The summer blockbuster Bad Teacher featured a careless junior high instructor that simply didn't care about doing her job. While it's rare, online students sometimes encounter professors that behave similarly (without all the theatrics, of course). What options do you have if you find yourself enrolled in a class where the teacher doesn't show up to scheduled chats, is rude to students, or doesn't respond to emails? Find out what to do if you have a bad professor in this article written just for struggling students.
eLearning
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Most Topular Stories
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Bad Online Teachers
About.com Distance Learning22 Jan 2012 | 7:54 pm -
Learning with people, not technology
Internet Time Blog23 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pmThis morning I revisited the delightful story of how people learn to do their jobs at New Seasons Market, a chain of nine natural food stores in Portland, Oregon. New Seasons exemplifies taking a non-training alternative to workplace learning. That New Seasons is a people-oriented business echoes in their approach to learning. New hires receive a brief orientation and are then let loose to learn by walking around and asking questions. The HR director explains “New employees are given time to look around and get to know the products, ask questions, go online, read literature and shadow… -
The cost of open online learning courseware: MITx Files
Online Learning Update26 Jan 2012 | 6:10 pmBy EUGENIA WILLIAMSON, the Boston Phoenix | We should take into account the research of Justin Reich, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society. In a lunchtime talk at the Berkman Center on Tuesday titled “Will Free Benefit the Rich? How Free and Open Education Might Widen Digital Divides,” Reich made the case that, in the “profoundly inequitable” United States educational system, free technological resources favor those students who are already at a socioeconomic advantage. -
Designing PowerPoint Slides that Keep Learners Awake, Engaged & Learning
ASTD Philadelphia e-SIG23 Jan 2012 | 1:05 pmNoelle Archambeau presented this lively and interactive seminar at our january meeting. We started our 2012 season off with a packed room of fun and engaged learners! Session Overview: Whether you design training for live or virtual classes or create self-paced e-learning using a tool like Articulate, you probably use PowerPoint on a regular basis. Are [...] -
M-learning – be careful – a 7 point primer
Donald Clark Plan B26 Jan 2012 | 12:23 pmWarning – market’s a messAnyone who says cross-platform, m-learning contentdevelopment and delivery is easy, is lying. A wander round the LearningTechnologies exhibition induced a rash of promises that were at best economicalwith the truth. Mobile leaning vendors seem addicted to the word ‘YES’ in answerto any question. It ain’t that simple. Walk into any mobile shop, such as CarphoneWarehouse and witness a fragmented market. Latency, bandwidth, screen size, methodsof display, methods of input and the lack of universally adopted or agreedstandards – that’s your technical…
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Top Education > E-Learning News Articles
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Lyrically Stuck? TakeLessons Shows Students How to Think Like Eddie Vedder
27 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amTakeLessons, the nation's fastest growing music lessons provider, shares a few exercises to help inspire stuck songwriters. -
Career Step Announces New Academic Partnership Opportunities
26 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amCareer Step has announced that it is adding a new partnership option, Academic Partners (AP) Direct, to the academic partner division of its operations. -
The Spencer Institute for Life Coach Education Offers Latest Health and Wellness Coaching Training and Certification Online
26 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amA health and wellness coach can help people achieve fitness and life goals. Online health and wellness coaching programs are available through The Spencer Institute. -
Online Degrees To Soar In Popularity This Year Claims IDI
26 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amThe Interactive Design Institute expects a surge in demand for online degrees this year as a more flexible and cheaper alternative to traditional degrees. -
Open Book Bar Prep, a Bar Review Course for the Bar Exam, Offers Live, Individual Instruction
26 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amOpen Book Bar Prep prepares students for the bar exam and stresses that simplicity and efficiency are key when it comes to studying for the state bar exam.
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About.com Distance Learning
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Bad Online Teachers
22 Jan 2012 | 7:54 pmThe summer blockbuster Bad Teacher featured a careless junior high instructor that simply didn't care about doing her job. While it's rare, online students sometimes encounter professors that behave similarly (without all the theatrics, of course). What options do you have if you find yourself enrolled in a class where the teacher doesn't show up to scheduled chats, is rude to students, or doesn't respond to emails? Find out what to do if you have a bad professor in this article written just for struggling students. -
Online GED Prep
19 Jan 2012 | 7:38 pmIf you want to go to college or get a good paying job without a high school diploma, you'll probably need to get your GED. There's no way to take the GED online; it must be taken under supervision from a testing proctor. However, the web provides and abundance of free GED preparation materials to help you ace the test. Learn more in this article: Online GED Preparation. -
How to Be a Stand Out Student in a Class Chat
14 Jan 2012 | 7:15 pmIf your online class is holding a live chat session, it's important to be prepared. Knowing what to study and how to contribute your ideas can help you make the discussion more meaningful (and, perhaps, earn extra points with your professor). Take a look at this article to learn how to stand out in class chat room discussions. -
Readers Respond: How Did You Find Your Online High School Teaching Job?
13 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pmWith more high schools offering advanced, remedial, and summer classes over the internet, now is a smart time to look for an online high school teaching job. Online high school teachers hold message board discussions, grade papers, and teach students all from home. Generally, online high school teachers follow a set curriculum rather than creating their own. Think this might be the right job for you? See how these online high school teachers found their jobs....Read Full Post -
Make Your First Week a Success
7 Jan 2012 | 9:33 pmAre you just starting a new online class? Now is the time to plan your schedule, develop good rapport with your professor, and determine if you're in over your head on any of the semester's assignments. Check out this article to learn about the 10 Most Important Things You Can Do in Your First Week in an Online Class.
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Distance-Educator.com
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Is the Second Time the Charm? Investigating Trends in Online Re-enrollment, Retention and Success
26 Jan 2012 | 5:40 pmAbstract Online education is becoming an increasingly important component of higher education. The Sloan Foundation 2010 Survey of Online Learning reports that more than 30% of all students take at least one online course during their college career. Because of this, attention is now turning to the quality of student outcomes that this instructional method provides. However, there is a huge gap in empirical investigations devoted to the link between technology and performance indicators such as grade performance, re-enrollment and course completion (Nora & Plazas Snyder, 2008). This… -
Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research
26 Jan 2012 | 1:08 amAbstract Research into learning technology has developed a reputation for being drivenby rhetoric about the revolutionary nature of new developments, for paying scant attention to theories that might be used to frame and inform research, and for producing shallow analyses that do little to inform the practice of education.Although there is theoretically-informed research in learning technology, this is in the minority, and has been actively marginalised by calls for applied design work. This limits opportunities to advance knowledge in the field. Using three examples, alternative ways to… -
Some Associations, Scholars Protest Bill That Would Curb Public Access to Research
25 Jan 2012 | 5:48 pmOpposition to the Research Works Act continues to spread. In a statement posted today on its Web site, the Modern Language Association said it opposes the bill, HR 3699, which would prevent federal agencies from requiring researchers to make the published results of federally supported research available to the public without publishers’ consent.Wired Campus Full Article -
Pros and Cons of Social Media in the Classroom
25 Jan 2012 | 5:44 pmThere’s an ongoing debate about the role social media should play in education. Advocates point out the benefits that social media provides for today’s digital learners while critics call for regulation and for removing social media from classrooms. Finding a middle ground has become a challenge.Campus TechnologyFull Article -
Google to merge user data across more services
25 Jan 2012 | 11:31 amPrivacy advocates slam the web-search giant for not allowing users to opt outeSchool NewsFull Article
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The Rapid eLearning Blog
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How to Create a Learning Journal to Go with Your E-Learning Courses
24 Jan 2012 | 2:49 amIn an earlier post we looked at how to combine elearning with an on-the-job mentoring program. I received a lot of questions about the learning journal. So in today’s post we’ll look at the basic structure of the learning journal and how you could use something like it to complement your elearning courses. The Value of a Learning Journal Before we look at how to set up the learning journal, let’s review where it adds value: Connects elearning to real world activities. The learning journal is used as a bridge between the learning that happens in the elearning course and what happens in… -
5 Free Desktop Image Editors for E-Learning
17 Jan 2012 | 2:19 amI’m always asked what skills a rapid elearning designer should have. One of the most important skills is basic image editing. You don’t need to be a professional graphics designer. However, you should be able to do some basic editing. Because of this, an image editing application should be in your tool chest. Today we’ll look at five free desktop applications that you can use for basic image editing. But before we explore the free tools, a good budget-friendly option is Photoshop Elements. It’s relatively inexpensive and should be able to do what… -
Need to Combine E-Learning with Mentoring? Here’s a Simple Solution.
10 Jan 2012 | 2:54 amRecently someone asked how to combine their mentoring program with elearning courses. This is something I’ve worked on a few times over the years. It usually involved a production environment where peer coaches were tasked with training new employees on the floor. But the ideas in this post could work in any type of training program that includes some sort of mentoring or peer coaching. A Common Case A person’s hired to a new position and often assigned a peer coach who walks beside him until he’s up-to-speed. Not only is this an effective way to teach new… -
A Year’s Worth of Free E-Learning Assets
3 Jan 2012 | 2:30 amIt’s hard to believe but another year’s come and gone. The good thing is that it looks like 2012 will be a good year. Although sometime in June, you may want to break out the DVD player and watch 2012. Then practice your survival skills because come December, things may change. But until then, just put your feet up and enjoy the year. To ease your burden, I put together a list of all of the posts from 2011 where I shared free elearning assets. They’re yours to enjoy and use as you wish. Free E-Learning Templates Here’s a Noteworthy PowerPoint… -
Check Out This Free PowerPoint Template & Tutorial
27 Dec 2011 | 2:30 amIt’s that time of year to share gifts, so here’s an elearning template that you’re free to use as you wish. It’s inspired by a Christmas tree with the green background and colored bulbs. The template comes with a few layouts and they’re easy enough to modify, which you’ll see in the tutorials. I see the color bulbs as a way to feature different sections. If you want additional layouts to accommodate the different colors, just go into the slide master, duplicate the layout and change the color of the bulb. As always, I use the default template colors, so you’re free…
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eLearning Technology
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eLearning Learning Adds Personalized Subscriptions
2 Jan 2012 | 5:23 pmAggregage, the platform that powers eLearning Learning has added a powerful personalization engine. That means that eLearning Learning now allows users to sign-up and have their content personalized based on their interests. You can sign-up via the "Personalize Your Content" button on the right side of the interface shown to the right of the red arrow below. Or put another way, just above and right of the picture of Justin Bieber. By the way, I should point out that the four top articles on the site when I took the screen shot were all great: 5 E-Learning Forecasts… -
eLearning Conferences 2012
17 Nov 2011 | 9:27 amClayton R. Wright has done his 26th version of his amazing list of conferences again this year. Past years eLearning Conferences 2011, eLearning Conferences 2010, eLearning Conferences 2009. You can contact him at: crwr77 [@] gmail.com. It covers events from four continents. The list focuses primarily on the use of eLearning, technology in educational settings and on teaching, learning, and educational administration. Please note that events, dates, titles, and locations may change; thus, CHECK the specific conference website. Note also that some events will be cancelled at a later date, such… -
Flash Dead for eLearning
14 Nov 2011 | 9:06 amI've been warning about this since January 2010 in Still No Flash, and called it out further as the signs became more serious in May 2010 with Beginning of Long Slow Death of Flash. My words then: We are hitting a tipping point where you have to question building anything that uses Flash as the delivery mechanism. In February of 2011, Mobile Learning and the Continuing Death of Flash, I pointed to the smart moves by Rapid Intake to work around this problem. And said, The death of Flash is continuing. Well, I believe we've seen continuing signs of this with Adobe moving its…
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eLearning Weekly
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Learning Tech 2012 Conference News
27 Jan 2012 | 11:53 amConference News! This April, in Chicago, I will be speaking about mlearning design and strategy at Learning Tech 2012. I love Chicago. It’s a city with an energy that makes events especially invigorating. I hope to see you there, April 23-25. For more information, I contacted Courtney Green in New York to ask her about the conference: Courtney, we know I will be at the conference representing eLearning Weekly Magazine, who else will attendees have the chance to meet, and what companies will be represented? We have a great line-up of speakers, including Kevin Munson, Chief Learning… -
Come Read our DevLearn11 Reaction Piece
16 Nov 2011 | 11:50 pmIf DevLearn 2011 at the Aria in Las Vegas did anything, it confirmed one certainty about elearning: elearning is exhilarating. eLearning is esoteric, cutting edge, tumultuous, and sexy. And elearning is an industry. Eric and Shonit Speaking at DevLearn11 Yes, elearning is a thrilling industry that combines esoteric theory like gamification, cutting edge tools like Cloud technologies, tumultuous teetering between HTML5 and Flash, and the inspiringly sexy and sleek iPad — the world’s most seductive learning tool. The eLearning Guild hosted quite a conference. Featured speakers spoke with… -
eLearning Thought Leaders: Mark Lassoff
11 Nov 2011 | 10:46 pmMark Lassoff of LearnToProgram.tv I was very lucky to catch Mark Lassoff in between speaking at DevLearn, working on his forthcoming book from Focal Press, and producing his next training video for the company he founded, LearnToProgram.tv. Mark is an anomoly in the world of elearning these days, because he knows how to code. I’m not just talking about the two big programming languages, HTML and Flash. Mark works with and trains javascript, PERL, XML, CSS, PHP/MySQL, and the new and somewhat talked about HTML5. In a world of rapid elearning tools that eschew code at every turn, I knew I… -
The All New eLearning Weekly
29 Oct 2011 | 9:44 pmWe’ve got DevLearn on our minds right now (Vegas Baby!). Still, we’ve been busy doing a make-over. eLearning Weekly has moved and become eLearning Weekly Magazine. B.J. and Eric will continue writing the same sort of posts that followed the original tagline: “Tips, Tricks and Lessons Learned”. We love to share the nitty-gritty elearning work flows and work-arounds. And we love the sense of community here at eLearning Weekly. The readers have chimed in and added comments that make the posts better for the next readers. Come by and see us at eLWmag.com and keep reading… -
3D Tips for the Part-Time eLearning Freelancer
26 Jul 2011 | 10:11 pmOne of the best pieces of advice my father gave me was, “Discover what you’re good at and then learn how to make money at it.” Just like most obedient young boys, I totally ignored my father’s advice. Even though I’ve been drawing and cartooning my whole life and developing elearning for the past ten years, I never put the two together. I’m a decent artist but most artists are their own worst critics, and even though I was passionate about it, I never once considered earning a living doing it. That is until I got serious and decided to officially freelance while working a day job.
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Internet Time Blog
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Time is speeding up
24 Jan 2012 | 3:57 pmThe metronome that measures the pace of human progress ticks ever faster. More happens in one of your seconds at work than in one of your grandfather’s hours. You can feel it, can’t you? People and organizations around the globe are linking into a single vast network. Every new connection creates more value than it gives up. Membership is snowballing. Interconnections form like topsy. Time accelerates because the denser the interconnections of a network, the faster its cycle time. As events come faster and faster, change becomes visible. We can see that what once appeared rigid is… -
Learning a language (1)
23 Jan 2012 | 8:23 pmI’m investigating how people learn to speak a new language. More than a million people have signed up with Chinese Pod to learn to speak Chinese. Co-host Jenny Zhu filled me in on how this Shanghai-based company is helping adult learners, 60% of them from the U.S., attain fluency. Podcasts, more than a thousand of them, are part of the answer, but it takes more than exposure to 12-minute podcasts to master a language. Most of Chinese Pod’s learners are 25-50 year old adults who are learning Chinese for personal growth, as a hobby, or because they have Chinese spouses or kids. 75%… -
Learning with people, not technology
23 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pmThis morning I revisited the delightful story of how people learn to do their jobs at New Seasons Market, a chain of nine natural food stores in Portland, Oregon. New Seasons exemplifies taking a non-training alternative to workplace learning. That New Seasons is a people-oriented business echoes in their approach to learning. New hires receive a brief orientation and are then let loose to learn by walking around and asking questions. The HR director explains “New employees are given time to look around and get to know the products, ask questions, go online, read literature and shadow… -
Zany times in the for-profit college business
15 Jan 2012 | 1:06 pmToday’s New York Times tells the story of the MBA program at Frederick Taylor University, an unaccredited business school headquartered in Moraga, California. For a mere $5,000 you can earn an MBA from the “university.” The school is entirely online, has no classes, and measures student performance with open-book, multiple-choice exams. The Times astutely notes that the program at Frederick Taylor is not as rigorous as those offered by its accredited peers although naive applicants don’t seem to notice. “I did not realize that it did not carry the same weight as… -
The Stoos Gathering & Working Smarter
14 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amTen days ago I flew to Switzerland for a mountaintop retreat with twenty thought leaders from around the world to ponder better ways to manage organizations. On the flight over, I watched the film Inside Job, a documentary about the shenanigans that led to the financial meltdown fueled by the subprime mortgage bubble. The movie’s incendiary. There are lots of bad apples out there: self-serving financial engineers, ratings agencies, regulators, bankers, and more. Guilty, guilty, guilty. As a graduate of the “West Point of Capitalism,” I’d been reluctant to condemn the system but Inside…
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elearningpost
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Hands-On With iBooks Author
19 Jan 2012 | 9:19 amCheck out what it is like to author textbooks using iBooks Author. Everything feels very fluid and it’s obvious that the same team that worked on iWork was also responsible for this product. This isn’t iPhoto for books, by any means, though. While it’s not Adobe InDesign or a complex design tool like either, it’s clearly meant for users who are willing to put in a bit of time to create the best possible product… -
Wolfram Education Portal
19 Jan 2012 | 8:06 amFrom the Wolfram Education Portal: Wolfram has long been a trusted name in education—as the makers of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and the Wolfram Demonstrations Project, we’ve created some of the most dynamic teaching and learning tools available. We are pleased to offer the best of all of our technologies to you here in the Wolfram Education Portal, organized by course. In the portal you’ll find a dynamic textbook, lesson plans, widgets, interactive Demonstrations, and more built by Wolfram education experts. -
Can Technology Transform Education Before It’s Too Late?
16 Jan 2012 | 8:07 amAnother TechCrunch article on Education: We are in a time of convergence: teachers are incorporating technology from their everyday lives to increase student engagement, while visionary administrators are using the momentum of grassroots digital learning movements to move our institutions forward. Hopefully education will catch up before the Singularity arrives. -
Vinod Khosla on Education
15 Jan 2012 | 8:47 amVinod Khosla on Will we need teachers or algorithms? We have focused so much of our education system on children attending primary school, then middle school, then high school, all with the objective of attending university. This is a progression that still remains unchanged and largely unchallenged. Yet, this system is completely linear and, most tragically, unwaveringly standardized not only through instruction methods, but also through testing. Worse, it is mostly what I call “fixed time, variable learning” (the four-year high school) instead of “fixed learning, variable time” to… -
Richard Feynman - No Ordinary Genius (full version)
13 Jan 2012 | 6:38 pmFull documentary on this amazing person.
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Harold Jarche
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Red or Blue?
27 Jan 2012 | 2:30 amTweetHere are some of the insights and observations that were shared via Twitter this past week. “If the structure does not permit dialogue the structure must be changed. ~ Paulo Freire” – via @surreallyno “Learning is the human activity which least needs manipulation by others. ~ Ivan Illich” – via @IvanIllich2 @flowchainsensei – “Any organisation is screwed when it believes only certain privileged individuals can lead and/or manage.” @melissapierce – “If you were a real rebel, you’d realize that anger is the trendiest… -
Confused or Strong Beliefs?
26 Jan 2012 | 7:47 amTweetMuch of my work is in helping organizations prepare for increasingly creative and complex work because this is where the business value is, whether in offering differentiated services in a competitive market or in advancing scientific R&D. I have found that Dave Snowden’s Cynefyn framework has been helpful in my sense-making around this and Dave has recently advanced this model with a Work in Progress (WIP). Complex, as defined by Cynefyn is a state in which the relationship between cause and effect can only be perceived in retrospect, but not in advance. The approach is to… -
Internet Time Alliance Insights
25 Jan 2012 | 7:18 amTweetWe can learn a lot from open conversations with trusted colleagues who want to improve their professional expertise. My colleagues have these conversations regularly and I have learned a lot over the past two years that we’ve been together. A professional is anyone who does work that cannot be standardized easily and who continuously welcomes challenges at the cutting edge of his or her expertise. ~ David Shaffer When we updated the Internet Time Alliance website last month, a major component that Paul designed was the integration of our best articles into a single database,… -
Do you need to be managed?
23 Jan 2012 | 8:59 amTweetThese days it’s more productive to think of organizations as organisms. Managers become stewards of the living. Their role is to energize people, empower teams, foster continuous improvement, develop competence, leverage collective knowledge, coach workers, encourage collaboration, remove barriers to progress, and get rid of obsolete practices. Living systems thrive on values that go far beyond the machine era’s dogged pursuit of efficiency through control. Living systems are networks. Optimal networks run on such values as respect for people, trust, continuous learning,… -
Thoughts on public education
22 Jan 2012 | 10:19 amTweetEverything I know, I did not learn in kindergarten. I didn’t go to kindergarten. Perhaps that was good, as that was the year that my father died, and I still did not speak much English anyway. It could have made for a stressful year. No kindergarten meant I could start school a bit later and I think I was really ready when I entered that one-room schoolhouse which was probably the best learning environment I ever had. There were only three of us in Grade One, so I was also able to listen to what was going on in the Second Grade, in the same row, just ahead of me. Recess and lunch…
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Litmos LMS
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ASTD’s Tech Knowledge is next week!
19 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amThe ASTD’s Tech Knowledge conference is fast approaching next week on Jan 25 – 27 at the Rio resort in Las Vegas. It’s not too late to get a ticket, or just come along to stop by the expo and check out the vendors. I will be there on Wednesday 25th, so let me know if you would like to meet up to talk about the Litmos LMS or just have some general chit-chat – I’d love to meet you! @Schnicker -
Online learning. It does a brain good.
18 Jan 2012 | 3:56 pmDo you feel like you are being more efficient and productive when learning online? Are you maximizing your capacity to retain information? Or are you feeling the extreme opposite? Are your brain and eyes on overload from viewing everything via online? According to recent studies, our brains love learning online. Columbia neuroscientist, Betsy Sparrow, states, “We are becoming symbiotic with our computer tools”. There is no fact in denying that people today are constantly glued to their computer, Smartphone, tablet, or other electronic gadget. Although some may argue that it is a bit… -
We’re Stoked to be a 2012 eLearning Guild Gold Sponsor!
9 Jan 2012 | 5:50 pmHere at Litmos we are proud to have just become a Gold Sponsor of the eLearning Guild for 2012! Among other things, this means that you are going to see the green Litmos team buzzing about at the eLearning Guild’s ‘Big 3′ conferences: Learning Solutions 2012 in Orlando, Florida from March 21 – 23 mLearnCon 2012 in San Jose, California from June 19 – 21 DevLearn 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 31 – November 2 Our sponsorship of the eLearning Guild is a gesture that shows just how serious we are about supporting the growth of our eLearning industry… -
Reflections on eLearning – Jacqueline Barnes
29 Dec 2011 | 1:27 pmHi Litmos blog readers, I’m Jacqueline and I’ll be joining the Litmos team! I’m excited to announce that from here on out I’ll be assisting and brainstorming with the team to provide insight and support to our customers. I look forward to the New Year! For my first blog post, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on my personal experience with online learning in college. It is 7 o’clock in the morning and I jump out of bed and reach for my smart phone to log into my college’s online web portal to check my grades. I had studied religiously all week and had taken my exam the… -
Welcome our newest team member – Jacqueline Barnes!
22 Dec 2011 | 12:10 pmThe Litmos team is growing again and our newest recruit is Jacqueline Barnes! She’s coming on board to be our Community Relations Gal writing blog posts, tweeting, supporting our customers, and brainstorming some cool marketing initiatives with me. Jacqueline is a recent college graduate from Saint Mary’s College with a fresh, firsthand perspective on the value and effectiveness of eLearning. With a BS in Business Administration and a member of the Sigma Beta Delta Business Honors Society, Jacqueline joins Litmos providing passion, commitment, and support to the team. She enjoys…
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elearnspace
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I need some help
27 Jan 2012 | 2:40 pmOn February 8, I’ll be delivering a talk at TEDxEdmonton’s event Rethinking Open Source Culture. In 2003 I posted a few articles online on open source movements and learning: Open source p.I, Open Source p.II, and Why we should share learning material. I have benefitted enormously from open learning. Open online courses in particular have been among the most significant learning experiences in my life. I’m not a programmer. But I benefit daily from open source software – my blogs are wordpress, the server that hosts my sites runs LAMP, at work I use ELGG (the Landing),… -
“I can’t teach at Stanford again”
23 Jan 2012 | 11:50 amOpen online courses really mess things up. The force educators/funders/learners to question the value point of traditional education. Over the past four years, many different open online courses have been offered – some through formal universities (U of Manitoba – Stephen Downes and I, BYU – David Wiley, U of Regina – Alec Couros, Stanford – Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig, U of Illinois -Ray Schroeder). I have a long running question that influences my vision of education: If we were to design education today, without the legacy baggage of the existing system,… -
Online University Education in Canada
21 Jan 2012 | 10:50 amThere is more activity in online learning (or, at minimum blended learning) in higher education than most universities realize. When I was at University of Manitoba, we tried to get a sense of what faculty were doing with technology in their courses, particularly with what was then called web 2.0 (doesn’t that almost feel like I’m referencing a trend in the 70′s? you know, like bell bottoms?). First, we looked at the formal university reports – annual reports of department activity. We found very little. We asked Deans to forward an email to their faculty asking about… -
Lots of free learnin’ going on
11 Jan 2012 | 3:16 pm2012 is shaping up to be a good year for open online learning experiences (Sanford is actively promoting open courses, David Wiley is running an openness in education course, Alec Couros will likely be doing his EC&I831 again, etc.). I’m involved in several open online learning projects this year: 1. Ongoing from 2011: Change MOOC 2. Learning Analytics Open Course (sign up here) – Starts January 23. 3. Stephen Downes and I will be offering Connectivism and Connective Knowledge 2012 starting January 23. More info soon on sign up 4. I’m helping to organize an online… -
Right to know versus the nature of digital information
27 Dec 2011 | 12:25 pmIn eras of dramatic change – such as militarization in ancient Rome and the French Revolution/Industrial Revolution – existing mindsets and institutions are, in Schumpeter’s words, creatively destroyed. The newspaper, recording, and TV industries have experienced this recently as digital information comes into its own and sheds legacy structures (such as the “album” or the “newspaper”). Politicians have certainly felt the inability to control narratives and restrict information flow in 2011. An interesting case symbolizes the balance between control…
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Cathy Moore
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How action mapping can change your design process
18 Jan 2012 | 1:57 pmHappy action mapping users say that the model helps them create lively elearning. But would it fit into your design workflow? Action mapping makes stakeholders work together to analyze the performance problem, commit to the same measurable goal, and agree to focus on activities rather than information. This can be a big change to the typical course development workflow. Without action mapping: The client says, “I need a course.” You say, “Okay.” The client gives you a pile of content, the phone number of a subject matter expert (SME), and a deadline. You create a… -
Are learners idiots?
13 Dec 2011 | 9:02 pmBe sure to read this paragraph. It tells you that in this post, you’ll learn how to manage stakeholders who want to treat learners like idiots. If you have trouble reading the paragraph, click the speaker icon located in the bottom right-hand corner of this screen and a professional narrator will read the text to you in a soothing voice that slides like oil over any functioning brain cells and gently smothers them. Now read the next paragraph. “Assume intelligence,” Jerry Weissman tells us in Presentations in Action. “Your audience has been there, done that, and they… -
How to create a memorable mini-scenario
12 Oct 2011 | 9:03 pmOften we’re told, “Put this information into a course.” But what happens if we put the information into a job aid instead, and then design mini-scenarios that help learners use the job aid? This approach not only keeps boring blather out of our elearning, it can also make our activities more memorable. Here’s how it could work. Example Let’s say we’re designing a course on needle safety for a hospital. A common approach would be to display some slides of information about dos and don’ts, and then to present a generic fact check, like,… -
Do they just know it, or can they USE it?
28 Sep 2011 | 9:47 amIt’s easy and tempting to write activities that test whether learners know something. How can we make learners use their knowledge as well? You might be familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Its current form identifies six categories of intellectual performance, from remembering to creating. To make the taxonomy easier to apply, I grabbed my Unsubtle Machete of Oversimplification and in a few whacks reduced the categories to just two: Know activities ask learners to retrieve and maybe categorize or explain information. Use activities ask learners to apply information to realistic… -
Are instructional designers doormats?
23 Aug 2011 | 4:53 pmIf your client said, “Please create a course about our impossibly complex process,” what would you say? A. “Hmmm. That process looks really complicated. Is there any way to make it simpler?” or B. “No problem. Would you like fries with that?” Often we know nothing about our client’s processes, and it’s tempting to think we should never question what they do. But I like to think that our ignorance gives us a valuable outsider’s perspective that can help our clients improve performance through every means, not just through a course. Our…
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Online Learning Update
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Online learning. It does a brain good.
27 Jan 2012 | 6:10 pmJacqueline Barnes, Litmos LMS Do you feel like you are being more efficient and productive when learning online? Are you maximizing your capacity to retain information? Or are you feeling the extreme opposite? Are your brain and eyes on overload from viewing everything via online? According to recent studies, our brains love learning online. Columbia neuroscientist, Betsy Sparrow, states, “We are becoming symbiotic with our computer tools”. There is no fact in denying that people today are constantly glued to their computer, Smartphone, tablet, or other electronic gadget. Although some… -
Teaching Excellence for Online Learning
27 Jan 2012 | 6:05 pmby Carol Heard, BC Communications Tucked away in a newly renovated building of Bainbridge College’s main campus is a center devoted to supporting instruction at the college -but not the type of instruction from yesteryear. The Center for Teaching Excellence, which is located in a recently renovated building that used to house the Continuing Education Division on the main campus, is developing and supporting teaching excellence in all BC courses, but here in the early days of its existence, is devoting much of its resources to improving online learning. Online courses at Bainbridge… -
University continues to expand online classes
27 Jan 2012 | 6:01 pmBy AUSTIN BYRON, Daily Trojan The university unveiled last-week a new strategic plan to further develop its online programs, which aim to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world. According to the Strategic Vision, USC will offer access to education to more people in order to meet the growing demand for educated workers. “New modes of learning and societal needs require that we reinvent undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral education,” the Strategic Plan states. “Changing demographics and public demands require we provide greater access to, and accountability in, higher… -
The cost of open online learning courseware: MITx Files
26 Jan 2012 | 6:10 pmBy EUGENIA WILLIAMSON, the Boston Phoenix | We should take into account the research of Justin Reich, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society. In a lunchtime talk at the Berkman Center on Tuesday titled “Will Free Benefit the Rich? How Free and Open Education Might Widen Digital Divides,” Reich made the case that, in the “profoundly inequitable” United States educational system, free technological resources favor those students who are already at a socioeconomic advantage. -
On-campus or online learning: Study skills, time management key to helping student performance
26 Jan 2012 | 6:05 pmBy Mercedes White, Deseret News Low-skilled community college students should take classes that teach study skills, time management and “college knowledge,” according to a recommendation from the California Community Colleges says Success Task Force. Their theory is confirmed by a considerable body of research. Students who complete study and life skills courses were more likely to earn a community college credential, transfer to the state university system, or still be enrolled in college after five years, according to a 2006 study conducted by the Florida Department of…
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Lars is Learning
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Kraken awakes...slowly
23 Jan 2012 | 4:43 pmiBook Author 3D version? Well I awake from a blogging slumber in time for what should be one of the most vibrant Learning Technologies Conference and Exhibitions. The world appears also to have finally awoken fully to the benefits technology can bring to learning and training. Particularly when you take a more fundamental step in redesigning the whole experience so that the technology is at -
Augmenting reality - technology is going invisible
22 Nov 2010 | 6:19 amHere's my article, just published on Trainingzone as the headline story, exploring how augmented reality and mobile technology promise to radically improve learning effectiveness. Would value your comments and feedback. -------------- The pace of technological innovation continues to surprise. This week reports suggest that, in theory at least, it will be possible to create new materials that -
No pain, more gain? Research supports "less learning more often"
26 Sep 2010 | 4:00 pmMany years back, I coined a phrase that neatly summarised my view on how to change current training design and delivery practice so that it can dramatically improve effective learning and performance. My phrase? "Less learning more often" (click to read the full article) Is it happening? Well, it's beginning to it seems. We are clearly recognising that the concentrated, content-heavy -
The catalyst to accelerated learning and performance
22 Sep 2010 | 6:08 amHere's my article just published on Trainingzone, recorded here for your comment. ----- Lars Hyland explores how social tools can be harnessed to deliver a more engaging and effective learning experience. The experiential divide between using online technology externally and internally within organisations Using the crowd to accelerate learning and innovation Three ways to -
Memes, genes and by Jove, the future of learning
20 Sep 2010 | 7:04 amDutch biologist Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis from Radboud University Nijmegen predicts that the next the next step in evolution will lead to a life form in which the transfer of the blueprint by means of genes is replaced with the transfer of knowledge and collective experience by so-called ‘memes’. In Jagers’ view: Memes are codes that determine the structure of the brain. In turn, the
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E-Learning Journeys
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You’re invited to the Flat Classroom Book Club!
24 Jan 2012 | 9:43 pmGlobal collaboration starts with connecting yourself to the world. Students are the greatest textbook ever written for each other. The same is true for teachers. We are passionate about connecting and facilitating effective collaborations between classrooms because we’ve seen the power of how it can engage students and teach them the skills they need to be successful in the 21st century. We want to bring in people who are nervous, who don’t know how, or who have tried to connect and were frustrated. We also want to bring back those teachers who tried it and got burned out.Now it is time… -
Across My Desk (weekly)
22 Jan 2012 | 4:30 amCreate an interactive board using a Wiimote: The Smartboard alternative on a budget I love how Alfredo systematically provides a cheap alternative to create a viable interactive whiteboard. tags: smartboard acrossmydesk Apple: School should center on the iPad - CNN.com tags: ipad apple education app publishing textbooks acrossmydesk Pearson Holly M. Jobe: Utilizing Technology in the Classroom | Alliance for Excellent Education Excellent blog post by President of ISTE, Holly Jobe, referring to digital learning and standards in the classroom. tags: ISTE digitallearningday acrossmydesk Enter… -
Across My Desk (weekly)
15 Jan 2012 | 4:31 amISTE | SIGOL Online Learning Award This award recognizes innovative educators worldwide, for their leadership and creativity in providing e-learning opportunities for elementary through university aged students.Award winners receive:First Place $500 cash award and ISTE conference and exposition registration ISTE standard membership Featured on the ISTE and SIGOL websites An invitation to present project at a poster session at ISTE’s conference and exposition tags: ISTE iste2012 acrossmydesk TED2012: Program Guide Check out this interesting and diverse set of speakers for TED 2012! tags: TED… -
Flat Classroom Projects - Calling for Classroom Applications Now!
15 Jan 2012 | 4:08 amWe are kicking off another round of global collaborative projects. Educators are invited to join our Flat Classrooms Ning to get updates and interact with other like-minded teachers. Here is the press release:Award winning Flat Classroom Projects are excited to announce the launch of a new semester of global collaborative projects. Classrooms who want to embed digital citizenship, collaborative learning supported by Web 2.0 tools, and global competency into their curriculum are invited to apply for one or more of these outstanding projects created by co-founders Julie Lindsay and Vicki… -
Across My Desk (weekly)
8 Jan 2012 | 4:31 amApps for Every School Leader to Consider tags: apps iPad acrossmydesk Green Kids Flash Mob - YouTube This video was created by Green Kids to raise awareness of global warming http://www.Green-kids.dk Amazing work. tags: environment video youtube socialmedia acrossmydesk ISTE 2012 Leadership Conference October 2012 in Indiana. Michael Fullan is Keynote. Looks like a great event for school leaders. tags: conference ISTE acrossmydesk Collaborative Classroom eBooks on the iPad I love this downloadable book by Silvia Tolisano (globallyconnected learning.com) that shows us how to create…
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Assistive Technology
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Wikisummarizer Adds Keyword Cloud
24 Jan 2012 | 6:26 pmIf you have ever played around with Wordle then you know just how much fun it is to see the keywords from a website jump out at you- visually showing you the topics that have been covered. I was very glad to receive an email from Henry Lewkowicz from Context Discovery that a Keyword Cloud feature has been added to Wikisummarizer. I gave it a try and searched on the term "Assistive Technology" to see how the Keyword Cloud feature would work. Wikisummarizer generated the Keyword Cloud very quickly and when I was done I copied the embed code that was supplied and pasted… -
NoteControl - Taking Charge of Your Resources
22 Jan 2012 | 3:54 pmWith information coming at us at a frantic pace it is no wonder that we can quickly become overwhelmed. This is especially true for students who have a need to curate their notes and sources when writing research articles. Life was a lot easier for me when I was in school, there were simply books and journals, that I used to cite my works. Today students are faced with the myriad of Internet sources, books, journals, podcasts, and multimedia to keep account of when doing research. In this light, Matchware, recently released a new product NoteControl aimed at students to help them… -
The Kindle Fire: Fully Loaded If A Little Fuzzy
5 Jan 2012 | 5:07 pmThe Amazon Kindle Fire was released on Nov. 15, and shocked consumers with its $199 price tag. It seems like most of the rhetoric around the device has been its price, and while that certainly is a huge part of its success, it also has some pretty spiffy features. I have a Fire and I've compared it to a friend's Barnes and Noble Nook and in just about every unscientific test, the Fire came out ahead. First of all, it feels great in the hand. It's a solid device that doesn't feel like you will break it in half if it gets roughed up a bit. The sleek edges feel like they could be an Apple… -
Send to Your Kindle-Great Utility
2 Jan 2012 | 4:49 pmNow that the holidays are behind me it is time to share some new ideas and tips and tricks. I have been doing a lot more reading on my Kindle's then ever before and when I came across the Send to Kindle Chrome Extension that would enable me to send web pages to my Kindle I was really excited to test it out. So for those of you who prefer to read web content on your Kindle this could be the perfect solution. I installed the Send to Kindle Extension to my Chrome browser which was very quick. Once installed, I set the Options in the Send to Kindle Extension to send the… -
Five Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Dedicated eReader
25 Nov 2011 | 7:46 amI have been using eReaders for some time now and really enjoy the convenience and ease of use of these dedicated devices. In my travels to schools, I am beginning to see more and more schools pilot eReaders in the classroom, especially for students who struggle or who are unmotivated to read. Teachers see the value of students being able to change the size of the font and easy access to the dictionary feature. For many students who struggle in reading many are now more motivated to read on an eReader device as compared to a traditional book. Students…
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ASTD Philadelphia e-SIG
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Designing PowerPoint Slides that Keep Learners Awake, Engaged & Learning
23 Jan 2012 | 1:05 pmNoelle Archambeau presented this lively and interactive seminar at our january meeting. We started our 2012 season off with a packed room of fun and engaged learners! Session Overview: Whether you design training for live or virtual classes or create self-paced e-learning using a tool like Articulate, you probably use PowerPoint on a regular basis. Are [...] -
Send Your Graphics to Boot Camp
16 Dec 2011 | 8:22 amPresented by Belen Bilgic Schneider of Performance Development Group. At our December eSIG meeting, Belen presented an online presentation to our members. Whether you are flying solo or a dynamic duo of Instructional and Graphic Designers, one thing is certain: creating a course filled with content-enhancing graphics is a challenge. Process models and complex info-graphics [...] -
SharePoint – Best Practices
16 Dec 2011 | 8:08 amOur October eSIG meeting hosted a Panel of Sharepoint users which included Robin Eisenberg from Pearson VUE, Maureen Longstreth from Dow Chemical, and Karl Grieb from Vanguard. SharePoint, one of the most commonly purchased enterprise applications leveraged in today’s workplace, helps you and your team work better, faster, and smarter. You can access the right people [...] -
How does a company in a failing market survive one of the biggest economic down turns in American History?
16 Dec 2011 | 7:44 amOur August seminar was presented by Katie Kunkle and Marcelo Bach both from Soundview Executive Book Summaries. Company profiles are always captivating because different companies want to emulate the great successes, avoid the bad times, and learn how to make the best attributes their own. Soundview Executive Book Summaries is a company profile that strikes to the core of [...] -
Microlearning: Like it or Not People Are Learning Without Us!
2 Aug 2011 | 9:28 amThe advent of the Internet, Web 2.0, social media, and of course mobile devices have dramatically changed the way all of us obtain information. Our social and cultural lives have been transformed by technology and the speed of knowledge exchange. With the world literally at our fingertips with a few strokes on our computer keyboards, [...]
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Bottom-Line Performance
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Does Mobile + Social + Games = Learning? Help us find out
23 Jan 2012 | 5:57 pmYes, we’re all hearing the buzz. The holy grail of learning is shifting to games/gamification, mobile, and social. Within my team at BLP, we actually are already believers of the value that blending these three things together can have on a learning experience….but we want proof, not just gut feelings about this. So – we invite you to join our newly-created “learning laboratory” at Bottom-Line Performance and be part of a little three-part experiment we’re going to do. Part 1 coincides with the Professional Football Championship Not to Be Named for… -
4 Ways to Make Synchronous eLearning Dazzling
23 Jan 2012 | 12:10 pmWe’ll be back in the near future with more on our short series of social media tips. For now, let’s talk about synchronous eLearning. Synchronous eLearning (Distance Learning) was a hot topic at 2011′s DevLearn conference. Today, I want to talk about how to actually design synchronous e-learning courses. There are many elements of course design that need to be taken into consideration for synchronous e-learning. However, here are just a few questions to consider: 1. Technology Is there someone who can act as a “host” on the session and manage technical issues and… -
…But What Should I Tweet About?
18 Jan 2012 | 2:26 pm“It’s time we start using Twitter for business. We need you guys to start Tweeting to help us market ourselves!” The inevitable is upon us: social media is creeping its way into even the most traditional businesses. While the early adopters have created huge communities for themselves, those of us just getting started may feel a tad overwhelmed. In our last post, we talked about some basic tips to get you started with the Twitter interface and setting up listening posts for your topics of interest. Now, it’s time to start creating some content of your own. No matter… -
New to Twitter? 5 Tips for Learning Professionals
16 Jan 2012 | 9:28 amWith Apple’s education event looming this Thursday, all eyes will be set squarely on the future of learning. How can ebooks, the iPad, and social media shape the future of learning? We may not the know the answer, but what we do know is that a change is coming. In fact, it has already begun. In preparation for that change, professionals everywhere are starting to turn their attention to digital and social platforms to figure out what all the fuss is about. Do I need to be using this for my business? What should I be doing on Twitter? Seasoned pro or greenhorn, we are all figuring it out… -
Thursday Tech Talk (#T3) – Trends, Observations, Snarkiness
9 Jan 2012 | 7:41 amFrom Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, courtesy of C-2 Pictures (Get it? #T3)?) Happy belated New Year from BLP! Now that the last chorus of Auld Lang Syne has died down and the egg nog is put away, we are diving back in to our continued search for the best, RIGHT learning solution. The entire staff is sporting brand new iPads (happy holidays, right?) and as always we are elbow deep in discovering fun new apps, games, and gizmos. If you are like us, you love talking about this stuff and sharing your take. That’s why we want to invite you to join in on our first ever Twitter chat for…
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Clive on Learning
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Digital Learning Content: A Designer's Guide
24 Jan 2012 | 8:18 amThis week sees the release of my new book, Digital Learning Content: A Designer's Guide. The book is for anyone with an interest in helping others to learn. You may be a teacher, trainer, lecturer or coach. You may be a subject expert with knowledge you want to share or an experienced practitioner who wants to pass on their tips. You may already be a creator of learning content, looking to update their skills. Whatever your interest, this guide will help you to design learning materials that really make a difference.Digital learning content takes a wide variety of forms, including… -
iBooks Author: Any relevance for learning in the workplace?
22 Jan 2012 | 3:27 pmAs I've just returned from a week walking in the sunshine of Almeria, I'm probably the last to comment on Apple's announcement of it's publishing platform for multimedia text books on the iPad. If you missed it, see iBook Author here. Let's be absolutely clear, there is nothing whatsoever new about the idea of interactive multimedia books. As Managing Director of Publishing for Epic, back in the 1990s, I was involved in quite a few CD-ROM projects that mirrored quite closely was is envisioned for the iPad. True we were restricted to distributing on PCs via the offline medium of a… -
E-learning and L&D salary data for the UK
19 Jan 2012 | 12:01 pmThe Blue Eskimo training and e-learning work and salary survey for 2011 makes interesting reading but leaves many important questions unanswered - at least for me. In total, 813 people from Blue Eskimo's client databases, predominantly UK-based, completed the survey. Blue Eskimo is a recruitment consultancy, so it is possible that this skews the results somewhat, because presumably only people interested in getting work will be on the database in the first place.Participants were mostly from the private sector, with 32% working in IT training, 21% e-learning, and 20% soft skills training. Of… -
How much is an authoring tool worth?
10 Jan 2012 | 10:33 amThe recent release by Trivantis of Snap! Empower, a rapid Flash interaction builder, for the princely sum of $99, got me wondering if I have any idea any more of what an authoring tool is worth. Empower looks like it is much more powerful than Articulate Engage, which sells for four times as much, and almost certainly cost Trivantis much more to develop. So why the low price? Presumably Trivantis feels that there is a vast market of enthusiasts on the look out for Flash authoring tools - certainly way beyond the numbers employed in e-learning development - and they're a price sensitive lot… -
2012: A time for highly connected learning specialists
5 Jan 2012 | 6:18 amI'm finding it hard to regain my focus after the holidays. It only takes a couple of weeks for me to shift my attention almost entirely to matters other than learning technology, so I shouldn't have much trouble retiring when the time comes. So, this post acts as a way for me to re-focus on the issues that need addressing in 2012.In the Western world at least, we will continue to feel the effects of the worst squeeze in my lifetime. That means lots more job losses, constrained budgets and a lot of defensive decision-making. I don't think I'm being negative in saying this, just realistic. This…
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Corporate eLearning Strategies and Development
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1,300 iPads for Level 3 Sales Team - Perfect Mobile Learning Tool
27 Jan 2012 | 10:43 amSo, if you are one of the people mad about the EULA for iBooks2. And you are convinced that companies will not use Author for training materials? THINK AGAIN!!! MacTrast posted "Level 3 Looks to iPad to Reinvent their Sales Team". They are relaying the story from Information Week's article "iPad's for All: One Sales Team's Story". While neither article specifically mentions iBooks as part of the intended use, I can bet that it's coming. I mean, why not? Right? 1,300 Sales people outfitted with iPads means the delivery channel is ready and the sales team will expect it. -
Media for Learning: Top Tools - New Research Report from The eLearning Guild
25 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pmThe eLearning Guild released it's highly anticipated TOP TOOLS report today. Get the download here. Of course this report was completed prior to the Apple announcement. But next year's report, I suspect, will have a new tool on the list: iBook Author. It's definitely a game changer. What I've discovered over the last few years with regards to iOS is that many people start out wanting to create an iPhone app because they have some information to share. What they really want to create is an interactive experience...more like a digital book. Author makes the development… -
What Great Bosses Know - 10 Training Tips - iTunes U Revolution?
25 Jan 2012 | 11:10 amEver since the Apple education announcement I've been blown away by what this means for our industry. In the process of scanning the new and improved iTunesU I found this interesting podcast. It's called "What Great Bosses Know". Here is the description from iTunesU... "Jill Geisler heads the Poynter Institute's leadership and management programs. In these Poynter podcasts, she shares practical leadership for managers who want to be great bosses." Episodes 13 titled 10 Training Tips caught my eye. It's only 4 minutes so I listened. Here are her tips. Adults learn… -
Adobe Preview of Tracking Tool for Captivate eLearning Courses
23 Jan 2012 | 3:33 pmThe Adobe Captivate blog's new post is titled Course Companion for Adobe Captivate. According to the blog post a preview has been launched at the Adobe Labs. Get the free download here from Adobe Labs. The blog post says... You will be able to - Track usage of content Track learner behavior Get feedback on the course by tracking the learner metrics Track progress of the course as you roll it out Track effectiveness of the content VERY interesting! What do you think? Is this something you are excited about seeing? Obviously the Captivate team feels there is a need… -
Apple Announces Textbook Revolution
19 Jan 2012 | 11:51 amThis morning Apple held a press event to announce their entry into the world of textbooks. Everyone knew this was coming. It's just been a matter of when and what will it look like. And basically, what it looks like is a complete game changer. Not just because the iBook Store will now sell you interactive textbooks via your iTunes account, but because they also announced a new authoring tool...and it's FREE! I think digital books with integrated media were an inevitability. After all they've sort of already existed in other forms such as websites, and apps, and…
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Derek's Blog
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Demand-side study released
24 Jan 2012 | 6:16 amThe Commerce Commission has today released the second of three issues papers relating to the uptake of high speed broadband ahead of a public conference in February 2012. The paper is in two parts and examines the potential demand for high speed broadband from the education and health sectors I was one of those interviewed for the education paper by the author, Ernie Newman, and am impressed with what he's done to bring together a broad range of perspectives and thinking to deliver a concise and clear view for a way forward. Key conclusions reached in the education… -
It’s the teaching that matters
21 Jan 2012 | 3:23 amI've been putting the final touches to a report I've been writing for a local school where I spent time at the end of last year interviewing students and staff as part of an audit of their ICT programmes. It was a pretty positive experience, with a range of good things happening and, predictably, loads of suggestions about ways things could be changed or improved into the future. Like any school, there was a mix of good and not so good, underpinned by a range of philosophical approaches from those who embrace change to those who would prefer to see things kept the way they are. The… -
Critical thinking about conspiracy theories
19 Jan 2012 | 4:09 amIt's always useful to find resources that can be used to promote a combination of critical thinking, cyber-citizenship, research and history (to name a few). The following resource came to me via Learning Times, and provides some material that I'm sure could be used very creatively in classrooms: Conspiracy Theories in Aerospace History A lesson in Critical Thinking for the Internet Age You can't believe everything you read on the Internet. How do you evaluate the reliability of online information? Check out the conference archives from this National Air and Space Museum… -
The future is blended
15 Jan 2012 | 5:57 amWill 2012 be the year where we see blended learning become more commonly accepted? The recent announcement from MIT about the development of its MITx education initiative certainly is a step in the right direction. MITx is designed to enhance the educational experience of its on-campus students, offering them online tools that supplement and enrich their classroom and laboratory experiences. MIT’s online learning initiative is led by MIT Provost L. Rafael Reif who says "Students worldwide are increasingly supplementing their classroom education with a variety of online… -
Arguing the case for ICTs in education…. again!
8 Jan 2012 | 3:18 amMy last day of camping at the beach for my summer break was interrupted by a phone call from Andrew Patterson at Radio Live wanting to interview me regarding an article in the New York Times titled Teachers Resist High-Tech Push in Idaho Schools. (unfortunately their 7-day Catch-up feature isn't working so a recording of the interview doesn't seem to be available.) The interview helped 'lurch' me out of holiday mode and begin thinking about some of the issues that are bound to face me as I return to work in the new year. The NYT article reports…
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Donald Clark Plan B
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M-learning – be careful – a 7 point primer
26 Jan 2012 | 12:23 pmWarning – market’s a messAnyone who says cross-platform, m-learning contentdevelopment and delivery is easy, is lying. A wander round the LearningTechnologies exhibition induced a rash of promises that were at best economicalwith the truth. Mobile leaning vendors seem addicted to the word ‘YES’ in answerto any question. It ain’t that simple. Walk into any mobile shop, such as CarphoneWarehouse and witness a fragmented market. Latency, bandwidth, screen size, methodsof display, methods of input and the lack of universally adopted or agreedstandards – that’s your technical… -
Lectures selling students short: evidence from 'Science'
22 Jan 2012 | 9:46 amAcademicswill go to any length to defend the lecture (see twitter feed on my Don't lecture me! talk). No matter how much evidence there is to show that it is poorpedagogic practice, they resist the change. Even worse are those on thetechnology side in HE who ignore the arguments. They’re like those creationistscientists who have to reconcile empirical evidence with blind faith. In anycase, here’s another study (yawn) that proves the obvious – lectures areselling students short.Lecturesv research-based instructionInthis study ‘Improved Learning in a Large-enrollment Physics Class’… -
7 reasons why Facebook is front runner in social media learning
18 Jan 2012 | 8:24 amThere’s a lot of talk about social media in learning but where’sthe action? Well, something’s happening in social media and learning, and Facebookis looking like a front runner. I first noticed this through the work of MillieWatts at Richard Huish College (see previous post) and Dr Ray Blunco sums it upin his Social Media in HE’ blog, when he says that the studies he’s run andparticipated in show that “students willoverwhelmingly use Facebook”. Twitter seems to be used less and thereforeless relevant and people don’t normally hang out in formal discussion groups inNing! This… -
Why m-learning changed my life
11 Jan 2012 | 7:22 amI’m a mobile learner. In fact, I’d say that of all the learningexperiences in my life, m-learning has been the most productive. How so?Learning is a habit (see previous post)and I’ve habitually learnt on the move, largelyin what Marc Auge calls ‘non-places’ – trains, planes, automobiles, buses, hotels,airports, stations. I’m never without a book, magazine or mobile device forlearning. It’s been boosted recently by my new iPOD 6.0, which is about thesize of a watch (indeed it can be worn as a watch) which contains 400+ podcasts.M-learning has become my dominant form of informal… -
More pedagogic change in 10 years than last 1000 years – all driven by 10 technology innovations
7 Dec 2011 | 9:42 amPedagogy - one of those words that’s used when people wantto sound all academic. So let’s just call it learning practice. Of one thing wecan be sure; teaching does not seem to have changed much in the last 100 years.In our Universities, given the stubborn addiction to lectures, it has barelychanged in 1000 years. So what’s the real source of pedagogic change?It’s not education departments who peddle the same old traditional,teacher training courses or train the trainer courses. It’s certainly notschools, colleges and universities which seem to have fossilised practice (tobe fair…
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e-Clippings (Learning As Art)
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New Years Resolution? How about feeding someone?
2 Jan 2012 | 11:18 amSo let's just skip the part where I haven't blogged for months ok? I've been seeing innumerable and inevitable Top Ten Lists, Year-End reviews, Predictions, etc and I thought I wanted to do something different but I couldn't decide what. Yesterday though, I heard a prayer that put things in perspective for me. The line in the prayer that struck me was: "Ask much of us, expect much from us, enable much by us and encourage many through us..." I started thinking that I have seen some projects and some people this past year that have really done that and I wanted to… -
This is gonna get me in trouble but...have you ever thought about underground homes?
15 Sep 2011 | 6:36 pmSo I heard this story on NPR this morning about how Joplin was dealing with the horrific toll from the tornado that destroyed 1/3 of the town and killed 162 people. I can't imagine what that must be like. The closest I get is 9/11. Horrible. Tragic. The story talked about all the increases in alcohol abuse, sexual trauma to children, increase in gambling, and so on. It also mentioned how kids will ask if the tornado is coming back when something innocent like the wind blowing storngly happens. The answer to the little girl's question is of course yes, the tornado is coming back. -
$70 for a book published after the author dies. WTF?
23 Apr 2011 | 7:13 pmI found some great images on Flickr in the "Great Diagrams in Anthropology, Linguistics, and Social Theory" group and one of them referenced the book "Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory" by Alfred Gell. Seems like an awesome book...the reviews all regard it well...so looking at Amazon...there it is for...WHOA! $70!? Are you kidding? Oh wait, its been used as a textbook - so that makes it ok. Now get this...this book was written in 1998 and was published posthumously...that's right...the author is dead so that means copyright will only apply to this work for… -
More awards bullsh@%t!
6 Apr 2011 | 7:15 amSo I wrote this little blog post last year about an email I got concerning an awards program. My problem was the cost associated with entering the contest and the utter lack of transparency and the fact that empty contests like this demean our industry and our efforts. Small problems right? I was actually alerted to this contest by someone in my network but I also just got the email announcing it myself. Last year the cost to be in this fine "contest" (pls use airquotes when reading aloud), was over $800 - I guess the economic downturn has hit everyone and the cost is now down… -
"FOUO" ...Now this is interesting.
3 Apr 2011 | 7:51 pmSo "FOUO" = "For Official Use Only". Here is a link to detailed explanation of the term, turns out its a document classification, not a security level. That link in part defines it as: "This designation is used by Department of Defense and a number of other federal agencies to identify information or material which, although unclassified, may not be appropriate for public release." The interesting part is the one where I see a story come across Twitter about something that is not only in my professional area but a personal one as well. I click on the link (no,…
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E-Learning Acupuncture
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Learning because ‘it’s cool’ say 17 year old boys
26 Jan 2012 | 8:04 amWhen was the last time you heard kids say they did a science project outside of class time because learning is cool? Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve heard that very often in my career as a science educator. I’ve seen a lot of students say that learning at school is cool depending on the subject matter or the project, etc; however, this story is a bit different. Two 17-year old kids from Newmarket, Ontario sent a Lego minifigure carrying a Canadian Flag into space and filmed it all. Yup - still pictures and video were taken for the entire 80,000+ ft (24 km) climb and the 122+ Km distance the… -
Top Four HOT Concepts in Distance Learning
11 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pmDistance Learning itself. At my institution, we are scratching our heads a little bit wondering why we have an above average number of enrollments in our distance learning courses. However, if you do a quick Google search and read a few reports it is clear that the pundits have been predicting that distance learning enrollments will rise. Student seem to be gravitating towards learning opportunities that are not tied to them having to be in any particular location at a prescribed time during the day or week. So called ‘anytime, anywhere’ learning. They enjoy the flexibility of distance… -
Must Watch: The best Prezi of the Year!
9 Dec 2011 | 2:26 pmA colleague of mine, Dr. Jean-Marie Muhirwa, recently returned back from the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) E-Learn 2011 World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare & Higher Education held in Honolulu, Hawaii on 18-21 October 2011. He told me about one keynote presentation that had a very high impact on the audience and after seeing it myself, I have to agree that it's one of the best prezi-type presentations I have ever seen. If you are new to Prezi, then check their website out. I asked Jean-Marie to give us a little summary of the… -
Don’t use Facebook for teaching your class – use Edmodo!
8 Dec 2011 | 7:21 amIf you are like me, you probably had not heard about Edmodo until right now. I had never heard of it until it flew across my twitter stream in a posting from a colleague. So what is it? It’s a web-based social network space for teachers and students. Its safe and easy Facebook-like interface allows the class to collaborate, connect, share content, access homework, etc. It’s free for both students and teachers. To appeal to today’s mobile generation it also has both iPhone and Android apps. So the idea of anywhere, any place, any device learning can be truly experienced using Edmodo. -
Should I buy books about technology in education? Answer: NO!
28 Nov 2011 | 1:10 pmThis post is not intended to offend Barnes & Noble or any other book seller. I received a great question over the weekend asking if I could “help finding a good book about technology in post secondary education” and I had to take a couple of days to think about it. I have some fantastic books on the shelf about Instructional Design but I have very few about Educational Technology. Why? Well, I think it is difficult to find a one-stop resource book that describes the best practices in using technology in post-secondary education. There are a few factors that come into play that make this…
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Learning Reflections
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Vendor Perspectives 2012
23 Jan 2012 | 2:05 pmWe're pleased to announce that Elearnity is publishingits first series of Vendor Perspectives. These new reports provide the onlyin-depth, independent analysis of learning technology vendors with aUK/European focus.We've been analysing and advising on learning technologysolutions on the front line for over 15 years, helping organisations such asBoots UK, Lloyds Banking Group and Vodafone choose the right vendor partnersand achieve real results. Recognising the diverse and often complex nature of thelearningtechnology market, the team has created Elearnity’s Vendor Perspectives to… -
Mobile Learning - All Talk?
14 Dec 2011 | 5:20 amWhat is the reality of mobile learning in corporate learning organisations?At the start of 2011, it was widely thought that this would be the year when mobile learning, or m-learning, would reach a tipping point and become part of mainstream learning solutions. So, surrounded by all the hype, what actually is the reality at the end of the year? What is its role in the learning mix? What are the key opportunities and challenges in the adoption of mobile learning technologies?In this Insights Report we explore the realities of mobile learning in EMEA corporates; the trends,… -
Providence looks to chalk up Blackboard for $1.64 Billion
6 Jul 2011 | 3:58 amIt is thought provoking that an e-learning company would be worth $1.64 Billion, in cash. But that's exactly what Providence Equity Partnership have valued Blackboard for, in their recent acquisition offer.Blackboard have historically been the dominant player in the educational VLE market, although over the past year they have been losing a significant proportion of their market share to open source alternatives such as Moodle and Sakai. So, what does this mean for EMEA based corporates?Is this shift in ownership going to create some ripples, this side of the pond?In the short term, not… -
Augmented Reality and Learning
26 May 2011 | 11:14 amAugmented Reality seems to have hit the headlines. And if you aren't sure what that is, the ever popular Rory Cellan-Jones, has just produced an article for the BBC website explaining everything.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13558137If you consider this technology through the eyes of Corporate Learning the potential impacts for Employee Performance Support (EPS) and Just In Time learning are massive; even truly mind boggling; especially in a technical environment and product rich environment where the learners could even be the customer.But, who in the e-learning world is ready to… -
Our Learning Technologies 2011 Videos
28 Feb 2011 | 11:48 amIt's just over a month ago that we presented at the Learning Technologies Conference 2011. In many ways it seemed like a distant memory; well that was up until Stephen Clee drew our attention to the conference videos that are now available online, and all the memories came flooding back - supported by the relevant slide deck..Naturally, to anyone other than a complete egotist, the prospect of watching yourself back on video is about as comfortable a feeling as a queuing up for a triple root canal at your dentist. Thankfully for the spectator tho, the videos are perfectly painless and…
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Cammy Bean's Learning Visions
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Lisa Doyle Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy #ASTDTK12
27 Jan 2012 | 2:32 pmMy live notes from today’s closing session at ASTD TK12 in Las Vegas. Lisa Doyle is the Chancellor of the Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy and named Chief Learning Office of the Year by CLO Magazine for 2012. “The more we understand our Veterans, the better we will serve them.” VA – second largest cabinet level agency in the US. 300,000 employees. 152 medical centers and hospitals across US. Second only to the Dept of Ed in providing educational benefits. Largest cemetery system in teh US. 55% of VA workforce is eligible for retirement in the next ten years. Opened the… -
Learner Experience Design with Julie Dirksen #ASTDTK12
27 Jan 2012 | 12:03 pmMy live blogged notes from Julie Dirksen’s Friday session. Julie wrote the book: Design for How People Learn. www.useablelearning.com Learner experience design: overlap between user experience design (uxd) and instructional design User experience design – how Amazon makes sure that customers can buy a book. – as long as someone can get to the end of the process, it’s a success. With Instructional design – we have a higher standard – it’s not just about getting to the end of the process – it’s about creating behavior change. Making the user interface invisible to the learner. -
Moving to the Virtual Classroom: A Trainer’s Roadmap to Success with Cindy Huggett #ASTDTK12
26 Jan 2012 | 7:54 pmMy live notes from Cindy Huggett’s @cindyhugg session at ASTD TK12. She’s been doing virtual classroom since 2001. She wrote the book: Virtual Training Basics Two types of virtual training: webinar vs. classroom One def of virtual training: “an online synchronous instructor led class with participants in dispersed locations, that uses a virtual classroom software program” vILT (virtual instructor led) Step #1: Clarify definitions and expectations. Ask what do you mean by virtual training? what are your goals? Tells the story of an org that was having issues – she had told them one… -
Stuart Crabb of Facebook #ASTDTK12
26 Jan 2012 | 11:13 amMy live notes from the general session at ASTD TK12 on Thursday. Humans have been collaborating since the dawn of time. Facebook didn’t invent that, just created a great tool. What does it mean to be social? It’s not new. (Cave drawings from 32,000 BC – telling a story, sharing with those around them). We’ve been doing social networking for millions of years. (He’s using Facebook timeline to tell the story). Middle ages the Guttenberg Press – huge advance in mass communication. Mass distribution of thoughts and ideas. 1970 Marshall McLuhan ‘the medium is the message’ 1995 The… -
How to Combat Cognitive Overload with Connie Malamed #ASTDTK12
25 Jan 2012 | 8:26 pmMy live notes from session at ASTDTK12 with @elearningcoach. Long term memory is like a server farm. We can hold 4-5 bits of info in working memory (this is based on newer researcher – the old info was 7 +/- 2 bits…) Rather than concentrate on pushing facts on our learners, we should concentrate on what they have to DO. Give them small bits of info. Long term memory – as far as we know, it’s infinite. It stores info in schemas. Often we can’t remember something is because we don’t have the right retrieval cue -- SCHEMAS collection of generic properties about a concept or category…
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Learn-Learn-Learn
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Know Thy Audience: Float Mobile Learning
14 Jan 2012 | 11:10 amVia Scoop.it – Mobile Learning Design Know your audience is Step One in your efforts to embrace mobile learning. Having a good understanding of your audience will influence almost all of your decisions. It will have a bearing on your curriculum…Via floatlearning.com Filed under: Uncategorized -
Learn HTML5 Online Free – 15 HTML5 Tutorials for You to Master Web Development |
10 Jan 2012 | 10:31 amVia Scoop.it – Mobile Learning DesignHTML5 can gain a lot of traction in the development of mobile learning and mobile performance support. “In this post, we’ve gathered 15 useful tutorials that will help you achieve a good command of HTML5. You can learn HTML5 online free.”Via www.flash-to-html5.net Filed under: Uncategorized -
Mobile Learning: The more things change… – Purple Learning
8 Jan 2012 | 9:06 amVia Scoop.it – Mobile Learning Design There is no doubt that mobile devices are increasingly ubiquitous in our everyday life, but can they be used as mobile learning devices?Via www.purplelearning.com.au Filed under: Uncategorized -
mLearning Trends: Enterprise mLearning Predictions for 2012
1 Jan 2012 | 10:41 amVia Scoop.it – Mobile Learning DesignHere on the last day of the year, I offer my predications for the big and shaping trends we’ll see in the enterprise mobile learning space for 2012. As in the past, this year’s list includes predictions across a gamut of new technologies, consumer/buyer trends plus a few anticipated seismic shifts in the world of business that should collectively reshape the landscape for the adoption and accelerated growth of mobile learning for businesses.Via mlearningtrends.blogspot.com Filed under: Uncategorized -
Effective Mobile Learning: 50+ Tips & Resources Ebook | Scribd
1 Jan 2012 | 10:40 amVia Scoop.it – Mobile Learning DesignEffective Mobile Learning: 50+ Tips & Resources Ebook | Scribd Via www.scribd.com Filed under: Uncategorized
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Learnlets
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Sharing Failure
26 Jan 2012 | 8:21 amI’ve earlier talked about the importance of failure in learning, and now it’s revealed that Apple’s leadership development program plays that up in a big way. There are risks in sharing, and rewards. And ways to do it better and worse. In an article in Macrumors (obviously, an Apple info site), they detail part of Adam Lashinsky’s new Inside Apple book that reports on Apple executive development program. Steve Jobs hired a couple of biz school heavyweights to develop the program, and apparently “Wherever possible the cases shine a light on… -
Will tablets diverge?
25 Jan 2012 | 8:27 amAfter my post trying to characterize the differences between tablets and mobile, Amit Garg similarly posted that tablets are different. He concludes that “a conscious decision should be made when designing tablet learning (t-learning) solutions”, and goes further to suggest that converting elearning or mlearning directly may not make the most sense. I agree. As I’ve suggested, I think the tablet’s not the same as a mobile phone. It’s not always with you, and consequently it’s not ready for any use. A real mobile device is useful for quick information… -
Changing the Book game
20 Jan 2012 | 6:08 amI was boarding a plane away from home as Apple’s announcement was happening, so I haven’t had the chance to dig into the details as I normally would, but just the news itself shows Apple is taking on yet another industry. What Apple did to the music industry is a closer analogy to what is happening here than what they did to the phone industry, however. As Apple recreated the business of music publishing, they’re similarly shifting textbook publishing. They’ve set a price cap (ok, perhaps just for high school, to begin), and a richer target product. In this case,… -
Stop creating, selling, and buying garbage!
12 Jan 2012 | 7:41 amI was thinking today (on my plod around the neighborhood) about how come we’re still seeing so much garbage elearning (and frankly, I had a stronger term in mind). And it occurred to me that their are multitudinous explanations, but it’s got to stop. One of the causes is unenlightened designers. There are lots of them, for lots of reasons: trainers converted, lack of degree, old-style instruction, myths, templates, the list goes on. You know, it’s not like one dreams of being an instructional designer as a kid. This is not to touch on their commitment, but even if they… -
Level of ‘levels’
10 Jan 2012 | 10:51 amI was defending Kirkpatrick’s levels the other day, and after being excoriated by my ITA colleagues, I realized there was not only a discrepancy between principle and practice, but between my interpretation and as it’s espoused. Perhaps I’ve been too generous. The general idea is that there are several levels at which you can evaluate interventions: whether the recipient considered the intervention appropriate or not whether the recipient can demonstrate new ability after the intervention whether the intervention is being applied in the workplace, and whether the…
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The Bamboo Project
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We Have a Leadership Problem
24 Jan 2012 | 11:55 am"Leadership" has been on my mind lately, maybe because of the many conversations I have with people about the "lack of leadership" in their organizations. It also came up in the comments on my recent post on "Managing" People. Everywhere I go, people are talking about "leadership." But I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the last thing we need right now is more leaders or even better leaders. The entire frame is fundamentally flawed. The Problem with "Leadership" When we talk about "leaders," implicit in the notion is that there are going to be "followers." There is a power… -
Some Thoughts on "Managing People"
20 Jan 2012 | 8:38 amI've been thinking lately about our focus on "managing" people. I spend a lot of time with front-line supervisors in various capacities and they are obssessed with how to control people's behavior. The discussions are of two basic types--How do you get staff to do the things you want them to do? How do you STOP staff from doing things you DON'T want them to do? There are variations, of course, but only in the details. Mostly we are talking about carrots and sticks and, for me at least, the conversations devolve into a sort of "how do we herd the cats?" kind of thing. It's animal husbandry,… -
Announcing a Virtual Knowledge Cafe on Social Artistry
17 Jan 2012 | 6:10 amYesterday I posted on how to make your career dreams come true. One of my dreams is to work with people from around the world to explore the concept of social artistry and how we can use the skills of the social artist at work and for learning. So I'm going to make it happen. . . Announcing: The Virtual Knowledge Cafe on Social Artistry Brent MacKinnon and I are organizing a 9-week Knowledge Cafe that we plan to run online, starting February 20, 2012. It's open to anyone who's interested in learning with us about the skills and talents of social artists and who wants to explore how… -
Two Steps for Making Your Career Dreams Happen
16 Jan 2012 | 8:39 amI'm at the end of Week 1 with my Career Clarity Camp and we're heading into Week 2, where we'll start to turn our career visions into some meaningful action. One thing I'm realizing as we go through this process is how often we sideline our dreams. We worry that we may fail in our efforts or that we will do something stupid or embarrassing. Sometimes we wait around for someone else to go first. We can also consume ourselves with activities that SEEM like they're moving us forward, but they really aren't. Here's what I've discovered in my life. If you want to make a dream happen, there are… -
A Conversation Manifesto
13 Jan 2012 | 9:02 amI believe in the power of conversation. I believe that when two or more people gather together to talk about what really matters to them, the most amazing things can happen. I believe that revolutions begin with conversations around a kitchen table or in a living room or on lunch hour or at a coffee shop. Big change comes when we are willing to engage with the important questions. I believe that as human beings, we are built for conversation. It is how we learn as babies. Our first societies were formed through conversations around a fire. Our greatest institutions began as conversations…
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The Learning Circuits Blog
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ASTD TechKnowledge Happenings
23 Jan 2012 | 10:50 amWell, my time blogging here at The Learning Circuits Blog is quickly coming to an end. It’s been a great time with some awesome discussions. So, I hope to meet a number of readers, commentors and lurkers in person at TechKnolwedge 2012 at the end of this week. If you are going to TechKnowledge 2012, stop by and say hello, I will be doing a number of different events and I love meeting new people as well as past, present, or future students. TechKnowledge 2012 Twitter GameFor the first part of the conference, I have co-created a game that is designed to increase conference learning and give… -
ARG and ARG --What are they? What does it mean? Should you care?
18 Jan 2012 | 10:29 amIn addition to discussing Gamification, I also wanted to take one of my January blog postings and talk about ARG.The term ARG is batted around from time to time as a method of conducting training programs but there is a lot of confusion around the term.Let's look at the terms, to help define the terms, I asked Koreen Olbrish who is a self-described--opinionated and snarky entrepreneur, instructional designer, learner and mom who has experience developing ARGs and who blogs at Learning in Tandem for her expert input.She contributed an entire chapter to my upcoming book explaining the two terms… -
Broadening the Definition of Gamification for L&D Professionals
12 Jan 2012 | 9:50 amIn my posting on Learning Circuits Blog, a reader left a thoughtful and interesting comment about points and the use of the term gamification and the Blogger software won't let me write my entire comment (too many characters) so I am posting my comment here. See Kathy Sierra's comments under What is Gamification and Why it Matters to L&D ProfessionalsFirst, Kathy, as always, thanks for your thoughtful comments on the topic of Gamification. You always help to expand my thinking on the topic. Although, I have a couple of points of clarification that I'd like to make. You… -
What is Gamification? and Why it Matters to L&D Professionals
9 Jan 2012 | 3:11 pmIn my last posting I mentioned the idea of “Gamification” and Anna thoughtfully pointed out that we need to “ define what "gamification" means to learning development. “ I couldn’t agree more and I have spent the last year exploring that concept to see what Gamification does mean to learning and development professionals. For more on this, see my posting In Defense ofthe Term Gamification as used by Learning Professionals on Kapp Notes, and be sure to read the insightful and provocative comments. So on this posting, let’s define Gamification.“Gamification is… -
Resolve to Engage Your Learners in 2012
5 Jan 2012 | 11:58 amNo one wants to watch a movie in which the director yells “Lights, Camera…Multiple Choice Question” We are more excited with movies directed with the words “Lights, Camera, Action.” Multiple choice questions don’t reflect reality. In real-life we are seldom confronted with a multiple choice question, we are confronted with problems, decisions, and the need to be innovative. Not the need to choose the best answer out of four choices. Action is what we want, it is what motivates humans. Kids can’t sit still, they need to move. We want to watch sports with activity and…
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Upside Learning Blog
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Shining At #26 On The Top 100 Highest Ranking Websites In Learning Technology List
25 Jan 2012 | 3:02 pmOne of the prime forces that drove us to release a new version of the website (back in 2010) was enabling visitors make the most of their time spent on our website. And as such, our website has reflected information that is accurate and to the point. Little did we know that one day these efforts will put us on the chart of the best websites! www.upsidelearning.com, our official website has made it to number 26 in the ‘Top 100 Highest Ranking Websites In Learning Technology’ chart. Conducted by Now, a leading Marcomm management company, this ranking is calculated by crunching together… -
Prototyping in eLearning
24 Jan 2012 | 3:18 amOver the years, you have probably noticed that the typically linear eLearning development process has undergone some changes. One change that I’ve noticed are that customers are realizing that we aren’t just creating courseware or writing content and interactions, we are also developing software. This has led to an expectation that the eLearning industry adopt some development models and methodologies from the software industry. As Instructional Designers move away from purely being creators of content, to developers of tools and applications that assist learning and support… -
Introducing UpsideLMS V5.0 – Best Value LMS With Stunning GUI
23 Jan 2012 | 5:37 amThe release of the new UpsideLMS version – 5.0, is generating a lot of excitement at Upside Learning. The Marketing team has been on their toes, getting the collaterals and other launch activities ready; the Sales team is now itching to show it off to prospects after laying their eyes on the new version. Our stunning, best value Learning Management System, UpsideLMS v5.0, is built to include features that trainers and learners have always wanted in an LMS. It has the features, the performance, the user interface and experience, the awards and recognition, and your trust! Here is what… -
Top 50 eLearning Posts For 2011
11 Jan 2012 | 3:35 amOne week into the New Year it’s the right time to look back on the year gone by. So we thought it would be interesting take a journey down our blog for some of the most popular and noteworthy posts of 2011. We have pulled these up based on social signals (views, comments, twitter and more). So without much ado, here are Top 50 eLearning Posts of 2011 from our blog as determined by you, our readers. Read them. Reflect on them. Debate them. Enjoy them! January 1. Game Based Learning Isn’t Always Electronic 2. This LMS Has No Traps! 3. LMS Wikis: Unharnessed Potential 4. Instructional Design… -
3 Top Game Based Learning Links: Weekly GBL Digest – 1
6 Jan 2012 | 3:32 amWith our increasing focus on Game Based Learning, each week sees us sharing interesting articles and resources about Game Based Learning on varied social networking platforms. While many of you follow us on Twitter and Facebook, we do realize that keeping a track of all the tweets/ posts, given the high proliferation and dynamic nature of information, is difficult, to say the least. Hence, to ensure that you do not miss out on all the great links we share and also with a view to building a knowledge repository, every week, we shall be publishing a quick summary post of our best shared…
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The eLearning Coach
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Design For How People Learn: Book Review
10 Jan 2012 | 11:33 amIt's fun, accessible and practical. A painless way to learn instructional design.Post from: The eLearning CoachDesign For How People Learn: Book Review -
21 Reasons Why Stock Photo Sites Make Me Cry
5 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amFrustrated because you can't find the right photo? Cry along with me.Post from: The eLearning Coach21 Reasons Why Stock Photo Sites Make Me Cry -
Learning Technology Trends To Watch In 2012
3 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amFascinating learning technology trends for the coming year. Post from: The eLearning CoachLearning Technology Trends To Watch In 2012
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EduTek n Social Media Advisor
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Blended Mode of Learning using MyOpenCampus
19 Jan 2012 | 1:22 amI had already blogged about ‘SocialMediaLearning through MyOpenCampus’ at http://bit.ly/g8324F Now MyOpenCampus is available in the new version enabling you to Start a discussion, assign users and user groups and send notifications about them to users through email. Upload files and share them with users Create assessments, assign users to take them, announce the test results after deciding minimum passing %. This is simpler version of original MOC brought out earlier, enabling you to interact with users of your choice without using Twitter and blog. Hence when MOC (MyOpenCampus) is… -
NCHER Bill
10 Jan 2012 | 5:17 amI had already mentioned about Higher Education and Research Bill in my blog post titled ‘NCHER Bill’. The bill has been introduced in Rajya Sabha. The important details of the bill can be learnt by reading the article in Hindu titled ‘A mission to boost innovation, promote accountability in education’ The full text of the bill can be learnt by clicking here. As I had already mentioned, it really is a bold step in improving quality, research, innovation in Higher Education. As I talk about improving quality in Education, I recently read another interesting article in Hindu titled ‘A… -
Happy New Year 2012
31 Dec 2011 | 7:56 amWishing all my readers a 'Very Happy & Prosperous New Year 2012!'. My last 200 tweets in the form of PDF diary available at http://www.twitario.com/pdf?twitterUser=ELnSMediaExpert -
EduTek on Scoop.it
11 Nov 2011 | 11:30 pmWant to know the latest happenings in Educational Technology. I am curating content related to Educational Technology and scooping them on webpage EduTek You can view some of the articles I’ve scooped on the webpage EduTek below. Would like to keep yourself up-to-date with what is going on related to Educational Technology? Then follow me on EduTek and know the latest and important information related to Educational Technology. -
Educational Technology & Digital Marketing on Facebook
10 Nov 2011 | 11:27 pmThe following are some of the links and information I share on my Facebook page 'Advisor2U' related to Educational Technology and Digital Marketing / Social Media Marketing. Just visit the page ‘Advisor2U’ and like it, to update yourself with the information I share related to above mentioned topics.
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Janet Clarey
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Alternate Reality Games Part 1 – A Good Fit for L&D?
13 Jan 2012 | 5:59 pmAlternate Reality Game (ARG)…an interactive story-based game, delivered through multiple “real world” modes (i.e., text, phone, Internet, print, and others) within which players must participate interactively and work collectively to solve “real world” problems the story presents. In our most recent High-Impact Learning Organization research, to be published shortly, we asked organizations to rate themselves from poor to excellent on their e-learning capabilities. Not surprisingly, the entry point for e-learning – the creation of simple, self-paced e-learning –… -
Wait. What? I can buy an LMS with a credit card?
26 May 2011 | 6:57 pmThis is a cross post. Original at Bersin & Associates. We know from our LMS 2011 research that the LMS market is experiencing more fragmentation, specialization, and globalization. We also know that we primarily see this in three overlapping spaces: (1) integrated talent management suite providers (the fastest growing space, especially for large organizations and where we are also seeing mega LMS/TMS mergers), (2) social learning platform providers, and (3) providers specializing in niche solutions (i.e., specific vertical markets like healthcare, unique needs like extended enterprise… -
“Dogfooding” at IMPACT
21 Apr 2011 | 10:47 amThis is a crosspost. I’m also writing here with this RSS feed. The idiom “eating your own dog food” means you are actually using your own products. In my case the “product” is research, analysis, and insight. Janet, how does one go about “eating” research, analysis and insight you’re probably asking. Excellent question, as always, and thanks for asking. Next week at our IMPACT conference (streaming, if you can’t attend this year) David Mallon and I will be presenting new research from a 2011 study on High-Impact Learning Organizations (to be published later in the year). -
Social Learning vs. Communities of Practice
22 Feb 2011 | 7:19 pmThis is a guest post from Tiffany Fary, a Senior eLearning Instructional Designer in the corporate sector. When it comes to the terms “Social Learning” and “Communities of Practice”, many people in the corporate learning realm are confused, myself included. We think we know what these mean one day, and then the next day a new theory or idea emerges that turns the whole idea of each upside down and inside out. Are Social Learning and Communities of Practice different? I think they are, but do you? Social Learning People in corporations are picking up Social Learning as one of the… -
Joining the staff of Bersin & Associates
1 Feb 2011 | 3:00 pmToday I joined the staff of Bersin & Associates as a senior analyst focusing on enterprise learning. If you’ve been in L&D for any length of time then I’m sure you know Josh Bersin. If not, you should and if you’re new to the industry, you’ll want to follow his work. It’s a real powerhouse research team and I’m thrilled to be joining them. I’ve always had great respect for their research and am looking forward to sharing my own experiences and background. What I really like about Bersin is their intense focus on meeting the needs of clients.
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lynda.blog
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View Source series introduction: Adding breadcrumbs and custom URLs to WordPress websites
28 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amMost of the tools and languages we use online are constantly changing. HTML itself is in constant flux, a new version of Firefox releases every six weeks, and who knows what’s going to happen next with video formats. It’s enough to drive you crazy. Suffice it to say that the web design and development industry demands people who are learners by definition. Sometimes the hardest part about any new learning commitment is getting started. If your pile of work is not getting any smaller, and you’ve only got a few minutes to learn something new, then View Source may be the series… -
InDesign FX: Simulating carving and chiseling
27 Jan 2012 | 11:50 amIn this week’s free InDesign FX video, I show you how to combine Bevel and Emboss with Inner Shadow to create the illusion of cutting into a surface. (You can often achieve the best results by combining two or more of InDesign’s effects in a strategic manner.) I start with a simple example, applying both Bevel and Emboss to some text. The bevel simulates the visible edges of the material being cut. The depth of the bevel becomes the thickness of the material. The inner shadow adds to the effect by creating darkened corners inside the letter shapes. Once you get the hang of carving… -
CINEMA 4D logo lighting and texturing basics
25 Jan 2012 | 7:25 pmA lot of folks get started in motion graphics creating 3D logos and logo animations. It’s how I got started all those years ago. When I look back on that animation now, I cringe. The clients loved it, but the lighting was terrible. Luckily, I’ve learned a lot since then, and in this week’s Design in Motion, I’ll share some key logo-lighting tips with you. First and foremost is the idea of lighting through the camera. The 3D world is based entirely on the idea of perspective, and the only valid perspective is the angle that your artwork will be viewed from. That view is your render… -
Deke’s Techniques: Creating type in Photoshop that inverts everything behind it
24 Jan 2012 | 4:41 amYou’ve probably been there. You’re working with a high-contrast photo or composition, with lots of lights and darks, and it’s your job to lay text over it. Readable text. So, do you choose dark text or light? Either one risks becoming unreadable when it hits an object behind it that doesn’t provide enough contrast. And please, whatever you do, don’t compromise with that medium gray text that’s completely unsatisfying no matter where it lands. Enter this week’s free technique from Deke that shows you how to conveniently set up your type so that it… -
A #NAMMchat reminder, plus a two-minute lynda.com audio summary
20 Jan 2012 | 1:38 pmThe audio channel at lynda.com is making a lot of noise at the NAMM show this year. NAMM (short for National Association of Music Merchants) is a massive conference and convention for all music-related products and services. In other words, it’s a giant toy store for musicians! From January 19-22 lynda.com will be on-site at NAMM unveiling our expanded audio course offerings, meeting new audio folks, connecting with industry leaders, and checking out all the new gear. If you’re at the show, please come by our booth (#4711) to say hi. If you can’t make it, check out this short demo of…
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Managing eLearning
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SME as Rubik’s Cube
19 Jan 2012 | 10:24 amMedical Educators – What Will They Think of My Small Project Collaboration Model? I am speaking this coming Sunday at 4:00pm at the Alliance for CME conference in Orlando, FL on “Developing Interactive Online Education: Engage the Subject Matter Expert via Micro-Collaboration.” Conference attendees represent the association’s 2,200+ membership base of professionals committed to educating medical professionals. [...] -
Medical Subject Matter Experts
6 Jan 2012 | 9:22 amMedical Subject Matter Experts: Medical Records Implementation and Training Challenges A growing number of hospitals and ambulatory clinics are consumed with the task of implementing medical records software. This national rollout of medical records software has increased the need to collaborate with medical experts. Technological advancement means adoption of new ways of thinking and often [...] -
Tony Karrer: eLearning Learning Launches Personalized Subscriptions
5 Jan 2012 | 2:56 pmAs a frequent eLearning blogger, I’m excited to share how Tony Karrer, CEO/CTO of TechEmpower, is continuing to be a leader and innovator in the eLearning industry. His TechEmpower site eLearningLearning.com serves as a gateway to the very best eLearning blogs, including ManagingeLearning.com, by aggregating eLearning-related content from a variety of sources that are organized [...] -
2012 eLearning Predictions and How to Cope
28 Dec 2011 | 11:53 amWith 2011 nearly behind us, I’d like to look ahead to the New Year and share my predictions for the eLearning industry and how to cope with the changes. As is constant in the technology field, I believe eLearning will continue to evolve and change to better meet the needs of upcoming tech-savvy generations. I’ve divided [...] -
Associations’ Mission to Teach: Social Media vs. Formal Education
9 Dec 2011 | 9:46 amIn the midst of the Digital Age, we have instant access to knowledge that was once difficult or impossible to find. “Just Google it”: a modern day mantra. Social media discussions have become a common way to obtain information. Relying on listservs to share information among a community of practitioners has evolved into launching social media networks. Educators, however, would argue that “informal learning”, although [...]
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Mobile Learning Blog
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A Day in the Life of an M-Learner
16 Jan 2012 | 10:15 pm -
Mobile Learning: Case Studies do the talking
4 Jan 2012 | 3:01 amSo Mobile Learning is established and here to stay. School after school are implementing iPads, and almost everyone in education is debating about disruptive technologies, flipped classrooms, and educational apps. Let’s look at some of the mobile learning cases implemented in schools. School: Southern University of New Orleans Devices: Multiple, iOS devices, and PSPs. Students also recorded learning diaries with their cameras or cellphones. Objective: SUNO created the Department of Mobile Learning which was set up not only to help learners stay connected to the university, but to help… -
Bridging the School-Home Gap with Mobile Learning
7 Dec 2011 | 4:23 am -
How Mobl21 Works
23 Nov 2011 | 1:26 amMobl21 extends the learning environment for students via mobile devices, which they are always carrying around like iPhones, iPod Touches, iPads, Androids & Blackberrys. The Mobl21 system can be used for any subject, at any grade level. For more information contact sales@mobl21.com -
Designing Mobile Learning Material
8 Nov 2011 | 8:02 amMobile Learning offers users the ability to access content from their devices wherever they are. That being said, how does one decide which content, and in what form, is suitable for mobile device viewing and on-the-go learning? Designing good, usable content for mobile learning can seen to relate to the interaction design research (e.g. Jones & Marsden, 2006), which offers general principles for human-computer interaction on mobile devices. These have been supplemented by more specific findings from mobile learning projects (Naismith and Corlett, 2006). These general principles…
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aLearning Blog
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How Time Flies…
27 Jan 2012 | 11:01 am…when you’re having fun, right?!? And we have been having fun here at the aLearning Blog! Suddenly, it seems, we’re publishing our 250th post and celebrating five years. Yep, five years. And so much has changed! When aLearning published its first post back on January 27, 2007: no LMS systems (that we know of at the time) were designed especially to meet the needs of associations and nonprofits few (if any) research endeavors about online learning focused on associations and nonprofits few (if any) organizations bothered to survey association learning leaders to find out what… -
January Quick Clicks
23 Jan 2012 | 4:56 pmWhew! It’s been awhile since an aLearning post, but we’ve been working hard behind the scenes on a great new aLearning venture. More on that soon… Meanwhile, we’ll make it up to you by providing this edition of Quick Clicks, some links to what we believe are valuable resources, articles, and tools, collected here to help save you the time of tracking them all down. As always, if you have suggestions for Quick Clicks links, send an e-mail. Struggling with Systems Integration? First, take a look at “Bringing Systems Together” from… -
Cloudy About ‘The Cloud’?
10 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pmDon’t be. Here’s the easy-sneezy version of what you need to know to help your association or nonprofit. First, “The Cloud” is just another way of referring to the Web, the Internet, cyberspace. Services “in the cloud” are available via the Web instead of systems having to be installed on your server(s) or applications or programs being installed on your desktop. It means they’re out there — in cyberspace — and you connect to them. What this means is that the responsibility for maintaining those systems rests on the company providing them,… -
The Danger of Data (Even When It’s Accurate)
6 Jan 2012 | 12:47 pmYou know I love data. You know I believe in the power it has to convince TPTB (The Powers That Be) in the need for elearning, for improved instructional design in face-to-face training, and all other related matters. We worry a lot about getting our data wrong and about the dissemination of incorrect information. But when’s the last time you worried that accurate data could lead you — or your association leaders or your members or your other constituents — in the wrong direction? Yes, it’s possible. Here’s a perfect example, courtesy of Mark Twain: “In the… -
Lessons Learned at the End of the Year
31 Dec 2011 | 11:39 amLesson One It’s been a hectic year — we traveled more than 11,000 miles, driving from the West Coast to the Atlantic and back again, straying northward during those scorching summer weeks. What we learned is that free Web access — despite the fact that we’re a dozen years into the new millenium — is still elusive. We knew when we sold our house in early 2009 and became “full-time RVers” that we’d need to watch our expenses, so we chose not to spend money on a satellite system or any of those plug-in cards for Internet access. When you’re…
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New Think Tank
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Java Video Tutorial 12
26 Jan 2012 | 10:26 pmIn this part of the Java Video Tutorial I cover Java Linked Lists. The LinkedList class is a collection based on a linked list instead of an array like the ArrayList. They are good when you plan to add and delete items. They aren't particularly efficient at providing access based off of index searches though. -
Java Video Tutorial 11
24 Jan 2012 | 8:15 pmIn this part of my Java Video Tutorial I introduce Java collection classes. Specifically I cover how to use Java ArrayLists. -
Fish Pie
21 Jan 2012 | 8:38 pmYears ago my wife told me we should try a recipe called Fish Pie! I immediately thought this is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of. But, I tried it and it was amazingly good! It is also extremely easy to make. -
Java Video Tutorial 10
20 Jan 2012 | 12:03 pmIn this tutorial I do something kind of crazy. I try to teach programming logic by writing code right out of my head. You probably won't understand everything in this video, but that's OK. -
Java Video Tutorial 9
17 Jan 2012 | 3:55 pmI received a bunch of messages asking me to cover Java Arrays. So in this video I go over everything you'd ever want to know about Java Arrays. I show you how to create arrays, numerous ways to populate them, tricks involving multidimensional arrays, the enhanced for loop, Array library methods and more.
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Vistas: Geri Stengels Blog
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Great News: Impact Investing Options Expand Locally
25 Jan 2012 | 11:20 pmI’m a long-time advocate of impact investing. It brings new money to the nonprofit world, supports social enterprises, and can provide services and products that would otherwise be unfunded or unresolved. read more -
3 Rules for Surviving as a Brick-and-Mortar Store in a Cyber World
23 Jan 2012 | 11:20 pmWith online stores offering how-to videos, discussion groups, and a homey, we’re-among-friends shopping experience, how can small brick-and-mortar businesses compete? read more -
Choosing Your Legal Form Is a Strategic Decision for Social Good Businesses
18 Jan 2012 | 11:20 pmSocial entrepreneurs -- those using business skills to accomplish social good -- have many choices these days. New York and California recently joined five other states in allowing social good to be given as much weight as corporate profit by approving Benefit Corporations in which the well-being of all stakeholders (employees, community, clients, environment), not just shareholders, are legally taken into account when decisions are made. read more -
New Paradigm for Customer Service: Information, Sharing, and Being Yourself
16 Jan 2012 | 11:20 pmTalking to Gen Xers and Gen Ys lately, I realize how dramatically e-commerce is changing retail business and customer service. Opening up a store used to require renting space, furnishing the store, and working arduous hours. The last is still true but not the first two. Businesses are thriving without a physical location. In fact, many are able to exist because they skip the fixed costs and upfront investment of a brick-and-mortar store. read more -
A Social Enterprise Learns, Grows From Its Mistakes
11 Jan 2012 | 11:20 pmEditor’s note: To help social entrepreneurs anticipate and avoid some of the problems of starting a social-good business, Ventureneer is doing a series of blogs about the progress of Greenway Grameen Infra, a social enterprise in India. When last I wrote about Greenway Grameen Infra, its non-polluting stove, fuel efficient stove for rural homes in India was just on the market and hopes were high that 50,000 units would be sold by March 2012. read more
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Helge Scherlund's eLearning News
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An inverted webinar event: Taking the Distance out of Online Learning
28 Jan 2012 | 4:19 amDon’t miss this opportunity to hear the latest research on the impact of blended learning! Taking the Distance out of Online Learning Wednesday, February 8, 2012 11 am EST, 4 pm GMT Instructors and students alike may shy away from online learning because they perceive it as distant or impersonal. However, a recent study revealed interesting results when instructors created additional learning opportunities using screencasts. Can utilizing online tools actually offer students a more personal learning experience? Join us for an interactive webinar spotlighting the results of the aptly named… -
Current Issue — Volume 47, Number 1, January/February 2012
28 Jan 2012 | 3:48 amJust look at this interesting line-up in this EDUCAUSE Review below. Photo: Diana G. Oblinger Diana G. Oblinger writes, "This issue of EDUCAUSE Review focuses on leadership and celebrates leaders in the higher education IT community. Leadership can exist at all levels of an institution or organization. It does not come from a job title, nor is it self-appointed. We must take the best from our traditions and our experience so that we can adapt to constantly changing circumstances. Leadership is about more than power or authority. It is about values, experience, analysis, and the… -
Hilton Worldwide and Harvard Business Publishing Partner to Develop a World-Class Leadership Curriculum
27 Jan 2012 | 12:36 amHarvard Business Publishing and Hilton Worldwide today announced a multi-year agreement to provide Hilton Worldwide University, the company’s global learning resource platform, with leadership content and online learning programs. Harvard Business Publishing will offer a number of programs including Harvard ManageMentor®, the most trusted online resource for management essentials, as part of Hilton Worldwide University’s Leadership College curriculum. Harvard ManageMentor brochure Hilton Worldwide University gives the company’s Team Members access to online and… -
AP brings Aakash down to earth
26 Jan 2012 | 11:44 pmPhoto: Deccan Chronicle Aakash, the world cheapest tablet, will be available to students in the state for only Rs 1,500. Originally priced at Rs 2,500, the state government has offered a subsidy of Rs 1,000 for students to facilitate e-learning. The discounted tablets will initially be offered to students in state universities, engineering and polytechnic colleges and the government plans to extend the scheme to all private colleges in the future. The proposal has been sent to the Union HRD ministry which is monitoring the Aakash project. The tablets were launched by Union minister for… -
The touch-screen classroom by Kate Lunau
26 Jan 2012 | 11:27 pmHow technology can reinvent how and where children learn. Kate Lunau writes, "At Eden High School in St. Catharines, Ont., students are banned from using their cellphones in the hallways. In Eric Moccio’s classroom, it’s a different story. Moccio, who teaches music and media arts, employs his students’ phones as a teaching tool: he recently had them vote via text message on the topic of an upcoming video project." Photo: Macleans.ca Moccio projected a live chart to the front of the class, which “readjusted to show numbers as votes came in, American Idol-style,” he says. Another…
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E-learning & Multimedia Journalism Examples
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Good to Know
19 Jan 2012 | 8:02 amGood to Know Google’s tips for staying safe and protecting data online. View the interactive graphic (Via One Angry Blackman) -
So you still think the Internet is free
18 Jan 2012 | 3:22 amSo you still think the Internet is free. Who Is Censoring The Internet? What Is Being Censored On The Internet? How Is The Internet Being Censored? Why Are They Censoring The Internet? View the HTML5 interactive graphic -
Costa Concordia Disaster
18 Jan 2012 | 3:22 amCosta Concordia Disaster View the interactive graphic -
Interactive graphic: Italy cruise ship disaster
16 Jan 2012 | 6:28 pmInteractive graphic: Italy cruise ship disaster An interactive graphic showing the details of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia disaster. View the interactive graphic -
Concordia: How the disaster unfolded
16 Jan 2012 | 6:20 pmConcordia: How the disaster unfolded Interactive timeline shows the key events of Costa Concordia cruise disaster. View the interactive timeline
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The Social Learner
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Three Key Aspects of Corporate Sales Training
27 Jan 2012 | 4:33 pmThe best sales forces are made up of employees who never stop learning. How do you make sure you’re helping everyone stay in tip-top shape, avoiding the ever-tempting lure of stagnation? Continue the learning with a renewed focus on sales enablement and sales training. Every member of the sales team wants to learn how to improve, but we all have some element of dread stemming from the old-fashioned, meandering sales trainings of yesteryear. Here’s how to increase sales effectiveness most efficiently. Today, virtually any type of corporate sales training needs to be: 1. Short. … -
Overcoming Sales Objections with A-R-C
17 Jan 2012 | 5:14 pmHow can you improve your sales performance? By figuring how to resolve concerns quickly and effectively. The A-R-C method involves three simple steps to overcoming sales objections that, once mastered, can turn a sales rep’s near-miss into success. Ready? (1) Acknowledge the concern. The fastest way to infuriate and/or distance a potential client is to ignore their concerns entirely, and a close second is to give their concerns a courtesy mention, then ignore them. Acknowledge the specifics of the client’s concern and the reasons behind their worries. For example, a… -
5 Cold Calling Tips for Success
9 Jan 2012 | 12:11 pm“Cold calling. “ Ooooooooh. Did you hear that? It was the sound of terror as it shivered down the spines of countless sales people nationwide. The very mention of the term can frighten even the most courageous of the daring souls involved in sales. Here are five cold calling tips to help you overcome the stigma and improve sales performance and effectiveness when it comes to the infamous cold call. (1) Do your homework. Calling through the phone book is awfully 1985—not to mention depressing. Zero in on your target audience with a bit of careful research. Figure out…
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Learning Corporate Finance
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Startup Training: Free Pitching for Startups video series. Pitching your dreams to investors and customers
28 Jan 2012 | 12:37 amThe pitching for startup series used with my students at the SP Jain Inst. of Management and Research in Dubai, for the P@SHA delegation at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards in Thailand and the P@SHA Social Innovation Fund Grant competition is now available for free. Full disclosure. No I did not make 10's of millions of dollars in a heartbeat by following this method. Neither will you. Like me, you will most likely fail a few times despite the fact that you memorized the pitching tools and techniques mentioned here. But that's all right, success has always been over rated.. :) -
We listened to your feedback… Shopping for content now made easier, faster and simpler
21 Jan 2012 | 10:32 pmOver the last two years we have received a lot of feedback from you, our readers and customers. In August we started working on incorporating a number of your suggestions on the site in terms of how content was organized and reachable and we have finally started rolling the modifications out. As you visit the [...] -
Startup Guide: I hate product launches or the 40 days that led to last night
21 Jan 2012 | 1:59 pmCode Launch: Launch minus one week. Memento style -
Startup Guide: Code Launch: The 10 step guide to bombing your product launch
21 Jan 2012 | 11:31 am10 steps plan to bomb your product launch. Short, sweet, to the point. No BS. -
Introducing FourQuants.com – The soft launch
20 Jan 2012 | 2:36 pmRisk, computational finance, volatility and fair price have been exotics topics shrouded in mystery for as long as I have been a student of this field. Yes there are always a select few who understand the language of models but the rest of us "ordinary mortals" could use a helping hand.
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CoursePark
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What to Consider in Employee Performance Reviews
27 Jan 2012 | 9:24 amEmployee reviews are vital to the ongoing success of any organization. However, it’s essential they’re done correctly and uniformly so they’re fair. It’s important to know what to consider in employee performance reviews and so here are some of the basics. Make sure you have a list of questions and topics you plan to cover and use that list for every employee so you’re as fair as possible. Planning makes sure that you’re able to focus on the information you need to know and impart to the employee instead of trying to think of what to say next as reviews are… -
The Status of the Glass Ceiling: Does it Still Exist in the Workplace?
25 Jan 2012 | 7:23 amWhat is the status of the glass ceiling: does it still exist in the workplace? This is a very good question. It refers to the times women are discriminated against when it comes to promotions and applying for senior roles in all industries. One of the biggest reasons for the discrepancy when it comes to hiring and promoting people is that women are still seen as the home-maker, housewife, mother, care-giver, whatever name(s) you use to mean looking after the children in addition to having a responsible job. The majority of parents that stay at home to care for children are still female… -
2012 Online Marketing Trends Small Business Owners Can Use
24 Jan 2012 | 7:17 amEvery year new trends come into force and it can be hard to keep track. 2012 is no exception. Thanks to the power of the Internet, here are some 2012 online marketing trends small business owners can use to boost their business. Mobile marketing is definitely the biggest new trend. If you’re not actively setting up mobile marketing campaigns, you’re literally leaving money on the table where others will quickly grab it for themselves AND you’ll easily be overlooked if you don’t have a mobile presence. Instead of focusing on one form of online branding, start using some… -
7 Unusual Ways to Find a Job in a Downsized Economy
23 Jan 2012 | 9:10 amIf you’ve lost your job, it’s essential you let your emotions out. Depression, anxiety, frustration and rejection are all powerful emotions that can cripple you but need to be let out so you can move past them and into a positive state of mind. Here are 7 unusual ways to find a job in a downsized economy to help you get back on your feet. Networking may sound strange but it’s a very powerful way of exploring your options. There are different ways to network. One is to email your friends and family and tell them you’re looking for work in case they know anyone needing… -
Leadership Friday Favs 1.20.12
20 Jan 2012 | 7:59 amEnjoy our weekly leadership post round-up! Train Your Brain to Focus (Paul Hammerness,MD, and Margaret Moore, HBRBlog Network) It’s kinda nice to see the spotlight shining on multi-tasking in a negative way. Maybe that’s a little mean but the BIG team has seen too many people drop too many balls because they believe it’s good leadership/management for them to do 27 things simultaneously. 10 “It’s Your Biz” Brainpower Tools (Dr. Ellen Weber, Brain Leaders and Learners) Ellen serves up ten brain empowered insights for entrepreneurs based on It’s Your Biz by Susan Wilson Solovic.
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C2 Workshop's E-Learning Blog
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Defining E-Learning Objectives - Part III
17 Jan 2012 | 7:47 pmWe wound up the last blog post with the question, “Even if I manage to craft measurable behavioral objectives, how far would I succeed in MOTIVATING my learners?”If you are, by any chance, landing straight on this post, please visit the earlier two posts, before taking off from here.Motivation is a wonderful state of mind. If I am motivated to do something, I wouldn’t let anything – anything – stop me from going after what I want. I just wouldn’t rest till I accomplish my mission. It’s as simple as that!The same philosophy applies to my learners as well.As an instructional… -
Happy New Year!!!
30 Dec 2011 | 11:18 pm -
Defining E-Learning Objectives - Part II
11 Dec 2011 | 5:18 amThe last post "Defining E-Learning Objectives" ended with a comma. Figuratively, that is. It had passed the baton to the current discussion, to address a few questions on e-learning objectives. Have a request for those of you who are landing straight on this post. Please take a quick glance at what we discussed in Part 1 of this post, before taking off from here. These are the questions we need to get the answer for. Why do e-learning objectives take a back seat? Why are they so skip-worthy? Because, THEY ARE NOT WELL WRITTEN. Simple. This rather stark answer does not, however,… -
Defining E-Learning Objectives
18 Nov 2011 | 8:33 amI am all set. Backpack, sleeping bag, rain cover, tent, compass, et al... everything is perfectly in place for a great trekking experience. But, where am I going? Blank. I don't know. Interesting as it might sound, a very similar thing happens with my instructional designing experience as well. Good command over language, great visualization capability to think scenarios, positive relations with the team... all conducive settings for a neat product to roll out. But, where am I heading? What do I intend achieving at the end of crafting an e-learning course? It's all vague. I think I… -
Freedom To Fail !!!
14 Nov 2011 | 2:38 amIt is that time of the year when corporates queue up at colleges to recruit (or rather, shortlist and book!) students for their organisations. And placement activities at campuses are at their zenith.As is the norm, the smart students are spoilt for choice as far as job offers are concerned. In a not-so-cruel twist of fate, it is the students who are finally left with the arduous task of deciding which organisation they should join. The fact that these offers are from some of the biggest Indian and multi-national companies only adds more layers of confusion to the already perplexed young…
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Learning Ecosystems
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10 findings that will shape students today for the workforce tomorrow [Wilen-Daugenti]
27 Jan 2012 | 12:47 pm10 findings that will shape students today for the workforce tomorrow — from GettingSmart.com by Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti Excerpt: “Tomorrow’s Evolving Workplace” is from the upcoming book Society 3.0: How Technology Is Reshaping Education, Work, and Society, by Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti (Lang, January 2012). In the worst economy since the Great Depression, Californians are struggling to earn a living, get an education, and raise a family. How will we adapt to learn, work, and connect in the future? A new book with findings from Apollo Research Institute describes how… -
Some options for real-time polling of your students
27 Jan 2012 | 9:55 amSome tools to consider: From DSC: By the way, faith-based organizations might want to consider using this tool as well. Also, my thanks to Professor Randall Pruim, in the Mathematics Department at Calvin College, for bringing the options below to my attention: -
Good to know [from Google]
27 Jan 2012 | 9:23 amFrom DSC: I originally saw this at elearningexamples.com. -
Free courses, elite colleges [Kolowich]
27 Jan 2012 | 8:32 amFree courses, elite colleges – from InsideHigherEd.com by Steve Kolowich Excerpt: Robert Garland, a professor of classics at Colgate University, is not accustomed to discussing Greek religion with the lifeless lens of his MacBook’s built-in video camera. But that was how Garland spent Wednesday afternoon: in his home study, recording lectures on his laptop in 20-minute chunks. Garland, a novice to online teaching, says it is difficult to think of these solitary sessions as lectures. “I think of them more as chats,” he says. … Garland’s gear is lo-fi: just the laptop, which… -
[Concept] Future computer desk for Mac and iPhone users [Future Technology; GloriaSt]
26 Jan 2012 | 2:26 pmConcept future computer desk for users Mac and iPhone – from Future Technology posted by GloriaSt
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MinuteBio
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Deconstructing My #DemoFest Course – Part 3 (Development) #DevLearn
22 Jan 2012 | 10:06 pmOf the questions asked of me during DemoFest, I think most were regarding development tools. In regards to development tools used, the course is truly a Frankencourse, a term I believed coined by David Anderson (@eLearning). So here are the development tools I used for this project. Adobe Flash – The initial interface was built in Flash. This provided greater ease of animating the characters, creating the navigation, which is non-linear and not as simple as adding next and back buttons of which it has none. However, the Flash movie sits within Articulate Presenter and navigates to an… -
Deconstructing My #DemoFest Course – Part 2 #DevLearn
29 Nov 2011 | 10:29 pmIn my last post I gave an overview of my DemoFest course, Intro to Office 2010. I would like to delve into the analysis and design of the course. When this project was brought to me it involved training for both a Windows 7 and Office 2010 upgrade, which is why some of the documents included here references Windows 7 in addition to the Office upgrade. My first step for any training project is the needs analysis, albeit it is often very informal when on short time-lines like this project. Because I had been teaching a… -
Deconstructing My #DemoFest Course – Part 1
13 Nov 2011 | 10:03 pmDuring this year’s DevLearn 2011 conference I won the DemoFest award for the Software Systems Training category. Being selected for this award really put me on Cloud 9. It is so flattering to have my course selected by the DevLearn attendees. Thank you everyone who attended DemoFest. And a big congratulations to all the other winners of this year’s DemoFest. It is a true honor to be in their company. Over the coming weeks I am going to blog about the processes of designing, developing and implementing my DemoFest course. My intention is to share how I go about putting a course… -
Heading to #DevLearn
30 Oct 2011 | 9:43 pmI am very excited to be heading out to the DevLearn Conference and Expo this week. This is my first visit to the conference, but I have known of its reputation as a fantastic conference and enviously followed last year’s back channel on Twitter. This year I get to attend first-hand and will also be tweeting all the new and exciting things I expect to learn from the conference. If you do not already know, the conference hash tag is #DevLearn. If you plan to use the back channel, here are some great tips courtesy of the back channel curator, David Kelly (@LnDDave). Plus, there will be… -
Wicked, Cool Example of Augmented Reality
29 Sep 2011 | 10:00 pmIt is not every day I use “wicked” as an adjective, but this calls for its use. While attending the Enterprise Learning Conference & Expo today, I saw an example of the use of augmented reality as created by BMW. The video clip shown during the “Next Generation of Learning Systems” session is the same clip as the one found on YouTube and embedded below. I promise it will wow you and even if you are not a New Englander, like me, you will still say is “wicked cool.”
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Reading and Writing Tips for the SAT and ACT
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Should high schools do more to prepare students for the SAT?
6 Jan 2012 | 9:29 pmWell, it all depends on what you mean by "prepare." Let me back up for a moment and explain how this post came about: a couple of months ago, I was talking with a friend who was applying to dental school, of all things, and we somehow got into a conversation about the role of standardized testing in the American college admissions process. Having grown up in Korea, where the test-prep culture is actually a good deal more intense than it is in the US, my friend knew a thing or two about how crazy the whole standardized testing process can be, and I started telling her about some of the more… -
Treat Critical Reading More Like Math
31 Dec 2011 | 6:28 pmBecause of the nature of my job, I tend to get a lot of students with very significant imbalances between their math and verbal scores. Most people scoring a 760 in Math without much prep just don't bother with math tutors, although the same people sometimes find themselves stuck in the 600s or even the 500s in Reading and Writing. What I look at the (full) tests of students like these, however, what often strikes me the most is the difference between the sheer amount of stuff they've written in the Math sections vs. the CR sections. Even just glancing at the math, I can see that they've… -
If you can't find the answer in the lines you're given, it must somewhere else
18 Dec 2011 | 1:26 pmAs I've said before, I'm generally suspicious when people claim to have timing issues on Critical Reading. While I certainly appreciate that some people read much faster than others and do work on timing when necessary, the time itself is almost never the real root of the problem. Upon doing a bit of probing, I typically discover one of two things: 1) the student has genuine comprehension issues, weak vocabulary skills, and rereads portions of a passage three or four times just trying to understand what's literally being said. Ditto for the answer choices. 2) the student has solid… -
Overstudy
12 Dec 2011 | 6:13 pmAmong the tidbits of wisdom that I attempt to impart to my students is the fact that it doesn't really matter if they understand a particular rule/concept/strategy after I've explained it to them once. The real test is whether they can apply at 8 o'clock on a Saturday morning, when they're still not 100% awake, and, oh yeah, are in the middle of taking an exam that will play a very significant role in determining where they spend the next four years of their lives. In general, I do my best not to pile on the pressure for my students (they're certainly under enough already, and I… -
A (P)SAT score is feedback, not a judgment
7 Dec 2011 | 12:27 amUpdate: Somehow or other, I neglected to notice that PSAT scores were coming out just as I posted this (usually my students flip out about them, but this year everyone seems remarkably laid back about the whole thing, so I apparently I'm the last to know;) Anyway, I wanted to add a couple of things in light of that fact. First, if you're less than thrilled with your score, don't panic -- a lot of people are in exactly the same situation. A weaker-than-expected PSAT score is in no way a harbinger of doom -- it's simply an indication of the approximate score you would get if you were to take…
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Trivantis blogs
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Spotlight on Lectora User Conference Opener Jeremy Gutsche
26 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmThumbnail Image: Friday, January 27, 2012 Posted By: Stephanie Johnson The annual Lectora User Conference, May 22 – 24, is quickly approaching! This year, Lectora® e-Learning is thrilled to bring scheduled keynote speaker Jeremy Gutsche, TV host, author and Chief Trend Hunter at TrendHunter.com to the conference. Gutsche’s contagious energy projected during his keynote is sure to leave attendees electrified, while his enthusiasm is guaranteed to spark motivation and inspiration in an unexpected way. The first 500 people to register for the Lectora User Conference will receive… -
Be an Exhibitor at the Lectora User Conference
25 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmThumbnail Image: Thursday, January 26, 2012 Posted By: Joanna VonLuehrte Lectora® e-Learning invites you to be a part of the premier e-Learning event of 2012. For the first time in history, the Lectora User Conference welcomes exhibitors, bringing together conference attendees and vendors at this one-of-a-kind event. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to showcase your brand while connecting with hundreds of e-Learning and training professionals from around the world. Exhibitors have the opportunity to sponsor on multiple beneficial levels. Sponsorship opportunities… -
Introducing New Lectora Talent Management
24 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmThumbnail Image: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Posted By: Joanna VonLuehrte Today, the makers of Lectora® e-Learning release Lectora Talent Management, a new talent development solution that bridges the gap between course management and true talent management for businesses and companies. Lectora Talent Management works as a team with all major learning management systems (LMS) to empower employees to monitor personal progress and accelerate talent development. Lectora Talent Management offers the following key benefits: Enables real-time learning by giving employees the tools… -
Incorporating Web Resources into a Corporate Learning Curriculum
23 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmThumbnail Image: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Posted By: Maria Rainier This is a guest blog written by Maria Rainier. Please see below for her full bio. There has never been a better time than now to use the Internet for the purpose of e-Learning. This is especially true when educating adults, whose learning needs are different from the needs of younger learners. Adults often require a more concrete idea about how what they are learning may relate to the real world. As such, incorporating a few online training resources, particularly audio and video clips that demonstrate real-world… -
Free e-Learning Webinar: Working with Tests in Lectora
22 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmThumbnail Image: Monday, January 23, 2012 Posted By: Joanna VonLuehrte If you’re on a quest to find fun, new ways to customize tests in Lectora e-Learning, then this week’s free Inspiration Wednesdays webinar is for you! The upcoming session “Working with Tests” on January 25 will instruct how to add a variety of question types to your pre-tests, randomized tests and final assessments. Then, when you’re finished creating your assessment with Lectora e-Learning software, you’ll learn how to easily track all scores and data within a learning management system. This…
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E-Learning 24/7 Blog
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The Latest: Rapid Content Authoring Tool Market
18 Jan 2012 | 11:47 amThe data is in, the results are interesting and the competition is growing. What does it all mean? The RCAT (rapid content authoring tool) market continues to be healthy with nothing to slow it down – uh, except maybe one thing (more on that later). Early Signs for 2012 Yeah, I know we have just jumped into January, but in a review of the past several months, authoring tools continue to follow a similar path amongst themselves with certain feature sets. However, where you would expect some to move towards – they haven’t, which is disappointing on multiple tiers. Jump on… -
Trade Show Wars
10 Jan 2012 | 5:24 pmIt’s that time of the year, when the snow comes tumbling down, the sun is shining (out here in LA) and the trade show tour kicks off in earnest. The buzz, hype, demos, salespeople, awful expensive food, hotels that overcharge (I always find better deals on Expedia or sign up for the hotel’s e-mail newsletter) and yes, sometimes beyond awful seminars. The best way to prepare for the onslaught of trade shows (including seminars) is to be prepared. Hence, this guide. The first segment is for buyers, potential and current customers. The second segment is for vendors – including… -
Online Learning in Education
3 Jan 2012 | 6:45 pmIn 1993, Jones International made its debut on the internet. The first 100% online university. In 1999, Jones International became the first online university in the U.S. to be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. By 1999, other online universities were on the scene including the University of Phoenix and Western Governors University which was a consortium of small colleges in the rocky mountain area. Some online universities offered degrees for as low as $4,800 USD, and a doctorate as low as $12K. Other online universities sounded like brick and mortar institutions: University of… -
5 E-Learning Forecasts for 2012
20 Dec 2011 | 4:09 pmEvery year, I identify five trends that I am seeing in the industry as a whole, and forecast on where they will be heading throughout the year. In 2011, I saw quite a few items that resonated. They involved talent management, “hello and goodbye” with vendors, social learning, upswing in mobile learning, new feature sets in the authoring tool space, flat lining in web conferencing and standalone platforms. LMSs/LCMS/CMS/learning platforms in commercial and open space continued their presence. Some items stood out, others continued in an everlasting awful experience (customer and… -
Product Review: Cornerstone OnDemand
12 Dec 2011 | 5:47 pmIn 1982 a film called Tron appeared on the silver screen. It was without a doubt one of the most hyped films of all time. I remember seeing the ads, being excited about the possibility of such a movie with never before seen computer graphics. The line to get in was long. Chatter was everywhere. Anticipation was running high. When the film ended, there was no joy. To put it politely it was horrible. Not bad, horrible. The graphics were underwhelming (I saw better with Logan’s Run), the storyline was boring. Overrated was the universal opinion by moviegoers. The same can be said for…
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onehundredfortywords
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Bring on TechKnowledge 2012!
24 Jan 2012 | 1:21 pmOkay, I’ve written about preparing for TechKnowledge in a couple of places, like Learning Circuits — twice – and the E-Learning Uncovered blog. But today I’m starting to look over what sessions I’d like to attend that I’m not officially involved in. Taking a cue from Cammy, here’s what I already have on the docket: Wednesday 11:00 – Facilitating the Storyline Creation Station 12:30 – Panelist-ing for the Authoring Tools/HTML5 TK Chat 2:00 – Moderating the Gamification TK Chat Thursday 11:00 – Facilitating the Storyline… -
New Features Released in Claro
5 Jan 2012 | 10:59 pmA few weeks ago, dominKnow announced that new features have been added to Claro. I haven’t gotten my hands into it much yet, but from what the guys at dominKnow showed me at DevLearn and after, it seems like it’s been in very active development since I did the overview in T+D earlier this year. Here are some of the highlights: Linking to other pages within the course. This is a huge step up in interactivity because it enables branching. Woot! Interaction templates. Think Engage/Quizmaker-type interactions and other common types. You can also create your own. Characters and… -
Resources on Elearning, HTML5, and Flash from CM Group
31 Dec 2011 | 1:20 amI came across Luminosity Studio from CM Group while researching HTML5 authoring tools for my DevLearn 2011 presentation and ended up adding it to my list of tools to be aware of… definitely in the new-tools-with-limited-fuctionality-but-solid-HTML5-publishing category. And I just came across some excellent blog posts written by their technical director, Alex Mackman (@AlexAtCMGroup). In the age of the Flash vs. HTML5 Ring of Death, I really value well-reasoned opinions and correct information, and he’s giving both. Flash and HTML5 for eLearning is the most recent. I should note:… -
The ToolBar, Episode 10 – Accessibility. Don’t Be a Jerk.
30 Dec 2011 | 10:01 amEpisode #10 of The ToolBar is now live! And we have another special guest episode: Brian and I talked with my boss, Diane Elkins, about accessibility: philosophies, design, and tools. Brian drank Sailing Santa, I drank Collaboration #2, and Diane drank apple cider and Captain Morgan. -
Well Read: The Creative Habit
29 Dec 2011 | 4:16 pmI’m starting to feel like all I’ve posted here in the past month is that I’m writing or talking in other places; it’s been a very busy month. And I will get back to writing here soon, but first, today’s announcement is the biggest of all. I’m thrilled to share that I’m starting a new monthly column for Learning Solutions Magazine: Well Read. Well Read will highlight books that are outside of the traditional learning milieu but that have an impact on our practice. The idea is to explore the many aspects of our work through experts in other fields, then…
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Jenise Cook
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TGIF: e-Learning Take Time to Read
27 Jan 2012 | 10:47 amI confess I have a busy day today as I’m wrapping up a long-term e-learning project that I will miss a great deal. The team worked together in a way that used to exist only in my dreams. We “kicked butt” and created an effective and learner-centered asynchronous course that also meets business objectives and goals. The L&D leadership has set up new processes and procedures for working on projects with their business units that seem to come out of our instructional design textbooks of our dreams. I know this may sound silly, but the L&D leadership “gets… -
Mobile Monday: Tapworthy by Josh Clark – Chapter 1
23 Jan 2012 | 10:45 amTapworthy by Josh Clark Josh Clark, the author of “Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps“, and the owner of GlobalMoxie.com. I read the Introduction and Chapter 1 this past week, and my summary statement is: Design your iPhone app for the user. Design an elegant iPhone app based on who the users is and how the user will actually use your app. Josh is up front with the fact, as we all know, that there are a “gazillion” iPhone apps in the app store. What will make your app, and my app, stand out is an elegant, user-focused design. Now, that may sound like a given, but… -
TGIF: Ah, We’re Changing the Course’s Title…
20 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amWhile Storyboarding in PowerPoint, I Got the Call When I’m developing an e-learning course in a PowerPoint-based tool, like Articulate Presenter, I obviously create the storyboards in PowerPoint (PPT) most of the time. Most of my SMEs use PPT at work anyway, so they’re comfortable with it. In Notes View, the upper section of the page shows my mock-up or rough sketch of the screens, and the Notes Pane below contains my notes about the OSDs (on-screen directions), programing notes, course content, and audio/visual ideas. My gratitude for the Master Slide feature in PowerPoint knows… -
Mobile Monday: Tapworthy by Josh Clark – Introduction
16 Jan 2012 | 11:54 amTapworthy by Josh Clark Today is the first of many weekly installments that I’ll publish on Mondays. I am beginning a “Mobile Monday” series on my blog to document my growth as an instructional designer for mobile learning. I first heard about Josh Clark, the author of “Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps“, and the owner of GlobalMoxie.com, through a free webinar sponsored by O’Reilly Media about a year ago. I chose to begin with iOS apps because I’ve had an iPad (Gen 1) since May 2010. And, wow, Josh’s webinar truly impressed me. Typically,… -
TGIF: MLK Service Day – LINGOs Global Give Back
13 Jan 2012 | 10:26 amHello! And, welcome to a brief blog post this Friday. In the USA, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is a federal holiday observed this year on Monday, January 16th. Americans who take that day off from work are encouraged to spend their time off by giving back to their communities through volunteer time and effort. For the e-learning community, there are many opportunities for volunteer service, and I’d like to point out just one: LINGOs eLearning Global Give Back Competiton From their Web site: Now in its third year, the eLearning Global Giveback Competition provides the opportunity for…
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Jenise Cook
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TGIF: e-Learning Take Time to Read
27 Jan 2012 | 10:47 amI confess I have a busy day today as I’m wrapping up a long-term e-learning project that I will miss a great deal. The team worked together in a way that used to exist only in my dreams. We “kicked butt” and created an effective and learner-centered asynchronous course that also meets business objectives and goals. The L&D leadership has set up new processes and procedures for working on projects with their business units that seem to come out of our instructional design textbooks of our dreams. I know this may sound silly, but the L&D leadership “gets… -
Mobile Monday: Tapworthy by Josh Clark – Chapter 1
23 Jan 2012 | 10:45 amTapworthy by Josh Clark Josh Clark, the author of “Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps“, and the owner of GlobalMoxie.com. I read the Introduction and Chapter 1 this past week, and my summary statement is: Design your iPhone app for the user. Design an elegant iPhone app based on who the users is and how the user will actually use your app. Josh is up front with the fact, as we all know, that there are a “gazillion” iPhone apps in the app store. What will make your app, and my app, stand out is an elegant, user-focused design. Now, that may sound like a given, but… -
TGIF: Ah, We’re Changing the Course’s Title…
20 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amWhile Storyboarding in PowerPoint, I Got the Call When I’m developing an e-learning course in a PowerPoint-based tool, like Articulate Presenter, I obviously create the storyboards in PowerPoint (PPT) most of the time. Most of my SMEs use PPT at work anyway, so they’re comfortable with it. In Notes View, the upper section of the page shows my mock-up or rough sketch of the screens, and the Notes Pane below contains my notes about the OSDs (on-screen directions), programing notes, course content, and audio/visual ideas. My gratitude for the Master Slide feature in PowerPoint knows… -
Mobile Monday: Tapworthy by Josh Clark – Introduction
16 Jan 2012 | 11:54 amTapworthy by Josh Clark Today is the first of many weekly installments that I’ll publish on Mondays. I am beginning a “Mobile Monday” series on my blog to document my growth as an instructional designer for mobile learning. I first heard about Josh Clark, the author of “Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps“, and the owner of GlobalMoxie.com, through a free webinar sponsored by O’Reilly Media about a year ago. I chose to begin with iOS apps because I’ve had an iPad (Gen 1) since May 2010. And, wow, Josh’s webinar truly impressed me. Typically,… -
TGIF: MLK Service Day – LINGOs Global Give Back
13 Jan 2012 | 10:26 amHello! And, welcome to a brief blog post this Friday. In the USA, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is a federal holiday observed this year on Monday, January 16th. Americans who take that day off from work are encouraged to spend their time off by giving back to their communities through volunteer time and effort. For the e-learning community, there are many opportunities for volunteer service, and I’d like to point out just one: LINGOs eLearning Global Give Back Competiton From their Web site: Now in its third year, the eLearning Global Giveback Competition provides the opportunity for…
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Learn and Lead
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Questions I Want To Explore In 2012
1 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmI am promising to myself to read more and blog more in 2012. Here are some of the questions I want to explore in 2012. What’s changed in the learning and development industry? I will be completing 20 years in the industry and yet I feel the more things change, the more they remain the same. How are the CxOs and Business Heads really viewing talent development? While most CxOs say that talent development is a key driver to the growth of their organizations, what are they really doing about it? What’s keeping the training managers awake? What are the training managers’ performance… -
It’s Been a Rather Quiet 2011 Here
31 Dec 2011 | 8:17 amIt’s been a rather quiet 2011 on this blog. Thanks to a couple of guest posts, there were 12 real posts in the whole year. As I reflect on last year, the usual excuse of getting very little time was the first one that sprung to mind. But in reality, I think I just didn't make enough effort. There were many blog posts that crossed my mind that didn’t get written. Many reflections that I wanted to share, many questions that I wanted to explore. Hopefully 2012 will be a better year for this blog. With renewed vigor in the New Year, I am hoping that I will post a lot more frequently in 2012. -
Recruiters, Wake Up and Use Social Networking to Hire
5 Oct 2011 | 11:55 pmIn a recent post, RWW reports that “In a study of 300 hiring managers and recruiters, Palo Alto-based social networking monitoring service Reppler reports that 76% of hiring managers look at applicants' Facebook profiles. An additional 56% are looking at Twitter, and 48% check out LinkedIn.” The fact that recruiters should be checking out basic info on social networks makes perfect sense to me. Unfortunately this doesn’t seem true, at least for Indian recruiters. I recently got a call from a recruiter, apparently someone involved in senior level recruitment in a reputed recruitment firm… -
I Am Not Learning Anything New!!!
20 Sep 2011 | 9:00 pmI am not learning anything new. I am still doing what I did years ago. There is no “growth” for me. I have heard this a few times lately. It seems there’s a quest for continuous learning. And there’s the quest for learning something “new” all the time. Unfortunately there’s no quest to hone and improve what we know. There’s a quest to spread ourselves thin without learning in depth about anything. If I have done something once, it seems I know everything there is to know about it. And “growth” is only a rung in the corporate ladder, a designation change. Huh!!! Pandit… -
Is Changing Jobs the Best Way to Get a Raise?
27 Aug 2011 | 10:11 amIn a recent employee survey by Mercer it was found that one in two employee is seriously considering leaving their jobs for better opportunities in terms of career and base pay. Interestingly around 66% of employees under age 24 are seriously considering leaving. It leads to an interesting question that I have been pondering over and researching informally: Is changing jobs the best way to get a raise? After say more than 15 years work experience, do you think someone who has hopped jobs more regularly will be paid more than someone who has spent longer in each job? While I haven't done any…
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Managing eLearning
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SME as Rubik’s Cube
19 Jan 2012 | 10:24 amMedical Educators – What Will They Think of My Small Project Collaboration Model? I am speaking this coming Sunday at 4:00pm at the Alliance for CME conference in Orlando, FL on “Developing Interactive Online Education: Engage the Subject Matter Expert via Micro-Collaboration.” Conference attendees represent the association’s 2,200+ membership base of professionals committed to educating medical professionals. [...] -
Medical Subject Matter Experts
6 Jan 2012 | 9:22 amMedical Subject Matter Experts: Medical Records Implementation and Training Challenges A growing number of hospitals and ambulatory clinics are consumed with the task of implementing medical records software. This national rollout of medical records software has increased the need to collaborate with medical experts. Technological advancement means adoption of new ways of thinking and often [...] -
Tony Karrer: eLearning Learning Launches Personalized Subscriptions
5 Jan 2012 | 2:56 pmAs a frequent eLearning blogger, I’m excited to share how Tony Karrer, CEO/CTO of TechEmpower, is continuing to be a leader and innovator in the eLearning industry. His TechEmpower site eLearningLearning.com serves as a gateway to the very best eLearning blogs, including ManagingeLearning.com, by aggregating eLearning-related content from a variety of sources that are organized [...] -
2012 eLearning Predictions and How to Cope
28 Dec 2011 | 11:53 amWith 2011 nearly behind us, I’d like to look ahead to the New Year and share my predictions for the eLearning industry and how to cope with the changes. As is constant in the technology field, I believe eLearning will continue to evolve and change to better meet the needs of upcoming tech-savvy generations. I’ve divided [...] -
Associations’ Mission to Teach: Social Media vs. Formal Education
9 Dec 2011 | 9:46 amIn the midst of the Digital Age, we have instant access to knowledge that was once difficult or impossible to find. “Just Google it”: a modern day mantra. Social media discussions have become a common way to obtain information. Relying on listservs to share information among a community of practitioners has evolved into launching social media networks. Educators, however, would argue that “informal learning”, although [...]
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E-Learning Uncovered
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See You at TechKnowledge 2012
21 Jan 2012 | 1:04 amNext week, Diane and I (and over a thousand other learning and development professionals) converge in Las Vegas for one of ASTD’s largest annual conferences: TechKnowledge. As part of this year’s conference planning team, I’m moderating a couple of TK Chats. TK Chats debuted at TechKnowledge last year and were a great success; they are fairly short, informal, moderated panels on some of the hot topics in our industry right now. I have to admit that I’ve heavily favored formal sessions in the past over the chats, but I’m coming around. The one TK Chat I attended at last year’s… -
Missing My Second Monitor
5 Jan 2012 | 3:19 pmI was fortunate enough to spend some time with family in Florida over the holidays. Unfortunately, I had to do a little work while I was down there. Sitting at my mother’s dining room table trying to meet a deadline brought back memories of trying to finish term papers on the old electric typewriter. (Yes, I am that old!) As archaic as that seems, I actually felt like I was in the Dark Ages last week because I was working on my laptop without the benefit of my second monitor. About five years ago, Desiree and I treated ourselves to second monitors, which seemed like an indulgence at the… -
Career Moves: From Classroom to E-Learning
23 Dec 2011 | 1:30 pmSome of the most talented people I’ve worked with in the e-learning industry were gently guided (and some violently “pushed”) into the field – because of a changing environment, new workplace goals, business reorganization, etc. They were great instructional designers and facilitators of classroom training and skillfully moved their skills to a different, online arena. The question I often hear is, “How?” I’ve spoken at several ASTD events about how I, as well as many of my colleagues, have transferred skills from one arena to another. If you are interested in moving into… -
Show Your Work!
16 Dec 2011 | 4:03 pmOne of the things I enjoyed most about DevLearn last month was getting to see other instructional designers’ work, and just judging by the size of audiences that turn out for DemoFest and the ID Challenge, I know I’m not alone. It’s a common complaint among e-learning designers that they don’t get to see each other’s work often enough, because their companies (or their clients) won’t allow their courses to be posted online or included in portfolios. And it’s understandable why. Either the company is concerned about sharing proprietary content, about sharing training methods that… -
Review: Course Review and Comment Systems
8 Dec 2011 | 7:06 pmLectora version X.6 releases today with a handful of new features. The biggest is the launch of ReviewLink Beta, an online review tool that comes free for Lectora users who are current on their maintenance plan. I thought it would be a good time to review its capabilities along with that of two similar products: Adobe Captivate Reviewer and REVIEW by Rapid Intake. All three systems function in basically the same way. You upload your course and send invitations to reviewers. Reviewers can view the published course online and make comments on a screen-by-screen basis. A back-end system lets…
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lynda.blog
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View Source series introduction: Adding breadcrumbs and custom URLs to WordPress websites
28 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amMost of the tools and languages we use online are constantly changing. HTML itself is in constant flux, a new version of Firefox releases every six weeks, and who knows what’s going to happen next with video formats. It’s enough to drive you crazy. Suffice it to say that the web design and development industry demands people who are learners by definition. Sometimes the hardest part about any new learning commitment is getting started. If your pile of work is not getting any smaller, and you’ve only got a few minutes to learn something new, then View Source may be the series… -
InDesign FX: Simulating carving and chiseling
27 Jan 2012 | 11:50 amIn this week’s free InDesign FX video, I show you how to combine Bevel and Emboss with Inner Shadow to create the illusion of cutting into a surface. (You can often achieve the best results by combining two or more of InDesign’s effects in a strategic manner.) I start with a simple example, applying both Bevel and Emboss to some text. The bevel simulates the visible edges of the material being cut. The depth of the bevel becomes the thickness of the material. The inner shadow adds to the effect by creating darkened corners inside the letter shapes. Once you get the hang of carving… -
CINEMA 4D logo lighting and texturing basics
25 Jan 2012 | 7:25 pmA lot of folks get started in motion graphics creating 3D logos and logo animations. It’s how I got started all those years ago. When I look back on that animation now, I cringe. The clients loved it, but the lighting was terrible. Luckily, I’ve learned a lot since then, and in this week’s Design in Motion, I’ll share some key logo-lighting tips with you. First and foremost is the idea of lighting through the camera. The 3D world is based entirely on the idea of perspective, and the only valid perspective is the angle that your artwork will be viewed from. That view is your render… -
Deke’s Techniques: Creating type in Photoshop that inverts everything behind it
24 Jan 2012 | 4:41 amYou’ve probably been there. You’re working with a high-contrast photo or composition, with lots of lights and darks, and it’s your job to lay text over it. Readable text. So, do you choose dark text or light? Either one risks becoming unreadable when it hits an object behind it that doesn’t provide enough contrast. And please, whatever you do, don’t compromise with that medium gray text that’s completely unsatisfying no matter where it lands. Enter this week’s free technique from Deke that shows you how to conveniently set up your type so that it… -
A #NAMMchat reminder, plus a two-minute lynda.com audio summary
20 Jan 2012 | 1:38 pmThe audio channel at lynda.com is making a lot of noise at the NAMM show this year. NAMM (short for National Association of Music Merchants) is a massive conference and convention for all music-related products and services. In other words, it’s a giant toy store for musicians! From January 19-22 lynda.com will be on-site at NAMM unveiling our expanded audio course offerings, meeting new audio folks, connecting with industry leaders, and checking out all the new gear. If you’re at the show, please come by our booth (#4711) to say hi. If you can’t make it, check out this short demo of…
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Custom Training and eLearning Blog
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High Level Overview of Lectora
27 Jan 2012 | 5:33 amLectora is a very user-friendly authoring tool, used to develop rapid, highly engaging and interactive eLearning courses. What is good about it is that it is not a plugin but an authoring tool that is self-contained and functions independently. It may appear to be complex for a novice, but once you are familiar with the interface and tools, you will be surprised at the extent to which you can customize your eLearning course. The main advantage of developing courseware with Lectora is that it does not require programming skills such as HTML, CSS or Javascript to develop the courses. If you… -
Need for Safety Training
26 Jan 2012 | 11:58 pmDo employees need safety training? How do organizations or employees benefit from it? Safety training helps in avoiding accidents that are caused due to lack of knowledge or awareness of work process. Let’s look at them in detail below. Meet legal obligations: Organizations are legally obliged to provide a safe work environment for their employees. Regulatory bodies conduct frequent inspections of workplace to make sure that safety parameters are adhered to by organizations. Violations can result in hefty penalties or legal law suits. Develop a safety culture: Safety training is required… -
Why Traditional Training Solutions don’t work Anymore- Part 2
25 Jan 2012 | 4:03 amIn the previous blog talking about traditional training solutions, I explored some reasons for why traditional training solutions don’t work anymore. This blog is a continuation of that list. Lack of training in multiple formats Typically, organizations put up eLearning courses that can be accessed over a laptop. While this does meet the needs of a majority of learners who have desk-bound jobs, it fails to take into account those groups of employees who are more likely to access training on the go. Lack of byte-sized learning options When an employee comes to the training portal for a quick… -
Why has Selling Become More Difficult in Today’s World?
25 Jan 2012 | 12:34 amSales is by far the most important function in any business organization because it is the only revenue-generating function. All other functions spend money. Selling is not easy but it has become even more challenging due to the changing business scenario. Results dependent on other’s decisions: Sales people work with a kind of handicap in the sense that they are heavily dependent on the decisions of customers for their success. So, in a way, a salesman will be at a disadvantage when compared to say, a technician working on the shop floor. The technician is more in charge of his work… -
Importance of Setting Right Learning Objectives for an eCourse
24 Jan 2012 | 3:05 amI’m sure you’re all familiar with the story of Alice in wonderland, in which Alice enters the forest and asks the cat which way she needs to go. The cat replies saying it depends a good deal on where Alice wants to arrive at. To that Alice responds by saying she doesn’t care much where to go. The cat, in turn, replies that it doesn’t matter then which way she takes. What do you learn from this story? We learn that you need to begin with the end in mind – you need to know what you want to achieve to be able to make the right beginning. In the context of eLearning too, it is…
