Branched Learning with PlayPosit

Why use branched learning with PlayPosit?

Branched learning provides more autonomy to learners and increases learner engagement. Instructors can create a branched learning environment to accommodate learners with different prior knowledge and provide diverse levels of scaffolding to learners with a single Bulb. It can also help create a learner-centered learning environment that allows learners to choose their learning path, motivating them to participate actively. Furthermore, Instructors can create a gamified learning experience with a branched learning Bulb and transform the learning into an adventure for the learners.

Building a branched learning Bulb with PlayPosit is simple and straightforward. Instructors won’t need to work with programming and logic settings behind the branch learning. Instead, they can simply use the jump feature pre-built in most PlayPosit’s interactions to move learners to different video sections based on their answers and responses. Also, instructors can enable learners to select the video section they want to watch and let learners decide their learning path.

The other great feature that makes PlayPosit an excellent tool for creating branched learning is that the designer allows instructors to upload multiple video segments into one Bulb. This feature opens up more possibilities for instructors to create a diverse learning experience by incorporating videos from different sources.

Lastly, the preview function in PlayPosit Bulb designer allows instructors to test their branched learning Bulb easily. They can examine the Bulb they are building to ensure it operates as expected.

Sample Bulbs

Polls interaction for branched learning

Button + hotspot for branched learning

Table of contents for branched learning

Branched learning based on learners' prior knowledge

How to build a branched learning Bulb with PlayPosit

Basic Bulb settings for a branched learning Bulb

Please follow the steps below to ensure the Bulb is in the correct configuration for a branched learning experience.

1. After creating a new Bulb, import the videos with the Video Segments tab by clicking the Add Video button. Then, continue clicking on the add video button to add more video segments to this Bulb. Please see this article for more information about importing videos to PlayPosit Bulb designer.

   NOTES: If the bulb is assigned to Moodle LMS, learners will have to click on the Play button again to resume the bulb playback when they are jumped to a different video segment in the bulb.

2. Click on the Review tab on the top, expand the Playback Options, and check the following options:

   1. Allow learners to skip interactions
   2. Apply this option to all the interactions
   3. Allow viewers to fast forward

   These three options will allow learners to jump to different sections of the Bulb and prevent them from being restricted by the interactions unrelated to their branched learning experience.

Jump learners based on their responses to the interaction

• Multiple choice/Poll interaction
  1. After entering the question and all the answer choices, click on the gear icon behind the answer choice and select Add Jump.
  2. Drag the green flag on the scrub bar to the desired timestamp, and instructors can preview the video section of the select timestamp on the right side of the Bulb designer.
  3. (Optional) Repeat the steps above for other answer choices. Learners will jump to different timestamps based on the answer choice they select. After finishing setting jump for the answer choices, click on Done to save the progress. If learners pick an option that does not have the jump configured, they will just proceed to the next timestamp without jumping.
• Check all/Fill in the blank interaction
  1. After setting up the question, expand the Advanced settings and toggle on Jump if the user answers this question correctly and Jump if the user answers this question incorrectly, and drag the green flag on the scrub bar to the desired timestamp. Once finishing setting the jumps, click on Done to save the progress.

Create hot spots/buttons for learners to jump to the selected timestamp

• Create buttons with the Pause interaction
  1. Add a pause interaction to the Bulb, and type in the text for the button. We recommend leaving a line between each button to ensure there will be enough space between each button.
  2. Highlight the text for the first button, and click on the Jump icon on the rich text editor.
  3. Enter the desired time stamp on the popup window, and change the styling effect to the Primary button. The Jump time format is hours: minutes: second. milliseconds. The instructor can also change the button color with the color picker. Then click on Insert to create the first button.
  4. Repeat the steps above to build out all the buttons.
• Add jump buttons to the feedback of the interaction
  1. Click on the gear icon behind the answer option, and select Add feedback.
  2. Type in the feedback, and highlight the text the instructor wants to build into a button. Then select the Jump icon on the rich text editor.
  3. Enter the desired time stamp on the popup window, and change the styling effect to the Primary button. The Jump time format is hours: minutes: second. milliseconds. The instructor can also change the button color with the color picker. Then click on Insert to create the button.
  4. Repeat the steps above to add jumps to all the feedback.

Add auto jump to the Bulb

When learners reach the timestamp of an auto jump interaction, they will automatically jump to the selected section of the Bulb. It will be beneficial if the instructor wants to branch learners to a desired section of the Bulb without interrupting them from watching it. Please follow the steps below to add auto jump to the Bulb.

1. Click on Add interaction, and select the Auto jump interaction from the template section.

2. Use the green flag on the scrub bar to select the timestamp, and click on Done to save the interaction.

Preview and playtest the branched learning Bulb

1. Click on the Review tab, and select Preview
2. Click on the Toggle playback mode on the top, and change the playback mode to Learner.

   

FAQ

How to acquire the timestamp to set up branched learning?

After importing all the video segments to the Bulb designer, the instructor can click on the Play button on the lower left to preview the video and find the timestamp above the play button.

Instructors can also drop down the timestamp and create a simple wireframe to help visualize the learners’ workflow in the branched learning Bulb.

Why are some questions left blank on the monitor page after learners complete the Bulb?

Learners will only interact with the interactions included in the section they choose or are assigned to watch. For example, if the learner selects to jump and start watching the Bulb from 2:30, they will not see nor interact with the interactions that take place before 2:30. Therefore, those interactions will be left blank after the learner completes the Bulb.

Learners’ experience inherently differs from each other based on their choices and responses when taking a branched learning Bulb. This unique characteristic makes branched learning an engaging and intuitive experience for learners to acquire new knowledge and skills in a learner-centered environment. However, because learners might see and encounter different questions, the branched learning Bulb might not be the best tool to create a summative assessment. 

When to use auto jump?

When learners reach the auto jump interaction, they will be seamlessly sent to the selected timestamp. It will be beneficial if the instructor wants to branch learners to a desired section of the Bulb without interrupting them from watching it. 

For example, if the instructor lets learners choose to watch section A or B of the Bulb, the instructor can add an auto jump at the end of section A to allow learners who decide to watch section A skip section B.

Why allow learners to skip interactions and fast forward?

The jump feature will only work when learners have the ability to move from different timestamps in the Bulb. Therefore, the instructor will need to enable the fast forward option to allow learners to jump from timestamp to timestamp in the branched learning Bulb.

Similarly, if there is an unskippable interaction in the Bulb, Learners will be forced to stop at that interaction and can’t jump to the desired part of the Bulb. For example, if a learner needs to jump from 1:00 to 2:00 in a Bulb, and there is a required interaction at 1:30. The learners will end up stopping at 1:30 to answer the question and will not be sent to the desired timestamp. 

Also, please instruct the learners not to use the scrub bar or the fast forward/rewind button to navigate the branched learning Bulb because it could potentially break the learning experience.

Will learners know they are being jumped?

Yes, when learners jump to a timestamp in the Bulb, they will see a toast on the top right corner to indicate that they have been jumped.

Can I jump learners to a specific question?

To jump learners to different questions in the Bulb, instructors can put the questions to different timestamps in the video and jump learners to those timestamps according to their choices.

For example, instructors can place the first question at 00:08 and the second question at 00:09, and jump learners to either timestamp based on their answer to the first poll question.

If the instructor doesn’t want learners who answer question 1 to see question 2, please follow the steps below to add an auto jump after the first question to skip the second question.

1. Click on Add interaction to group below the first question.

   

2. Select Auto Jump from the template.

3. Set the target timestamp for learners to jump at around a second after the second question, then click on Done.

With this setting, learners will automatically skip question 2 if they choose to complete question 1.