Jim Palmer is an experienced trainer, he teaches operating systems and programming classes at the local college. Jim had decided to get a second job on a contracting basis to teach off-the-shelf software packages. What could be so different about this kind of class he thought?

During his first Streamline Accounting class Jim noticed that all of his students were either looking really bored, with those glazed over eyes or scribbling notes. He had prepared several packets of screen prints for his class and had great examples from video rental stores, everyone can relate to that right?

To Jim's dismay, the class got progressively worse. Jim felt that some people might leave if he didn't pick up the pace, so he quickly moved on from one topic to the next. After class one of the students came up to Jim and said that she had experienced Cognitive Overload.

One student, Christie Patterson, approached Jim after class. She explained to him her frustration with the pace of material, lack of hands-on exercises and limited course materials. Jim knew that something must be done before this class was taught again. Jim had heard about learners experiencing cognitive overload in training courses, but didn't know how to remedy the situation, he knew that this was a job for an Instructional Designer!

Jennifer Herrod
IT5990 Distance Learning and the Web
December 1, 2000
jennifer@jchconsulting.com