Okay...go on....guess....
For a bunch of people immersed in doing everything and all online, digitally, and virtually the one thing I kept hearing over and over (and reading on blogs) was how great it was to meet face-to-face. This too was my favourite part of the whole experience.
The conference generates a billion ideas. Some to implement right away. Some that will take a while. Some that will never see the light of day. A few that will remain dreams for many of us to attain. It's amazing to wonder what the collective genius of the 700 (or so) participants will dream up and create within the next year.
However, as I said above, there is still something unique and special about connect with people one-on-one. It's different then reading their thoughts on blogs. I also find it solidifies and brings greater trust and meaning into the words you read from their posts.
I met a few new people this year, but more so connected with people I have been reading, following, and e-connecting. Some great people I suggest you too tap into for knowledge, guidance, and wisdom are B.J. Shone (eLearning Weekly), Gary Hegenbart (eLearning Development News), Angela White (A Nice Cup of Lizard), Melissa Chiaramonti (elearningguild-ru), and as always Brent Schlenker (Corporate eLearning Strategies and Development). As I said before, with 700 participants here I'd love to list them all, but these are these people I interacted with the most.
Brent's last presentation today started off interesting in that he "knew" everyone in the room (mostly virtually). He joked that he didn't need to do the presentation because we all already new about his topic. Funny thing is for as much as we all know; we continue to learn from one another even on topics in which we are quite skilled. This is the beauty of these conferences and the virtual networking that we do outside of the conference. We feed each other's knowledge continuously and thereby grow and develop our collective genius. How fun is that?!?
I'm here until the end of the conference, but wanted to take this time to thank all the people (Bob Wood, Sandra Sousa, Richard Wilkinson, and the other Bob [sorry I missed your card during the exchange]) that took the time to teach me more this year. It's been another invaluable experience. Hope to see you all again online and in the future at more conferences.
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Scanning the Globe, Connecting your Digital World to the World Around You - Brent Schlenker
Using QR Codes, semacode, shotcode, colorcode
Will take off in North America more so once we have more apps & phones using them - but still waiting to learn applications for elearning. This is new, up & coming. There are many different types of codes and not one yet is the fore runner to what will come forward as the best or most useful one.
These codes are quite prevalent in Japan.
QR - Quick Respone Codes
cellphone uses the camera that is has built in. Any size. Centre within screen. The QR code may take you to a web site, send you a text message, many different things.
The QRcode holds much more information because it is 2D
Here is a QR code for my site:
Here is a data code (Nokia) for my site:
Scanlife - is a free download application or Kawya.
Something else in the cluster of tools that we can begin to utilize more and more often for elearning or for further information. (wine labels, food wrappers - contests, nutritional information)
Qrcode.org - standards on how to create, original intent was for shipping and handling in that they can be partially destroyed (on labels for example) yet the data will still come through as opposed to bar codes.
Also called 2d codes, QRcodes are one example of these standards.
Brent's 2d Barcode Manifesto
2d barcodes potential limited only by imagination
mobile devices will define the game
readers integrated into the device
free barcode generators
avoiding fragmentation: emergence of global de-fracto standards
avoiding patent wars
avoiding the "tragedy of anticommons" (too many out there becomes too much of a good thing)
Data Matrix & QR Code emerge as standars (so far..)
unleashing user-driven innovation
enabling 3rd party innovation
Sometimes you should be able to hold up a code to your webcam and scan the code as well.
Wanting eLearning to be more on the fore front of many of these technologies and this could possibly be one of these tools that we need to explore and start learning and developing.
These can greatly lower the barriers to gathering more information - (having to type urls on phones, small buttons, double pressing, everyone all ready has a phone - no need to buy more equipment)
Will take off in North America more so once we have more apps & phones using them - but still waiting to learn applications for elearning. This is new, up & coming. There are many different types of codes and not one yet is the fore runner to what will come forward as the best or most useful one.
These codes are quite prevalent in Japan.
QR - Quick Respone Codes
cellphone uses the camera that is has built in. Any size. Centre within screen. The QR code may take you to a web site, send you a text message, many different things.
The QRcode holds much more information because it is 2D
Here is a QR code for my site:
Here is a data code (Nokia) for my site:
Scanlife - is a free download application or Kawya.
Something else in the cluster of tools that we can begin to utilize more and more often for elearning or for further information. (wine labels, food wrappers - contests, nutritional information)
Qrcode.org - standards on how to create, original intent was for shipping and handling in that they can be partially destroyed (on labels for example) yet the data will still come through as opposed to bar codes.
Also called 2d codes, QRcodes are one example of these standards.
Brent's 2d Barcode Manifesto
2d barcodes potential limited only by imagination
mobile devices will define the game
readers integrated into the device
free barcode generators
avoiding fragmentation: emergence of global de-fracto standards
avoiding patent wars
avoiding the "tragedy of anticommons" (too many out there becomes too much of a good thing)
Data Matrix & QR Code emerge as standars (so far..)
unleashing user-driven innovation
enabling 3rd party innovation
Sometimes you should be able to hold up a code to your webcam and scan the code as well.
Wanting eLearning to be more on the fore front of many of these technologies and this could possibly be one of these tools that we need to explore and start learning and developing.
These can greatly lower the barriers to gathering more information - (having to type urls on phones, small buttons, double pressing, everyone all ready has a phone - no need to buy more equipment)
Second Life - Alan Levine
hetemeel.com - Einstein image with any text on chalk board behind him
Presentation will be in slideshare
Virtual worlds - been around for a while, graphics better, virtual worlds are international, video better, computer better, critical mass of people now doing it more and more, more games, more collaboration
Habbo Hotel - Had 7.5 million active users in 2000, Second Life 500,000 in 2003
Many more now in based on tons of children products.
Federation of American Scientists are trying to learn, track, list features of these various virtual wolds
Gartner Groups - says by 2011 80 percent of active internet users will have a Second Life
Levine's Law
START WITH THE &*#& DEMO
Demo:
his org. built on a 64x64 land, a virtual class room. Query in SL do we build real life items or fantasy. Hold a class on a cloud.
You can walk around for hours in SL and not actual run into anyone.
People spend much time and money setting up their avatars. Important though in that it identifies you and what you like.
250 Lindens = 1 real dollar
Use your Lindens to buy real things. Creates a virtual economy as well. Those that can build well can sell their items.
3d shapes are primitive shapes. Apply graphics to these to make them look like other items. All building tools are within the world. Their are free class to learn how to build and scripts that you can apply to them so they become interactive when you interact with them.
10% of people tend to represent them selves as a different gender. Lots of non-human avatars are created. Appreciate it more by getting in, trying, and learning.
"Get a First Life" - parody on this
FoDS - Field of Dream Syndrome - building something nice doesn't' necessarily mean people will access it. It is more then just creating. You can have rich interactions/learning/social interactions without owning any land/items.
Where do people have the time to interact/do this?
Henry Jenkins - South By SouthWest Conference 2008
- what's wrong with America? Bright articulate people are going in creating this content. What can we do to harness the creative & talent energy that these people have. As we grow into greater knowledge collectives we need to grow and adapt to these more. You don't get a user's manual in SL, you need to go in learn on your own, get feedback from a community. They don't get this opportunity at work, but use work so that they can afford to be creative outside in their private lives.
The Skeptics
The Gamer - the graphics suck (okay, but not like new PS3 kind of games), there's nothing to do (no goals, no tasks, the things that happen in SL are because of what you find around to do)
The Fearful - there are strange things that happen in there, you need a good computer, a good internet connection, you need to learn how to walk, talk, dress. It took you 18 years to really become a person in real life, but want it to happen in 18 seconds online
The Boss - How do I make money? - not the place for every type of training, but maybe for simulations and virtual collaboration.
The Traditionalist - I can do that in a chat room? - need to find out more what their interests are
http://www.nmc.org/horizon - looking at 1-2 year horizon, 3-4 years, 5 an beyond (2006 report) Launched and exploration into SL. http://sl.nmc.org/2006/06/12/seriously-engaging-movie
http://sl.mmc.org/2006/07/04/third-time-charm (NASA - lift over, people in room you are now sharing the experience with, remembering old launches, learning from one another, being in a social environment with other people that share a similar interest)
NMC Campus Observer
- have hosted 4 conferences in the virtual world.
You can hire people to go out to design your islands/areas for your space that you wish to design. NMC Virtual Worlds creates these for others. Professional networks can go through this.
"Second Life for Dummies"
Behind every avatar is a real person. During a survey of educators - there is a real feel of embarrassment. People have real reactions to cartoon images of themselves.
couple thousand to invest in you own island. Some places will rent out their space to you.
It is a cartoon world, but in the same sense we react to what we seen within the SL in a very real way (ie: fear snakes).
There is a voice client within SL with no lag time or delay.
Landmarks act as book marks.
Do you need to go to specific places at specific times to get to educational opportunities out of it?
-currently yes, but is is growing and becoming more and more diverse each month.
Many activities are scheduled and are rescheduled to explore. It is all still relatively "Brand New".
Virtual Hallucinations - designed to give you the sense of what it is like to have a mental illness
How do you find out what events are happening and occuring? - Second Life.com has an events calendar.
in the eduation realm - secondlife educator listserv
ie: Daden.co.uk (shows real planes coming into LAX) NOAA
interactive weather maps
second earth - explore earth
Rumsey map collection
You can set up you islands to limit you can come in to your island. You can not really set them up to leave your islands.
Note - I still got motion sick watching the presentation (the spinning of the screen gets to me).
Presentation will be in slideshare
Virtual worlds - been around for a while, graphics better, virtual worlds are international, video better, computer better, critical mass of people now doing it more and more, more games, more collaboration
Habbo Hotel - Had 7.5 million active users in 2000, Second Life 500,000 in 2003
Many more now in based on tons of children products.
Federation of American Scientists are trying to learn, track, list features of these various virtual wolds
Gartner Groups - says by 2011 80 percent of active internet users will have a Second Life
Levine's Law
START WITH THE &*#& DEMO
Demo:
his org. built on a 64x64 land, a virtual class room. Query in SL do we build real life items or fantasy. Hold a class on a cloud.
You can walk around for hours in SL and not actual run into anyone.
People spend much time and money setting up their avatars. Important though in that it identifies you and what you like.
250 Lindens = 1 real dollar
Use your Lindens to buy real things. Creates a virtual economy as well. Those that can build well can sell their items.
3d shapes are primitive shapes. Apply graphics to these to make them look like other items. All building tools are within the world. Their are free class to learn how to build and scripts that you can apply to them so they become interactive when you interact with them.
10% of people tend to represent them selves as a different gender. Lots of non-human avatars are created. Appreciate it more by getting in, trying, and learning.
"Get a First Life" - parody on this
FoDS - Field of Dream Syndrome - building something nice doesn't' necessarily mean people will access it. It is more then just creating. You can have rich interactions/learning/social interactions without owning any land/items.
Where do people have the time to interact/do this?
Henry Jenkins - South By SouthWest Conference 2008
- what's wrong with America? Bright articulate people are going in creating this content. What can we do to harness the creative & talent energy that these people have. As we grow into greater knowledge collectives we need to grow and adapt to these more. You don't get a user's manual in SL, you need to go in learn on your own, get feedback from a community. They don't get this opportunity at work, but use work so that they can afford to be creative outside in their private lives.
The Skeptics
The Gamer - the graphics suck (okay, but not like new PS3 kind of games), there's nothing to do (no goals, no tasks, the things that happen in SL are because of what you find around to do)
The Fearful - there are strange things that happen in there, you need a good computer, a good internet connection, you need to learn how to walk, talk, dress. It took you 18 years to really become a person in real life, but want it to happen in 18 seconds online
The Boss - How do I make money? - not the place for every type of training, but maybe for simulations and virtual collaboration.
The Traditionalist - I can do that in a chat room? - need to find out more what their interests are
http://www.nmc.org/horizon - looking at 1-2 year horizon, 3-4 years, 5 an beyond (2006 report) Launched and exploration into SL. http://sl.nmc.org/2006/06/12/seriously-engaging-movie
http://sl.mmc.org/2006/07/04/third-time-charm (NASA - lift over, people in room you are now sharing the experience with, remembering old launches, learning from one another, being in a social environment with other people that share a similar interest)
NMC Campus Observer
- have hosted 4 conferences in the virtual world.
You can hire people to go out to design your islands/areas for your space that you wish to design. NMC Virtual Worlds creates these for others. Professional networks can go through this.
"Second Life for Dummies"
Behind every avatar is a real person. During a survey of educators - there is a real feel of embarrassment. People have real reactions to cartoon images of themselves.
couple thousand to invest in you own island. Some places will rent out their space to you.
It is a cartoon world, but in the same sense we react to what we seen within the SL in a very real way (ie: fear snakes).
There is a voice client within SL with no lag time or delay.
Landmarks act as book marks.
Do you need to go to specific places at specific times to get to educational opportunities out of it?
-currently yes, but is is growing and becoming more and more diverse each month.
Many activities are scheduled and are rescheduled to explore. It is all still relatively "Brand New".
Virtual Hallucinations - designed to give you the sense of what it is like to have a mental illness
How do you find out what events are happening and occuring? - Second Life.com has an events calendar.
in the eduation realm - secondlife educator listserv
ie: Daden.co.uk (shows real planes coming into LAX) NOAA
interactive weather maps
second earth - explore earth
Rumsey map collection
You can set up you islands to limit you can come in to your island. You can not really set them up to leave your islands.
Note - I still got motion sick watching the presentation (the spinning of the screen gets to me).
Moodle Goes Corporate: Leveraging Open Source - Michelle Moore
I do not use Moodle, but am interested in finding out more about it, especially with my LMS issues that are currently happening.
Scorm issue - udutu - what they builds works in moodle.
Ease of use, number of features, help community all makes Moodle an excellent tool. Current version 1.9.
Has a new gradebook, more functionality.
Is opensource - anyone can work on it (a developer who works on it), it is free, your developments are requested to be shared if they are not specific to your org., code is open for programmers, full flexibility, full power, development - volunteer work often, many are just passionate in continuing to develop and make it better (programming, documenting, suggestions, needs, etc).
-free redistribution
-access to source code
-allows modifications
-no discrimination
-no warranties
Disadvantages/Myths
-reputation
-ongoing efforts, been around for a while (2001)
-standards, scorm others
-support (commercial/community)
-version (still changing)
-documentation
http://wwwoss-watc.ac.uk/resoruces/tips.xml
Used in 41,902 sites and 196 countries
420,000 community members
http://moodle.org/stas
moodle.com - commercial support
moodle.org - community support (people are very helpful, supportive, and kind)
download.moodle.org (latest version) - including laptop version
docs:
docs.moodle.org (wiki - including practical advice)
tracker.moodle.org (tracking bugs and feature requests - developers keep track of and fix
google manuals
moodle books - William Rice - 2008, Jason Cole 2007
docs.moodle.org/en/Case_for_Moodle /Top_10_Moodle_myths
300+ extra plugins out there
Features:
Explore - moodle19.remote-learner.net
click teach and trainer development
click exploring moodle modules
Tools (default)
text page template - single page
web page - uses html editor - single page (can use Dreamweaver and import in or copy in)
book module (multipage creator)
link to a file - any electronic file
link to a website - any url
display a directory - collection of files
SCORM - learning content packages
Communication tools (default)
(people learn best when they can interact - many tools built in for this)
chat - synchronous, transcription
forum - asynchronous (Suburu is using this for sales discussions) - not threads
blog - attached to profiles, but no comments
messaging - one-to-one across site (IM within framework of moodle) (can only attach multiple files by zipping them)
Can these items be turned on and off - yes is Blogs, messaging, chats (not forums). - on a course by course bases
email within courses - no but messaging yes, stays with site, not course specific. Only use their chat if the user is deleted from the site.
Assessment tools (default)
-assignments - learners submit work or files (1.7 version - multiple files)
- choice - multiple choice questions/poll
- survey - research-based; prepared questions (prepopulated with questions, very few use these) - there is a plug in see lower in post
- lesson - present and assess simultaneously (questions, flash cards)
- quiz - online quiz tool (most popular module, t/f, multiple choice, essay, short answer, calculated questions - nice stat knowledge on how students answered and if right), limits (not heard of yet, but not many test over 100 questions, yes will let you import from a variety of question banks)
(anywhere you have access to the html editor you can put in flash, video, etc)
-workshop - facilitates peer review (can be sent around and shared with other students) - perhaps useful for 360 evaluations
(supports single sign-on - Activity Directory, keep up-to-date? as long as a database gets set up this can be done - Jonathan look to for help)
Open University in UK 100,000+ users
-database - record collection tool
- glossary - dictionary, faq, encyclopedia - automatically linked to the word when it shows up within your course, - does not have to be soley teacher created - students can help develop as well (approval process by teacher can be turned on)
- wiki (ie: history of company)
***instruction tends to be more flat. Everything is laid out on the 1st page. You can hide an reveal items (ie: week by week - 1 intro, 2 - module one)
LMS or CMS or LCMS
can dump content in, can get tracking, can get reports (lcms - tags, authoring, etc)
Can you tag what you build in moodle? - no
Integration with Alfresco - you can tag and version control with it. One tool does not often do everything.
Customizing Moodle (from small to large this occurs)
-themes, language pack changes
-modules and plugins, integrations
-significant, individualized modifications
1.9 has a transcript feature - but moodle does not email out to the student it's time to take a course
learner centric and course centric
themes
demo.moodle.org (default)
communication.wcupa.net
speclass.org
moodle.org.mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=319
and
certificate
=614
integrations
Drupal.com
Alfresco.com
more on handouts from the eLearning Guild.
Open University
www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.lphp
www.excelhighschool.com
Michelle Moore - michelle@remote-learner.net
Scorm issue - udutu - what they builds works in moodle.
Ease of use, number of features, help community all makes Moodle an excellent tool. Current version 1.9.
Has a new gradebook, more functionality.
Is opensource - anyone can work on it (a developer who works on it), it is free, your developments are requested to be shared if they are not specific to your org., code is open for programmers, full flexibility, full power, development - volunteer work often, many are just passionate in continuing to develop and make it better (programming, documenting, suggestions, needs, etc).
-free redistribution
-access to source code
-allows modifications
-no discrimination
-no warranties
Disadvantages/Myths
- there's no support - their are partners around the world
- it's totally free - if you are going to implement it and implement it well you will need to pay for hosting, training, support, commitment to making it work, save on no licencing fees - but outsourcing support
- low band width - functions well (depends on file sizes, but developed out of Australia)
- not secure - depends on the module you use, security by design - lots of users are looking at it and keeping it updated
- poor documentation -
- no guarantees of continued development - you own what version you have. If it shuts down you don't lose what you have, the large community of developers will continue to build it
- no guarantees of quality - again based on the community
Advantages
- software free
- allows modifications
- community development
- community support - working with every other user helps you to connect with lots of people for help
- escape vendor lock-in
- development not dependent on marketing
-reputation
-ongoing efforts, been around for a while (2001)
-standards, scorm others
-support (commercial/community)
-version (still changing)
-documentation
http://wwwoss-watc.ac.uk/resoruces/tips.xml
Used in 41,902 sites and 196 countries
420,000 community members
http://moodle.org/stas
moodle.com - commercial support
moodle.org - community support (people are very helpful, supportive, and kind)
download.moodle.org (latest version) - including laptop version
docs:
docs.moodle.org (wiki - including practical advice)
tracker.moodle.org (tracking bugs and feature requests - developers keep track of and fix
google manuals
moodle books - William Rice - 2008, Jason Cole 2007
docs.moodle.org/en/Case_for_Moodle /Top_10_Moodle_myths
300+ extra plugins out there
Features:
Explore - moodle19.remote-learner.net
click teach and trainer development
click exploring moodle modules
Tools (default)
text page template - single page
web page - uses html editor - single page (can use Dreamweaver and import in or copy in)
book module (multipage creator)
link to a file - any electronic file
link to a website - any url
display a directory - collection of files
SCORM - learning content packages
Communication tools (default)
(people learn best when they can interact - many tools built in for this)
chat - synchronous, transcription
forum - asynchronous (Suburu is using this for sales discussions) - not threads
blog - attached to profiles, but no comments
messaging - one-to-one across site (IM within framework of moodle) (can only attach multiple files by zipping them)
Can these items be turned on and off - yes is Blogs, messaging, chats (not forums). - on a course by course bases
email within courses - no but messaging yes, stays with site, not course specific. Only use their chat if the user is deleted from the site.
Assessment tools (default)
-assignments - learners submit work or files (1.7 version - multiple files)
- choice - multiple choice questions/poll
- survey - research-based; prepared questions (prepopulated with questions, very few use these) - there is a plug in see lower in post
- lesson - present and assess simultaneously (questions, flash cards)
- quiz - online quiz tool (most popular module, t/f, multiple choice, essay, short answer, calculated questions - nice stat knowledge on how students answered and if right), limits (not heard of yet, but not many test over 100 questions, yes will let you import from a variety of question banks)
(anywhere you have access to the html editor you can put in flash, video, etc)
-workshop - facilitates peer review (can be sent around and shared with other students) - perhaps useful for 360 evaluations
(supports single sign-on - Activity Directory, keep up-to-date? as long as a database gets set up this can be done - Jonathan look to for help)
Open University in UK 100,000+ users
-database - record collection tool
- glossary - dictionary, faq, encyclopedia - automatically linked to the word when it shows up within your course, - does not have to be soley teacher created - students can help develop as well (approval process by teacher can be turned on)
- wiki (ie: history of company)
***instruction tends to be more flat. Everything is laid out on the 1st page. You can hide an reveal items (ie: week by week - 1 intro, 2 - module one)
LMS or CMS or LCMS
can dump content in, can get tracking, can get reports (lcms - tags, authoring, etc)
Can you tag what you build in moodle? - no
Integration with Alfresco - you can tag and version control with it. One tool does not often do everything.
Customizing Moodle (from small to large this occurs)
-themes, language pack changes
-modules and plugins, integrations
-significant, individualized modifications
1.9 has a transcript feature - but moodle does not email out to the student it's time to take a course
learner centric and course centric
themes
demo.moodle.org (default)
communication.wcupa.net
speclass.org
moodle.org.mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=319
and
certificate
=614
integrations
Drupal.com
Alfresco.com
more on handouts from the eLearning Guild.
Open University
www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.lphp
www.excelhighschool.com
Michelle Moore - michelle@remote-learner.net
Future of the Internet - John Patrick
Here are some brief notes that I took during this keynote:
In theory there is one device that does everything, however more and more we are seeing a ton of devices that are each quite specialized, yet all connected to the internet.
Power of the Click
With this we determine what we want and when we want it.
As with ebay - there is not one click for this and that, but every aspect of selling items from one person to another, in turn they have created a large database of selling reputations.
Website is not for you! It's for the Customer! It must empower the student not the teacher. Internet should not be a tool for collecting data to market better to us.
There is never a downtime for internet now. People are relocated all over the world, yet using local sites.
Compliance should be implied, it is so easy to say no. Challenge what the security problems may be and an item, software, system is turned down. Shift the burden of proof to the compliance/security officer.
Killer application - email
However most emails to companies get unanswered. (you can't call many 1-800 numbers around the world)
Many great points about things that should be simple and obvious to the creators of internet sites that change their focus to that of serving the customer first and fore most.
Schools and libraries will change more and more. More children are being home schooled and the internet will be a large component of this learning. Libraries will grow in size for more space for collaboration of families and authors to meet readers.
Are we going to accommodate the internet or give more and more choice to customers and in turn empower all of those people that we deal with daily.
Bubble 2001-2002 (people lost jobs, investments) - not an internet bubble and had not much to do with it. People got carried away with the thought that investments were profits. People were using internet ideas to solve problems that didn't truly exist.
7 characteristics of opportunities in front of us:
fast
In theory there is one device that does everything, however more and more we are seeing a ton of devices that are each quite specialized, yet all connected to the internet.
Power of the Click
With this we determine what we want and when we want it.
As with ebay - there is not one click for this and that, but every aspect of selling items from one person to another, in turn they have created a large database of selling reputations.
Website is not for you! It's for the Customer! It must empower the student not the teacher. Internet should not be a tool for collecting data to market better to us.
There is never a downtime for internet now. People are relocated all over the world, yet using local sites.
Compliance should be implied, it is so easy to say no. Challenge what the security problems may be and an item, software, system is turned down. Shift the burden of proof to the compliance/security officer.
Killer application - email
However most emails to companies get unanswered. (you can't call many 1-800 numbers around the world)
Many great points about things that should be simple and obvious to the creators of internet sites that change their focus to that of serving the customer first and fore most.
Schools and libraries will change more and more. More children are being home schooled and the internet will be a large component of this learning. Libraries will grow in size for more space for collaboration of families and authors to meet readers.
Are we going to accommodate the internet or give more and more choice to customers and in turn empower all of those people that we deal with daily.
Bubble 2001-2002 (people lost jobs, investments) - not an internet bubble and had not much to do with it. People got carried away with the thought that investments were profits. People were using internet ideas to solve problems that didn't truly exist.
7 characteristics of opportunities in front of us:
fast
- major carriers are the largest threat to the internet, they don't really want the competition
- japan has yahoo broadband, 10x faster then US and less cost - no break through they just deregulated the components that support the internet
- BPL - broadband power line - gets electricity and internet through
- can the internet handle all this - yes, because it is highly distributed.
- torrents of bits - protocol for downloading huge files (games, movies, software)
- dial is almost all gone, except in some remote areas
- IP everything , all connect to the internet (many appliances)
- WiFi vs WiMax - deliver broadband into a community and then wirelessly deliver to homes. - It would be nice to be connected to internet no matter where you are, that wireless connections exist everywhere. Operators of internet areas (ie: Verizon) do not want this. They want to limit this to protect themselves.
- US ranked 14th in how much broadband is available
- France now is partnering with power companies to ensure everyone has wireless
- *cantenna, largest distance to get WIFI 75 miles (in desert)
- where is the internet anyway? PC is synonymous with internet, but the internet should be where ever we are (iPhone, PDA, mobile, etc)
- Opera (Norway) - make browsers for things. Best browser for mobile devices - free. Move the internet off the desktop and onto your "belt" (skyfire, android)
- iPhone has put down the gauntlet - but the technology they use is not proprietary
- cost to actually send data over the internet is pennies, but we are charged a great deal for "long distance"
- Voice 2.0 (1800free411, jingle networks, cellspinsoft, pcmobilizer, tuktumi, ribbit, maxroam, sms services)
- sms - not texting one another, but increasing business applications ie: every charge on you credit card goes through your mobile
- social networking is not just social - business, jobs, networks
- facebook is no longer just gaming applications, but many business and learning applications
- How many profiles do we need all over the net? One profile that other applications access.
- Blogging/podcasting - still early in development, still growing - empowers people (here's what I learned today, here's what I want to share)
- gaming - key skills in elearning - knowing how to collaborate, communicate, get big jobs done with limited resources
- semantic web - a name means something, a location, a history. Clicking on one item gives you more information about it
- increasing tags
trust
- security - there are great tools out there, they do cost but they will help you feel more secure
- we don't need more laws - they don't work because of exceptions
We need to think outside in with the internet.
Think big, act bold, start simple, iterate fast
Build a framework for choice and services
Get a taste of net attitude: talk to kids
AG08 Dinner Gathering - Depts of 1
I created a dinner group for Depts of 1 last night which turned out to be quite a wonderful experience. I was able to meet and connect with 9 new individuals that I may not have met any other way. There was quite a wide variety of experience and knowledge at the table. Some were tackling the teaching of large groups, some smaller groups. Everyone was using different tools and lms's so it was really a great opportunity to hear what the pros and cons of so many different items in one setting.
Dinner was quite fun and jovial at Wolfgang Pucks although it took us several tries wandering around the restaurant to find where we were to be seated. However, we joked about turning it into a simulation....."Wrong, Try Again."
I highly recommend attending one of the dinner events or creating one of your own, posting it up and creating a new mini network. A big thanks to my new collection of colleagues.
Dinner was quite fun and jovial at Wolfgang Pucks although it took us several tries wandering around the restaurant to find where we were to be seated. However, we joked about turning it into a simulation....."Wrong, Try Again."
I highly recommend attending one of the dinner events or creating one of your own, posting it up and creating a new mini network. A big thanks to my new collection of colleagues.
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Feeding Your Inner Power Learner! Learning to Leverage RSS - Brent Schlenker
Feeding - has to do with bringing in content into your rss feeds - learning
Learning 2.0 - shifting from only a consumer to a content creator as well. This happens in classroom based learning as well when you need to prove what you have learned, discuss what you have learned.
In the web world it can be as simple as an email you send to one person looking to build on information you know. If you send this out to a million people (rss feed) then think of how much additional information you can gather back from all those people.
You can create and publish simple info (text) through mobile devices.
Posting pictures on flickr and storing to your blog as well. Similar with YouTube.
Then with an RSS feed from you blog many people around the web can now access your text, photo, video, etc.
RSS is a form of publication with little to no barriers. Anyone who has access can produce this type of content.
RSS - Real Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary (less popular defn)
The Basics of what an RSS is:
Stephen Downes - An Introduction to RSS for Educational Designers
Common Craft - RSS in Plain English
Once you more thoroughly understand how can learn and utilize these tools better you will then be better able to develop the content yourself.
When choosing technology you might want to speak with your IT dept about what product might work best with your system/bandwidth.
5 THINGS that every type of content should be:
searchable
editable
linkable
taggable
feedable
RSS is one way you can off load a lot of information that you are gathering and place them into a different form. Ie: instead of getting emailed newsletters, you can have feeds populate into your RSS reader.
A great tip is to set aside time to look at your feeds daily. This will help you to manage your feeds and continue to learn from them and in turn probably find the need to find more and more feeds to learn from.
***Brent's side tangent - the more you learn the more you desire to learn
Use the feeder's search field to narrow down what you might be looking for.
Use folders to sort the RSS feeds into topics.
Use date sort to look at what is current and what is right now.
Use flags to remember and go back to.
Use Googles' ZXing Decoder.
Use Shared Items.
Use email features to send feeds to friends that might be interested to the content item.
Filter posts from a RSS feed (ie: De.lico.us can send just a topic)
*Some blogs allow authors to categorize their posts and you only subscribe to the feeds of that category. This based on the blog publishing tool selected though.
Different systems show, display, filter, and organized these feeds in different ways. You may want to try a few different ones to find the one that you like and suits your needs.
Homework from Brent:
Learning 2.0 - shifting from only a consumer to a content creator as well. This happens in classroom based learning as well when you need to prove what you have learned, discuss what you have learned.
In the web world it can be as simple as an email you send to one person looking to build on information you know. If you send this out to a million people (rss feed) then think of how much additional information you can gather back from all those people.
You can create and publish simple info (text) through mobile devices.
Posting pictures on flickr and storing to your blog as well. Similar with YouTube.
Then with an RSS feed from you blog many people around the web can now access your text, photo, video, etc.
RSS is a form of publication with little to no barriers. Anyone who has access can produce this type of content.
RSS - Real Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary (less popular defn)
The Basics of what an RSS is:
Stephen Downes - An Introduction to RSS for Educational Designers
Common Craft - RSS in Plain English
Once you more thoroughly understand how can learn and utilize these tools better you will then be better able to develop the content yourself.
When choosing technology you might want to speak with your IT dept about what product might work best with your system/bandwidth.
5 THINGS that every type of content should be:
searchable
editable
linkable
taggable
feedable
RSS is one way you can off load a lot of information that you are gathering and place them into a different form. Ie: instead of getting emailed newsletters, you can have feeds populate into your RSS reader.
A great tip is to set aside time to look at your feeds daily. This will help you to manage your feeds and continue to learn from them and in turn probably find the need to find more and more feeds to learn from.
***Brent's side tangent - the more you learn the more you desire to learn
Use the feeder's search field to narrow down what you might be looking for.
Use folders to sort the RSS feeds into topics.
Use date sort to look at what is current and what is right now.
Use flags to remember and go back to.
Use Googles' ZXing Decoder.
Use Shared Items.
Use email features to send feeds to friends that might be interested to the content item.
Filter posts from a RSS feed (ie: De.lico.us can send just a topic)
*Some blogs allow authors to categorize their posts and you only subscribe to the feeds of that category. This based on the blog publishing tool selected though.
Different systems show, display, filter, and organized these feeds in different ways. You may want to try a few different ones to find the one that you like and suits your needs.
Homework from Brent:
- find the content creator location that you want to get content from, find it's rss feed location (blogs, wikis, website, etc)
- set up a google reader account (many people use this one and there is a lot of help out there if you need it for use - ie: Brent, myself, others
- subscribe (THIS IS CRITICAL) to the feed (podcasts are RSS feeds - ie: itunes podcasts) so that you can being your learning from this feed
Created a dinner group for elearning depts of 1. Meet at 630 by registration desk.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Do you believe in life long learning? Does your org promote and support it to your staff?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
How many staff are already using facebook? How many have set up, belong to a corp group they set up that you didn't? Are you a member?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Engaging and Assessing the Web Generation - Mundell
Presented within Facebook using udutu (online courses authoring). COOL & FREE
Web 2.0 vs web 1.0
new generations communicate with new tools that are often out of your control
IM, Facebook, RSS, Blogs, Skype
We need to learn these tools or we will be left behind these users.
Started as a research group at Royal Roads University.
When building a learning organization only a small part of what we develop is what they learn. A great deal comes from peers, family, hands-on, etc.
3 types of elearning that effects elearning.
1. Explicit learning - structured & Basic Information
- cd rom, cbt, web sites, books, articles, wikis, google, podcasts, videos ( Aware - Conceptual)
2. Applied Learning - Applying techniques & strategies
- case studies, simulations, practicums, assessment, games (Functional)
3. Tacit Learning - Action & Applied Learning
- learn, solve, mentoring, collaborate, blogging, forums, social networks (Competent - Expert)
Build what we are teaching into their everyday lives.
- compliance training & certifications
- measurable results
- timely
- more knowledge
- easier to access
Challenges of elearning
-implementation process painfully slow (IT, $, etc)
-SME - where to start, who maintains control, animators, IDs, web developers.
-bring everyone together so they can be simultaneously involved then everyone is access the authoring tool at the same time, and feedback becomes more timely
-when everyone believes it is ready; it most likely is
-costs and budgets - can get derailed quickly with other projects, issues, etc.
-infrastructure can limit what projects you can try/use
-learning curve can we quite difficult not only for the students but for the administrators as well
-SME might also think that by putting their material online you are devaluing what they bring to the organization
If you can engage all these people you will have a better end product.
needs: good story, real challenges, ability to learn what they want to learn
(ie: choose your own adventure)
-try using video clips cut with questions/activities in between relative to the content
-or use graphics if you don't have access to video
-if no access to flash tools or designers - udutu has built in scenario templates (choices branch you to various answers)
Web 2.0 vs web 1.0
new generations communicate with new tools that are often out of your control
IM, Facebook, RSS, Blogs, Skype
We need to learn these tools or we will be left behind these users.
Started as a research group at Royal Roads University.
When building a learning organization only a small part of what we develop is what they learn. A great deal comes from peers, family, hands-on, etc.
3 types of elearning that effects elearning.
1. Explicit learning - structured & Basic Information
- cd rom, cbt, web sites, books, articles, wikis, google, podcasts, videos ( Aware - Conceptual)
2. Applied Learning - Applying techniques & strategies
- case studies, simulations, practicums, assessment, games (Functional)
3. Tacit Learning - Action & Applied Learning
- learn, solve, mentoring, collaborate, blogging, forums, social networks (Competent - Expert)
Build what we are teaching into their everyday lives.
- compliance training & certifications
- measurable results
- timely
- more knowledge
- easier to access
Challenges of elearning
-implementation process painfully slow (IT, $, etc)
-SME - where to start, who maintains control, animators, IDs, web developers.
-bring everyone together so they can be simultaneously involved then everyone is access the authoring tool at the same time, and feedback becomes more timely
-when everyone believes it is ready; it most likely is
-costs and budgets - can get derailed quickly with other projects, issues, etc.
-infrastructure can limit what projects you can try/use
-learning curve can we quite difficult not only for the students but for the administrators as well
-SME might also think that by putting their material online you are devaluing what they bring to the organization
If you can engage all these people you will have a better end product.
needs: good story, real challenges, ability to learn what they want to learn
(ie: choose your own adventure)
-try using video clips cut with questions/activities in between relative to the content
-or use graphics if you don't have access to video
-if no access to flash tools or designers - udutu has built in scenario templates (choices branch you to various answers)
Generation Y? Designing Learning to Engage Your Workforce - Dr. James E. Guilkey
Who are they?:
Born between 1980-1992
70.4 million (US)
80% have computers 7.5 hrs of media a day
shorter attention spans
resistant to lecture
prefer action
low threshold for print sources
more comfortable sharing info
Prefer:
graphic expression
creative thinking
- go in get what they need, get out, don't like being locked in learning loops
large variety of activities
game-like
engaging
Case Study with Valvoline:
mainly males
like cars
like games
Contents are "races:
Modules are "laps"
Given scores for completion
Activities "pit stops"
Ever present coach didn't work, but the ability to pull up a coach when needed was more effective
Cartoon/graphic of how something works, but text/voice over that goes over how it is working.
Get points for each correct answer.
Give them a clue to what you want them to find, click the diagram for the right answer, get points and sound gratification for right answers.
Clues in different order each time.
Always give them something - points, feedback, reinforcement, less points for each try.
Feedback tool: always there so that the modules can be constantly updated, not only during prototype trials.
Somethings still need to be taught in person or hands-on. But those items within a class or book can be turned into engaging games.
Timing sometimes is not great unless it is important to the skill being developed. Can cause a little greater anxiety.
Levels can be taken in any particular order. Gen Y hates this, but it maybe necessary when it is pre-requisite knowledge. Try to avoid if possible.
Case Study with Biomet Orthopedics:
large number of Gen Y (sales and OR work)
Need to know anatomy, other complex knowledge
We having low retention rates after 90 days from large manual and 18 day class, there was no tracking. Large array of knowledge did not have everyone on the same playing field.
18 Day course.
Used Blended Approach:
competency model
behavioral interview guide
structured field experience
web-based training
web-based testing and certificate
performance support components
Audio CDs
Classroom
Results:
Retention went for 60-80%
test scores 83-92%
18days to 10days of classroom
save $700000 over 3 years
sales increase
used globally and translated into Japanese and Spanish (only language based, not cultural)
Learning Content Contains:
Detailed Graphics
Animations
Interactive Exercises
Glossary
Games for learning included various forms of media. Knowledge here was number one thing needed. Many, many terms that then were included in the learning. Works within the program were included in a click-able glossary and also were linked to an audio file that pronounced them. Nest terms this way for Just-in-Time learning.
Gen Y do not mind - wrong try again, this is a great opportunity to feed them more information (text, graphics, animations, audio)
Does not need to be FLASHY, just needs to look like it is not bullet points, needs layers of information - they can dig a deep as they want into a topic, or if they know it - then they can just move on to the next topic. Any gaming tools - ie: matching games, drag and drop, click here, crosswords, etc
Humour - Gen Y's appreciate, need, and still can learn from humorous learning activities.
Keep it problem based - most adult learners all like this type of learning.
Newer Gen Y learning techniques are good for other generations as well as they get just as excited and engaged in this learning. Some techniques they may not be comfortable with to start with, but tend to appreciate it quite quickly.
Use the testing very much as another section of the teaching. Old mind set is that they shouldn't go back to look at information, but in doing so learners are relooking/relearning information 2-3 times and therefore increasing retention.
Case Study Huntington Bank:
Instead of a large facilitator guide, large manuals, took online materials to create blended learning.
Exercises done online before coming to class we brought back into the class for the facilitator to use instead as learning activities.
Use video segments to learning. Ask questions after, what went well, what didn't, what should have been said. Some in reiteration of pre-learning online, some is new to the classroom.
Be thoughtful of bandwidth though.
Born between 1980-1992
70.4 million (US)
80% have computers 7.5 hrs of media a day
shorter attention spans
resistant to lecture
prefer action
low threshold for print sources
more comfortable sharing info
Prefer:
graphic expression
creative thinking
- go in get what they need, get out, don't like being locked in learning loops
large variety of activities
game-like
engaging
Case Study with Valvoline:
mainly males
like cars
like games
Contents are "races:
Modules are "laps"
Given scores for completion
Activities "pit stops"
Ever present coach didn't work, but the ability to pull up a coach when needed was more effective
Cartoon/graphic of how something works, but text/voice over that goes over how it is working.
Get points for each correct answer.
Give them a clue to what you want them to find, click the diagram for the right answer, get points and sound gratification for right answers.
Clues in different order each time.
Always give them something - points, feedback, reinforcement, less points for each try.
Feedback tool: always there so that the modules can be constantly updated, not only during prototype trials.
Somethings still need to be taught in person or hands-on. But those items within a class or book can be turned into engaging games.
Timing sometimes is not great unless it is important to the skill being developed. Can cause a little greater anxiety.
Levels can be taken in any particular order. Gen Y hates this, but it maybe necessary when it is pre-requisite knowledge. Try to avoid if possible.
Case Study with Biomet Orthopedics:
large number of Gen Y (sales and OR work)
Need to know anatomy, other complex knowledge
We having low retention rates after 90 days from large manual and 18 day class, there was no tracking. Large array of knowledge did not have everyone on the same playing field.
18 Day course.
Used Blended Approach:
competency model
behavioral interview guide
structured field experience
web-based training
web-based testing and certificate
performance support components
Audio CDs
Classroom
Results:
Retention went for 60-80%
test scores 83-92%
18days to 10days of classroom
save $700000 over 3 years
sales increase
used globally and translated into Japanese and Spanish (only language based, not cultural)
Learning Content Contains:
Detailed Graphics
Animations
Interactive Exercises
Glossary
Games for learning included various forms of media. Knowledge here was number one thing needed. Many, many terms that then were included in the learning. Works within the program were included in a click-able glossary and also were linked to an audio file that pronounced them. Nest terms this way for Just-in-Time learning.
Gen Y do not mind - wrong try again, this is a great opportunity to feed them more information (text, graphics, animations, audio)
Does not need to be FLASHY, just needs to look like it is not bullet points, needs layers of information - they can dig a deep as they want into a topic, or if they know it - then they can just move on to the next topic. Any gaming tools - ie: matching games, drag and drop, click here, crosswords, etc
Humour - Gen Y's appreciate, need, and still can learn from humorous learning activities.
Keep it problem based - most adult learners all like this type of learning.
Newer Gen Y learning techniques are good for other generations as well as they get just as excited and engaged in this learning. Some techniques they may not be comfortable with to start with, but tend to appreciate it quite quickly.
Use the testing very much as another section of the teaching. Old mind set is that they shouldn't go back to look at information, but in doing so learners are relooking/relearning information 2-3 times and therefore increasing retention.
Case Study Huntington Bank:
Instead of a large facilitator guide, large manuals, took online materials to create blended learning.
Exercises done online before coming to class we brought back into the class for the facilitator to use instead as learning activities.
Use video segments to learning. Ask questions after, what went well, what didn't, what should have been said. Some in reiteration of pre-learning online, some is new to the classroom.
Be thoughtful of bandwidth though.
If you were to get your staff to spend 10% of thier time on a project of thier own design, what do you think they would come up with?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Brent and Heidi just did a great pres turning housekeeping items into a quest story with translations. Great example. Email me 4detail
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Breakfast bytes- great way to teach, using real life problems. Let learner learn by finding out how to solve the problem.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
So the conf begins with everyone milling around quietly. Finding coffee, pastries, and trying to find thier bearing for the next 3days
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, 13 April 2008
I'm in Orlando and Ready for the AG08 Conference
So I flew in today on a fairly smooth flight. A little turbulence, but nothing to get to motion sick over. I love that the Air Canada flights have been upgraded so that you have on demand tv to watch on the flights. I chose "A Death at a Funeral"...really funny, I recommend it to anyone on the trip back home.
I little wondering around to get a few essentials I didn't want to pack, a little looking around Downtown Disney, and a little something to eat...I was then off to register. Finally got to meet Brent Schlenker face-to-face. I'm looking forward to meeting a few other people that I've connected with over the last year in person.
For the conference my first look at sessions I've picked:
Tuesday
10:45 Generation Y? Designing Learning to Engage your Workforce - James Guilkey
1:00 Engaging and Assessing the Web Generation - Roger Mundell
2:30 Learning 2.0 - Dynamic, Web-based Technologies Enable Personalized Learning on Demand - Steven Shaw
4:00 Feeding your Inner Power Learner! Learning to Leverage RSS - Brent Schlenker
Wednesday
10:45 Whole Brain Design: Enage and Retain you Learners - Ann Hermann
1:15 Instructional Design Techniques for Creating Effective e-Learning - Sighle Brackman
2:45 Scanning the Globe: Connecting your Digital World to the World Around You - Brent Schlenker
Thursday
10:00 Best Practices and Lessons Learning in Driving a Complex LMS Implementation - Brian Elmore
11:15 Structuring Interactive Exercises and Tests -- What's the Difference - Kevin Brown
Of course this is just rough. One of the things I love about this conference is the freedom to get up and move to another session if the one you have picked isn't quite right for you. I had this feeling a few times last year and have come quite prepared this year with 2nd, 3rd, and sometimes 4th choices. There's just a lot of good content to be seen, heard, and learned.
I look forward to participating in it all over the coming week.
I little wondering around to get a few essentials I didn't want to pack, a little looking around Downtown Disney, and a little something to eat...I was then off to register. Finally got to meet Brent Schlenker face-to-face. I'm looking forward to meeting a few other people that I've connected with over the last year in person.
For the conference my first look at sessions I've picked:
Tuesday
10:45 Generation Y? Designing Learning to Engage your Workforce - James Guilkey
1:00 Engaging and Assessing the Web Generation - Roger Mundell
2:30 Learning 2.0 - Dynamic, Web-based Technologies Enable Personalized Learning on Demand - Steven Shaw
4:00 Feeding your Inner Power Learner! Learning to Leverage RSS - Brent Schlenker
Wednesday
10:45 Whole Brain Design: Enage and Retain you Learners - Ann Hermann
1:15 Instructional Design Techniques for Creating Effective e-Learning - Sighle Brackman
2:45 Scanning the Globe: Connecting your Digital World to the World Around You - Brent Schlenker
Thursday
10:00 Best Practices and Lessons Learning in Driving a Complex LMS Implementation - Brian Elmore
11:15 Structuring Interactive Exercises and Tests -- What's the Difference - Kevin Brown
Of course this is just rough. One of the things I love about this conference is the freedom to get up and move to another session if the one you have picked isn't quite right for you. I had this feeling a few times last year and have come quite prepared this year with 2nd, 3rd, and sometimes 4th choices. There's just a lot of good content to be seen, heard, and learned.
I look forward to participating in it all over the coming week.
So I've arrived for the AG08. Hotel looks great. Location is good. Room not quite ready. Disney shopping it is then!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Waiting at Pearson airport for my flight to take me to the AG08 in Orlando. Can't wait to learn what's up and coming in elearning.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Test Posting
This is a test posting from my cellphone. I am limited to 134 characters and don't know how to do the short form msg lingo.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sent by Text Messaging from a mobile device.
Envoyé par messagerie texte d'un appareil mobile.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Blearning at a Conference
Well today was a bit of a test run for next week's AG08 conference. I'm wondering how I am going to capture my info for posts during the sessions. I've thought about a few options.
One is to take notes (paper based) and write them up at the end of the day.
I tried using my pda today to take notes at a conference on the fly, but using one of those little pens to write with proved more annoying then anything. Dear Santa, I would like a new pda (blackberry, iphone, whatever is great!). Although it was a fast way to transfer the notes to my computer/blog, it was a pain to capture.
Another method I will have available to me at the AG08 is being able to use my laptop and the wireless network. I use this method quite frequently while do online webinars so I know I've practiced this method, but will the battery of the laptop last.
I know I could use my cellphone to access Google Docs but I only seem to be be able to see my documents not create new ones. Even if I could this would required me to use bandwith and being out of country for me - this is going to cost.
I can however text message as much as I want. Perhaps I will try this method for some short posts through out the event. But use the note taking and late night posting for the rest of the information I want to capture and share.
Stay tuned.
One is to take notes (paper based) and write them up at the end of the day.
I tried using my pda today to take notes at a conference on the fly, but using one of those little pens to write with proved more annoying then anything. Dear Santa, I would like a new pda (blackberry, iphone, whatever is great!). Although it was a fast way to transfer the notes to my computer/blog, it was a pain to capture.
Another method I will have available to me at the AG08 is being able to use my laptop and the wireless network. I use this method quite frequently while do online webinars so I know I've practiced this method, but will the battery of the laptop last.
I know I could use my cellphone to access Google Docs but I only seem to be be able to see my documents not create new ones. Even if I could this would required me to use bandwith and being out of country for me - this is going to cost.
I can however text message as much as I want. Perhaps I will try this method for some short posts through out the event. But use the note taking and late night posting for the rest of the information I want to capture and share.
Stay tuned.
Southlake - Professional Practice Conference 7th annual
Technology and Practice : do you want to be on the cutting edge?
Some notes from today's conference.
Keynote: Dr. Joseph Cafazzo,
The Evolving Role of Technology in Health Care
Centre for Global eHealth Innovation
-promote & use more technology in health care
-right in middle of Toronto General Campus
Human Factors
-learn how people actually use technology in real situations
-need to understand these systems better
We need to concentrate more on the user and in turn the safety of users and patients (or anyone we care for).
-Users cannot be fixed we need to make or systems work for them not against them
-we must not put the blame on the user we need to make sure the tech design goes with human behaviour in mind
-need to improve adoption of technology
-improve efficency
-decrease training
-improve patient safety
-need to consider labels, diagrams, overall design
3 parodoxs
-paradox of expertise (just because someone l.s brilliant doesn't mean they can teach it)
-don't design by focus group alone
-choice - too much choice can lead to no choice at all (ie yahoo, aol, google)
Google-simple plain interface
How do we prevent errors ?
1. forcing functions and constraints
2. Automation/computerization
3. Simplifications/standardization
4. Reminders, checklists, double checks
5. Rules and policies
6. Training and education
Will lose millions of dollars testing but this will generate huge advertising
Humans will always make errors. We need to keep this in mind when designing.
Friday, 4 April 2008
AG08 - eLearning Guild Annual Gathering Momentum is Building
Well I'm not sure what is exciting me more the AG08 or the fact that I'm away from the office for a few precious days. I can feel the momentum building for this year's event being held in Orlando. I couldn't have picked a better place if I was in charge.
I'm excited as well to be trying out all the neat tools being collected by Brent Schlenker to participate in some live blogging "blearning" at the conference. I'm looking very forward to incorporating more of these tools into my repertoire.
I'm excited as well to be trying out all the neat tools being collected by Brent Schlenker to participate in some live blogging "blearning" at the conference. I'm looking very forward to incorporating more of these tools into my repertoire.
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Siegfried Woldhek: The true face of Leonardo Da Vinci?
Ever wonder what Leonardo Da Vinci really looked like. Take a few minutes to view this presentation from this year's TED. Segfried Woldhek has remarkably and quite easily discovered his true face.
Kid Friendly Search Engine
I came across this nice search engine for kids today, GoGooligans.com. It seems like a nice educational tool for kids to use when researching their next school project, pet, or anything else of interest to them.
What's neat is the results that get returned are more geared to kids as well. As an example I tried "fish" I got returns such as:
US Fish and Wildlife Service: Kids Corner
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department
Kids Konnect - Fish
Flip the Fish - Kids crafts, games, recipes, activities and more!
What's neat is the results that get returned are more geared to kids as well. As an example I tried "fish" I got returns such as:
US Fish and Wildlife Service: Kids Corner
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department
Kids Konnect - Fish
Flip the Fish - Kids crafts, games, recipes, activities and more!
Monday, 31 March 2008
Great, Quick, To-the-Point, Video Learning from Ray Jimenez
Ray Jimenez has posted up some wonderful "Wacky Videos" as he calls them on his Videos on 3 Minute eLearning. The great thing is there is nothing wacky about them at all. They are quick and to the point on a multitude of topics. He refers to them as being different because they are not all full of glitz and glam, high budget, action packed, big-star, block busters. Exactly what makes them great.
The learner does not get distracted by too many unnecessary visuals. You only need to listen and concentrate and the clear precise message that Ray shares are wonderful learning tips. Another nice feature is if you are more keen to visual presentations, then there is something to watch Mr. Ray him self. However, if you are a learner who likes to multi-task and listen to material as you work, then no fear as you are not missing charts or animation.
Here are a few that I really enjoyed and learned from today.
2.03 - Two Trainer Dieseases: Control-itis and Content-itis
2.04 - e-Learning Behaviors How People Learn Online
3.02 - What is 3-Minute e-Learning?
4.09 - Reviews and Assessments: Not the Same
(Okay really I liked them all) - Thanks for the production Ray.
The learner does not get distracted by too many unnecessary visuals. You only need to listen and concentrate and the clear precise message that Ray shares are wonderful learning tips. Another nice feature is if you are more keen to visual presentations, then there is something to watch Mr. Ray him self. However, if you are a learner who likes to multi-task and listen to material as you work, then no fear as you are not missing charts or animation.
Here are a few that I really enjoyed and learned from today.
2.03 - Two Trainer Dieseases: Control-itis and Content-itis
2.04 - e-Learning Behaviors How People Learn Online
3.02 - What is 3-Minute e-Learning?
4.09 - Reviews and Assessments: Not the Same
(Okay really I liked them all) - Thanks for the production Ray.
Sunday, 30 March 2008
The Day After Earth Hour
I was happy to see many places last night observing Earth Hour, even if it was just dimming lights in stores. At least something was being done and participation occured. I happened to be at a Montana's restaurant (Newmarket) just before 8pm and asked if they were participating. I was expecting a yes as all staff members were also wearing TapProject.ca shirts, and that is exactly what I heard. They were indeed dimming their lights.
My friend and I then went in to Chapters (like Borders in the US) and I ask a worker as soon as I went in if they were observing Earth Hour. He informed me that we had just missed the message that they were shutting down as many banks of lights as they could. I can understand in a business where being able to see the books is going to be the only way to sell the product, I was happy to hear/see they were at least reducing energy consumption.
My friend and I then went in to Chapters (like Borders in the US) and I ask a worker as soon as I went in if they were observing Earth Hour. He informed me that we had just missed the message that they were shutting down as many banks of lights as they could. I can understand in a business where being able to see the books is going to be the only way to sell the product, I was happy to hear/see they were at least reducing energy consumption.
A drive along Yonge St. at 8:40pm showed that the mall had turned off all parking lot lights, most of the store front signs and thier scrolling displays boards were off. McDonald's had dimmed their lights, turned off their "Golden Arches" and all exterior lights. Jack Astor's restaurant was in complete darkness, you could see they were using little or no lighting onon all exterior signs and inside it appeared to be candle lit - an impressive job. Walmart did not appear to be dimmed from outside, but I do know during energy crunches in the summer that they always participate, so I expect that they as well turned off many banks. Then my final destination for the evening was the theatre. Yes, I should have stayed home in the dark, but made my plans without thinking. I was surpised when we pulled up to see so many lights on. But once inside they did have the normal lights over the ticket counter and all around the food stand off. They had the displays off going into each theatre and it also appeared that they were not running any of the normal presentations that roll as one is waiting for the show start time.
More impressive was how dark the town was. Most homes seemed to be quite dark with just the odd one having one light turned on. When I called my mother to see if they were abiding by the no lights I was unsurprised to hear the answer. They had for a little while had all the lights out with just a candle going, then drink got split, someone stubbed their foot on a chair, and....well the lights came back on. Again...at least they tried.
I haven't been able to find great results yet of last night's event but I'm sure more and more stats will become available in the next few days.
Saturday, 29 March 2008
EARTH HOUR - MARCH 29, 8:00PM (the year - every year from now on)
Google.ca actually made me laugh today. Yes the Canadian Version. Have you seen their homepage today?
By now I hope you and your families, business, organizations have found a way to participate in tonight's global energy saving venture. Everyone around the world has been asked to turn their lights off for one hour. That's it, just your lights. Now imagine everyone in the world doing the same thing, for one hour, at 8:00pm their time. The amount of energy we are all going to be saving will be astounding.
So get out the candles and the boardgames, find someone to snuggle with, tell some stories, have a campfire, go for a walk, have a nap, sing a song. All it takes is one hour of your time to help save a little energy, the environment, our world.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Another way to edit and share photos
A friend of mine shared this editing site with me today, and "looky-here" it's from Adobe. Adobe Photoshop Express allows the user to upload, edit, and share photos.
The Adobe Photoshop Express beta site has the basic tools that you will find on other sites, but also with some cool tools for editing such as pop colour, hue, tint, sketch, and distort. Here are some samples a photo using these tools:
Original:
Here's also a sample of the sharing aspect of the site. The one thing I'm not sure I do like is that once you share photos they are up for puclic display. This may not be something for everyone, however there are some great pictures on the site to scan through.
The Adobe Photoshop Express beta site has the basic tools that you will find on other sites, but also with some cool tools for editing such as pop colour, hue, tint, sketch, and distort. Here are some samples a photo using these tools:
Original:
Pop Colour Sketch Distort
Here's also a sample of the sharing aspect of the site. The one thing I'm not sure I do like is that once you share photos they are up for puclic display. This may not be something for everyone, however there are some great pictures on the site to scan through.
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Is Your Blog Your Own?
Yesterday I was approached by someone who was interested in increasing their writing portfolio and offered to write posts for my blog. They would stay true to "good, useful posts/articles on education/college/online education etc." but would like to make sure they had a by-line and a link to their web page.
I found this idea interesting and intriguing, but also a little invasive. It's my blog after all. So turning to Brent Schlenker, I ask for his opinion and advice (once again). He too thought he may have been approached by the same person; or is it a coincidence we got the same email from 2 different people. Brent suggested that, "if your blog is a brand and you are serving a group of readers then it might be a good thing. In this case, any time you can add value to your brand, whether its your content or not, its a good thing."
I'm still unsure how I feel about this co-authoring. I'm not sure I'm at the point yet to open my blog in this way. I'm not sure that I my blog has a "brand", but that's a great thing to think about and strive towards.
I'm curious as to what other think about this idea. Is your blog your own? Is it only to capture your learning experiences and items you find to be interesting? Or is it something more? Was your blog once yours and now serves a much larger audience?
I found this idea interesting and intriguing, but also a little invasive. It's my blog after all. So turning to Brent Schlenker, I ask for his opinion and advice (once again). He too thought he may have been approached by the same person; or is it a coincidence we got the same email from 2 different people. Brent suggested that, "if your blog is a brand and you are serving a group of readers then it might be a good thing. In this case, any time you can add value to your brand, whether its your content or not, its a good thing."
I'm still unsure how I feel about this co-authoring. I'm not sure I'm at the point yet to open my blog in this way. I'm not sure that I my blog has a "brand", but that's a great thing to think about and strive towards.
I'm curious as to what other think about this idea. Is your blog your own? Is it only to capture your learning experiences and items you find to be interesting? Or is it something more? Was your blog once yours and now serves a much larger audience?
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Monday, 24 March 2008
LMS Implentation Tips
It's a great feeling that after blogging for almost a year now, that I'm being requested to answer questions and give my opinion on various topics. I certainly am no expert in anything, but it is great to pass on experiences and opinions to others, as I have requested the same from many new colleagues I have met through blogging.
I had someone ask me yesterday about my LMS implantation and could I recommend anything after going through the "ordeal" (oh yes, people warned me, but would I listen...)
Some key primary things I wish I had known then:
I had someone ask me yesterday about my LMS implantation and could I recommend anything after going through the "ordeal" (oh yes, people warned me, but would I listen...)
Some key primary things I wish I had known then:
- you want a very robust system to create content - interactive content
- content can be created and imported by a wide variety of tools (video, audio, PPT, Doc, xls, pdf, swf, basically anything you can think of and more)
- you want a very robust quiz/testing feature (multiple choice, yes/no, essay, matching games, etc, basically anything you can think of and more)
- reporting structure needs to be flexible so you can get the reports you want, but also have many already included, (by student, by course, by instructor, by date, etc)
- be able to import courses that are pre-purchased
- ability to import courses your self (not by the vendor - costs incurred each time)
- user friendly interface for instructors, administrators, and more importantly the students (staff)
- ability to easily interact with your staff database so that students can be created/updated/maintained easily
- easy ability to modify and change the system to suit your organization's needs (internally or by vendor)
My partner-in-crime here at work, Matt - in charge of the intranet side of this project, reminded me today of "How Projects Really Work". Make sure you take a look at this as most projects feel like this and true to form this currently represents our LMS implementation. Matt and I are determined to make it work, but we also would love to start over knowing what we know now. (I'm currently putting in a requisition for 2 super-hero capes....we'll need and deserve them by the end of it all).
Other posts from my LMS Journey:
Friday, September 7, 2007 LMS - I don't want to be Little Miss Should've
Monday, September 24, 2007 LMS Project....A Little More Progress
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Creating a Nav Model with Mindomo - LMS Project continues
Thursday, October 4, 2007 Is your HR tracking prepared to take on your new LMS?
Tuesday, December 11, 2007 LMS Training Finally Here
Thursday, January 3, 2008 LMS - lingers on but isn't getting launched as hoped
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 Too many job roles is hindering the LMS launch
Friday, February 8, 2008 Looking for Types of Reports to Get From an LMS
Sunday, March 9, 2008 LMS still not up and going - but I have do have a new question?
Saturday, 22 March 2008
Looking for a visual to explain parallel universes?
Well look no further it's very simple to comprehend. You only need to look at Super Mario to understand the complexities of it all.
John Pavlus created a wonderful video that visually displays what the idea of a multiverse looks like and how within we may interact with other objects. Abby Seiff explains further in her post for Popsci.com - "the 134 overlaid (Mario) playthroughs represent the manifold possibilities Mario encounters as he progresses through his world."
Just don't get sucked into watching the game play more than the accompanying explanation.
John Pavlus created a wonderful video that visually displays what the idea of a multiverse looks like and how within we may interact with other objects. Abby Seiff explains further in her post for Popsci.com - "the 134 overlaid (Mario) playthroughs represent the manifold possibilities Mario encounters as he progresses through his world."
Just don't get sucked into watching the game play more than the accompanying explanation.
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Help Needed for Naming a Link
We are embarking on pushing out a new intranet in a few weeks and hopefully the LMS will fall into place sometime shortly after.
I need some help for a link on the intranet that encompasses information for:
I need some help for a link on the intranet that encompasses information for:
- classes are called all sorts of things (courses, workshops, sessions, classes, programs)
- are clinical (nursing, rehab, respiratory, etc.)
- are general (team building, management training, computer training)
- AND the link will have a place to login for the LMS (elearning, tracking courses, registering for courses, etc)
Education Programs & Services has been turned down as Programs and Services is what we call our general department areas.
Education Information - doesn't really capture the LMS portion to be housed here
Any ideas or advice on what to call this link? Any help is appreciated.
Sunday, 16 March 2008
Elearning Design Course by William Horton Consulting Inc.
For the last 2 weeks (4 hours x 6 days) I participated in an elearning design course presented by Bill and Kit Horton from William Horton Consulting Inc. This was a great class and well worth the time. So many great tips and practical solutions were presented through the entire session. Many of examples can be found on their website.
The class was filled with people around Canada, the USA and a few other countries and I was able to learn a little bit from each of my fellow students. The way the Horton's presented the information was also a great learning experience as to some best practices for synchronous learning. There was a fine balance between lecture, interaction, discussion, homework, and take away job aids.
I was very impressed by the entire experience, but had expected nothing less as I had participated in a session that Kit taught through the eLearning Guild last year on how to get the most of out PowerPoint. I still use the tips and tricks she presented there every day. I highly recommend sitting in on any course you can from the Horton's as they consistently have presented me with sound advice, tools, tips, techniques, job aids, and numerous examples. Best of all their courses are not filled with any extra "fluff" just to fill time.
Great job Bill and Kit - Thank You.
The class was filled with people around Canada, the USA and a few other countries and I was able to learn a little bit from each of my fellow students. The way the Horton's presented the information was also a great learning experience as to some best practices for synchronous learning. There was a fine balance between lecture, interaction, discussion, homework, and take away job aids.
I was very impressed by the entire experience, but had expected nothing less as I had participated in a session that Kit taught through the eLearning Guild last year on how to get the most of out PowerPoint. I still use the tips and tricks she presented there every day. I highly recommend sitting in on any course you can from the Horton's as they consistently have presented me with sound advice, tools, tips, techniques, job aids, and numerous examples. Best of all their courses are not filled with any extra "fluff" just to fill time.
Great job Bill and Kit - Thank You.
Friday, 14 March 2008
I'm bringing Earth Hour and Pangea Day to my work
I spoke to our Corporate Communications department today about the upcoming Earth Hour (March 29) and Pangea Day (May 10). My colleagues there we excited to hear about the events and also thrilled to think about how our organization could participate as part of the global community.
These two events will be a great way for our hospital and other organizations to show to our local communities that we too care greatly about this world. With a younger and younger work force more in tuned to the environment and events globally surrounding us, it will also be a wonderful way to connect particularly with these staff. I'm excited that they immediately embraced the idea.
It will be challenging to participate as I did mention we are a health care facility, but we have decided we will find a method to at least dim as many lights as possible on March 29. Pangea Day we are hoping to host in our Lecture Hall on site. Potentially 200 community members could come together on our site to watch the days events.
Have you or your organization decided to participate in these events? Did you know Canada is currently leading the way with number of participants registered?
"Last year, WWF’s Earth Hour made its debut in Sydney and it was a huge success. More than 2 million individuals and businesses participated resulting in a 10 per cent reduction on the electrical grid, saving 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide." - http://www.wwf.ca/
Earth Hour
Pangea Day
These two events will be a great way for our hospital and other organizations to show to our local communities that we too care greatly about this world. With a younger and younger work force more in tuned to the environment and events globally surrounding us, it will also be a wonderful way to connect particularly with these staff. I'm excited that they immediately embraced the idea.
It will be challenging to participate as I did mention we are a health care facility, but we have decided we will find a method to at least dim as many lights as possible on March 29. Pangea Day we are hoping to host in our Lecture Hall on site. Potentially 200 community members could come together on our site to watch the days events.
Have you or your organization decided to participate in these events? Did you know Canada is currently leading the way with number of participants registered?
"Last year, WWF’s Earth Hour made its debut in Sydney and it was a huge success. More than 2 million individuals and businesses participated resulting in a 10 per cent reduction on the electrical grid, saving 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide." - http://www.wwf.ca/
Earth Hour
Pangea Day
Sunday, 9 March 2008
LMS still not up and going - but I have do have a new question?
Well since my previous posts (Feb. 8, Jan. 22, etc.) until now, about our new LMS, nothing astounding has happened. In fact nothing at all has happened. The only step forward I can speak of is that someone has finally realized that the organization's method for tracking reporting stinks. We have a system that only can tell you who get's paid by whom. No where can you find out who supervises who and that is the way staff think of themselves. Luckily I have a semi-friend in IT who is taking on this task of figuring out a way to truely capture our structure. Leave it to the young folks.
Hopefully that will at least get my "student" list for the LMS for manageable and understandable for those that are going to be using it to track their staffs' learning.
The company that we got the LMS from is gun-ho to get a pilot training session up and running. I'm not comfortable with the admin side of the system. Nor am I comfortable with the student/teaching side of the system. I don't think it's true a good product yet and needs some tweaks and fixes before I would want to even think of a pilot. I'm pretty sure that my learners will think it's fine, but that is only because they aren't as familiar with e-learning. They'll be happy with anything.
Here is my question though... Do I just deal with it and go with something I professionally feel is substandard to get it going at least? Or do I stick to my guns and hold out until I feel it at least is in a presentable format and easily understandable and easy to navigate as a learner.
Hopefully that will at least get my "student" list for the LMS for manageable and understandable for those that are going to be using it to track their staffs' learning.
The company that we got the LMS from is gun-ho to get a pilot training session up and running. I'm not comfortable with the admin side of the system. Nor am I comfortable with the student/teaching side of the system. I don't think it's true a good product yet and needs some tweaks and fixes before I would want to even think of a pilot. I'm pretty sure that my learners will think it's fine, but that is only because they aren't as familiar with e-learning. They'll be happy with anything.
Here is my question though... Do I just deal with it and go with something I professionally feel is substandard to get it going at least? Or do I stick to my guns and hold out until I feel it at least is in a presentable format and easily understandable and easy to navigate as a learner.
Sharing Presentations/Pictures/Learning Online with SlideShare
I came across SlideShare through a post by Cathy Moore. Cathy's "5 ways to make linear navigation more interesting" is not only a great post beacuse of the information she shared, but in the way she shared it. She didn't just type text into the post, she used SlideShare to share with everyone a great little presentation she created about linear navigation.It was a great elearning experience in that I knew exactly by the end of the reading what she was trying to explain. Navigating through the presentation using the same concepts she was describing clearly illustrating the point she was explaining as I read.
From there I began to explore other great slide shows including the one she references as another great example, by Janet Clarey, of making linear navigation more interesting - "Meet Charlene". It too demonstrated a presentation that I wanted to click through to learn more about the topic. In the end I was happy to see that this presentation showed exactly how I was feeling in my home vs. work experience in relation to web 2.0 applications. I'll need to share this with my boss and training network.
Great job Cathy and Janet.
A Reading List of Instructional Designers
I wanted to point out this article from Cammy Bean's post. She added to her blog mid-February a wonderful collection of "Essential Reading for Instructional Designers".
I'm going to capture her post here in it's entirety for my own future reference and book list of things to read.
Thanks for this Cammy.
Essential Reading for Instructional Design?
from Learning Visions by Cammy Bean
As an instructional designer/eLearning professional, what books are the essential tools in your reference library?I'm not looking for the obtuse theory books. I prefer the get-down-and-dirty variety.These are my current faves. Easy-readers (a term of praise, in this case). Practical books with lots of real examples. They might refer to theory, but they don't get bogged down in it:
I'm going to capture her post here in it's entirety for my own future reference and book list of things to read.
Thanks for this Cammy.
Essential Reading for Instructional Design?
from Learning Visions by Cammy Bean
As an instructional designer/eLearning professional, what books are the essential tools in your reference library?I'm not looking for the obtuse theory books. I prefer the get-down-and-dirty variety.These are my current faves. Easy-readers (a term of praise, in this case). Practical books with lots of real examples. They might refer to theory, but they don't get bogged down in it:
- e-Learning and the Science of Instruction by Ruth Clark and Richard Mayer
- Michael Allen's Guide to E-Learning by Michael Allen
- Gadgets, Games & Gizmos for Learning by Karl Kapp
Last May, I started a bit of a list in this post: Beginning Instructional Designer's Toolkit. Dr. John Curry was kind enough to post a really detailed reading list in his post How to Get an Instructional Design Education Without Paying Tuition (gotta love that title!)
After my appeal for something a little more pared down that I might actually be able to read, Dr. John came up with these essentials:
- The Conditions of Learning and Theory of Instruction, by Robert Gagné
- Training Complex Cognitive Skills, by Jeroen J.G. van Merriënboer [currently unavailable on Amazon]
- The First Principles of Instruction, by M. David Merrill [I couldn't find that listing on Amazon, but there are a number of results for M. David Merrill]
- The Design of Everyday Things, by Donald Norman
Other ID books of note that have been recently recommended to me:
- e-Learning by Design by William Horton (recommended by Christy Tucker)
- What Every Manager Should Know About Training by Robert Mager (recommended by Dave Ferguson)
- The Non-Designers Design Book by Robin Williams (not the comedian) (this was recently recommended to me by someone who asked the same question on LinkedIn.
Friday, 7 March 2008
TED2008 Quotes - Great Quotes from this Year's Speakers
I just love the whole TED concept. I imagine being there, in person, to hear so many great thinkers (and "unreasonable people" see below) with unbound imaginations would alter anyone's own personal thinking, imagination, and reason. The possibilities truly do seem endless when you listen to many of the talks. I end up thinking a lot...how could I build on that. If you've even just looked at the topics that are available to watch on the TED site they you know it's like the Discovery Channel and National Geographic wrapped into one great package and then shot with steroids. Okay, maybe that's just me, but I am just in awe of the ideas that flow out of this place.
The TED blog has summarized some fabulous quotes from each day of this year's event. You can certainly see them on their blog, but I'm going to capture them here as well for my own records.
Day 1
"Who are we? We're just an upright, walking, big-brained, super-intelligent ape. " - Paleontologist Louise Leakey
"The first thing we do when we're born is we breathe in, and we cry. And the last thing we do when we die is we breathe out, and other people cry." - Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, before leading an exercise in breathing and meditation
"Western science is a major response to minor needs." - Wade Davis quoting Mattheiu Ricard
"Why do I believe that it is transformative? It enables you to experience the universe. You can tour it, with astronomers as your guides. It will enable a new generation of stories and storytellers." - Astronomer Roy Gould, while previewing Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope
"I think it is quite likely that we are the only intelligent civilization within several hundred light years" - Stephen Hawking
"I'm not blaming anyone. This is just who we are right now". - Photographer Chris Jordan, whose large-format works illustrate statistics of modern life, like the 40 million paper cups used by Americans every day
“You go in as an individual, but emerge as a community which reaffirms its sense of place on the planet.” - Wade Davis, describing a traditional run through the Peruvian mountains, taking in peaks of 11,000 and 15,000 feet in 36 hours
"It's as if my consciousness had shifted away. I could no longer define the boundaries of my body. Then I realize: I'm having a stroke. And my left hemisphere tells me: Wow, this is so cool; how many brain scientists have the chance to study that from the inside?" — Jill Taylor
"Before the Web, there was just one guy running around saying 'I KNOW!'" - Robin Williams, ad-libbing, after taking the stage during a technical problem in the BBC World Debate
Day 2
"There have been bangs in the past. There will be bangs in the future. We may live in an endless universe." - Physicist and TED Prize winner Neil Turok
“I have the modest goals of replacing the whole petrochemical industry." - Craig Venter, on his work creating synthetic lifeforms to generate alternative energy sources
"The line between good and evil is movable and it's permeable." - Psychologist Philip Zimbardo
“They’ve lowered the transaction cost of stopping genocide.” - Samantha Power on 1-900-GENOCIDE
“Chris Anderson is a computer-fabricated artifact.” - Paul Rothemund, joking about his work manipulating DNA, as if it were a computer program
"A lot of religious people prefer to be right, rather than compassionate." - Religion scholar and TED prize winner Karen Armstrong
“ 'Temes' [technology-enhanced memes] don’t care about us - they simply want to create more of themselves. Don’t think we created the internet for our own benefit - think about temes spreading for themselves because they must.” - Susan Blackmore
“Beauty and truth do not reside in the object themseles, but rather in the nature of the exchange between the object and the viewer,” -Thomas Krens
“Whoa dude, nice equations!” - Garrett Lisi, the "surfer dude" physicist, introducing his talk by displaying an enormously complex equation on screen. He went on to explain his controversial "theory of everything" without using equations
Day 3
“Imagine Martin Luther King saying, ‘I have a dream ... But I don’t know if the others will buy it.’” - Boston Philharmonic conductor Ben Zander, on the importance of persuasive leadership
"Human progress depends on unreasonable people. Reasonable people accept the world as they meet it; unreasonable people persist in trying to change it. Well, I’m Bob and I’m an unreasonable person. And if TED is anything, it is the olympics of unreasonable people." - Musician and activist Bob Geldof (above)
“Why are we ignoring the oceans? Why does NASA spend in one year what NOAA will spend in 1600 years? Why are we looking up? Why are we afraid of the ocean?” - Ocean explorer Robert Ballard
"I think it's the dopamine." - Anthropologist Helen Fisher, explaining to Chris Anderson why she's still optimistic about love, despite understanding its chemical and biological basis
"Relative to the universe, it's just up the road." - Physicist Brian Cox, after referring to Chicago as 'just up the road' from Monterey, CA
“If you think half of America votes badly because they are stupid or religious, you are trapped in a matrix ... Take the red pill, learn some moral psychology and step outside the moral matrix.” - Jonathan Haidt, author of The Happiness Hypothesis
“If you want the truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between 'for' and 'against' is the mind’s worst disease.” - Jonathan Haidt, quoting Sent-ts’an, from 700CE China
"The job of the C is to make the B sad." - Boston Philharmonic conductor Ben Zander, deconstructing a piece by Chopin
“How do we give credible hope to the billion poorest people in the world? It requires compassion to get ourselves started, and enlightened self-interest to get serious... If economic divergence continues, combined with global integration, it will build a nightmare for our children.” - Paul Collier, author of The Bottom Billion
“In order to solve the climate crisis, we need to solve the democracy crisis.” - Al Gore, urging citizen involvement not only on a personal level, but also on a political level
“How dare we be pessimistic? Maybe the future is better than it used to be.” - Peter Schwartz, co-founder of the Global Business Network
“It's important to leave the security of who we are, and go to the place of who we are becoming. I encourage you to let yourself out of any prison you might find yourself in. Because we have to do something now. We have to change now.” - Environmental advocate John Francis (below), who went 17 years without speaking
The TED blog has summarized some fabulous quotes from each day of this year's event. You can certainly see them on their blog, but I'm going to capture them here as well for my own records.
Day 1
"Who are we? We're just an upright, walking, big-brained, super-intelligent ape. " - Paleontologist Louise Leakey
"The first thing we do when we're born is we breathe in, and we cry. And the last thing we do when we die is we breathe out, and other people cry." - Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, before leading an exercise in breathing and meditation
"Western science is a major response to minor needs." - Wade Davis quoting Mattheiu Ricard
"Why do I believe that it is transformative? It enables you to experience the universe. You can tour it, with astronomers as your guides. It will enable a new generation of stories and storytellers." - Astronomer Roy Gould, while previewing Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope
"I think it is quite likely that we are the only intelligent civilization within several hundred light years" - Stephen Hawking
"I'm not blaming anyone. This is just who we are right now". - Photographer Chris Jordan, whose large-format works illustrate statistics of modern life, like the 40 million paper cups used by Americans every day
“You go in as an individual, but emerge as a community which reaffirms its sense of place on the planet.” - Wade Davis, describing a traditional run through the Peruvian mountains, taking in peaks of 11,000 and 15,000 feet in 36 hours
"It's as if my consciousness had shifted away. I could no longer define the boundaries of my body. Then I realize: I'm having a stroke. And my left hemisphere tells me: Wow, this is so cool; how many brain scientists have the chance to study that from the inside?" — Jill Taylor
"Before the Web, there was just one guy running around saying 'I KNOW!'" - Robin Williams, ad-libbing, after taking the stage during a technical problem in the BBC World Debate
Day 2
"There have been bangs in the past. There will be bangs in the future. We may live in an endless universe." - Physicist and TED Prize winner Neil Turok
“I have the modest goals of replacing the whole petrochemical industry." - Craig Venter, on his work creating synthetic lifeforms to generate alternative energy sources
"The line between good and evil is movable and it's permeable." - Psychologist Philip Zimbardo
“They’ve lowered the transaction cost of stopping genocide.” - Samantha Power on 1-900-GENOCIDE
“Chris Anderson is a computer-fabricated artifact.” - Paul Rothemund, joking about his work manipulating DNA, as if it were a computer program
"A lot of religious people prefer to be right, rather than compassionate." - Religion scholar and TED prize winner Karen Armstrong
“ 'Temes' [technology-enhanced memes] don’t care about us - they simply want to create more of themselves. Don’t think we created the internet for our own benefit - think about temes spreading for themselves because they must.” - Susan Blackmore
“Beauty and truth do not reside in the object themseles, but rather in the nature of the exchange between the object and the viewer,” -Thomas Krens
“Whoa dude, nice equations!” - Garrett Lisi, the "surfer dude" physicist, introducing his talk by displaying an enormously complex equation on screen. He went on to explain his controversial "theory of everything" without using equations
Day 3
“Imagine Martin Luther King saying, ‘I have a dream ... But I don’t know if the others will buy it.’” - Boston Philharmonic conductor Ben Zander, on the importance of persuasive leadership
"Human progress depends on unreasonable people. Reasonable people accept the world as they meet it; unreasonable people persist in trying to change it. Well, I’m Bob and I’m an unreasonable person. And if TED is anything, it is the olympics of unreasonable people." - Musician and activist Bob Geldof (above)
“Why are we ignoring the oceans? Why does NASA spend in one year what NOAA will spend in 1600 years? Why are we looking up? Why are we afraid of the ocean?” - Ocean explorer Robert Ballard
"I think it's the dopamine." - Anthropologist Helen Fisher, explaining to Chris Anderson why she's still optimistic about love, despite understanding its chemical and biological basis
"Relative to the universe, it's just up the road." - Physicist Brian Cox, after referring to Chicago as 'just up the road' from Monterey, CA
“If you think half of America votes badly because they are stupid or religious, you are trapped in a matrix ... Take the red pill, learn some moral psychology and step outside the moral matrix.” - Jonathan Haidt, author of The Happiness Hypothesis
“If you want the truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between 'for' and 'against' is the mind’s worst disease.” - Jonathan Haidt, quoting Sent-ts’an, from 700CE China
"The job of the C is to make the B sad." - Boston Philharmonic conductor Ben Zander, deconstructing a piece by Chopin
“How do we give credible hope to the billion poorest people in the world? It requires compassion to get ourselves started, and enlightened self-interest to get serious... If economic divergence continues, combined with global integration, it will build a nightmare for our children.” - Paul Collier, author of The Bottom Billion
“In order to solve the climate crisis, we need to solve the democracy crisis.” - Al Gore, urging citizen involvement not only on a personal level, but also on a political level
“How dare we be pessimistic? Maybe the future is better than it used to be.” - Peter Schwartz, co-founder of the Global Business Network
“It's important to leave the security of who we are, and go to the place of who we are becoming. I encourage you to let yourself out of any prison you might find yourself in. Because we have to do something now. We have to change now.” - Environmental advocate John Francis (below), who went 17 years without speaking
Sunday, 2 March 2008
New colour scheme
It's not that I don't like the snow and the cold doesn't bother me that much, but frankly the dreary grey skies day in and day out are just getting me down. Time to start thinking of something a little warmer. Now I do realize I went a little extreme and used some of my tropical trip pictures, but just after having taken these my computer crashed. I now have neatly stored away my thousands of photos on a hard drive that I can't seem to access. Yet another reminder to everyone.....back up your stuff!!!! My brother-in-law is convinced we can get them off the hard drive, however now that we have each upgraded our computers we are monstering up a mix mash of older components we have had lying around to create something that will "talk" to every so old (3 years) hard drive.
So lessons learned....
1) back up frequently or upload photos/docs to one of the many free web apps out there
2) photos stored on separate hard drives are not necessarily safe
3)always keep every piece of computer hardware you have ever own, never know when you'll need a cable or screw (no dear it's not junk, I might need it one day)
4) ensure your sister or brother marries an IT person (it's always handy to have an IT, a mechanic, a plumber, a carpenter, and someone with some money in the family)
Here's to hoping the sun returns more regularly soon! Hope you're having a great winter.
So lessons learned....
1) back up frequently or upload photos/docs to one of the many free web apps out there
2) photos stored on separate hard drives are not necessarily safe
3)always keep every piece of computer hardware you have ever own, never know when you'll need a cable or screw (no dear it's not junk, I might need it one day)
4) ensure your sister or brother marries an IT person (it's always handy to have an IT, a mechanic, a plumber, a carpenter, and someone with some money in the family)
Here's to hoping the sun returns more regularly soon! Hope you're having a great winter.
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Want to Explore the Universe?
This is an exciting project that will become available later this spring. The World Wide Telescope. Using Microsoft's Visual Experience Engine "the WorldWide Telescope (WWT) is a rich visualization environment that functions as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from the best ground and space telescopes in the world for a seamless, guided exploration of the universe."
For a wonderful demonstration and some further explanation take a look at Dr. Roy Gould's talk at this year's TED talk.
For a wonderful demonstration and some further explanation take a look at Dr. Roy Gould's talk at this year's TED talk.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
