Properties inspector. Click the Replace Image icon and select an appropriate image from the Adobe Captivate assets library or your system.

Here is an example:

• Cards Widget

You can add images as answer options to the front side and corresponding feedback on the back side of the cards. To do so:

1. Insert the Cards widget in your project.
2. Modify the widget properties from the Visual Properties inspector such as the number of cards, design option, components, and appearance.
3. Under COMPONENTS, select Image for cards’ front and deselect the other options.
4. Add the question and instruction text on the slide.
5. To add images, click on a placeholder image on the slide and click the Replace Image icon in the Visual Properties inspector. Alternatively, click the plus icon on the placeholder image.
6. Select the Back option at the bottom of the slide and add feedback text to the back of the cards.

Here is an example:

• Hotspot Widget

You can use this widget for learners to identify specific areas or elements within the image. To do so:

1. Insert the Hotspot widget in your project.
2. Modify the widget properties from the Visual Properties inspector such as the number of hotspots, design option, components, and appearance.
3. Add the question and instruction text on the slide.
4. To add an image, click on the placeholder image on the slide and click the Replace Image icon in the Visual Properties inspector.
5. Arrange the hotspots at the appropriate places on the image.
6. Select the image and check the Include in quiz box under REPORTING in the Visual Properties inspector to make it a graded assessment question.
7. Select the callout tabs at the bottom of the slide and add feedback text to each.

Here is an example:

• Click to Reveal Widget

Similar to the Cards widget, you can use this widget for learners to identify specific image(s) from the given lot and provide separate feedback for each selection. To do so:

1. Insert the Click to Reveal widget in your project.
2. Modify the widget properties from the Visual Properties inspector such as the number of cards, design option, components, and appearance.
3. Add the question and instruction text on the slide.
4. To add an image, click on the placeholder card on the slide. Click the Solid Fill drop-down arrow under APPEARANCE in the Visual Properties inspector. Select the Image option in the drop-down.
5. Select the overlay tabs at the bottom of the slide and add feedback text to each.

Here is an example:

• Drag and Drop Widget

You can use this widget where learners need to categorize, match, sequence, or assemble images. To do so:

1. Insert the Drag and Drop widget in your project.
2. Modify the widget properties from the Visual Properties inspector such as the number of drop targets and drag objects, components, and appearance.
3. Check the Include in quiz box under REPORTING in the Visual Properties inspector to make it a graded assessment question.
4. Add the question and instruction text on the slide.
5. To add an image, click on a placeholder image on the slide and click the Replace Image icon in the Visual Properties inspector. Alternatively, click the plus icon on the placeholder image.
6. Add correct answers by clicking CONFIGURE next to CONNECTIONS. Add feedback text by clicking SHOW next to Caption under COMPONENTS in the widget’s Visual Properties inspector.

Here is an example:

Note: Only MCQ question slides and Hotspot and Drag and Drop widgets can be graded and reported to the LMS in Adobe Captivate. The rest of the widgets cannot be graded or reported but can be used as Knowledge Check questions.

The possibilities for using image-based questions are limitless, however, the key is to align the use of images with your learning objectives. Also, it’s important to enhance the learning experience by providing immediate feedback or additional information on correct and incorrect responses.

In conclusion, the introduction of image-based questions in eLearning courses represents a strategic move to enhance engagement and cater to diverse learning preferences. Adobe Captivate allows you to swiftly create visual quizzes in many ways.