Text-to-Video in AI-Enhanced Training and Marketing Modules: Testing Synthesia's Platform

Synthesia https://www.synthesia.io/ is a platform that generates video from text to create product promotion videos, narrated training videos, corporate onboarding and more.  

My first reaction was “wow!” and imagined an AI-powered app that would read a short story or training storyboard and create a full animation based on it.  So, my expectations were really high, and I was envisioning creating videos that could change the world – or at least generate serviceable learning and training videos, and perhaps even creative work. 

Here's a video I made, where I walk through the platform and also play the brief video I made: https://youtu.be/AMJDR67IaXA?si=gx2NXDfmxyATazi1 

I misunderstood the capabilities of the platform, but still, when I experimented with it, I was impressed with what could be done. Basically, Synthesia centers itself around a cast of avatars which are based on real actors, and they can be used to narrate the text in training and promotional videos.  The images and voices are generated from AI.  To deploy the avatars in productive ways, Synthesia has developed templates, which are professionally designed and which have built in some basics of instructional design and marketing.  On the instructional design side of things, they are not as rigorous as they could be, and it’s clear that these templates are points of departure, but not the end product. 

What I liked most about Synthesia:

·      I love the name!  It could be a goddess in ancient Greek mythology, especially if you pronounce it Sin-TAY-zee-a. 

·      Ease of use is a major “plus” – fit for purpose templates reduce the time of content development, and the fact they are modifiable is a huge “plus.”

·      Excellent selection of avatars – they are amazing. The voices are nice, too. That said, the platform allows you to represent yourself or any other person who upload their own videos. 

·      Templates – whether they be for training or product marketing, the templates feature branching scenarios for adaptive learning, corporate training (compliance, etc.), softskill training, product marketing

·      Collaborative capabilities: the platform allows multiple collaborators, and in the case of boo-boos, version history for recovery of work

·      The platform claims to have the ability to translate into 145 languages. It does not say how well, accurately, or idiomatically such a task would be performed.  My personal feeling is, “Don’t hold your breath” and my second thought was “Caution! Never release unchecked and unreviewed from AI into the wild!!!!”

What I liked less about Synthesia:

·      The first thing I noticed when I tried out the program was that Synthesia must review the script and if there is anything that aligns with the program’s “trigger” words, the whole project will be shut down. I experienced that myself.  I thought it would be fun to see how Synthesia tackled the idea of marketing / promoting a novel, Todos Santos, which is both sci-fi and horror, with some zombie elements along with scary technology and a deranged scientist. Welp. Synthesia said “NO” and would not stomach such project. I get it. A rogue scientist creating zombies is not a universally appealing premise. That said, what happens if you are doing medical training or launching a medical product? Will you be censored? 

·      I was really disappointed in the voice-over and the awkward phrasings and pronunciations.  I don’t know how easily one can train the voice, but it’s important. Since the main area of competitive advantage for this product is the idea that you can use an AI avatar instead of voice talent or actors, this is an important point. I guess it depends on what you want your ultimate level of quality to be. 

·      A final little quibble is that the learning templates did not have assessments built in, and I would have hoped for multiple choice quizzes at the very least. 

Final Thoughts

It is fascinating to see how products are being developed that utilize AI in various products.  They test assumptions about how people learn best online, and also encourage engagement.  

As in the case of all AI products, there are ethical issues – for example, in recording and training your own avatar, there could be potential for abuse. Where does the new content reside?  Is your image now in the Synthesia cloud and not actually owned or controlled by you?  Just wondering… 

Why Neuroscience Matters in Website and eLearning Design

When it comes to designing websites and eLearning programs, it's easy to get caught up in tools and templates—but there’s something deeper that can really elevate your work: understanding how the brain responds to design. Neuroscience isn’t just for labs and textbooks. It offers practical, powerful insights into how users take in information, stay engaged, and remember what they learn. And when we apply those insights, we can create learning experiences that are not just functional, but impactful.

Keeping those neurons firing! (recorded on Juneteenth by Susan Nash)

Take something as simple as color and shape. A recent study by Nissen and colleagues (2024) used brain imaging to explore how people respond to different website designs. They found that blue-colored designs and rounded buttons made people feel more relaxed, less skeptical, and more likely to engage. Why? Because our brains evolved to associate blue with safe, calming environments like the sky and water, and to view rounded shapes as approachable and non-threatening. On the other hand, sharp corners and lots of red can trigger the opposite: alertness, caution, even discomfort.

Here's an example: an online learning platform revamped their interface, swapping out harsh red accents and boxy buttons for soft blue tones and rounded shapes. The result? Learner engagement and satisfaction scores climbed significantly. People stayed on the site longer and completed more modules. It wasn’t just about making things look nice—it was about tapping into how the brain naturally processes visual cues.

Another real-world example: a global logistics company redesigned its compliance training. They color-coded content so users could instantly recognize urgency—red for critical warnings, green for safe actions, and blue for instructions. These visual signals aligned with how the brain reacts to color in high-stakes settings. The results were clear: learners performed better on scenario-based tasks and made fewer errors. Neuroscience explains this: when cognitive load is reduced through intuitive design, people can focus more on the content and less on figuring out what to do next.

Verbal processing matters too. Research on language areas of the brain (Amunts et al., 2004) shows that when information is structured in logical, semantic categories, people are better at remembering and using it. This has huge implications for how we write eLearning content. Organizing lessons into clearly defined themes, using consistent language, and providing visual anchors (like icons or mind maps) can support the brain’s natural way of retrieving meaning.

Why is the dog wearing a black sock? (sketch by Susan Nash) 

Now, imagine a virtual high school biology course that uses subtle attention cues—like pulsing highlights or animated arrows—to bring learners’ eyes back to key information when they start to drift. These cues could be timed to match typical attention cycles (about 10–12 minutes). While hypothetical, this kind of design could increase quiz scores and completion rates by keeping learners mentally “in the room.” It’s a simple, neuroscience-informed strategy with a big potential payoff.

One caution: just because something sounds scientific doesn’t mean it is. Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), for example, often uses fancy terms like “neuro” and “programming,” but as Roderique-Davies (2009) points out, it lacks real scientific backing. That’s why it’s important to focus on design practices supported by solid, peer-reviewed research.

In the end, understanding a little neuroscience goes a long way. It helps us create websites and learning experiences that feel intuitive, engaging, and even enjoyable. And best of all, it helps learners get what they need faster—and retain it longer. For anyone involved in design or training, that’s a win.

References

Amunts, K., Weiss, P. H., Mohlberg, H., Pieperhoff, P., Eickhoff, S., Gurd, J. M., ... & Zilles, K. (2004). Analysis of neural mechanisms underlying verbal fluency in cytoarchitectonically defined stereotaxic space—The roles of Brodmann areas 44 and 45. NeuroImage, 22(1), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2003.12.031

Nissen, A., Riedl, R., & Schütte, R. (2024). Users’ reactions to website designs: A neuroimaging study based on evolutionary psychology with a focus on color and button shape. Computers in Human Behavior, 155, 108168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108168

Roderique-Davies, G. (2009). Neuro-linguistic programming: Cargo cult psychology? Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 1(2), 58–63. https://doi.org/10.1108/17581184200900014

Quality Checklist for Training and Professional Development Courses for Associations

The members of associations and professional societies share common goals and interests; the most important of these tends to be professional advancement, enhanced knowledge, and networking.

At the center of achieving professional development is often formal training taught by experts, with credits officially awarded at the end, and records maintained by the organization.

Because the organizations represent the profession, they are under an ethical as well as a practical obligation to maintain high quality. However, it’s not always easy to develop a course template or set of criteria.

For convenience, here is a quick checklist of content and quality attributes to be sure to include in your courses.  Keep in mind that this is simply a quick checklist. If you would like a more detailed description, and an explanation of how to build the course itself for online, on-site, or hybrid delivery, there are a number of in-depth guides which I refer to at the end of this post.

Checklist of Content and Quality Attributes
Here are the essential elements that you need to include in your courses.  You may wish to formalize the list, format, fonts, etc in what is commonly referred to as a Course Design Document (CDD), which also includes instructional design guidelines. 
At the same time, you may wish to create a template.

•    Title of the course and the reason for its relevance
•    Learning objectives:  What will the measurable outcomes be?  What should the learner be able to do or demonstrate at the end of the course? What are the criteria for success?
•    Overview / brief description of the course
•    Bullet point of topics covered
•    Course materials:  Map them to the learning objectives

        * Main content
        * Engagers
        * Check your knowledge / interactive activities

•    Collaborative and individual activities:  Map them to the learning objectives
•    Assessment strategy:

•     Activities in course – do they count?  How much? Why?
•     Class participation and collaborations – How do they count?
•     Final projects or exams

• Rubric
• Minimum passing score
• Practice for multiple choice

Checklist of Instructor Qualifications 
In order to satisfy quality standards, it is important that your instructor and main subject matter expert(s) and that they have pertinent experience.
•    Relevant Experience
•    Educational qualifications
•    Experience in instruction

Checklist for Utilizing Learning Analytics and Effective Evaluations to Ensure High Quality Training:
As you review your course and the way you anticipate that the students will interact and engage with it, take a moment to develop a profile of your learners, their attributes, and learning goals. What are their needs?  Understanding the audience will help shape the following:

• Learning Outcomes
• Course outcomes
• Course Design Document to tie LOs to content and assessment
• Types of analytics that are available
• Mastery learning
• Time on task
• Collaborations
• Discussion
• Formative evaluations
• Engaging analytics (Did You Know?)
• Summative evaluations
• Assessments tying to learning outcomes

As you plan the courses, be sure to make sure that they are up to date, relevant, and they address current and emerging needs and trends.

References (please contact Susan for a free pdf of each).

Nash, Susan S. (2009) E-Learner Survival Guide. Norman, OK: Texture Press.

PDF (free)
http://zenzebra.net/elearner-survival-guide.pdf

Nash, Susan S. (2013) E-Learning Success: From Courses to Careers. Norman, OK: Texture Press.
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Success-Courses-Careers/dp/0985008105