June 30, 2011

Philip Rosedale on "Second Life"

The speech is old and a lot has happened since this talk but the basic idea behind Second Life (and most other virtual worlds) still makes sense to me.

Amplify’d from www.ted.com
Philip Rosedale sobre o "Second Life"
See more at www.ted.com
 

June 28, 2011

M-Learning: Lots of interest, but not a lot of implementation.

Amplify’d from www.articulate.com
The Rapid E-Learning Blog - mLearning 101: I'll take my rapid e-learning to go.

Last week I spent a couple of days in San Jose at mLearnCon. Lots of interesting stuff.  One thing that stood out was that most people haven’t jumped into the pool yet.  Lots of interest, but not a lot of implementation. 

The challenge for many people is figuring out what mobile learning is and what they can do to get started.  And they don’t want to spend a lot of money doing so.  The cool thing is that while you’re still figuring things out, it’s easy enough to stick your toes into the m-learning pool.  In today’s post, I’ll share some simple tips to help you get started with mobile learning. 

Read more at www.articulate.com
 

June 22, 2011

New Learning System for Virtual World Educators

Amplify’d from www.redorbit.com

New Learning System for Virtual World Educators Released

The creators of Texas State Technical Colleges’ virtual presence in Second Life®, vTSTC, have released a new learning management system created specifically for educators using virtual worlds like Second Life® for teaching and learning.

The creators of Texas State Technical Colleges’ virtual presence in Second Life®, vTSTC, have released a new learning management system created specifically for educators using virtual worlds like Second Life® for teaching and learning.

The college’s team of programmers, designers, and educators, called TSTC vushi [voo-shee], has invested more than four years of teaching, developing and working with educators in an effort to identify and overcome the challenges faced when teaching using virtual spaces. The results of these endeavors have culminated into the vushi® learning system (vLS), which will be available this summer.

The vLS will allow faculty, staff, and students to securely interact with class information (class rosters, grades, assignments, assessments, and attendance) without leaving the virtual environment. Additional features include a single sign-on interface, a searchable database for in-world education areas, a “field trip” transportation tool for group teleports, and the ability to create and deliver assessments/assignments within the virtual world.

“The exciting attribute of this interface is not just the fact that it is unique, but rather the incredible potential the system could have for teaching and learning in virtual worlds. Our goal with the vLS is to create a centralized dashboard of resources that will lessen the overhead of teaching/learning in virtual environments,” said Chris Gibson, associate vice president, Texas State Technical College and director of TSTC vushi.

Two versions of the vLS are available: vLS Professional version and a vLS Lite. The vLS Pro will offer resources such as an organization specific database and a shareable resource library that features automated backups. While vLS Lite, which is available to users at no charge, does not support the automated backup or the ability to share resources.

For more information and details about TSTC vushi® or the vushi® Learning System, visit http://www.vushi.org or contact Chris Gibson, chris.gibson(at)tstc(dot)edu.

Contact: Julie Cromeens                                                                                    

Director, Marketing & Communications

TSTC West Texas

O: 325.738.3318

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/6/prweb8585528.htm

Read more at www.redorbit.com
 

June 19, 2011

Social Media: Signing up Isn’t Joining

«Having a social media account (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin) doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve joined. It means you’ve signed up. It’s like signing up for the gym. You can say that you belong to the gym but if you don’t get on the equipment and exercise, what benefit is there to your body?»

Amplify’d from learnstreaming.com

Joining is Important to Social Learning


Learning to Join

Ever sign up for a gym membership and not really use it that much?  I know…I know this probably hasn’t happened to you.  But, just pretend for a moment that you did.  How did this help your physical condition?

Signing up Isn’t Joining

Having a social media account (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin) doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve joined.  It means you’ve signed up.  It’s like signing up for the gym.  You can say that you belong to the gym but if you don’t get on the equipment and exercise, what benefit is there to your body?

Joining is Becoming More Important to Learning

I was thinking of John Seely Brown’s talk about the importance of learning to join.  With all of the social media tools available to us, it’s more important than ever to be able to join.  Being able to join (community, group, conversation) is key to learning.

You can learn by watching others but the real learning happens when you try and participate.  Signing up gets you in the door but joining and participating brings you and others the real benefits.

Having Trouble Joining?

You need to join in order to participate but what if you’re having trouble joining? How do you learn more about joining without already being part of the group?  You can’t, but there is a solution: Joining is part of the learning. Join and start participating.

There are many reasons why people struggle with joining:

  • Fear of acceptance – not sure you have anything worth sharing?  I have found that people are very accepting and want to connect with others (just like you).  Try using small steps
  • Risk adverse – don’t want to be quoted “on the record”.  There is valid concern here but you have control on what you say.  If you think it’s inappropriate, don’t send it.  Don’t want to say anything?  There is risk in this approach too.
  • Not fitting in – if you’re trying but not getting the results you want, try a different approach.  Are you too harsh or negative?  Are you talking too much or trying too hard.  Look back and try other approaches.
  • Lack of motivation – there is no short cut to joining.  You have to want it.  If you have enough motivation to join, your network can help during the times when you’re not as motivated.

Helping Others Join

Isn’t this what “social” is all about – connecting, sharing, helping?  Sometimes people just need a little bit to grab onto so that they join and participate.  Be open and inviting to others who are not part of the group.  Help them make the transition from observer to participator.  Here’s a good example of  how a teacher is helping shy students have a voice. In the end, it’s each person responsibility to join but those that have joined can help.

Joining is Just the Beginning

Once you’ve joined, you need to keep sharing and participating. Like a gym membership, networks take effort in order to reap the benefits.

So, Ask Yourself

  • Have I joined or am I just signed up?
  • If I’m signed up, what steps am I going to take to join?
  • If I’m already joined, how can I help other who have signed up and are trying to join?
Read more at learnstreaming.com
 

Visions of Students

Another interesting project coordinated by Michael Wesch.

The actual video collage is available at http://visionsofstudents.org/

Amplify’d from mediatedcultures.net

Today the Digital Ethnography Research Team of 2011 is proud to announce the release of the Visions of Students Today: a “video collage” about student life created by students themselves and presented using the wonders of HTML5, allowing us to “cite” books and videos that are being presented in the remix as they are being shown.

Read more at mediatedcultures.net
 

Visions of Students

Another interesting project coordinated by Michael Wesch.

The actual video collage is available at http://visionsofstudents.org/

Amplify’d from mediatedcultures.net

Today the Digital Ethnography Research Team of 2011 is proud to announce the release of the Visions of Students Today: a “video collage” about student life created by students themselves and presented using the wonders of HTML5, allowing us to “cite” books and videos that are being presented in the remix as they are being shown.

Read more at mediatedcultures.net
 

June 18, 2011

Make Flash Games in a Flash for free

Amplify’d from www.youtube.com





StencylWorks - Make Flash Games in a Flash!



Make Flash games in a Flash with StencylWorks - a free, cross-platform toolset that enables game creation for the masses by not requiring programming.

http://www.stencyl.com/


Read more at www.youtube.com
 

Free OpenSim "quick start" guide

Amplify’d from www.hypergridbusiness.com

An educator has released a free, 160-page “quick start” guide this week. The guide is a complete instruction manual for schools — or other institutions — looking to set up OpenSim-based environments from scratch.

The guide was created by David Deeds, IT manager and teacher at the Changchun American International School, based in northeast China’s Jilin province.

“We’re giving it away,” Deeds told Hypergrid Business. “Anyone is free to use it and post it.”

Deeds only requested that anyone who distributes the ebook gives proper credit, does not sell it, and does not edit it.

The guide is available for reading or download on Scribd and can also be downloaded from Deeds’ personal website.

An OAR file contributed by ReactionGrid includes a selection of starting avatars as well as hairstyles and clothing.

Read more at www.hypergridbusiness.com
 

June 15, 2011

4 Big Ideas That Will Change The World Of Training

Amplify’d from theelearningcoach.com

4 Big Ideas That Will Change The World Of Training

The field of training doesn’t change quickly. Even though technological innovation occurs at rapid speed and new learning theories emerge from cognitive research, large and entrenched training organizations move like slow dinosaurs.

It’s up to learning experience designers and developers, as well as trainers, educators and instructors to move us toward a more enlightened path that meets the needs of learners in today’s world. I’m voting that these four big ideas can propel us forward, hopefully sooner rather than later. Which big ideas do you favor? Comment below.

1. Connectivism

Connectivism is a learning theory for the digital world, where information is constantly changing and updating. Developed by George Siemens and Stephen Downes, this big idea is based on networks and on community, which is defined as “a clustering of similar areas of interest that allows for interaction, sharing, dialoguing and thinking together.”

Connectivism stresses that learning often occurs in loosely defined environments and is found in varied digital formats. Learning is enabled when an individual engages with community because information is distributed across networks. And because information is continually in a state of flux, the ability to seek, find and appropriately filter information is more important that what the individual knows.

When we acknowledge how much learning occurs through connected communities, it opens the door to rethinking traditional approaches to eLearning— at least in some domains. Perhaps it will mean enabling and supporting communities with common interests, breaking down superficial walls to encourage collaboration or documenting organizational knowledge for sharing. The possibilities for implementing connectivism are great.

2.Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning—acquiring knowledge and skills through working with others—goes against the traditional model of pushing instruction on to audience members. This big idea assumes that learning is active, social and constructive.

Collaborative learning works in both structured and unstructured environments. In more formal learning, it often starts with a problem that needs to be solved. Collaborators develop a shared understanding of solutions through research, discussion, conversation and creation. This facilitates higher-level cognitive skills, because learners are creating something new together. Unlike traditional eLearning, learners are not isolated from each other.

In an unstructured environment, collaborative learning occurs naturally, by observing and working with others and through social media platforms. In your world, a focus on collaborative learning could involve adding discussion capabilities to online courses, providing times when experts make themselves available for online chats or promoting the co-creation of wikis for learning.

3. Situated Learning

This model, developed by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, proposes that effective learning occurs through the same activities, context and culture in which it will be applied. Further, that learners take on the sensibilities and beliefs of the community of practice in which they immerse themselves, so that enculturation happens seamlessly. This contrasts with the traditional approach to learning, which typically occurs separate from where the learned performance will take place.

Although situated learning theory may resemble the apprentice system, it goes beyond that. There is not one master, but a community—a variety of experts and workplace situations in which learning occurs.

This is another big idea based on the value of learning through social community. In terms of eLearning, hybrid approaches that allow for social contact can fulfill this approach. Using sophisticated simulations and 3D immersive environments could also work. Situated learning will push training designers to find ways to ensure that employees can stay informed, keep their skills current and know the right questions to ask when solving problems.

For more on Situated Learning and Immersive Environments:

Situated Learning by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger

Your Brain On 3D Learning


Learning in 3D by Karl Kapp

4. Informal Learning

This big idea is based on the fact that people are naturally designed for learning. Infants and children are compelled to explore, discover and experiment; adults learn more outside of structured programs at work, home and play than through formal means.

Informal learning is a self-directed and intrinsically motivated engagement for acquiring skills and knowledge. People set their own goals and the satisfaction comes from being able to do something new. As Jay Cross, proponent of informal learning says, “Informal learning often is a pastiche of small chunks of observing how others do things, asking questions, trial and error, sharing stories with others and casual conversation. Learners are pulled to informal learning.”

In the workplace, informal learning is accomplished by creating an open atmosphere that encourages sharing. It happens by encouraging discussion and conversation, implementing in-house social media technologies and fostering communities of practice. Because more learning occurs informally rather than formally, it’s wise to encourage it.

For more on Informal Learning:

Interview with Jay Cross

Informal Learning by Jay Cross

Read more at theelearningcoach.com
 

June 14, 2011

Free PowerPoint Template

Another great freebie by Tom Kuhlmann (who has over 15 years of hands-on experience in the training industry and currently runs the community at Articulate).

Amplify’d from www.articulate.com

With a budget you can hire a graphic artist who can come up with some different design ideas for your elearning courses. But that’s not the case for many of us.  So we’re usually stuck with courses that all start to look the same.

One reason is the same person is designing all of the courses. For the most part, we tend to stick with the same design ideas and are limited by our graphic design skills.  And because of that, we get courses that all kind of look the same.

In earlier posts I’ve discussed how you can get around this by finding inspiration from other sources. I like to find inspiration at some of the template websites like template monster. What I look for is different layout ideas and color schemes. 

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - find inspiration for your PowerPoint templates

Another great way to find some inspiration is via the new mobile apps available for the smart phones and tablets.  In many ways their screens are similar to those we might find in an elearning course. 

As I was on the plane to Philadelphia jotting down some notes for upcoming blog posts, it struck me that the notes app in the iPad would make a great user interface for an elearning course.  You can see an example of the notes app below.

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - notes app for the iPad

The white section is great for key points and side notes.  But you could use it as a menu to navigate the course.  And of course the yellow paper area would house most of your core content. 

Below are a couple of images from the PowerPoint template I quickly mocked up.  The template consists of a cover screen and two content screens.  I also duplicated the content screens without the side pocket.  This way if you want to add the pocket to the top of the actual slide you can tuck content under the pocket.  You can see an example in the demo below.

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - cover image
The Rapid E-Learning Blog - notebook image

Everything’s created in PowerPoint (another example of how great it is as an illustration tool).  If you want the template, you can download it here

In previous posts, I shared some hand-drawn graphics and fonts. Those are also available in the downloads section and work well with this type of template.

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - demo of the notebook template

Feel free to download and use the template as you wish. Are there any other mobile apps that you think would make a great template for an elearning course?

Read more at www.articulate.com
 

June 2, 2011

Designing Text-based Information

Amplify’d from theelearningcoach.com

Designing Text-based Information

You might practice information design every day and not know it. Information design refers to transforming complex, unorganized or unstructured information into meaningful and easily-accessed content. Sound familiar?

Information design is multi-disciplinary. It’s concerned with visual presentation, the structure and organization of content, the accessibility of information and how it is used. When information design is effective, communication is clear, accessible, usable and in our case, capable of being learned. Here are some principles related to paragraph text design that should be useful to instructional designers.

1. Left-justify paragraphs

2. Place text on a quiet background

3. Avoid underlining words

4. Use high contrast between text and background

5. Use dark text on a light background

6. Limit the range of color values in a gradient text box

See more at theelearningcoach.com
 

Quality in e-Learning from a Learner's Perspective

More than 6 years after this interesting paper by Ulf Ehlers what (if anything) has changed in the way online courses are delivered by universities around the World? Is quality in e-learning from a learner's perspective really taken into account, or are online courses just a cash cow, specially useful in recession times?

Amplify’d from www.eurodl.org

Quality in e-Learning from a Learner's Perspective

(Best Paper Award at the Third EDEN Research Workshop 2004,
Oldenburg, Germany)

Ulf-D. Ehlers (uehlers@wi-inf.uni-essen.de)

University of Duisburg-Essen (http://wip.wi-inf.uni-essen.de)

Campus Essen; Universitaetsstr. 9; 45141 Essen; Germany

When you really get down to analysing it, the promises of E-Learning often
have yet to materialize. The question how e-learning can be successful becomes
more urgent as we move from an 'early adopter' stage to a more general offering.
In the discussion about the best strategy for e-learning it becomes more an
more clear that e-learning has to be based on the learner. This includes the
necessity to postulate in a clear way that the needs of the learners have to
be determined in a concrete manner before starting the project. Important aspects
are therefore the awareness of the learning biography, of individual learning
preferences and of social needs.

It is important to acknowledge that quality of a learning process is not something
that is delivered to a learner by an e-learning provider but rather constitutes
a process of co-production between the learner and the learning-environment.
That means that the product/ outcome of an educational process is not exclusively
a result of the production process of an educational institution. Quality therefore
has to do with empowering and enabling the learner. It has to be defined at
the final position of the provision of the learning-services: the learner. The
article describes learners preferences in e-learning based on empirical results
of today's largest survey in this field [1]. It thus facilitates
the construction of learner oriented services portfolios in e-learning.

Conclusion

This leads to the conclusion that future quality development in e-learning
has to be oriented at the learners needs and situation. No longer general criteria
or the same guidelines for all learners can be applied but individual learning
services are needed that support learners according to their subjective preference
profile.

Read more at www.eurodl.org
 

Tradução automática

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Search This Blog