OLD FORMAT vs NEW FORMAT

[Anastasia]

For those of who who have used the old flashcards and the new ones, please let me know which you prefer and why. Thanks.

[perrik]

New! New! New!

The new flashcards offer an audio component - in learning mode, you hear the text of the card and then see the text and must fill in the missing word/phrase. You can turn off the audio if you prefer. Visual and auditory learners both benefit by this change.

I really like that there are multiple related "questions" on a flashcard. The old version has the one statement with a blank to fill in, and then you'll see a further explanation or illustration below it that you might just gloss over. The new version makes you fill in blanks in the further explanation as well, so you have no choice but to pay attention and learn it.

Another improvement is the handling of questions you got wrong. In the old version, there's a drop-down menu at the review page listing all the questions you got wrong. You have to look at each one individually, backtracking to the review page after each one to go look at the next. Your wrong answer is filled in, followed by the correct answer and the usual explanatory text. In the new version, the missed questions become a new set of flashcards, and you've got to fill in all the blanks again (if there were multiple blanks on a card and you got one wrong, you have to fill them all in). Repetition is the essence of flashcard success!

[marianne202]

I prefer the old format much better. If you are an audio learner I would expect the new version to fit you better. But the new version takes way too long to go through the cards. I also find that some of the information listed doesn't belong with the main point of the flashcard. I have heard comments from several that prefer the old format better for easier, faster review. I think to appeal to the most learning styles they should offer both formats. I also don't like the blue box/white text. That is actually very hard for those with visual issues to read. I think from the ease of use and most universal appeal the old style was superior. As an instructor who teaches online courses and has to follow the ADA rules and guidelines for visual readers and appealing to all types of learning styles...this new format would fail! Sorry guys!

[Anastasia]

I also much prefer the old format. I just joined this site and have many tests to take in the upcoming year. marianne 202, I agree heartily with EVERYTHING that you said.

I am a Professional Organizer who works with helping individuals and businesses find systems that work for them by changing their mindset. I help people focus on releasing what is not working and strengthening what is working.

perrick, I am glad the new format works for you, an audio learner, but it is the very things that you like that I dislike. I feel the multiple related questions on each card slow me down, and as marianne 202 said, the new format is difficult for some of us visually from the blue and white box to the excess information on each card.

I would love others to join in the discussion and express their preference. Perhaps InstantCert will respond and offer both versions to appeal to various types of learners...

[nick94]

I also much prefer the old format. I just joined this site and have many tests to take in the upcoming year. marianne 202, I agree heartily with EVERYTHING that you said.

I am a Professional Organizer who works with helping individuals and businesses find systems that work for them by chaning their mindset. I help people focus on releasing what is not working and strengthening what is working.

perrick, I am glad the new format works for you, an audio learner, but it is the very things that you like that I dislike. I feel the multiple related questions on each card slow me down, and as marianne 202 said, the new format is difficult for some of us visually from the blue and white box to the excess information on each card.

I would love others to join in the discussion and express their preference. Perhaps InstantCert will respond and offer both versions to appeal to various types of learners...

I agree that they should offer the Old Version and the New version. I prefer the Old version, don't really know why, maybe because they're simpler.

[sgloer]

Thanks for your input, guys. We are coming out with a 'lite' version of the v2 software that'll be optimized for speed and will have a simpler interface. Offering the old version is not going to happen because when we convert a subject to v2, we generally do some heavy revision to the subject. Also, I personally feel that the moving blanks feature of the new version is indispensable because with the old version, a lot of people were not closely studying the explanations, and their exam scores were suffering for it.

[marianne202]

Steve,

I'm all for updating the content to reflect the current exams, but quite frankly we are all adults and if the person using these tools fails to utilize the materials to their best interest that is their fault and not your responsibility to fix. Almost every post states "read the explanations and answers, read all of the flashcard"! Will you consider revising the text back to black text on white or light background? The white text really is annoying and hard to read for long periods of time. I also think the format of breaking up the flashcards into multiple facts per card, really becomes no longer a flashcard, but just a group of notes. I prefer the one concept per card. That is what a flashcard is! You master that material then move on. The HTYH that I tried to use had lots of unrelated topics included with the main topic. This was annoying especially if it was way off context. I'm all for high tech, but the KISS acronym and if it aint broken don't fix it seem appropriate here. Changing the flashcards won't make people pay attention or study more. Just my 2 cents submitted for consideration!

[malcs]

I too am a fan of V1, because I can quickly copy the question and answer to my notes file. With v2 it takes too many keystrokes to do that so I end up using REA instead.

[Anastasia]

Thanks again marianne and malcs for stating so clearly what I have been trying to express.