Rumie ByteGuide: Byte Authoring Essentials

Created by Manav Chugh on Sep 17, 2020 The Rumie Initiative

There are 4 key stages of the Byte Building process.

1. Familiarize Yourself With Byte Basics

About Bytes

• Bytes are microlearning experiences, less than 10 minutes long
• Each Byte has one learning objective
• Bytes focus on applying the concept in a real-world context

Content Guidelines

We create Bytes primarily on soft life and career skills that orient on the action. Soft skills are non-technical abilities that relate to how we work and interact with others. For example: teamwork, communication, and adaptability.

Category
Career Skills "I want to be more employable."	Learning to Learn "I want to take ownership of my personal development."	Business Acumen "I want to better navigate business structures."	Innovation "I want to be prepared for whatever the future might hold."	Digital Literacy "I want to be an informed digital citizen."	Health* "I want to contribute to a healthy community."	Civics* "I want to be an informed global citizen."
Example Topics & Themes
Teamwork → Constructive Conflict, Cultural Awareness	Finding Resources → Mentorship, Personal Learning Networks.	Personal Finance → Tracking Expenses, Financial Planning	Adaptability → Perseverance, Openness	Information and Media Literacies → Evaluating Digital Information, Searching	Physical Health → Sexual Health, Nutrition	overnment → Voting, Law & Justice
Outcomes
Become more prepared to engage in modern workplaces (regardless of specific vocation)	Become a self-directed learner. Take better advantage of learning opportunities everywhere.	Develop an entrepreneur's mindset and build foundational business knowledge.	Become more agile. Adapt to changing circumstances at work or in the world.	Build foundational knowledge and skills to act safely and appropriately online.	*Requested By NGO partner organizations.Combat misinformation and build healthier habits.	*Suggested by a volunteer group.Spark civic awareness, engagement and activism.

2. Author a Learning Objective (LO)

Training Session recording,deck, and activity.

LO Purpose

• LOs help learners self identify appropriate content. It helps answer the question: will this be helpful to me? Is this the outcome I'm looking for?
• LOs help Byte authors maintain focus, ensuring that all content is directly contributing to or 'laddering up' to the learning objective.

Authoring Effective LOs

1. Confirm: does it align with Rumie's content guidelines?
2. Confirm: does it add something new to the Byte library?

• Use keywords to search the existing Byte library on Rumie-Learn and objectives in ClickUp to confirm your idea is not duplicative.
• Your objective should add something unique or complement existing Bytes.

3. Start the sentence with a Bloom's Taxonomy verb.

• If possible, aim for the "application" level.
• This anchors the content on an observable action and avoids being just an information dump.

4. Ensure it's Byte sized.

• Because Bytes are short learning bursts, we'll often break down a learning objective into multiple, smaller chunks.
• While it's possible to deliver a Byte that has a high-level overview of a complex topic, it won't allow you to go in detail with specific elements.
  Example In Action

There is one Byte that overviews "SMART Goals," and also 5 individual Bytes that go into each of the letters in greater detail.

• Use a mind map to breakdown your objective into sub-components. If you can create three or more layers of branching, choose one of the lower branches to create an attainable and appropriately sized objective.

5. Keep the language simple.

• Just like the content in Bytes themselves, we want to learn objectives to be clear and direct. Ask yourself: Would an 8th grader understand it?

3. Build Your Byte in Rumie-Build

Apply Effective Learning Strategies

Hook the Learner

• Use the Background Info section to pull learners in and pique their interest.
• Ask a provocative question, use a scenario, or share an impactful statistic.

Examples, examples, examples!

• Bytes are about tangible application, not theory.
• If you share an idea or concept, back it up with how it actually plays out in real life.
• Use multiple examples, include them as content steps, add them as multiple choice questions, make them into scenarios.

Quiz Questions

Training Session recording, anddeck.

• The best multiple-choice questions nudge learners to make an active decision and apply their learning, not just recall information.
  • One way to do this is to present a brief scenario or example that has not already been shared. In the example, have the learner identify the next course of action, or how a situation could be handled better, etc.
• Try to make answers a similar length (otherwise, learners will usually guess the longest one)
• Try to make distractor answers plausible. Answers that are obviously wrong make the question too easy. Make all options somewhat tempting.

Strong Takeaway Prompts

In the final "Take Action" step of your Byte, give the learner a prompt for something they can do immediately to apply their learning. This gives them the opportunity to extend their learning. Think of it almost like you're assigning some light homework.

Apply Best Practices for Byte Writing Style

Terminology

• Choose simple vocabulary instead of jargon. Bytes should be able to be read and understood by someone who is 14 years old.
• Write directly to our learners, it makes the tone warm and friendly. Use terms like "you," "our," and "we."
• When referring to a generic person whose gender is unknown or irrelevant to the context, use the singular "they" instead of "he/she."

4. Engage in the Peer Review Process

Training Session recording, and deck

Rumie encourages all Byte authors to get peer review feedback from at least 2 other people.

Consider these points as you complete a peer review of a Byte.

Learning Effectiveness	_ Does the Byte fulfill the stated objective? _ Is the content ordered in a logical way? (I.e. big picture before supporting details?)
Writing	_ Is the language simple and approachable? (Can I remove any jargon?) _ Is the language action-oriented (i.e. "Do this" vs. "One would do this")? _ Is the writing concise and direct (is there any filler that can be removed without compromising the message?) _ Does the writing flow well from one point to the next? (Do transitions smoothly connect the points?)
Format	_ Does the formatting look clean and consistent? _ Does the imagery complement the writing? * Is this learning experience shorter than 10 minutes? _(i.e. When I read it through to digest the information, watch all media, and engage with questions, the total seat time should be ~10 minutes or less. _
Engagement	_ Is there at least one multiple-choice question? _ Does it require the learner to apply their learning? (vs. simple recall/memorization) * Does the media reinforce the learning and help to deliver on the LO?

After gathering peer review feedback, Byte authors should finesse and finalize their Byte based on these insights.

5. Submit Byte for Rumie Review

After the Byte is complete prepare it for publishing by clicking "Byte for Rumie Review" in Build. At this stage, authors:

• Choose a cover photo
• Can retitle their Byte
• Add any metadata tags (e.g. essential video, polarizing content)

The Byte will then undergo Rumie's review and approval process. At this stage, Byte authors may receive additional feedback from Rumie Reviewers before final publishing.