December 22, 2003
Social Software
The latest category of software to be defined (or redefined, depending on your perspective) is 'social software', or tools that enable social networking. The key difference between this and groupware or other collaborative software is that the networks self-organise from the bottom up. Blogs and instant messaging are a perfect example of this. According to Eva Kaplan-Leiserson of Learning Circuits, learning networks in organisations can and do follow a similar model, a phenomenon she dubs 'we-learning'.
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2003/dec2003/kaplan.htm
December 18, 2003
Designing Emotional Impact Into eLearning
This is a very interesting article from eLearn Magazine that points out how much more effective eLearning can be if it is designed to trigger positive emotions.
"The problem is not the technology, the problem is that nearly all of the [e-learning] environments I know metacommunicate dreariness and boredom, and they only address the cognitive part of learning."
December 16, 2003
Top Ten Tips for Implementing eLearning
This is a great summary of ideas by Jane Knight, founder of the UK's eLearning Centre (lots of really excellent stuff on this site). She takes a no-nonsense, make-it-happen approach to eLearning, focusing on learning and collaboration -- definitely a breath of fresh air!
http://www.ncc.co.uk/ncc/myitadviser/archive/issue24/people.cfm
December 12, 2003
Workflow Learning
We are posting this presentation by Sam Adkins for both the message and its medium. The content is very interesting, addressing the phenomenon of informal learning and how prevalent it is in workplaces (backed up by several studies). In addition, the presentation has been exported from PowerPoint to the Macromedia Breeze platform allowing for synchronised voice-over along with the slides. You'll need a pretty fast connection to get all of the audio, but should be able to view the presentation regardless (no plugins required).
Synapsys Presentation on Training Effectiveness
We delivered this presentation on Dec. 11th as the first in our series of eLearning solutions seminars. In this one, we discuss what effective training means and how to measure effectiveness, including the pros and cons of quantitative vs. qualitative approaches to measurement.
December 11, 2003
What We Can Learn From the Video Game Industry
The following is a summary of an online discussion about the power of the video game platform in the creation of learning environments. The panelists are two academics, author Marc Prensky (Digital Game-based Learning) and an American high school student, code-named Cory. There are a lot of interesting tidbits here, most notably about motivation and the power of community, collaboration and competition.
http://www.iaete.org/soapbox/summary.cfm
December 05, 2003
Aligning Training with Business Strategy
This is a subject near and dear to our hearts and one that is now getting a lot of attention: the importance of aligning training to business strategy and looking for real changes in behaviour and improvements to the bottom line. This article is a discussion about ROI to some extent, but its strongest message is the importance of executive involvement in training decisions.
http://www.optimizemag.com/issue/026/roi.htm
December 02, 2003
Getting the Most Out of Blended Learning
This article has a provocative title, "Four Blended Learning Blunders and How to Avoid Them", but it's really a primer on the best way to approach blended learning projects. It echoes many of the principles we believe in, like aligning training with business strategies, using the right delivery methods, etc.
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2003/nov2003/elearn.html
January 28, 2004
Learning Objects Wiki
Here is another site that we post both for the message and its medium. It is a relatively basic site about learning object repositories, but presented in Wiki format, so that visitors can easily update the pages themselves (with an audit trail, of course). That's the way to get others working for you!
January 21, 2004
More on Learning Games
From our Updater Newsletter:
In our last version of the Updater, we discussed how learning games are emerging as a promising platform for motivating learners, particularly younger learners who have grown up in a rich, multimedia world. In this issue, we will discuss some of the issues and challenges associated with creating learning games.
The typical response to a suggestion about creating a learning game is, "Oh, but games are so time-consuming and expensive to create!" After all, we all know that most video game projects cost millions of dollars (in the U.S., the video game industry makes more money than the movie industry!) and take years to complete. Large projects require animators, programmers, sound effects specialists, musicians, background artists and many other skills. But when we think about what a game really is, we find that there are other ways we can challenge and engage learners, without necessarily going to a lot of expense.
Some organisations have opted for very simple approaches, integrating training content with simple flashcard-type games, using Solitaire or a trivia format. The truth is that learners enjoy these games, particularly learners who grew up with card and trivia games. Admittedly, this sort of simple implementation may not hold the same allure for your typical 3D shooter player, but it's a start.
But money and time are really not the biggest challenges associated with creating learning games. In his book, Simulations and the Future of Learning, Clark Aldrich explains that one of the biggest issues with converting existing training content to a learning game is that most training is linear whereas games are, by definition, open-ended. The whole idea behind a game is that the player can control the way the game unfolds, as well as the outcome. So creating a learning game often means starting from scratch, developing the learning content with the games platform in mind.
As the title of his book suggests, Aldrich primarily writes about simulations, a category of the video game industry that is quickly emerging as an intriguing approach to e-learning. In fact, the best-selling game of all time is the Sims, a simulation game where the player gets to raise a sim family, from feeding them and getting them jobs to furnishing their house. It doesn?t take much imagination to think how such a game might be leveraged to teach all sorts of subjects, from sociology to architecture.
Blockbuster games aside, simulations can also be built on a shoestring. For instance, it is not too difficult to build web-based simulations that employ a branching scheme, whereby the learner is presented with a set of options, picks an option, sees the outcome of her decision and has the opportunity to try different approaches until she finds the right one. This is actually quite a powerful learning device, as it places the learning in a real-life context and provides opportunities for both success and failure. Teamed with audio, video and/or animations, these simple simulations can be very engaging learning experiences.
As we mention above, the team at Synapsys is working on a couple of these simulation projects. We?ll keep you up-to-date on our progress in a future Updater.
January 16, 2004
Blended Learning and Business Change
This is a semi-introductory article on blended learning, but includes interesting results of an IDC study of fifteen organisations that have undertaken blended learning. Included are some helpful guidelines for developing a blended learning approach, focused on ensuring business impact.
http://www.clomedia.com/content/templates/clo_fairfield.asp?articleid=349
January 09, 2004
eLearning Trends for 2004
This article makes a number of predictions about eLearning in 2004, including speculation that more companies will outsource the creation of custom courseware and simulations will be the learning platform of choice:
http://www.darwinmag.com/read/120103/elearn.html
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 07:52 AMMarch 29, 2004
Constructivism and Online Education
This is the first entry in our new category, learning theory. We find it incredibly interesting to see how ideas about learning that have been around for decades are finding a home in the eLearning universe. Constructivism is one theory that is often bandied about in online learning circles, but how often are learners really constructing their own knowledge? This is a paper by Peter Doolittle from 1999 that addresses the opportunity and scores online learning across various constructivist dimensions.
http://edpsychserver.ed.vt.edu/workshops/tohe1999/text/doo2s.pdf
March 08, 2004
Learning in Communities
This is a great article by Stephen Downes covering many of the basics related to fostering community, and reminding us just how powerful a learning tool they can be.
He also makes some great points about the practice of tacking 'community features' onto courses, only to have the communities die when the course ends. His proposal is that the community be central to the learning experience and traditional course content peripheral. Interesting ideas.
http://www.learnscope.anta.gov.au
The Problems with Training (and What to Do About It)
This essay sums up a lot of important principles in the creation of training, mainly related to motivation and engagement. The authors, Scott Berkun and Vanessa Longacre, ran training events at Microsoft, so you could say they've had a bit of experience...
"...we learned that there are two essential ingredients in great learning experiences: A team of smart energetic people committed to doing something good, and a thoughtful plan, crafted with creative energy and smart logistical planning."
More here:
http://www.uiweb.com/issues/issue29.htm
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 09:44 AM
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April 22, 2004
eLearning is Not Knowledge Management
This is great, a four-year old piece by Verna Allee that foreshadows all of the hot thinking right now, particularly around social networks and emergent learning. Specifically, she talks about what eLearning providers need to understand in order to create real intellectual capital:
"For elearning providers to really support knowledge management, they would expand their focus to learning communities and link to the real-time knowledge object repositories that people use in their daily work. A more complete knowledge focus would mean having the capacity to:
- Connect people to people in ways that build learning communities
- Support learning communities in creating knowledge objects
- Connect to those knowledge objects in elearning modules
- Create expertise and learning profiles of the community..."
We had the pleasure of seeing Verna speak at a SmartNet event here in Christchurch recently -- great, high-level strategic thinking.
More here:
http://www.linezine.com/2.1/features/vaenkm.htm
Supporting Enterprise Knowledge Management with Weblogs
This presentation was presented at the Computers in Libraries 2004 conference as a roadmap for how to use weblogs (blogs) like this one as knowledge management tools.
"...the benefits of using weblogs for individual knowledge creation as opposed to using larger KM solutions selected from the top down, and the implications for IT of an information ecology with a diverse set of people using different technologies for publishing data in a distributed manner all over the intranet."
More at:
http://urlgreyhot.com/drupal/cil2004
Scalability and Sociability in Online Learning Environments
This is an interesting approach to learning theory, mapping different learning theories to different levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (a fancy approach to categorising different types of learning, i.e. knowledge, comprehension, application, synthesis, etc.). So behaviourist approaches might work really well at certain levels, for instance, but social approaches are a must at the higher levels.
"Behaviorism, cognitivism, and social constructivism present significantly differing views of the educational universe. And though persuasive arguments are made that integrity of character requires an educator to adhere permanently to one view or another, I believe an individual's choice of a learning theoretic view of the world must always be as transient as it is pragmatic."
So, really, blended learning must also be about blending learning theories, as well.
More here:
http://www.reusability.org/blogs/david/archives/000527.html
April 20, 2004
The Future of Work
Comparing the evolution of human society to the evolution of the workplace, author Tom Malone suggests that lower communication costs are changing the face of the modern workplace:
"Near the end of the 20th century, it became possible for the first time to exchange the detailed kind of information necessary to coordinate a business on a very large scale even as lots of individuals made decisions for themselves. When communications costs fall it becomes possible for vastly more people to be well-enough informed to make decisions instead of just following orders from their uniquely well-informed superiors."
More at: http://www.fortune.com/fortune/fastforward/0,15704,611068,00.html
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 10:43 AMMay 25, 2004
What is Workflow Learning?
This is a great introduction to the concept of Workflow Learning, written by the person who coined the term, guru Jay Cross.
Here's a cute excerpt:
"A buff venture capitalist in a designer suit steps into my elevator. Soon she asks, 'Workflow learning? What's that??
I reply: 'That's something you won't have to ask five years from now, for by then Web Services and the integrated, real-time enterprise will be commonplace. Learning will have become a core business process. It?s what will connect humans to their work. "
The rest of the column is on the main page of eLearning Magazine, for now anyway:
http://www.elearnmag.org/
May 24, 2004
Project Management Blogs
This is an interesting piece about using blogs for project management in a potentially transparent way. Does it make sense to allow project teams to publish internally about how projects are going? Is this type of openness liable to make everyone more productive? It would definitely be an interesting experiment...
More at: http://www.cio.com/archive/051504/work.html
May 14, 2004
Interactive Technologies for eLearning
We gave the third in our series of eLeanring Solutions Seminars in conjunction with our partner, Hand Multimedia. We had a good turn-out and discussion...
We talked about theory related to interactivity, specific technologies and showed a number of examples of games, simulations and scenario-based learning.
Everyone really enjoyed seeing Hand's thermodynamics learning game, Fireman Frank. You can view it here, if you missed it.
We didn't discuss collaboration, lms/lcms's, or any of that as we'll be covering those topics in future seminars.
May 05, 2004
Storytelling at Work
There has been a lot of buzz lately around the idea of storytelling in the workplace. This great new resource covers not only why to use story, but how to use story, as well:
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 11:45 AM
June 18, 2004
'Professionalism Online' Presentation
Phil Garing and I recently attended the ASTE (Association of Staff in Tertiary Education) Professionalism Online conference in Wellington. It was a very stimulating and interesting few days.
I gave a presentation on Industry and Education Sector collaboration (viewable here). Poor Phil had a lovely presentation prepared, but his laptop died 10 minutes before he was meant to begin speaking. We think he did a fine job, anyway, though sadly, we don't have his presentation for you. If we do manage to rescue it, we'll post it.
June 08, 2004
Blogs for Learning
This article from the Australian Flexible Learning Network looks at how blogs can be leveraged to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences:
http://learnscope.flexiblelearning.net.au
It also offers a useful piece of advice:
"I strongly believe (and I say this to all my colleagues) that if you want to get up-to-speed in your field, just subscribe to the weblogs in your domain and read them everyday for at least six months. I can confidently say that this works as people who have tried it out tell me that they are learning a lot."
We'll add a list of links to this blog soon!
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 09:27 AM
September 30, 2004
Favourite Books
Here are some of the books that have informed our thinking and provided inspiration for our projects:
Blended Learning: How to Integrate Online & Traditional Learning
by Kaye Thorne
Digital Game-Based Learning
by Marc Prensky
The Experience Designer: Learning, Networks and the Cybersphere
by Brian Alger
Simulations and the Future of Learning : An Innovative (and Perhaps Revolutionary) Approach to e-Learning
by Clark Aldrich
e-Learning and the Science of Instruction : Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning
by Ruth Colvin Clark, Richard E. Mayer
Designing World-Class E-Learning : How IBM, GE, Harvard Business School, And Columbia University Are Succeeding At E-Learning
by Roger Schank
What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy
by James Paul Gee
Situated Learning : Legitimate Peripheral Participation (Learning in Doing: Social, Cognitive & Computational Perspectives)
by Jean Lave, et al
Cultivating Communities of Practice
by Etienne Wenger, et al
September 27, 2004
Simulations: Interactive Pretending
Marc Prensky has just released a new batch of writings, including a short paper called 'Interactive Pretending: an Overvew of Simulations' that reminds us in simple terms that simulations are really exercises in useful pretending. Simulations allow us to expose learners to situations that they might encounter in the real world some day, but cannot be easily trained in for reasons of safety or infrequency. This might range from how to fly an airplane, to how to deal with a difficult patient or how to effectively manage a natural disaster.
This paper is a good primer on the emerging area of training simulations, for those interested in learning more.
September 23, 2004
How's Your eLearning?
Another great reality check for us, this time from Badrul H. Khan. In this article, he reminds us to think of an organsation's learning environment as part of a system that includes learners, instuctors, staff and many other stakeholders. He uses the term 'meaningful learning' which echoes our concern with creating solutions that are truly effective...
Badrul writes:
"About two years back, I asked a friend if his institution was doing any eLearning. He said, "Oh, yes, we have an LMS and we are doing all sorts of eLearning stuff." I said, "Having an LMS does not necessarily mean that you are creating meaningful eLearning." He asked, "Meaningful eLearning-what do you mean?"
September 21, 2004
Making Personas More Powerful
We have written before about how valuable we find personas and how we use them in our work. We were really excited to find this great article by George Olsen that takes the idea even further, and highlights tangible ways of making personas multi-dimensional and most importantly, actionable. Though tailored towards a web business audience, educators and trainers should find this helpful, as well.
The piece includes a link to Olsen's persona toolkit that includes information on:
- Biographic, geographic, demographic, psychographic background information
- The business’ relationship to the persona
- The persona’s relationship to product and business
- The persona’s specific goals, needs and attitudes
- The persona’s specific knowledge and proficiencies
- The context of usage
- Interaction, information, sensory, emotional aspects of the user experience
- Accessibility issues
- Relationships among personas
September 20, 2004
Informal Learning - The Other 80%
This interesting paper by Jay Cross addresses the phenomenon of 'informal learning', an activity that is purported to make up 80% of a person's learning on the job. The premise is simple: learning is a social activity (lots of learning theorists agree with this idea) and learning occurs most often on the job when people go to other people for help. The paper also address concepts around how people like to learn and what many of the Web's most successful tools can tell us about future possibilities for learning technologies. Very interesting stuff.
http://www.internettime.com/Learning/The%20Other%2080%25.htm#_Toc40161516
September 17, 2004
'Knowledge Sharing' Reality Check
This short article makes the very important point that 'knowledge sharing' as an explicit or designed activity isn't likely to be nearly as successful as simply encouraging people to talk to each other when they have problems.
September 16, 2004
Fostering a Culture of Knowledge Sharing
This article offers a great reminder that putting tools and processes in place to manage knowledge flow is only half the battle. Fostering a culture that values knowledge and encourages sharing and resourcefulness is key:
"Sharing knowledge takes effort and skill, even between two people talking face-to-face. You don't create that by writing stuff down; you create it by creating robust relationships that give people the confidence to ask questions and learn from each other, and by encouraging the disciplines of asking questions without wasting people's time, and of answering questions with clarity and power, of telling vivid stories within a shared value system. These are the things that matter, the things businesses need to be good at."
Implementing an eLearning Project
This is a very enlightening article that stresses a deeply-held Synapsys belief, the importance of a design-centred but well-balanced team approach that is central to making eLearning projects successful.
Read the article, Why eLearning is So Difficult to Eat, here...
The Promise of Simulations
We found this to be a well-written article on the promise (and some pitfalls) of using simulations as a learning platform. Of particular note is the commentary about when simulations are appropriate and why some past efforts have failed: "Overenthusiastic e-learning vendors have touted simulations in many areas where they should not have been used. Many companies that first adopted them were disappointed with the results. All too often, unfortunately, learning objectives were ignored in order to provide clients with the 'wow' factor. Simulations looked good, but little learning occurred."
http://www.clomedia.com/content/templates/clo_feature.asp?articleid=382&zoneid=29
September 14, 2004
Emergent Learning
It's always interesting when someone comes up with a new name for an existing phenomenon. In this case, the term 'emergent learning' has been coined to describe the bottoms-up, inter-connected approaches to learning that we're beginning to recognise in a lot of organisations. (Jay Cross, the author, even suggests that we replace the term 'e-learning' with emergent learning). But regardless of what we call it, the great news is that these grassroots learning activities no longer have to hide in the dark.
"Learning has become a core business process. Emergent learning enables us to push beyond the confines of e-learning to explore combinations with informal learning, storytelling, social network analysis, appreciative inquiry, workflow learning, conversation, contextual collaboration, organic KM, simulation, dynamic portals, expert location and blogs."
More at: http://www.internettime.com/blog/archives/001324.html
September 01, 2004
The New Knowledge Management?
We're very interested in ideas around the evolution of knowledge management and how it fits into an organisation's training strategy. Dina Mehta's blog just provided us a new piece of the puzzle -- the idea that effective knowledge management is more about the flow of knowledge than the collection or dissemination of it. So, the most important thing is to have collaboration spaces that allow access to people who know stuff. Not a new idea, certainly, but there are a host of nifty technologies enabling this kind of real-time access to people.
More from Dina here:
http://radio.weblogs.com/0121664/2004/02/19.html#a374
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 02:29 PM
October 27, 2004
Facts and Figures in Adult Learning
Here are some interesting figures (many U.S. based) for how adult learning is faring and meant to grow over the next few years.
Roberto Maragliano on eLearning
This is an interesting article that echoes a lot of the conversations we heard at the eFest conference... Can eLearning be effective if it doesn't just mean a change in technologies, but also a change in pedagogical approach?
"For now, let us simply say that e-Learning is a practical advantageous solution, but to a problem of which we do not yet know the full extent. We are just starting out on this: we have answers but we do not yet know the questions to which they are the answers. We mistakenly think sometimes that on-line training is a virtual version of traditional/classroom teaching. Far from it."
October 19, 2004
Categories of eLearning
We've just been sent a great resource from George Siemens that offers a compelling and structured view of the eLearning universe. It dovetails nicely with the paper we presented at e-Fest last week, stressing the importance of understand learning objectives and approaches over particular technologies and methods.
"A danger exists in discussing various segments of elearning: paying too much attention to distinctions across categories. The real focus and unifying theme is (or at least should be) learning – whether it is in a classroom, online, blended, or embedded. Each category presented here is most effective when properly matched with the appropriate learning environment and desired outcome."
Managing the Gamer Generation
Here is an interview with the authors of a new book, Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever. The book expands on Marc Prensky's digital natives/digital immigrants message with a profound wake-up call about the ways in which games have changed a whole generation of employees. It also seeks to dispel myths and clarify many assumptions about gamers, including the myth that gamers are loners:
"This is one of the huge points creating the generation gap. Gaming is actually much more social than boomers understand. A lot of it is very social, done with friends, and now increasingly, over the Internet. Maybe as a result, gamers really value other people—more than people who didn't play games growing up. They also firmly believe in a team environment."
October 13, 2004
e-Fest Presentation and Paper
I just presented a paper at the e-Fest conference entitled 'The eLearning Edge: Leveraging Interactive Technologies in the Design of Engaging, Effective Learning Experiences'. My premise is that interactive media are good for particular learning objectives and should be utlised as part of a blend that draws on the best of each media option.
The paper also includes lots of references to learning theory that substantiate the use of interactive media. Both the paper and presentation include examples of various learning games and simulations that demonstrate these principles.
View the paper... (PDF)
Click to view the presentation... (HTML)
October 05, 2004
Are You Managing Knowledge Effectively?
This is a great overview of a discipline in transition by Gartner analyst Laurie M. Orlov. It cuts through the confusion to illuminate the key questions organisations should be asking themselves about knowledge management endeavours:
"...when they peer into the knowledge management abyss, IT execs may see an initiative that is long on evangelical fervor — but short on specifics that translate into a project plan. Rather than attempting to saturate the organization with knowledge management lingo and practice, firms should ask themselves these six questions that focus their efforts on solving a specific business problem."
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 04:40 PM
November 23, 2004
Interoperability in Action
Via Derek Wenmoth's blog, a link to a 25 minute video presentation on interoperability standards and what they can do for us all. This particular presentation is based on the X4L interoperability programme, using the RELOAD content packaging tool. Still, the basic principles will apply to many interoperability efforts.
Link here... (Quicktime)
November 22, 2004
Are LMS's Too Limiting?
We're really pleased that this conversation is happening, though it does cause quite a bit of consternation. Learning and content management systems are great because they make learning content relatively easy to develop and administer, but they do require a lot of compromising.
"Given the marketing muscle behind the major LMS developers and their complete dominance of the e-learning space, it’s hardly surprising that many people see an LMS as “the solution” to their future learning needs. But an LMS, as available today, is not a universal solution for a corporation’s e-learning problems. In fact, an LMS is often the albatross around the neck of progress in technology-enhanced learning."
November 13, 2004
The Use of Computer and Video Games for Learning
An amazingly comprehensive 93-page report from Ultralab UK and the Learning and Skills Development Agency UK covering many issues related to computer/video games and learning. The report is a comprehensive look at existing literature and practice, a great snapshot of where the field sits at the moment.
More here... (PDF)
November 05, 2004
Synergies Between Formal and Informal Learning
Lilia Efimova is doing a PhD on 'personal productivity in a knowledge intensive environment: a weblogs case'. During the course of her research, she has uncovered some of the difficult organisational problems that arise when trying to approach learning holistically, embracing both sides of the formal/informal learning coin:
"In practice the above forms of learning are more and more perceived as two sides of the same learning process, whereas organisationally they still "belong" to different departments. Formal learning programs are planned and managed under HR/T&D umbrella, while informal learning usually addressed within knowledge management domain. This seemingly dichotomy results in a variety of learning-support efforts in a company that often are not related nor aligned. This results in lack of support for informal learning, duplicated or contradictory interventions, unnecessary costs and lost opportunities to improve quality."
Games Deserve a Place in the Class
There have been a number of articles recently that point to the usefulness of games in the classroom. This article refers to an initiative by the Institute of Education at the University of London to promote game literacy in young people.
More here...
Same topic, coverage from BBC News...
Learning Objects: A Practical Definition
Learning objects is a term that people often use, but for which there are many different definitions. Rory McGreal now provides a useful definition that incorporates the many different facets:
"Learning objects (LOs) enable and facilitate the use of educational content online. Internationally accepted specifications and standards make them interoperable and reusable by different applications and in diverse learning environments. The metadata that describes them facilitates searching and renders them accessible".
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 02:24 PM
December 22, 2004
Top Ten Tips for Implementing eLearning
From Jane Knight at the eLearning Centre:
1. e-learning is more than online courses
2. Content is not the answer to every learning problem
3. Beauty is in the blend
4. Learning solutions must be appropriate
5. e-Learning is a strategic solution
6. An LMS is not a necessary prerequisite for e-learning
7. Coordinated e-learning efforts make sense
8. Success measures should be clearly identified
9. The right conditions need to be in place for e-learning to succeed
10. Just do it!
eLearning Trends for 2004
Learning Circuits has put together a list of eLearning Trends for 2004, based on a survey of 122 organisations with eLearning initiatives underway. The survey met with some seemingly unexpected results; but upon closer examination they simply reflect greater differentiation in the applications of eLearning technologies:
"This data seems to contradict information from other industry surveys and analyst reports that say e-learning initiatives are gaining momentum. To garner insight, Learning Circuits reviewed and compared verbatim answers with those from previous surveys. The result: Workplace learning professionals seem to be more clearly defining e-learning in relation to an actual learning experience. They’re using such terms as Web conferencing, virtual classrooms, simulations, m-learning, and so on--rather than infrastructure and authoring systems, such as LMSs and LMCSs, which were mentioned in previous years."
December 08, 2004
New Zealand and Australia in 'Early Stages' with eLearning?
From a Learning Circuits news item on a new Cape Group report:
"While Australian and New Zealand organizations have adopted a sophisticated array of e-learning tools and technologies to drive business outcomes, few are exploiting the full capabilities available to them, according to a new research report, "Releasing eLearning's Potential: eLearning in Australian and New Zealand Organizations" published by the Cape Group."
December 03, 2004
The People-Process-Product Continuum in eLearning
This paper by Badrul H. Khan addresses the process of building eLearning materials and what types of people need to be involved. His process involves two phases, content development and content delivery/maintenance. He also outlines the different roles tha tneed to be involved from planning and design to production and evaluation. A very useful blueprint for setting up a project.
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 11:22 AM
January 18, 2005
George Siemens on eLearning
George Siemens has been busy these last few weeks, providing his readers with a variety of interesting items via his elearnspace blog. Here's a sample:
Why people don't share what they know
5 Key Knowledge Management concepts
And my personal favourite, 'Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age'.
January 11, 2005
eLearning in the UK
Via Learning Circuits, a recent online poll conducted by CIPD highlights the state of eLearning in the UK.
"It can be seen that CD-ROMs remain the most popular form of e-learning. The other methods seem to have supplemented rather than replaced the stand-alone CD-ROM. For some time we have recognised that e-learning can take two forms: content centered-activity (modules made available to the user at his or her PC) and collaborative learning activities (discussion sites and Webinars, which are Web-based seminars led by subject matter experts). The former predominates but, within this category, there is a marked shift to customised modules specifically created for the organization’s needs."
February 18, 2005
International Journal of Knowledge and Learning
The International Journal of Knowledge and Learning has released its first volume, focussing largely on knowledge management.
There are a number of interesting articles and case studies by a range of experts and practitioners.
Of particular note:
- The Knowledge Society: a manifesto for knowledge and learning - Miltiadis D. Lytras, Miguel Angel Sicilia
- Learning management systems: a new beginning in the management of learning and knowledge - Audrey Grace, Tom Butler
- Knowledge management and the Australian Public Service: some lessons learned - Bill Martin
- Knowledge sharing in practice: applied storytelling and knowledge communities at NASA - Denise Lee, Jessica Simmons, Jennifer Drueen
February 09, 2005
12 Learning Principles
From Renate Nummerla Caine and Geoffrey Caine, a simple list of twelve fundamental learning principles rooted in neuroscientific research.
March 29, 2005
Coordination, Collaboration, Cooperation
If you've ever given any thought to the differences between the three terms, coordination, collaboration and cooperation, this reflective piece from Dave Pollard is for you.
Posted by Lisa Galarneau at 07:55 AM
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