When you need inspiration, check outside the field of eLearning to see what others create. Here are 10 sites that may provide a source of inspiration for you.

1. 10 UNUSUAL SOURCES
OF INSPIRATION FOR ELEARNING
by Connie Malamed
@elearningcoach
thelearningcoach.com

2. Feeling uncreative?
It’s difficult to be creative on demand.

3. Sometimes we just need a little
inspiration to get back into the flow.

4. On the next ten slides are
links to websites where you
can seek, browse and
hopefully find inspiration to
kickstart your creative flow.
They are not part of the world
of eLearning, because it’s
important to stretch and see
how others are communicating
content.

5. 1. Interactive Visualizations
See this collection of interactive
visualizations for ideas on making eLearning
more dynamic. Relevant interactivity helps
involve and engage learners.

6. 2. Information Aesthetics
If you crave a wide variety of ideas for
conceiving information graphics, check
out the sundry visuals at this site, where
“form follows data.” You’ll find a wealth of
possible ways to conceptualize
information.

7. 3. Note and Point
A gallery of well-designed Keynote and
PowerPoint presentations reside on this site.
Whether you implement or conceive visuals,
you can get ideas for eLearning course design
here.

8. 4. WebRangers
We adults are too serious. Glean ideas from the
wonderful games buried at the U.S. National Park
Service site—Webrangers. Find inspiration in the
creative treatments, then use it as a springboard for
approaches to adult learning. (FYI: Many of
these games were designed by my friends
at d’Vinci Interactive.)

9. 5. Brain Pickings
“The core ethos behind Brain Pickings is that
creativity is a combinatorial force: it’s our
ability to tap into our mental pool of resources
… that we’ve accumulated over the years just
by being present and alive and awake to the
world, and to combine them in extraordinary
new ways.”

10. 6. AWWWARDS
Look at the best of the web for inspiration.
You’ll find unique ways of implementing visual
design, gamification, interactivity and content
presentation. The Awwards site selects what
they consider award-worthy sites.

11. 7. Poynter Online
Bring storytelling and other journalistic skills to
your courses. Poynter Online teaches this and
other strategies in their articles, eLearning
courses, webinars and seminars.

12. 8. The Daily Script
If you get stuck on scriptwriting for video, try
browsing through the dozens of scripts housed
on this minimalist site. See if you get inspired
to write more compelling stories and scenarios
for learning.

13. 9. Digital Photography School
This site has loads of advice and inspiration
related to photography, which often serves as
the main media element in online courses. The
school has everything from technical articles
about cameras to photo galleries from readers.

14. 10. TED
Everyone knows about the TED presentations,
but not everyone uses them for ideas. See the
strategies that the best speakers use,
particularly how they engage the audience and
tie in stories. Try to do it as well as they do.

15. Get More Inspiration
• For advice, tips, reviews and resources about eLearning
and mobile learning, go to theelearningcoach.com.
• Join us on Facebook for elearning resources and
discussions.
• Connect on Twitter for 140 characters of nerd joy.
• And check out my books below, for research-inspired
visual design.