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Column Two
News and opinion on all things KM & CM |
James Robertson
Step Two Designs
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Written by James Robertson Step Two Designs |
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Articles by Category: E-learning
Usability testing for e-learningShailesh Shilwant & Amy Haggarty have written an article on usability testing for e-learning. To quote: Culturally diverse and geographically far-flung, the new global workforce is leading businesses to search for better, more effective ways to manage growing requirements for employee learning solutions. Clearly, e-learning has become one of the most popular solutions to meet this need. While e-learning enthusiasts extol its lower costs, broader accessibility and personalization potential, e-learning also has experienced slow user adoption and high dropout rates in many organizations. In some cases, users become easily frustrated or unenthusiastic about the material, and if they don't complete the course, the company might not realize a return on its investment. Usability testing can address some of these shortfalls in the learner experience, as well as provide designers with a set of principles and methods that can be used to design courses that will capture and hold users' interest from start to finish. [Thanks to InfoDesign.] Posted by jamesr at 11:23 AM
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Personal learningDenham Grey has written a blog entry looking at the role of personal learning. To quote: My thoughts around learning have been profoundly altered by reading Wenger, Brown & Duguid and von Krogh and focus on collective workplace practices. Have come to appreciate the role, value and importance of social learning, situated learning, learning in community and culture. That more is learned on the playing fields and in discourse with peers than from the sage on the stage. Even in very structured training situations, it is the breaktime conversation, the secondhand explanation from a colleague that situates the new concept, validates its importance and sanctions its legitimacy. Posted by jamesr at 03:43 PM
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Usability in e-learningMichael J. Miller has written an article on the importance of usability in e-learning. To quote: While a large number of organizations have adopted e-learning programs, far fewer have addressed the usability of their learning applications. More attention should be devoted to assuring the usability of e-learning applications if organizations are to fully benefit from their investments. [Thanks to InfoDesign.] Posted by jamesr at 08:53 PM
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Three steps to teaching decision-making onlineAmy Gahran has written a blog entry on teaching decision-making online. To quote: Decisions are a very important type of task. Maybe even the most important type, ultimately -- in business and other realms. I think e-learning can be incredibly valuable for teaching people how to make decisions such as evaluating, troubleshooting, researching, investigating, selling, communicating… you name it. But personally, I think that type of teaching is handled best if the act of making the decision (putting information to use) is separated from the "information dump" (facts, context, history, details, etc.). [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 08:02 AM
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Learning Management Systems: The wrong place to start learningGeorge Siemens has written an article on the problems inherent in starting with an LMS purchase. To quote: Learning Management Systems (LMS) are often viewed as being the starting point (or critical component) of any elearning or blended learning program. This perspective is valid from a management and control standpoint, but antithetical to the way in which most people learn today. [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 04:03 PM
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Why e-learning is so difficult to eatPatrick Lambe has written an article on the challenges of implementing e-learning. To quote: To do enterprise e-learning really well, beyond the technical competencies present already in HR and IT, you have to be able to marry deep understanding of the operational needs at the front line, strategic direction, consulting and change management skills, quality and performance metrics, information architecture and usability design, workflow analysis and process redesign, culture influencing, and superb communication and negotiation skills. Posted by jamesr at 10:53 AM
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701 e-learning tipsThe MASIE Center has published a free online book containing 701 e-learning tips. To quote: Thanks to The MASIE Center’s TRENDS readers and e-Learning Consortium Members, over 1000 e-Learning tips were received, analyzed, and categorized. These tips are from senior managers and training professionals from major corporations around the world. We have edited and compiled 141 pages and 14 chapters covering the ABC’s of getting started to global implementation strategies. We hope you enjoy this free digital book! [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 10:38 AM
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The power of informal learningBob Mosher writes about the value of informal learning, compared with more traditional approaches. To quote: Although more formal forms of instruction such as the classroom and e-learning will be around for years, it’s becoming more and more important to watch and harness the more informal methodologies that our students are utilizing. Most of these methods have been around for years, but have gone unnoticed by the training community. If you ask many advanced learners today, they will tell you they are gravitating toward these more informal learning methods and away from traditional ones. Understanding, tracking, creating and encouraging these informal methods of learning can reach a growing population of students you may currently be ignoring or losing touch with altogether. [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 12:10 PM
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How to use weblogs to create engaging learning experiencesMaish Nichani has written an article on using weblogs to support learning. To quote: In conclusion, I would like to stress that the informal and engaging attributes of the weblog format can be used even in the light of tightly scheduled and highly focused training situations. The simple alternatives outlined in this paper can liberate us from the tyranny of product-oriented delivery and help us build continuous, engaging and memorable learning experiences. [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 06:27 PM
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Instructional design for flow in online teachingSandra C. Ceraulo has written on instructional design and online teaching. To quote: Applied to the experience of the instructional designer or online teacher, the seven Characteristics now become the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Online Teaching. They are: [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 10:24 AM
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E-learning predictions for 2004eLearn Magazine presents its preditions for 2004. To quote: What directions will e-learning take in 2004? Will we still call it e-learning? Will there be more or fewer vendors, products, or--most importantly--jobs? Will subject matter experts develop courses instead of instructional designers? Will we all play games and discover along the way that we learned more than ever before--and had fun in the process? Read on for predictions from some of the most thoughtful and opinionated people in e-learning. [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 10:40 AM
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Impediment no barrierEric Wilson has written an article on the Disability Discrimination Act and how it applies to e-learning in Australia. To quote: New extensions to the Disability Discrimination Act, aimed at improving education and training, will soon affect online learning and computer training generally. After seven years of unproductive consultations with the states, the Federal Government is set to act unilaterally next year, with regulations enforcing training accessibility for disabled people. The move is likely to cause the re-engineering of e-learning systems and curriculum, and modification of face-to-face software application courses. Posted by jamesr at 10:23 AM
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Driving performance through trainingEve Drinis and Amy Corrigan have written an article on organisational learning, focusing on how to obtain measurable business benefits. To quote: The goal of good training programs isn't to get butts in the seats, but to get results. The first step is to know what your organization's goals are. Management is probably well aware of these goals. They might even have published them for the employee population. If not, write them down. Is it a key business goal to increase sales? Increase market share? Improve warranty compliance for dealers? Sell more service agreements? Sell more parts? Improve close rates with an existing telemarketing staff? Improve call resolution rates with an existing tech-support staff? [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 09:09 AM
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Making sense of learning specifications & standardsThe MASIE Center has published the second edition of an e-learning report titled Making Sense of Standards and Specifications. To quote: The area of learning standards is one of the most powerful and misunderstood aspects of the e-Learning revolution. As organizations make significant investments in digital learning content, they seek greater assurances of portability and reusability. Organizations also desire the ability to more easily store, search, index, deploy, assemble, and revise learning content. One goal of The MASIE Center's e-Learning CONSORTIUM is to lower industry confusion surrounding learning standards and to accelerate their adoption. Thanks to the hard work of the S3 subgroup, we are able to release the Second Edition of "Making Sense of Standards and Specifications." With over forty new pages of content, this new report focuses on the changes and learnings that have occurred since the First Edition was released in 2000. [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 10:53 AM
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Learning strategiesJackie Dobrovolny has written an article on the learning strategies used by adult learners. To quote: The model presented in "A Model for Self-Paced Technology-Based Training" specifies that adult learning begins with and is sustained by self-assessment and self-correction (metacognition). The model also indicates that in addition to metacognition, adults consistently use the following learning strategies: reflection, prior experiences, conversations, and authentic experiences. Here are specific techniques adults use when they apply these five learning strategies. [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 06:56 AM
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Developing competency-driven learning contentJoyce M. Clark has written an article on developing competency-driven learning content. To quote: Using a competency-based training development process that incorporates performance maps (a one-page summary graphic drawing a line of sight from company goals to individual performance), companies can quickly prioritize competencies for a role. This prioritization helps identify which key competencies individual employees should focus on enhancing, as well as the competency-driven learning content that should be developed to support training objectives. This identification and prioritization process best prepares companies to meet the training needs of our ever-changing business environment. [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 09:19 PM
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E-learning needs analysisJohn Sloan discusses the importance of e-learning needs analysis. To quote: It is important to establish right at the beginning that e-learning technology is not a total solution. Even its most ardent advocates will argue that e-learning technology is only part of the package. Regardless of the goals you set for this strategy, chances are that you will be looking at both technical and non-technical training assets. It is worth noting that, while IT departments have been leaders in the adoption of e-learning technologies, as much as 74 percent of computer skills/IT training is delivered via instructor-led classroom means, 18 percent is delivered via computer media (asynchronous technology) and only 4 percent by instructors connected to learners from remote locations (synchronous technology). [Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 04:15 PM
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Learning by DesignAn article has been published discussing the importance of design in e-learning, that is, getting away a strict by-the-numbers approach. To quote: Learning design is an ill-structured domain. Only reflective experimentation can reveal what works and what does not. Even then, what works in one situation may not work in another. But insights gleaned from such experiments do find their way into common practice, making it more robust and more attuned to meet current requirements. "Learning by Design" is Stuart's experiment with e-learning design. It is ironical that Stuart chooses to remain anonymous (see reason below) but we all can benefit from his observations. - Maish Nichani (maish@elearningpost.com) Posted by jamesr at 06:58 PM
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Usability, user experience, and learner experienceMark Notess writes about the application of usability to e-learning. To quote: Boosters of on-line learning promote its lower costs, broader accessibility, and personalization potential. But much e-learning still has slow adoption and high dropout rates. Online learning leaves many students frustrated or unenthusiastic. The good news is that concepts and processes for addressing these shortfalls in learner experience can be found in the field of usability. In this paper, I outline ways in which the field of usability, properly understood, can help online learning fulfill its promise. Posted by jamesr at 07:55 PM
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Tips for developing effective simulationsFlashSim presents a good list of tips for developing effective simulations. These consist of:
[Thanks to elearningpost.] Posted by jamesr at 04:52 PM
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Use and abuse of reusable learning objectsPithamber R. Polsani provides a snapshot of the current use, and misuse of learning objects, in which he highlights the increasing confusion about the term: The term Learning Object, first popularized by Wayne Hodgins in 1994 when he named the CedMA working group "Learning Architectures, APIs and Learning Objects", has become the Holy Grail of content creation and aggregation in the computer-mediated learning field. The terms Learning Objects (LOs) and Reusable Learning Objects are frequently employed in uncritical ways, thereby reducing them to mere slogans. The serious lack of conceptual clarity and reflection is evident in the multitude of definitions and uses of LOs. The objectives of this paper are to assess current definitions of the term Learning Object, to articulate the foundational principles for developing a concept of LOs, and to provide a methodology and broad set of guidelines for creating LOs. [Thanks to Peter J. Bogaards.] Posted by jamesr at 11:08 AM
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Learning objects metadata: implementations and open issuesThe IEEE Computer Society Learning Technology Task Force (LTTF) have released a special publication dedicated to learning objects metadata. To quote: This special issue is devoted to the discussion of learning object metadata within and beyond the LOM framework, their implementations, extensions, limitations, and potential. A diversity of opinions, experiences, and solutions presented in this Newsletter stresses the variety of research directions and implementation issues related to metadata that may give birth to further guidelines and standards in this area. [Thanks to Peter J. Bogaards.] Posted by jamesr at 10:10 AM
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LMS and LCMS: What's the Difference?Leonard Greenberg writes about the differences between a LMS and LCMS (thats: Learning Management System and Learning Content Management System). To quote: If you?re confused about the differences between a learning management system (LMS) and a learning content management system (LCMS), you?re not alone. Not only are the names similar, some suppliers are positioning LCMSs as the new wave of LMSs. In fact, an LMS and an LCMS are complementary but very different systems that serve different masters and address unique business challenges. Posted by jamesr at 06:37 PM
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What is a learning object?Glenn Millar has written a very good primer on learning objects, that walks through what they are, how they are constructed, and what they are used for. To quote: First, many educators see learning objects as a viable alternative to the traditional instructor-led course format. The problem with the "course" is that it is not very flexible and it is difficult to re-purpose. Learning objects stored in a database and properly tagged for easy searches, are designed specifically for flexibility and re-use. I found this article very useful. Recently, I've been getting a few questions about the relationship of content management to learning, so now I am a little clearer... Posted by jamesr at 08:14 AM
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