Building our case for a new LMS (perhaps)

So I'm still trying to make our current LMS work and function as we need it too for our staff and organization. Considering where we are and where we want to go as a leading health care facility, I'm not convinced we have the best product for the job. I've voiced my concern many, many times and now they seem to be listening. At least for today.

Some may know my struggles in that one day I'm told to get through the summer and see how the system works and then the next day I'm told to research other products and see if there is something that would more suit our needs. I'm pretty sure that what we have we could make due with and get by for a year, but in the long run is that really going to be of any benefit.

So, after yet another demonstration yesterday, I'm now back to taking my checklist against the 4 products I've seen in the last while and determining how well our current tool makes out against the other tools.

This is taking far far too long. What a learning process!!??!!

Instructional Design and an Aging Workforce

Further to a previous post.

As instructional designers we need to consider that we are experiencing that a large section of the workforce is an aging population. While “Age is not a disability” – AgelessinAmerica[i]; we still need to be considerate of the material we create and maintain not only accessibility but usability for this important part of our labour market.

When we create learning material we typically strive for a “package” that each of our employees/students will be able to participate fully in and be able to walk away with a new skill or further knowledge. When we do this we use universal design. “Universal design is the principle that guides the process to integrate all elements required to ensure facilities, technology, information, programs, products, and services meet the diverse requirements of today's society. The usability of what we create may be far more important when considering a workforce of Boomers. Usability is determined by user satisfaction, east of learning, ability to remember organizational structure and functionality, user effectiveness, and efficiency.”[ii]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 53 percent of the U.S. workforce will be 40 years old or older by 2010.[iii] It is also predicted that this percentage will continue if not increase into the coming years. Necessity will force us consider the various accessibility needs that will arise from an aging workforce and how computer use might be affected by these limitations.

Some limitations that may be experience (and this is certainly would not be the case for all in this workforce category) are decreased vision, decreased hearing, and decreased mobility or dexterity. Microsoft has several articles on “Aging Workforce and Accessible Technology”. They cite that in 2001 the U.S. percentage of population 45-54 had incidences of vision disabilities at .6%, hearing at .6% and typing at .6%. Compare this to the aged population of 25-34 where the incidences were only .4%, .3% and .4% respectively.[iv]

Changes in vision as one ages can range from very mild symptoms to quite serious diseases. These changes may include[v]:

• Difficulty reading small print
• Difficulty adjusting from light to dark
• Sensitivity to glare
• Loss of depth perception
• Difficulty seeing contrasts and colour
• Dry eyes
• Teary or watery eyes

Heather Ferguson, President of the Hearing Foundation of Canada states “People are starting to lose their hearing 20 years earlier than in the past.” “A Canadian Hearing Society Awareness survey indicated five years ago that 25 per cent of people with hearing loss are under 40, and 70 per cent are under 60.”[vi]

Presbycusis is the most common form of hearing loss as a person ages. Sound generally seems less clear and lower in volume. Many with prebycusis will experience:[vii]

• The speech from others may seem mumbled or slurred
• High-pitched sounds such as “s” and “th” are difficult to hear and tell apart
• When there is background noise, conversations are more difficult to understand
• Men’s vocal tones are easier to hear than the higher pitches of a woman’s vocal tones
• Certain sounds can seem overly annoying or loud
• Tinnitus (a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound in one or both ears) may also be heard

As one grows older there are various elements that play on the body that can limit ones dexterity. Arthritis is one such common problem that can cause a stiffening of the joints that makes it difficult and sometimes impossible to utilize your hands as you once did. Arthritis not only effects the hands though, it can seriously effect any joint within the body and long periods of immobility Strokes which typically only occur over the age of 65 can cause loss of physical and mental functions and can include motor function disabilities.

It is well known that life long learning is a much desired necessity not only for corporations to succeed but for adults to continue to grow and develop. There is an increasing need that employees be flexible and adaptable and this ability to continually learn helps these individuals not only be able to improve their skills but apply them to various contexts as well.

We need to understand that research has shown “that those over the age of 45 years are often adventurous and keen to do new things in both work and life. They are willing to augment their skills through training, including their capacity and competence in using new technology.”[viii] With this in mind we can take their enthusiasm to learn, use common instructional design practices, and available accessibility technology minimize any awkwardness yet increase the usability of courses we create.

No longer should we only think that audio should be included for those learners who are auditory learners. It should also be included for those who have difficulty reading small print. Similarly the ability to increase font size seems to be a norm, but needs to be added every time to a program. The option to read text instead of hearing it needs to be included for our learners that are not only visual but are perhaps experiencing some hearing loss. More images while wonderful for visual learners will also assist those that are having trouble seeing the small print or hearing the audio that has been inserted.

Microsoft has full set of tips that an aging population can use to increase the usability of computers in general. These items can be included by instructional designers directly into their course material or as tip sheets. The tips are simple items that we as designers sometimes take for granted that our users will know them and apply themselves to their learning environments. Items include[ix]:

• Enlarging fonts, icons, changing screen resolution,
• Using Microsoft Magnifier to open a floating window that enlarges parts of the screen
• Install speech recognition for voice commands instead of typing or using a mouse
• Use SoundSentry to cue visual notifications for sounds
• Use Narrator to read text aloud
• Change the appearance of the mouse so that it is more recognizable on the screen or it’s
• speed is slower, colour is brighter, etc.
• MouseKeys can change control of the mouse to the keyboard
• Use StickyKeys to press keyboard shortcuts one key at a time
• Filter Keys can be used to minimize repeated keystrokes by anyone with mild tremors
• Changing the contrast on the screen can make the text easier to read

What is wonderful for instructional designers is that more and more accessibility functions are being developed daily as we become more socially responsible and aware that everyone needs to have access to information and learning. As more of these technologies become available for people that may have limiting disabilities they can also be included and should be considered to be a normal inclusion into training materials that are created for the aging population. This portion of our workforce may not have disabilities, as such, but they will experience more and more issues with visual, hearing, and dexterity tasks. These technologies can assist us in creating not only accessible but useable learning.

__________________________________________
[i] Hamilton, T., Discovery Through eLearning (2008, June 26). Seeking ID Techniques to Use with an Aging Workforce. Message posted to http://discovery-thru-elearning.blogspot.com/2008/06/seeking-id-techiques-to-use-with-aging.html
[ii] Canadian Heritage, Creating and Managing Digital Content: Tip Sheets – Internet Accessibility, Retrieved July 10, 2008, from website: http://www.chin.gc.ca/English/Digital_Content/Tip_Sheets/Accessibility_CHIN/definition.html
[iii] U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Projected Labor Force Data: Civilian Labor Force, 2006-2016 [Data file].
Retrieved from ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/ep/labor.force/clfa0616.txt
[iv] Microsoft Corporation, Aging Workforce and Accessible Technology: Physiological Changes and Aging, Retrieved July 09, 2008 from website: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/aging/physiological.aspx
[v] Health Canada, Healthy Living: Seniors and Aging – Vision Care, Retrieved July 11, 2008, from website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/life-vie/seniors-aines_vc-sv-eng.php
[vi] Bio-Medicine, Hearing Loss Becoming an Epidemic in Canada, Retrieved July 16, 2008, from website: http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Hearing-Loss-Becoming-an-Epidemic-in-Canada-21234-1/
[vii] National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Presbycusis, Retrieved July 16, 2008, from website: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/presbycusis.asp
[viii] Bowman, K & Kearns, P 2007, E-learning for the mature age worker: Final report, Dept of Education, Science and Training, Canberra. Retrieved July 16, 2008 from website: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/webdav/site/flxsite/shared/Research%20and%20Policy%20Advice/Report_Mature_Aged_Workers.pdf (p. 21)
[ix] Microsoft Corporation, Aging Workforce and Accessible Technology: Physiological Changes and Aging, Retrieved July 09, 2008 from website: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/aging/tips.aspx

Whole Brain Design (Notes from ELG Online Forum)

Whole Brain Design: Engage and Retain your Learners by Ann Herrmann, Herrmann International

(brief notes - I started multitasking and got distracted)

as we give people challenges our brains kick into action solving the challenge before we even realize it

Poll - for participants: What is most important in learning for you?
- 44% Engaging learning and development for individuals, teams and the organization. (red)
- 28% Effective transfer of knowledge and information linked to performance objectives. (blue)

Poll - for participants: What is most important in learning for your org?
- 55% Effective transfer of knowledge and information linked to performance objectives. (blue)
- 31% A structured way for learners to practically develop the competencies they need. (green)

Poll - for participants: What percentage of the brain power is actually used in your org?
- most entered into 10-70%, most of us think 50% or below


Learning is a brain based mental process.
We often know more about our pda's and cell phones more than our own internal computers (brains).

We almost never see another person that looks just like us, why do we assume they will think like us.

We are all unique learners.

Your brain craves patters and searches for them endlessly. - Thomas Czerner, 2001

ie: it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae.

JGF GPFAM JS GQQB - If you block out the bottom half of these letters it will appear to be the word ICE CREAM IS GOOD - our brain fills in the letters we believe the phrase to be

Test for understanding, not existing patterns that they have created.

*Use patterning to your advantage as a foundation for learning, but beware of the learning traps it creates.

B.J. Schone is a Twitter Star!!!

Well if you haven't heard of Twitter yet you should maybe take a look at it. If you use Facebook already, it's an application just like the status updates you enter on Facebook. The term is microblogging. It's a quick 160 character message about what you are doing now.

The messages can be as simple as "I'm eating toast" or pointing others to something they may be interested in quickly "more tickets were just released get yours at www.blahblah".

Once you set yourself up you can follow others that are using the application and friends that are signed in can follow you as well.

B.J. (brown shirt) who got be into using the tool (and yes you can use it in Canada, I've got it on my Bell cell phone - no special blackberry or pda) was just recently at a Tweetup (a meeting of Twitters) and had his picture placed into the article.

Here is the article for more information about Twitter and this particular tweetup.

Where the Hell is Matt? - Video you have to see

If you haven't yet taken a look at Where the Hell is Matt? , please do. His video is simple yet complex, fun, inspirational, and guaranteed to make you smile (MORE THAN ONCE)!!!


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

I love it. Great job Matt Harding

My 300th post is a call for LMS Help

Yippee I'm at my 300th post, but yet again I'm shouting out for some help and of course it's about the LMS. I have the system we are using, and access to a second system that is on my wish list.

I'm having problems loading in classroom based classes. Both systems have features for in class teaching, however neither is meeting our needs. I'm curious to know how others have handled this as I can't believe we are the only organization that operates in such a manner.

We have many, many courses that run over consecutive days or even just over many different days. They also tend to occur in many different rooms around our organization. Neither system seems to be able to accommodate this style.

As an example: Intro to Project Management. Runs 8:30am - 12:30 pm on Wed. July 30 and then again Thurs. July 31 at the same time. In the same room. Students must go to both sessions.

Each LMS that I am trying only has a Start date and End Date for the over all program. One system does allow for recurring days of the event, but they must be the standard (one a week, ever day of the week, every other week, every other specific day of the week). On this system the first day is the start date, the end date needs to be the same date (to capture the 4 hour window of the course) and the recurring can go on for as many days as you need. But the over all screen users would see is cumbersome.

Another example is: Frontline Leaders, runs 8:00am - 4:00pm on this Thursday, 2 Thursdays from that date, then 2 Thursdays from that date, then 3 Thursdays from that, and back to 2 Thursdays from that. (not a consistent pattern). The course is held in the same room for 5 of the sessions but not for the sixth.

Again, neither system seems to allow for room changes, or many modules of a course, various instructors, various times.

I know LMS's are primarily for online learning and these typically are start date - end date, open 24/7 with no physical location to speak of. However, most LMS's I've heard of are "all about thier registration and tracking" and classroom based is usually a part of that.

I've tried on both system to set up the various "days" of the class as individual sessions. These look prettier in the systems, however when I register into the first module as a student....then I can't register into any of the other modules.

Even if this did work.....then ever occurrence of this course would have to be individual in the system course calendar.

i.e. Intro to Proj. Mgt June Mod 1 & Mod 2, then Intro to Proj. Mgt July Mod 1 & Mod 2.

I'm curious to know has no one else in the eLearning World had to deal with this?!? I'm sure you have, so how did you get around this issue of:

• 1 program
• various dates
• various times
• various locations
• (maybe various instructors)

As always I truly appreciate any feedback and help I can get. Learning as I go.

Trouble remembering all those "strong" passwords

I came across this handy little Password Chart today. It's a decoder for strong passwords into simple ones. Actually it is kind of the opposite of that.

You enter into a field on the site a phrase or word and a matrix of random letters (Caps and lower case) and numbers appears. You can then use these the matrix to code out your simple password.

If I use the phrase "I can never remember my password" then I get this matrix:

I can then use the chart to take a simple password and convert it to a strong password.

Example: "password" gets converted to "gvaGwtJJimmgSFysb"

I don't even have to use the matrix to match up letters to the new code (p = gva); there is a field on the same page for me to enter in my simple password to convert it to the strong password.

The site can then be accessed where ever I go or I can print out the page and carry the matrix with me. What could be "JNqmgvaREicYcgSF" than that?

The Simple Features of an LMS Should be There, Right???

Warning - this is a rant. As previously mentioned I've been cursed with making our LMS work. One of my first tasks is to populate 10 courses that we will run here at the hospital. 3 hours later I still can't figure out how to get the first one set up. Seems odd right?

Here's some of my issues for Class A that has part 1 & part 2, reoccurring every month

1. Since when does a course only start on the hour?
2. Even though my login has admin privileges I can't do all of the admin tasks.
3. Creating an instructor - logout as self, login as grand-poo-ba of admin, create a user, go into manage a student, manage an instructor, now assign that person the label instructor
4. Cut off date for registering for a course has to be on or after the course start date? Wouldn't you normally want to know how many are registered for your class in advance of the start date. For CBT how would you know how much material to prepare? Better yet, why would you let people register for a class that has already started?
5. A course can have a prerequisite but a session can not
6. Why would they assume a classroom course would run the same as an online course? You have weeks to complete an online course, but a classroom course you (probably) go to once or several times over the course of a period of time

This is going to be a long long long implementation. I wonder if I can get sponsored by JD!!!