Son-of-Fire's Learning Landscape

10 Key Considerations for Your Mobile Web Design Strategy

2011-03-24T14:27:00.002-04:00

From Mashable!

10 Key Considerations for Your Mobile Web Design Strategy: "

Brian Casel is a web designer and co-host of Freelance Jam, the live web show for independent professionals who build the web. Connect with Brian on Twitter @CasJam.
There’s no turning back now. The web has gone mobile. More users are accessing the web from more places on more devices than ever before. What does this mean for web designers and site owners? It means that in every project we do, we must address a mobile strategy.
Your strategy will differ depending on what type of project you’re working on, but make no mistake, you do need some kind of strategy for how your website (or your client’s website) functions in the mobile space. Whether you’re designing a site that is mostly static (is anything on the web really static anymore?), a content-driven news site, or an interactive web application, it’s best to pursue a well-rounded approach — one that includes a thoughtful look at your mobile website user experience.
In this article, I aim to highlight 10 crucial items that you, as the web designer, developer or site owner, need to consider at the outset of your mobile site design project. These ideas touch on all aspects of a process, from strategy to design and implementation. But it’s important to be accountable for these points up front to ensure the successful launch of your mobile site.

1. Define Your Need for a Mobile Site

Usually a mobile website design project comes about through one of the following circumstances:

It’s a brand new website in need of both a desktop and mobile strategy.
It’s a redesign of an existing website, which will include a new mobile site.
It’s an addition of a mobile site to an existing desktop site, which won’t be changing.

Each of these circumstances brings a different set of requirements, which will help you determine the best way forward as you consider the items discussed below.

2. Consider the Business Objectives

In most cases, you, as the designer/developer are being hired by a client to design a mobile site for their business. What are the business objectives as they relate to the website, specifically the mobile site? As with any design, you’ll need to prioritize these objectives, then communicate that hierarchy in your design. When translating your design to mobile, you’ll need to take this a step further and focus on just a couple of top priority objectives for the business.
Take the website for Hyundai as an example. If you load hyundai.com in a desktop browser, the first thing you’ll see are big, bold images that evoke an emotional connection to their vehicles. In addition, you see a robust navigation, callouts to various benefits of owning a Hyundai, site search and social media links.

Now load hyundai.com in your mobile browser and you have a stripped-down version of the website. Yet the most prominent feature is still the same: a relatively big image of their latest vehicle model, followed by several other (mobile-optimized) images of vehicles. You don’t see the complex navigation and other callouts in the mobile version. They chose to focus their mobile site on their primary business objective, which is to evoke an emotional connection with their cars through bold imagery.

3. Study the Data of the Past Before Moving Forward

If this project is a redesign (most web design projects are these days), or an addition of a mobile site to an existing website, hopefully the site has been tracking traffic with Google Analytics (or another metrics tracking software). It is wise to study the data before diving into design and development.
Analyze things like which devices and browsers your users are accessing the site from. While you want to be sure the site is built with device support in mind, you can target these browsers as high priorities when you go from design, through development, testing and launch.

4. Practice Responsive Web Design

With so many new mobile devices being released every year, the days of checking your site in a few web browsers and launching are over. You’ll need to optimize your site for a vast landscape of desktop and mobile browsers, each bringing a different screen resolution, supported technologies, and user-base. As recommended in the well-known article Responsive Web Design, you can craft the desktop and mobile site experiences simultaneously. To quote from that article:

“Rather than tailoring disconnected designs to each of an ever-increasing number of web devices, we can treat them as facets of the same experience.”

Utilizing the latest and most forward-thinking web technologies like HTML5, CSS3, and web fonts, you can design your site to scale and adapt to any device it’s viewed on. That’s what we call responsive web design.

5. Simplicity Is Golden, But …

As a general rule of thumb when converting a desktop site design to mobile format, you want to simplify things wherever possible. There are several reasons for this. Keeping file size and load times down is always a good idea for a mobile site. Wireless connections — while faster than years past — are still relatively slow, so the faster your mobile site loads, the better.
Usability considerations on the mobile web also call for a simplified approach to design, layout, and navigation. With less screen real estate at your disposal, you need to choose your placement of elements wisely. In short: Less is more.
However, we can still create beautiful designs that are optimized for mobile. CSS3 gives us an amazing set of tools for creating things like gradients, drop-shadows, and rounded corners, all without resorting to bulky images. That’s not to say you can’t use images at all.
Check out these examples of mobile sites that strike a great balance between simplicity and beauty.

6. Single-Column Layouts Usually Work Best

As you think about layout, a single-column structure tends to work best. Not only does this help with managing limited space on the smaller screen, it also helps you easily scale between different device resolutions and flipping between portrait and landscape mode.
Using responsive web design techniques, you can take a multi-column desktop site layout and adapt it to a single-column layout. The new Basecamp mobile website does a great job of this.

7. Vertical Hierarchy: Think in Collapsible Terms

Does your site have a lot of information that needs to be presented on the mobile site? A good way to organize things in a simple and digestible way is to set up a collapsible navigation. Taking your single-column structure a step further, you can stack chunks of large content in folding modules that allow the user to tap open the content that they’re interested in and hide the rest.
Check out the mobile site for Major League Baseball. At the top of the page is a button labeled “Teams.” Tapping this extends the page, listing the 30 teams vertically in the single-column page.

8. Go From “Clickable” to “Tappable”

On the mobile web, interaction is done via finger taps rather than mouse clicks. This creates a very different dynamic in terms of usability.
When converting from a desktop to mobile site design, you have to revisit your “clickable” elements — links, buttons, menus, etc. — and make them “tappable.” While the desktop web lends itself well to links with small and precise active (clickable) areas, the mobile web requires larger, chunkier buttons that can be easily pressed with a thumb.
In addition, on the mobile web there is no hover state. Most of the time, when something is set up to occur on hover (like a dropdown navigation menu), it actually occurs on the first tap when viewed on a mobile device. The second tap on the mobile site does what the first click does on the desktop site. This may cause confusion for mobile users, which means you’ll need to re-work hover states for mobile.

9. Provide Interaction Feedback

Speaking of interaction, you’ll need to make sure you provide obvious feedback for any actions that occur on the front-end of your mobile site.
For example, when the user taps a link or button, it’s good practice to have that button visually change states to indicate it has been tapped and the action has been initiated. It’s common to see a white-colored link turn fully blue on the iPhone when tapped. This visual feedback is familiar to most users and you’d be wise to take advantage of it.
Another good practice is to include loading states for actions which may take a bit longer to load. Use an animated loading image to indicate something is in progress. Basecamp Mobile does a great job of this by showing a spinning loading gif as it loads the next page.
Remember, the desktop browsers have various indicators built-in to show that something is in progress. Mobile browsers don’t make it as obvious, so it’s important to build visual feedback into your mobile site design.

10. Test Your Mobile Website

As with any project, you’ll need to test your mobile website on as many devices as possible. Without owning all these devices, it can be somewhat tricky to find ways to accurately test for each. It will involve a combination of installing the developer SDK for the platform (like the iPhone SDK and Android SDK) and using web-based emulators for viewing other mobile platforms.
This article provides a thorough breakdown of how to test a mobile website across the most popular platforms.
Off you go!
Hopefully this article provided some insight as you embark on a new mobile site design project. Be sure to leave any other tips you find useful when designing for the mobile web in the comments below.

Interested in more Mobile resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

More About: android, iphone, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, mobile design, mobile web, web design, Web Development

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New Platform Uses Social Features To Improve Online Education

2011-03-09T20:55:00.002-05:00

From Mashable!

New Platform Uses Social Features To Improve Online Education: "

Buried within platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Wikipedia lies valuable educational content that can reinforce classroom lessons, help self-motivated learners teach themselves new concepts, and upend the way that the world looks at education. But it’s hard to separate this content from the cat videos, ads and uninformed contributions that share the same platforms.
Social learning startup Sophia, which launched its public beta Monday, aims to solve this problem by focusing exclusively on crowdsourced educational material and encouraging users to help sort the academically sound, engaging lessons from the sub-par lessons.
Anybody can compile a “lesson packet” on Sophia using slideshows, videos, audio clips and text that they either upload or pull in from sources like YouTube. About 200 private beta users have already covered lessons ranging from Camera Angles & Shots to Coordinate Geometry of Quadrilaterals.
The idea is to make it easy for students to find reliable knowledge on any topic quickly and efficiently. In the search options, for instance, students can even select specific text books to find corresponding packets. If students still don’t understand something after viewing a lesson, they can post a question to a Q&A board attached to each packet.
CEO Don Smithmier says one of the most common uses of the platform since the private beta that launched in November has been to curate the best content about a given concept from other social media platforms like YouTube.
“There’s a ton of good information on the web, but it’s hard to find,” he says. “And part of it is that if you don’t already know what you’re doing, it’s hard to evaluate the good from the bad.”
After a packet is submitted, Sophia has multiple ways to gauge its quality. When users sign up for the site, they have an option to identify themselves as subject experts, if they hold a degree in that field or teach courses on it. Three such experts need to certify a lesson as “academically sound” before it is labeled as such.
There is also a five-star user rating system similar to the seller ratings at Amazon.com, and lesson creators have lifetime “Sophia ratings” that gauge how successfully they’ve contributed to the community. Other rewards for providing quality content include earning followers via a Twitter-like feature and badges.

Sophia.org is free, and the company is committed to barring advertising, as well as the content manipulations that come with it, from the site. But the project isn’t purely a labor of love — eventually the company will sell a white-label version of the product to schools and universities that want their own private, white-label versions of the product. For now, the project is backed by an investment from online education company Capella.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, enviromantic
More About: edu tech, education, online learning, social learning, Sophia, startup

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5 Free Tools For Creating a Screencast

2011-03-08T22:14:00.001-05:00

5 Free Tools For Creating a Screencast: "

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.
Showing people what a product does is a better way to catch their attention than telling them about it. Car salesmen encourage test drives, ice cream stores give out free samples, and I’d be willing to bet that few people purchase a Hanger Cascader without watching the infomercial first.
Your digital product is also more appealing when demonstrated. And the most affordable way to show people what your software does, even if you’re also offering a free trial, is often to produce a short screencast. These five free tools can help you get started.

1. Screenr

Screenr helps share your screencast videos over Twitter. After you make up to a five-minute-long screencast using the simple web tool, a shortened link to the video is automatically provided. You can add a message and post the video link to your feed with the push of a button. There are also options to post to YouTube or embed the video in your site.
While other screencast tools, like Jing (see below), have Twitter sharing options, Screenr distinguishes itself by also creating a YouTube-like profile for each user. All of your videos are saved on your profile, and a public feed of other users’ videos makes for interesting browsing. If you like an idea that you see, you can click the maker’s profile photo to see other videos they’ve uploaded.

2. Overstream

Basic, free screencapture software programs, like Wink, do a pretty decent job at creating videos, but few of them include features that allow you to add text easily. Overstream allows you to pull a video from a supported site like YouTube or Google Video and add your own subtitles to it.
CaptionTube is another free captioning web app that you can use your Google account to log into.

3. Jing

Downloading Jing puts a sun-shaped icon in the upper-righthand corner of your monitor. When you want to grab either a screenshot or a screencast, hitting the icon opens up a tool that you use to mark the perimeter of your shot and start recording. If you’re recording a screencast, audio will automatically be recorded.
You can choose to upload videos to screencast.com, which is run by the same company. Once you’ve done so, it’s easy to share the provided URL or embed the video in your site. Alternatively, you can customize share buttons on your Jing dashboard for sharing directly to Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.
The free version of Jing records in SWF format. Jing pro subscribers can record in SWF or MPEG-4 video, make unbranded videos, record from their webcams and upload videos directly to YouTube.

4. GoView

Unlike most free options, GoView provides some editing capabilities. After you record your screencast and audio using the downloaded screen capture software, you can cut portions out and add title pages. Saved videos are automatically uploaded to the GoView site, and links are provided for easy sharing.
The software is free for now while the product is in public beta. But unfortunately, its early stage of development also means that it’s available on only Windows XP and Vista operating systems.

5. Screencast-o-Matic

The free version of Screencast-o-Matic captures screencasts, audio and video from your webcam at the same time without downloading any software. Finished videos, which can be up to 15 minutes long, can be exported as MP4, AVI or FLV files, uploaded to YouTube, or saved to the Screencast-o-Matic site. A note-taking option can be used to link directly to a specific moment in your video.
Videos made using the free version have a “Screencast-o-Matic” watermark on them that can only be removed by ponying up $9 to download the pro version.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- 4 Web Apps For Managing Job Applications
- HOW TO: Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
- HOW TO: Create Your Own Customized Short URL
- 7 Services to Find and Reserve Your Name Across the Web
- 10 Essential Tips for Building Your Small Biz Team

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, TommL
More About: business, free tools, goview, Jing, List, Lists, overstream, product demo, screencast, screencast-o-matic, screencasting, screencasts, screenr, small business, video

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It's Not the Weapon, but the One Who Wields It...

2011-01-10T18:10:00.002-05:00

I have been spending some time on LinkedIn lately, specifically on group conversations. Recently the E-Learning 2.0 group got my attention. The discussion was based on what would be the most relevant eLearning technologies of the 21st century. Now I am a product strategist, learning technologist, and lacrosse coach...

Whenever it comes to discussing how to best use technology, learning systems, or lacrosse sticks, and whether using it will make a difference, it always comes down to the same thing... "It's not the tool, but the one who wields it" that scores the goal... That takes preparation...

This means that the future of Enterprise 2.0, social tools, mobile, or any other advances in eLearning will depend highly on whether those who implement these tools to make business critical and or academic information available - are mapping the right tools, to the right job roles, and for the right reasons. It all comes down to needs analysis and how providers design a set of learning and knowledge management systems around those needs.

As a learning or knowledge management professional, what can you do?

Conduct a needs analysis.
Identify the organizations goals and business drivers.
Identify critical job- and team-based tasks.
Understand the parameters of the work environment and its context.
Know your learners and knowledge consumers.
Involve all stakeholders in the process (IT, HR, Operations, any business unit that may be "touched")
Avoid the "flavor of the month..."do not implement a new technology just because everyone else is using it.
Bring in experts when you need them
Choose the right tools for the right jobs

New technologies are the weapons for success in the years to come, but remember, it's not the weapon, but the one who wields it...

Darwinism, Social Technologies & Learning Management Systems

2010-12-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

Darwinism, Social Technologies & Learning Management Systems: "

I do not consider myself a naturalist, and this is not an anthropological study, but I will start with a question… Do you have kids?

I do – four of ‘em.

Kids are amazing to observe, whether you have your own or spend time with your nieces, nephews, grandchildren or neighbors (and then get to give them back . . . → Read More: Darwinism, Social Technologies & Learning Management Systems

How To Make Your Own Podcast For Free

2010-10-02T09:16:00.003-04:00

Great article from MakeUseOf...

How To Make Your Own Podcast For Free: "
Have you ever thought about making a podcast, but didn’t really know where to start? Don’t stress – you’re not alone. There’s a lot of people out there who aren’t quite sure what a podcast is, let alone where to begin.
Then, when it comes to actually creating a podcast, the options are a little daunting. How do you decide how much space and bandwidth you need? Is there a free option without ads? Do I need a professional set-up just to make it half-decent? It’s a world of confusion. Today we’re going to try to clear up all that confusion for you.

What Is A Podcast?

Podcasts are essentially a series of video or audio media files which can be subscribed to using a syndicated feed such as RSS or Atom. The name “podcast” came about by blending the terms “iPod” and “broadcasting”. In fact, iPods have never been essential to subscribing to a podcast, but the term has nevertheless stuck.

How Are Podcasts Made?

There are plenty of ways to make a podcast. Essentially, you just need to get the two essential ingredients working together: video or audio media and an RSS/Atom feed.

It’s possible to find a hosting solution for the individual files (free or paid) and then feature each file in a blog post using any blogging platform you like. So, your podcasting options could include:

A self-hosted Wordpress blog with sufficient file space for audio/video media.
YouTube (provides video hosting and an RSS feed for free).
Blip.TV (provides video hosting and RSS feed for free).
Free file storage like DropBox and a free Blogger blog.
A dedicated podcast hosting service.

What Amount Of Storage & Bandwidth Do You Need?

With audio files, space consumption does vary a lot depending on the audio compression. A generous estimation for MP3 is that you will need about 1MB space per minute of audio. So, if you record a few sessions of half an hour long (30mins = approx 30MB) to start with and intend to make a half-hour segment per week, you’ll need to start with storage space of about 100MB which increases by at least 150MB per month. Plug in your own proposed segment lengths and frequency to get your personal estimate.
Bandwidth requirements for podcasts will entirely depend on your audience. Let’s say you had 100 listeners (quite a lot for a new podcast) which means each person automatically downloads each of your 30MB weekly installments. Essentially, you’re going to need 100 times more bandwidth allocation per month than your monthly storage needs. In this case, you’ll need at least 15GB bandwidth to get you through the month.
With video files, it varies wildly depending on the compression you use. For instance, an MPEG-4 can average about 15MB per minute of video, while an AVI file can average 60MB per minute. That’s a huge difference! But, lets say you’re using MPEG-4 to make a 30 minute video. That could be 450MB! If you start with three videos that size and want to do one a week, you’d need a start-up space of about 1.5GB and an increase of 2.5GB per month.
Bandwidth needs for video podcasting? Let’s just leave it at LOTS.

Where Can You Easily Host A Podcast For Free?

With free dedicated podcast hosting you generally have peace of mind, knowing that you will not be charged more than you can afford for hosting and that a reputable company is backing up your data for you. Plus, many of these hosts will help to promote your feed wherever possible to people with similar interests.
Because of the size of video podcasting, it’s usually recommended that you use a free dedicated service rather than hosting your own. YouTube and Blip.tv are both good options.

YouTube limits each file upload to 15 minutes and 2GB at a time. There’s no limit to the number of videos you can upload. Blip.tv doesn’t seem to have a size limit or a limit on the number of videos you can upload. To submit to podcast directories though, you may need to do a little hacking.
With audio podcasting, the free podcast hosts generally come with size and bandwidth limitations. Plus, they may place adverts in your audio or on the web page your feed is promoted on. Another serious limitation is that they often require you to download their own software to upload your audio.

Due to these limitations and the much smaller size of audio files, it’s recommended that hobby audio podcasters either use a dedicated free service or a free file storage service with a free blog. Meanwhile, professional audio podcasters are recommended to use their own hosting and blog.
If you choose to host your own podcast, don’t forget that many file storage services and personal web hosts have bandwidth limitations or possible extra charges. Make sure you read all the fine print and work out your real costs.
Many of you just want a simple, free one-site-does-everything audio podcast solution, like the video hosts previously mentioned. I have seen several options and, due to the various limitations, would only be comfortable recommending Podomatic. The other options simply have too many limitations on free accounts. Also, if you ever need to upgrade to a paid pro account, Podomatic has some great options that won’t require you to relocate your podcast.

Using Podomatic

Podomatic is really easy to use. Sign up only takes a minute and you can be uploading audio or video in no time at all. Although, if you keep in mind the size of video, you’ll realise the free account is best suited to audio podcasts.

There are many uploading options, including recording the podcast using the website, uploading a file through the web interface or uploading via FTP. This means you are free to make your podcast using your favourite tools on your computer, like GarageBand. Each episode gets an individual photo for promotion purposes and the Podomatic podcast directory will help you promote your feed to people who want to hear it. What more could you want?
The above should get you well and truly on your way to starting your podcast. If you have any questions or problems, let us know in the comments below and we’ll see if we can help.
Image Credit: Shutterstock

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The Case For Social Media in Schools

2010-09-29T19:42:00.001-04:00

A great article from Sarah Kessler worth sharing...

The Case For Social Media in Schools: "

A year after seventh grade teacher Elizabeth Delmatoff started a pilot social media program in her Portland, Oregon classroom, 20% of students school-wide were completing extra assignments for no credit, grades had gone up more than 50%, and chronic absenteeism was reduced by more than a third. For the first time in its history, the school met its adequate yearly progress goal for absenteeism.
At a time when many teachers are made wary by reports of predators and bullies online, social media in the classroom is not the most popular proposition. Teachers like Delmatoff, however, are embracing it rather than banning it. They argue that the educational benefits of social media far outweigh the risks, and they worry that schools are missing out on an opportunity to incorporate learning tools the students already know how to use.
What started as a Facebook-like forum where Delmatoff posted assignments has grown into a social media component for almost every subject. Here are the reasons why she and other proponents of educational social media think more schools should do the same.

1. Social Media is Not Going Away

In the early 1990s, the Internet was the topic of a similar debate in schools. Karl Meinhardt was working as a school computer services manager at the time.
“There was this thing called the Internet starting to show up that was getting a lot of hype, and the school administration was adamantly against allowing access,” he says. “The big fear was pornography and predators, some of the same stuff that’s there today. And yet…can you imagine a school not connected to the Internet now? “
Meinhardt helped develop the Portland social media pilot program after Delmatoff saw his weekly technology segment on the local news and called to ask for his advice. In his opinion, social media, like the Internet, will be a part of our world for a long time. It’s better to teach it than to fight it.
Almost three-fourths of 7th through 12th graders have at least one social media profile, according to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The survey group used social sites more than they played games or watched videos online.
When schools have tried to ban social media, now an integral part of a young person’s life, they’ve had negative results. Schools in Britain that tried to “lock down” their Internet access, for instance, found that “as well as taking up time and detracting from learning, it did not encourage the pupils to take responsibility for their actions.”
“Don’t fight a losing battle,” says Delmatoff. “We’re going to get there anyway, so it’s better to be on the cutting edge, and be moving with the kids, rather than moving against them…Should they be texting their friends during a lecture? Of course not. They shouldn’t be playing cards in a lecture, they shouldn’t be taking a nap during a lecture. But should they learn how to use media for good? Absolutely.”

2. When Kids Are Engaged, They Learn Better

Matt Hardy, a 3rd and 4th grade teacher in Minnesota, describes the “giddy” response he gets from students when he introduces blogs. He started using blogs in his classroom in 2007 as a way to motivate students to write.
“Students aren’t just writing on a piece of paper that gets handed to the teacher and maybe a smiley face or some comments get put on it,” he says. “Blogging was a way to get students into that mode where, ‘Hey, I’m writing this not just for an assignment, not just for a teacher, but my friend will see it and maybe even other people [will] stumble across it.’ So there’s power in that.”
Delmatoff says that at first her students were worried they would get in trouble for playing because they actually enjoyed doing activities like writing a blog.
“But writing a blog, that’s not playing, that’s hard work,” she says. “Karl and I started thinking we were really on to something if kids were thinking that their hard academic work was too much fun.”
Her students started getting into school early to use the computer for the social media program, and the overall quality of their work increased. Although Delmatoff is adamant that there’s no way to pin her class’s increased academic success specifically to the pilot program, it’s hard to say that it didn’t play a part in the more than 50% grade increase.

3. Safe Social Media Tools Are Available — And They’re Free

When Hardy started using blogs to teach, he developed his own platform to avoid some of the dangers associated with social media use and children. His platform allowed him to monitor and approve everything the children were posting online, and it didn’t expose his students to advertising that might be inappropriate. He later developed a similar web-based tool that all teachers could use called kidblog.org. The concept caught on so quickly that his server crashed in September when the school year started.
Many mainstream social media sites like Facebook and MySpace are blocked in schools that receive federal funding because of the Children’s Internet Protection Act, which states that these schools can’t expose their students to potential harm on the Internet.
Kidblog.org is one of many free tools that allow teachers to control an online environment while still benefiting from social media. Delmatoff managed her social media class without a budget by using free tools like Edmodo and Edublogs.

4. Replace Online Procrastination with Social Education

Between 2004 and 2009, the amount of time that kids between the ages of 2 and 11 spent online increased by 63%, according to a Nielson study. And there’s no reason, Meinhardt argues, that schools shouldn’t compete with other social media sites for part of this time.
He helped Delmatoff create a forum where she would post an extra assignment students could complete after school every day. One day she had students comment on one of President Obama’s speeches; another day she had them make two-minute videos of something on their walk home that was a bad example of sustainability. These assignments had no credit attached to them. “It didn’t get you an A, it didn’t get you a cookie. It didn’t get you anything except something to do and something to talk about with other students.”
About 100 students participated. Through polls taken before and after the program, Meinhardt determined that students spent between four to five fewer hours per week on Facebook and MySpace when the extra assignments had been implemented.
“They were just as happy to do work rather than talk trash,” Delmatoff says. “All they wanted was to be with their friends.”

5. Social Media Encourages Collaboration Instead of Cliques

Traditional education tactics often involve teacher-given lectures, students with their eyes on their own papers, and not talking to your neighbor.
“When you get in the business world,” Meinhardt says, “All of [a] sudden it’s like, ‘OK, work with this group of people.’ It’s collaborative immediately. And we come unprepared to collaborate on projects.”
Social media as a teaching tool has a natural collaborative element. Students critique and comment on each other’s assignments, work in teams to create content, and can easily access each other and the teacher with questions or to start a discussion.
Taking some discussions online would also seem to be an opportunity for kids who are shy or who don’t usually interact with each other to learn more about each other. A study by the Lab for Social Computing at the Rochester Institute of Technology, however, found that this wasn’t the case. The study found that using educational social media tools in one of the Institute’s courses had no measurable impact on social connections.
Delmatoff argues that with her students, however, new connections were made. “If you’re shy or you’re not popular or any of those hideous things that we worry about in middle school — if you know the answers or have good insights or ask good questions, you’re going to be really valuable online.” she says. “So I started to see some changes that way.”

6. Cell Phones Aren’t the Enemy

69% of American high schools have banned cell phones, according to figures compiled by CommonSense Media, a nonprofit group that studies children’s use of technology. Instead, Delmatoff’s school collected student’s cell phone numbers.
Delmatoff would send text messages to wake chronically absent kids up before school or send messages like, “I see you at the mini-mart” when they were running late (there’s a mini-mart visible from the school). She called the program “Texts on Time,” and it improved chronic absenteeism by about 35% without costing the school a dime.
“The cell phone is a parent-sponsored, parent-funded communication channel, and schools need to wrap their mind around it to reach and engage the kids,” Meinhardt says.

Conclusion

Nobody would dispute that the risks of children using social media are real and not to be taken lightly. But there are also dangers offline. The teachers and parents who embrace social media say the best way to keep kids safe, online or offline, is to teach them. We’re eager to hear what you think. Tell us in the comments below.

More Education Resources from Mashable:

- Why Online Education Needs to Get Social
- 15 Essential Back to School Podcasts
- How Social Gaming is Improving Education
- 3 Ways Educators Are Embracing Social Technology
- 5 Innovative Tech Camps for Kids and Teens

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More About: education, Kids, Mobile 2.0, phone, schools, social media, social media in schools, teachers, teaching, tech, teens, texting, trending

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Is mLearning Like eLearning?

2010-09-24T09:47:00.001-04:00

Is mLearning Like eLearning? This is a question I recently responded to as posed by Janet Clarey, Technology Editor from ELearning! magazine from a LinkedIn group she moderates (The ELearning! Magazine Network). In one of Janet's comments, she thinks the key in in the "m," - I agree. It's an important question and because we've discussed mLearning several times in this blog, so I thought I would share my response...

Great question and to Janet's response, the "m" is very relevant right now. To answer directly, mLearning is a form of eLearning in that it's electronic but should otherwise be treated as a very different medium. At the same time, some are making many of the same mistakes made when eLearning first came out...

For instance, efforts and tools designed to convert and deliver PowerPoint and traditional eLearning into mLearning eerily parallel efforts to convert traditional classroom training and later PowerPoints straight to eLearning. We all now how that turned out... Why did they do it that way? Because it was new, shiny, and at least in the beginning, eLearning differentiated itself from classroom training as the latest and greatest... (and probably also because true instructional designers were not used to develop). However, it also resulted in very expensive and time-consuming development cycles along with content that often did not address the needs of its learners. Yet now, we are seeing new mobile products designed to develop and deliver "rich mobile media" that allow conversion of PowerPoints or include interfaces that are either not intuitive or are hard to use because they were really designed for use in a standard PC, Mac, or Linux browser. Some have come full circle...

For mLearning as with any medium, instructional designers and course developers need to ensure the medium will meet the needs of the organization's business context and learner. Mobile is useful when it is short, simple, and can be agnostically delivered to many devices. Think 2 minutes with content that's light to stream or download. Think MP3 for audio, think MP4 for video, think HTML or PDF for talking points, process diagrams, checklists, sales positioning, etc... As opposed a large PowerPoints or movie files that are large to download or stream, too long to maintain an attention span on a smart-phone, and are just plain not appropriate for the mobile learner. Mobile is meant to be augmentative and add value as part of a larger and blended learning path. It's for the learner on a plane, train, or automobile; for sales person on the way to propose a new product, for the field-tech who is making an on-site repair. Mobile is for the learner on the go. It needs to be designed, developed, and delivered that way.

So in the end, mLearning can be like eLearning if we make the same mistakes we did 10 years ago, or we can make it different... ;]

How to Create a Widget from a Source Like Google Gadgets

2010-09-22T09:13:00.001-04:00

I obviously deal a lot with social media an often get asked how to create widgets for web pages, blogs, and lately, Learning Management Systems (LMS) that can accommodate them. In this example, I show how to easily create a widget from a source like Google Gadgets that I could later embed on a widget page in my GeoMaestro LMS. Click Play to see just how easy it is:

The Future Internet: Service Web 3.0

2010-08-26T15:02:00.000-04:00

The Future Internet: Service Web 3.0: "

I liked a YouTube video: Future Internet - Supported by STI International: http://www.sti2.org

With over a billion users, today's Internet is arguably the most successful human artifact ever created. The Future Internet, an initiative driven by the European Union, has ...

HOW TO: Make a Great How-To Video

2010-06-04T11:02:00.001-04:00

Good one from Mashable!

HOW TO: Make a Great How-To Video: "
If a picture speaks a thousand words, then a video certainly adds a good few more on top of that. One area in which video is invaluable is the “how-to” instructional that takes a diagram, recipe, or list of steps and brings the topic to life.
A bad how-to isn’t worth the pixels it’s rendered with, so we quizzed Tom Laidlaw, CEO of VideoJug.com — a site dedicated to how-to videos that stocks over 125,000 of them. He shared some dos and don’ts for the format.
Whether you’re a small business owner and want to demo a product, an artisan wanting to show off your skills, or even a consumer with a passion for sharing knowledge, before you pick up the camcorder, have a read of our top tips below.

1. Do Your Research

“If you find something that lots of people want to know, and no one has already made a film of how to do it, then that’s a great title for a ‘how to’ film,” says Laidlaw.
If you’re not in such a lucky position, then you need to think carefully about the exact content, or angle, for your video. A more specific how-to looking at a key area is likely to do better than a general title. For example, “How To: Use This Software to Make a Flow Chart,” might prove more useful, and ultimately more popular than just, “How To: Use This Software.”
Another important part of research is using the free analytic search tools available to you. Laidlaw suggests that a more “scientific” approach to deciding on content or titles is to look at what people are searching for on Google. This should help narrow your focus down to what people actually want to watch.
To use our earlier example again, if the number of flow chart searches are low, but pie chart searches are high — and the software can do both — then be flexible and change your topic, which at an early research stage won’t be a big hassle.

2. Get an Expert View

If you’re the expert, then great. If not, get one involved in the project, preferably with the actual video, but at the very least as an advisor. “Find an expert and talk to them first — before you put pen to paper,” recommends Laidlaw.
Even if your audience doesn’t know the subject matter, chances are they will pick up on a video made by someone who is clearly winging it. “A script that consists of a loads of borrowed material, cut and pasted from the Internet, and cobbled together, won’t be very good,” Laidlaw states.
In the example above, the “actor” is also a highly experienced carpenter. In addition to his convincing “acting skills,” he also provided VideoJug with all the information for the script.

3. Write a Great Script

Even if you think your improvisation skills are top notch, an instructional video can’t afford to miss one tiny step, bore the viewer with unnecessary data, or worse — include digressions. So, Laidlaw says, be sure to write a script.
“If people have searched for the answer to a particular problem, then they want you to answer that question quickly, and without too much extraneous prose,” Laidlaw explains.
“Long, wordy sentences are also harder to film because you need more footage to illustrate them. Stick to short, descriptive sentences that explain in a clear, simple, step-by-step way, how to do the job.”

4. Shoot It and Test It!

Laidlaw advises hiring professionals that know one end of the camera from the other for the best results, but if your budget doesn’t stretch that far, be sure to light your video properly, get the camera mounted on a tripod to mitigate any unwanted shakes, and think carefully about the duration of shots.
“Hold each shot for long enough for the viewer to be able to work out what’s going on,” says Laidlaw. “Then when you edit it, make sure the film is long enough for the viewer to be able to understand exactly what’s going on — but not so long that they fall asleep watching it.”
Laidlaw highlights the video above as an example of a tidy how-to. The approval process at VideoJug involved people trying to make the origami sculpture while watching the film. “If everyone could do it, the film passed!” says Laidlaw, highlighting the importance of testing the clip on as many people as you can to make sure it’s clear and simple to follow.

5. Promote It

“It can be the best film in the world, but it’s no good if no one watches it,” says Laidlaw. Promoting your new video is an important part of getting it out to as wide an audience as possible.
“Make sure Google is going to find it by tagging it with the right keywords and making a text version available on the same page,” advises Laidlaw.
In addition, blog about the new clip, promote it on social networking sites, and if relevant, e-mail it to websites and bloggers who might be interested in writing about it.
You can also make sure it’s embeddable and thus more easily shared. As most know, sites such as YouTube and Vimeo allow for easy embeds. Add a Facebook “Like” button, giving viewers the option to share it with their buddies, and a Tweetmeme-type button for Twitter sharing too.

For more web video coverage, follow Mashable Web Video on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

4 Tips for B2B Marketing on Facebook

2010-05-22T00:03:00.000-04:00

4 Tips for B2B Marketing on Facebook: "

Leyl Master Black is a Managing Director at Sparkpr, one of the world’s top independent PR agencies. Leyl has more than 15 years experience driving high-impact communications programs for emerging technology companies.

A couple of months ago, we talked about ways to engage your fan base on Facebook. Several readers asked how B2B companies could take advantage of the tips we shared, and I know that some organizations are still wondering if it even makes sense to try to reach a business audience on Facebook.

In my view, Facebook presents a unique opportunity to connect with and educate your target market in a way that your website and even your blog can’t match. The trick is coming up with meaningful content that people will want to share, and that brings them back again and again.

Here are some tips for creating a powerful presence on Facebook that will engage a business audience.

1. Become an Industry Resource

Whatever business you’re in, chances are that you’re keeping up with industry news and maybe even writing about it on your blog. You’re likely running educational webinars or speaking at industry conferences. You’re also engaging with customers, helping to solve their business problems and maybe even documenting the process with case studies. This means that you probably already have a large number of resources to share. Why not funnel this content onto Facebook and make your Page the go-to place for insights and information on your particular industry?

A good example of this approach is 360i, an award-winning digital marketing agency. Tapping the deep expertise of its team, 360i keeps its Facebook Page updated with industry insights on topics that matter to the brand marketing audience, such as how businesses are taking advantage of Google Places or new trends with Foursquare.

The 360i team showcases industry research and reviews cool new technologies that marketers can use in their programs. They post a weekly summary of all the important industry news, and provide readers with astute commentary that puts the news into context. In short, they’ve positioned themselves as experts in digital marketing and become a valuable resource for their target audience on Facebook.

2. Engage the Community

In the past, your customers may have had little interaction with each other, and the outside world could only see a list of customers on your website (if you put them there). As a marketer, you wouldn’t know what all your customers were doing with your products, or even how to reach them.

Now, you can use Facebook to engage directly with your customers and make them part of your marketing efforts. For example, you can ask customers to share their successes on your wall and get feedback on new product features. You can encourage them to recognize great service people and reward them for their input with a discount or other promotion. You can also solicit customer references for case studies and media opportunities and find out who’s doing something innovative with your product.

BigCommerce, a company that offers e-commerce shopping cart software, routinely reaches out to its Facebook fan base to identify reference customers and uncover interesting use cases for the media. For example, when the company wanted to promote the success of its recently launched Facebook shopping application, they simply posted a query on their page asking which customers had seen a boost in sales from the application and who would be willing to talk to the media. Within 24 hours, the company had generated fifteen new customer references and were able to immediately turn this information into media coverage.

3. Expand Beyond Your Wall

There are now a host of different applications for Facebook that let you do more than post on your wall. If you’re selling B2B products online, you can set up a shopping tab on your page to drive traffic to your e-commerce site and encourage viral sharing of your products. Get Satisfaction, a popular social CRM and customer support platform, recently launched a Facebook version of its application so your customers can ask questions and get support right on your Facebook Page.

You can also set up a promotions tab using Fan Appz to offer special deals to your Facebook fans and even use these deals to support lead generation programs. For example, if you sell software licenses, you could offer a 20% discount on the annual fee for people who enter the promotion code at an upcoming webinar or bring the coupon to your booth at a conference.

4. Lighten Up

While many of us use Facebook in our day-to-day business, the vast majority are usually there to have fun and engage with friends. So no matter how serious your product is, inject some humor and levity into your page.

For example, if you’re selling enterprise security software, why not do a poll where people rate the most evil tech baddies in films like Hackers and The Terminator? If you’re a marketing agency, you could do a “Which Mad Men Character Are You?” quiz that assigns users an identity based on their answers, which can then be shared with their friends. Just keep it relevant to your industry and safe-for-work.

And even if your website needs to stay “all business,” Facebook is where you can give a face and personality to the company. You could do an “employee of the month” feature on the page where you profile someone who’s making a big difference at the company or who achieved a significant milestone. Include photos or even a short video.

You can highlight what the company or employees are doing in the community or in support of a particular cause, which has the added benefit of putting the weight of your fan base behind these efforts. You can also consider posting behind-the-scenes photos of engineers hard at work on the next product release, or a smiling customer service rep on the phone with a client. All of these ideas will help your fans make a stronger and more personal connection with your company.

These are just a few examples of how companies can use Facebook to engage with B2B customers, and I’m sure there are many more out there. If you’re using Facebook to market to other businesses, I’d love to hear what else has worked for you!

For more business coverage, follow Mashable Business on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

More business resources from Mashable:

- 10 Essential Social Media Tools for B2B Marketers
- 13 Essential Social Media Lessons for B2B Marketers from the Masters
- How Venture Capitalists are Using Social Media for Real Results
- Why Co-Working Makes Sense for Small Businesses
- What Facebook’s Open Graph Means for Your Business

Reviews: Facebook, Get Satisfaction, Twitter

Tags: b2b, business, facebook, List, Lists, MARKETING, small business, social media marketing

21 Rules for Social Media Engagement

2010-05-18T18:57:00.000-04:00

Good one from Mashable! and Brian Solis:

21 Rules for Social Media Engagement:

Brian Solis is the author of Engage and a leading authority in digital branding and marketing. Connect with him on Twitter or Facebook. What follows is a modified excerpt from Engage, the complete guide for businesses to build, cultivate, and measure success in the new web.

Social media is reinventing marketing, communications, and the dissemination of information. While businesses now have access to these rich channels, the true promise of social media lies in the direct connections between people who represent companies and the people who define markets of interest.

Today, many businesses approach this with the establishment of social media guidelines and policies. This is indeed an important step, and not one worth economizing. But it’s also not enough. I highly recommend establishing official procedures that remind representatives of the importance and privilege of engagement.

The openness of popular networks is trivial. Any business can join and create a profile. It’s the devices we employ, the intentions that motivate engagement, and the value we offer that dictate the significance of the brand-specific social graphs we weave. It’s a simple investment in either visibility or presence. In social media, just like in the real world, presence is felt.

Rules of Engagement

As social media continues to evolve, defining the “rules of engagement” will encourage thoughtful interaction that benefits the business, brand, customer, peers, and prospects at every touchpoint. In the end, we earn the attention, relationships and business we deserve.

The following is an outline of best practices to help you craft a practical set of rules to guide representatives as they engage.

1. Discover all relevant communities of interest and observe the choices, challenges, impressions, and wants of the people within each network.
2. Don’t just participate solely in your own domains (Facebook Fan Page, Twitter conversations related to your brand, etc.). Participate where your presence is advantageous and mandatory.
3. Determine the identity, character, and personality of the brand and match it to the persona of the individuals representing it online.
4. Establish a point of contact who is ultimately responsible for identifying, trafficking, or responding to all things that can affect brand perception.
5. As in customer service, representatives require training to learn how to proactively and reactively respond across multiple scenarios. Don’t just put the person familiar with social networking in front of the brand.
6. Embody the attributes you wish to portray and instill. Operate by a code of conduct.
7. Observe the behavioral cultures within each network and adjust your outreach accordingly.
8. Assess pain points, frustrations, and also those of contentment in order to establish meaningful connections.
9. Become a true participant in each community you wish to activate. Move beyond marketing and sales.
10. Don’t speak at audiences through canned messages. Introduce value, insight and direction with each engagement.
11. Empower your representatives to offer rewards and resolutions in times of need.
12. Don’t just listen and placate — act. Do something.
13. Ensure that any external activities are supported by a comprehensive infrastructure to address situations and adapt to market conditions and demands.
14. Learn from each engagement and provide a path within the company to adapt and improve products and services.
15. Consistently create, contribute, and reinforce service and value.
16. Earn connections through collaboration and empower advocacy.
17. Don’t get lost in translation. Ensure your communication and intent is clear and that your involvement maps to objectives created for the social web.
18. Establish and nurture beneficial relationships online and in the real world as long as doing so is important to your business.
19. “Un-campaign” and create ongoing programs that keep you connected to day-to-day engagement.
20. “Un-market” by becoming a resource to your communities.
21. Give back, reciprocate, and recognize notable contributions from participants in your communities.

For more social media coverage, follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

More social media resources from Mashable:

- Top 5 Social Media Tips for C-Suite Execs
- How Facebook Makes Edgy Concepts Mainstream
- The Local Advertising War Will Be a Clash of the Internet Titans
- 4 Tips for Tapping Into Twitter Conversations
- 8 Tips for a Successful Social Media Cause Campaign

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, AndrewJohnson

Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: business, engagement, facebook, List, Lists, MARKETING, small business, trending, twitter

The Semantic Web: What It Is and Why It Matters [VIDEO]

2010-05-11T09:12:00.001-04:00

Great Video that explains the semantic web and Web 3.0 by Kate Ray through Mashable:
Kate R
The Semantic Web: What It Is and Why It Matters [VIDEO]: "
If you’ve ever struggled to make sense of terms like “semantic web,” we’ve got a fascinating, entertaining and informative video for you.
The Internet currently holds about as much information as 1,700 Libraries of Congress. Some of the leading minds on the web are exploring new ways to sort this data and how to understand not just what data is about, but also how data is linked.
For example, a picture on Flickr is more than just a number of pixels and a file size. It was uploaded by a person and might contain images of other people. It might have been taken in a specific place or be about a specific moment in time. Those bits of information link that photograph to other entities: people, places, things and events. When we know how data is linked and we use that information to determine relevancy across media and sources, we’re using the semantic web.
Simply put, the semantic web gives us more than just raw data; it shows us the context and relationships behind and between those data.
Student Kate Ray interviewed a flock of researchers, entrepreneurs and other innovators for her 14-minute documentary, Web 3.0. Ray is a journalism/psych major at NYU who has done extensive research on the semantic web. Her subjects include World Wide Web creator Tim Berners-Lee, Hunch.com CEO and inventor Chris Dixon, and a host of other semantic web experts.
Ray’s film is a brief but high-level discussion of semantic technologies, the tech that’s going to affect how we use the Internet and all its information for years to come. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the semantic web, what it is and why it matters to all kinds of Internet users, we highly recommend checking out this documentary below.

For more web video coverage, follow Mashable Web Video on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

Reviews: Facebook, Flickr, Internet, Twitter
Tags: documentary, Film, Web 3.0

How to Collaborate

2010-04-30T07:37:00.001-04:00

Great article worth repeating from WikiHow on: How to Collaborate:

With enough hands you can move anything...

Collaboration is the act of joining together to make possible that which cannot be accomplished alone.^[1] Whether you are collaborating in the workplace, in school or as part of a creative project, collaboration can both help and hurt a project, depending on how it's done.

Steps

As a Group

Have a clear goal in mind. Make sure everyone involved understands what the goal is and believes that the goal is worthwhile. The overarching goal of collaboration is to achieve something together that you would not be able to achieve alone. Sometimes that's in the nature of the finished product, but other times the gain is efficiency. Either way, the people who are collaborating should have some kind of shared vision. It may be helpful to make your first collaboration a mission statement.
Create a results-driven structure within your team that is appropriate for the goal you want to achieve. There are three kinds of teams that are commonly used, based on the type of results desired:
- Problem resolution teams The problem solvers. In order for this team to work, it's especially important that members are able to trust their co-collaborators in a secure atmosphere where they feel respected. brainstorming should be encouraged, which means people must be able to suggest ideas without fear of getting immediately criticized.
- Creative teams The innovators. This team needs to be independent of established systems and procedures, enabling them to explore new possibilities and alternatives.
- Tactical teams The implementers. This team needs to have a well-defined plan.
Give each member of the project a way to define their own roles on the team. One way to approach this is to write down all the tasks that need to get carried out. For each task, ask who's interested in that task, and write their names next to it. Ideally, everyone will gravitate towards different roles, but many times a few roles are in high demand, and a few roles are unpopular. A solution to this is to rotate the most unpleasant roles (which are usually monotonous enough for this). Another idea is to outsource the unpleasant task(s).
Establish a communications system. Make sure it allows collaborators to discuss team issues in a relaxed environment. Create ways of documenting issues raised and decisions made. Using wikis and shared documents can help with keeping everyone in the loop.
Establish ways to monitor performance and provide feedback. Periodically, meet together to discuss ways to improve on the project. There should be some metrics by which you can monitor your progress. It might be as simple as how many pages of a book has been written, or as complex as a series of traffic analytics. Try to identify any bottlenecks--that is, areas where something isn't getting done, and that's slowing down the rest of the progress. If that bottleneck points to a single person, do not attack; ask the person what is making their tasks difficult, and seek ways to make it easier.
Seek consensus. Disagreements are common in any group effort. When conflicts arise, seek consensus from all members on resolution. It's important that every person in the group stands behind the group decision, whether they agree with it or not.

As an Individual

Create a collaborative climate. Prove that you are trustworthy. Respect others. Be consistent in your behavior and the way you respond to others.
Be humble and open to others' ideas and suggestions. The opposite of collaboration is a form of dictatorship, where one person tells everyone else what to do, and nothing is open for discussion. Whereas a dictatorship is ego-driven, collaboration thrives on the quelling of egos. You need to accept that while your ideas might be good, someone else's ideas might be good too, and sometimes even better.
Delegate tasks. Rather than trying to do everything, it is best to divide and conquer. Let everyone find his or her strength and work therein to contribute to the common goal. If you feel overwhelmed, speak up.
Assume good faith. Collaboration is based on the common good, and we work most effectively together on the assumption of good faith of one another. If someone is not acting in good faith, it will reveal itself soon enough. But if you point a finger mistakenly, the spirit of collaboration can easily turn sour.

Tips

Decisions should be made based on consensus.

Related wikiHows

Article Tools

How to Play MP3s or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 4 - mLearning Playback on a BlackBerry

2010-04-27T21:23:00.000-04:00

My apologies for being away and not continuing the series. Work has had me very busy and frankly, I am quite thankful for that. When we last hit this topic, we reviewed how to play on laptops, MP3/MP4 players such as the Zune and iPod Touch, most smartphones, and even how to burn to CD so that simple media like this can be played by execs who have been living under a rock and probably want to bring back the 8-Track! So now we get to BlackBerries...

Part 4: Play mLearning on a BlackBerry

Play MP3 > Play on BlackBerry > Play Direct from browser on a BlackBerry
These instructions assume your BlackBerry model has the ability to browse the Web and store downloaded file data. Some BlackBerry models require you set the default browser to Internet Browser as opposed to BlackBerry browser so that the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) does not impose limits on file types or bandwidth affecting file size.

From the appropriate web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided to you for mobile content.
Click on the MP3 title-link you want to listen to.
When prompted to Open or Save select Open.
The MP3 should play from the BlackBerry audio player.
(Note that depending on your connection strength and file size, the file may need to load before it starts to play.)

Play MP3 > Play on BlackBerry > Save to BlackBerry and Play
These instructions assume your BlackBerry model has the ability to browse the Web and store downloaded file data. This solution is useful for playing files locally from the BlackBerry if you expect to lose data connectivity, such as when traveling on a plane.

From the appropriate web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided to you for mobile content.
Click on the MP3 title-link you want to save.
When prompted to Open or Save select Save.
Click Save again when prompted again at the Save file applet.
The MP3 file will save to the default audio directory (device media storage or on a media card if enabled).
Click Music.
Navigate to your MP3 and click to play.

That's it for BlackBerries.

10 Social Media Tools For Learning

2009-11-19T16:03:00.000-05:00

10 Social Media Tools For Learning: "

Do you have a training or information need that could benefit from a social media strategy? Understanding the universe of options can help you match your need to the best approach. So here are descriptions of ten applications representing different social media technologies that promote learning. Many of these tools and services are free or have a free trial period, which can encourage experimentation.

Each tool fulfills at least one of these criteria: encourages collaboration; enables user-generated content or input; provides a way to share; and facilitates informal or formal learning. Be sure to do additional research and comparison with similar products prior to making a selection as this is just a small sampling. (Listing is alphabetical.)

Audacity

Category: Podcasts

Although podcasts are a one-way form of communication, they enable the creation of user-generated content. Podcasts are fairly easy for anyone to make and with the free downloadable software, Audacity, it becomes an inexpensive option. Podcasts are a great medium for distributing an organization’s content and expertise because they can be played on hand held devices and computers.

Users can record and edit audio with Audacity and it runs on most operating systems, including Mac OS X and Windows. Key features include recording through a microphone or mixer, digitizing recordings from tapes, audio editing, importing and exporting audio files, effects and quality adjustments. For details on how to create a podcast, see How to Create Your Own Podcast on About.com.

Dimdim

Category: Interactive Webinars and Live Presentations

The forward thinking folks at Dimdim created an application that is completely in the cloud. Think of it. Users do not have to download or install software to participate in a presentation or webinar. This flexibility and ease of use could encourage impromptu learning events and meetings that can be set up in a moments notice, increasing the informal learning opportunities within and outside an organization. Users can share voice and video, display online PowerPoint presentations, documents, share their screen and show web pages, making annotations along the way. The collaborative feature lets participants get in the act with capabilities for marking up documents as well using as a shared, multipage whiteboard.

Dimdim has an open source version so developers can integrate it with other software. For example, there is a Moodle module for starting a Dimdim session directly from within Moodle. It also integrates with a few open source eLearning tools. There are several pricing models for using Dimdim, including a free plan with full functionality for smaller groups.

Edublogs Campus

Category: Blogs

Blogging to teach others is common in the public domain, but not so within an organization. Edublogs Campus is hoping to change that. This software provides a way to centralize and manage blogs within an institution by hosting them all on one domain. Although Edublogs seems focused on academia, its also ideal for other types of organizations due to its centralized control, privacy options, security features, custom branding and support.

In terms of promoting learning, employees could use blogs to write first-hand accounts of case studies, lessons learned, project debriefings, travel tips and cultural customs. Internal experts could blog about their areas of proficiency. Blogging could help an organization’s knowledge quotient explode and is definitely something worth exploring.

Elgg

Category: Social Networking Platform

Elgg is a social networking engine and publishing platform for running your own social networking site on a public or private server. It’s a free and open source application with templates and plugins for enhancements. Elgg is an aggregate of many social media technologies in one platform. Users can create and join groups, connect with friends, display a profile, blog and microblog (similar to Twitter). In terms of content, people can add pages, upload presentations, documents and multimedia files as well as tag the pages. This makes Elgg an ideal platform for learning and collaboration.

For example, a large organization with geographically dispersed offices can use Elgg on an internal server to introduce employees to each other and to share internal knowledge across offices; employees can use Elgg to create online study groups; and nonprofit organizations can build communities of common interest where members learn from each other.

Google Collaboration Tools

Category: Collaborative Resources

It would be difficult to create a ten-list without mentioning some of Google’s continually evolving Google Collaboration Tools for Education and Business. Google has created a compelling infrastructure for a variety of collaboration tools. Some of the tools relevant to collaborative learning include: Google Docs (word processing, spreadsheets, forms and presentations); Google Sites (team website creation); Google Video (add comments, tags and ratings); Google Conversations (for integrating discussions) and Google Wave (combines email, Instant Messaging, Wikis and photo sharing), which has limited availability at the time of this writing.

The key advantage to Google Apps is that all the software runs in a web browser, so that users with permission can view and edit the documents. The collaborative environment this creates encourages people to share knowledge and learn from each other, to engage in peer review and to generate content in a collective manner.

MindMeister

Category: Mind Maps

One way to learn and solve problems more effectively is by visualizing information. MindMeister provides a browser-based service for creating mind maps through an intuitive interface. These diagrams can be used during brainstorming sessions, as a way to explain concepts, for information organization and for creative problem solving.

Mindmeister’s mind maps can be used in a collaborative environment, as well as saved and shared. When two or more users collaborate on the same map in real-time, all changes are replicated in a color-coded format so everyone can see updates instantaneously. Mindmeister comes with several pricing plans, from the basic free plan to a premium plan with enhanced security.

TalkShoe

Category: Talk Shows

Think of TalkShoe as a way to have your own radio talk show. This is a free web-based service in which anyone can create, join or listen to live interactive presentations, discussions and conversations. Talk shows can be recorded, making them available as podcasts later. Talk show hosts control the process and participants can just listen or join in by talking or via text-chat.

For informal and impromptu learning, you can browse through their list of current and scheduled shows. To create your own workplace learning, you can schedule events on TalkShoe and then publicize them. Would you like a colleague to teach a course with interactive comments from a broader community? Would your organization benefit from a question and answer session with an expert, an interview with an author or a panel discussion using expertise outside of your organization? Then a live talk show may be for you. Hosts have control, but should be prepared to manage participants, who can join from anywhere on the Internet.

VoiceThread

Category: Multimedia Presentations

VoiceThread is a tool for having discussions around media, such as a presentation, video or image. Participants watch or listen and then comment by telephone, web cam, microphone, text or by uploading a file. Users can then delete and re-record a comment, as needed. A small photo or drawing of the participant is then displayed around the media. To listen to comments, click the photos or the Play button. Although this approach to discussion does not facilitate real-time conversations, it does promote collaboration and threaded discussion. For example, someone could propose an idea or a pilot presentation and solicit feedback from colleagues. Or a staff member could create a starter learning event that gets enhanced by the knowledge distributed around the organization, added as comments.

VoiceThread features include control over which comments are shown, embedding the conversation to any web page, drawing on the presentation while creating a comment, ability to create groups, privacy options and support for most accessibility standards. VoiceThread has a professional version for businesses that provides features for secure sharing and management of threads for staff and clients.

Wikispaces

Category: Wikis

A Wiki is software for creating and editing interlinked web pages. Wikispaces is one of the more popular wiki applications, with its reputation for ease of use and varied pricing models, from free to Private Label. Wikis promote collaborative learning and information sharing because anyone with rights can add content to the system. Imagine software experts adding their top tips to an organization’s Wiki after a new software roll out or asking experienced project managers to write up a “lessons learned” page at the end of each project. Wikispaces features a WYSIWIG editor, widgets for enhancements to other services, ability to upload multimedia content, discussions, RSS and email notifications, revision tracking and security options.

If you’re looking for a completely free and open source Wiki for a large installation, check out MediaWiki, which is the downloadable software that supports Wikipedia. And if you’re willing to do some comparison shopping, see the amazing WikiMatrix to compare a long list of Wikis.

Yammer

Category: Microblogging

Who would have thought that 140 characters of text could be so powerful? Yet microblogging has become a revolutionary way of streamlining communication. Twitter, the most well-known microblogging platform, is highly public—an issue for many organizations. Yammer is a compelling solution to this problem, as it provides a secure enterprise microblogging platform. It’s a simple means for social sharing within an organization and can become a surprisingly virile form of messaging, collaborating and discussing.

At its most superficial level, Yammer can keep other employees abreast of the projects on which their colleagues are working. As participation grows and employees post their profiles with job titles, expertise and background, Yammer can develop into a social network with potential. This could transform an organization of isolated employees into a rich network of approachable contacts. As discussions grow to include questions, content links and information dissemination, content can be searched and serve as an organization’s knowledge base. Yammer seems to be a simple way to engage and to open communication across an organization.

Post from: The eLearning Coach

10 Social Media Tools For Learning

How to Play MP3s and or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 3 - mLearning Playback from a CD

2009-09-18T13:34:00.005-04:00

In Part 2, we reviewed how to transfer and play audio files and videos on MP3/MP4 players and smartphones. With updates of the Android platform, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Zune out, that was pretty relevant and timely material. For Part 3 however, “relative” is the key word…

During a recent needs assessment I was conducting in a discovery of learner profiles and required mLearning media types, I was surprised to identify a need for a transfer and route-to-play on of all things, a compact disk. We assumed we would be focused on the latest and greatest - playing mLearning on BlackBerries, iPods, iPhones, off the cloud…, but I discovered that some, and some in very high places (including an EVP of Sales who reported to the CEO), wanted to be able to take a CD with them so they could play it in their car stereo, laptop, or other CD-capable player. My first impulse was “wow, we need to upgrade some technology around here and train folks on how to use it,” but the reality is, that is what those learners needed and quite frankly, a little bit of training or job-aide assistance makes those baby-boomer execs equally capable of accessing the same mLearning media the typical millennial would access through more modern means. Bottom line, know who your learners are, know how they learn best, and know their work environments and the tools they use to do their jobs so that the solution you provide is relevant to the learner. The only way you can know these things and save time, effort, and pain is through a needs assessment. I love instructional systems design!…

That all being said, if a CD player is all you have handy and that is your preferred mode of learning, this tutorial is for you.

Part 3: Play mLearning on a CD Player

Play MP3 > Play on CD

The instructions that follow assume you have a CD or DVD burner and Windows Media Player installed as the default media application for audio. The instructions are similar for iTunes, or other CD burning software. See the instructions specific to your software or preferred application if you are not using Windows Media Player.

First, you want to save the MP3 or MP4 files to your laptop or workstation. Save as you would any file, but if you are accessing from a web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided (assuming you trust the source).
If prompted to display non-secure items, click Yes.
Click on the title-link you want to save.
Select Save Target As…
Navigate to the directory of your choosing from the Save As window.
Open My Computer.
Click and drag the MP3/MP4 file(s) from the directory to the CD/DVD drive in My Computer.
Right click on the CD/DVD drive.
Select Write these files to CD. The CD Writing Wizard opens.
Name the CD (optional).
Click Next.
Select Make an audio CD.
Click Next. Windows Media Player opens.
Click Start Burn (at the lower right).
Once the disk has completed burning, you can play it in any disk player that supports MP3 and or MP4 files for audio and video codecs.

In Part 4, we’ll review routes- to-play mLearning on the BlackBerry.

How to Play MP3s and or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 2 - mLearning Playback on an MP3/MP4 Player or Smartphone

2009-09-11T08:39:00.003-04:00

In the last entry, we discussed how to play mLearning media such as MP3 audio files and MP4 video files from a laptop; whether direct from an enclosed link in a browser and email, or if saved locally to the hard drive. Rudimentary stuff for some of you, but it's good to start simple. What's great about knowing how this is done from a laptop is that very similar methods and applications are used when playing from an MP3 player such as an iPod Nano, an MP3/MP4 player such as an iPod Touch or Zune, or a smartphone such as a Droid or iPhone. Most such devices have a local web browser or at least synchronize through one on your laptop, and each has local storage capacity in the form of a hard drive. Thusly, the tutorials we discuss moving forward are very similar in that we will access media directly from a browser on each device, or save locally and play later – just like music.

Part 2: Play mLearning on an MP3 or MP3/MP4 Player or SmartPhone

Play MP3 > Play on an MP3/MP4 Device or SmartPhone > Play Direct from Browser

These instructions assume your device has the ability to browse the Web and store downloaded file data, such as with an iPod Touch or Droid.

From the appropriate web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided to you for the MP3 or MP4 files.
If prompted to display non-secure items, click Yes (assuming you trust the source).
Click on the title-link you want to listen to.
The MP3/MP4 you selected should open and play in the device’s default audio player. Note that depending on your connection strength and file size, the file may need to load before it starts to play

Play MP3 > Play on MP3/MP4 Player or Smartphone > Save to Device and Play

These instructions assume your device has the ability to browse the Web through WiFi (a wireless internet connection) or mobile network and store downloaded file data, such as with a Droid, Palm Pre or a iPhone.

From the appropriate web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided to you for the MP3 or MP4 files.
Click on the title-link you want to listen to.
If prompted to Play or Save, select Save.
Navigate to the new MP3 or MP4 file on your device.
Press the Play button. The MP3/MP4 should play from the device.

Play MP3 > Play on MP3/MP4 Device or Smartphone > Save to Media Player and Play

First off, if you use media player software such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, or Winamp, (which is my personal favorite), save your mLearning audio and video files to your respective music and video libraries. These folders are referenced by the application so it automatically knows to add new files to the device. You may want to add a sub-directory entitled “mLearning” so it's all easier to find. These instructions assume your MP3/MP4 player has the ability to store file data when synched with a media player application on your computer workstation or laptop.

From the appropriate web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided to you for the MP3 or MP4 files.
If prompted to display non-secure items, click Yes.
Click on the title-link you want to save (assuming you trust the source).
Select Save Target As… (or Save link As... depending on your browser)
Navigate to the default directory for the audio or video files referenced by your media player from the Save As window. Follow your media player’s instructions for exact location for synchronization. In most cases, this is typically the MyMusic or /Music folder, however you may want to create a sub-folder, name it mLearning or MyPodcasts, and store your MP3/MP4s there. For Windows Media Player, this is a folder monitored by the Library as accessed from the Library tab. For iTunes, this is the iTunes Music folder location indicated on the Advanced tab under Preferences.
Click Save.
Follow the specific instructions for synchronizing audio files from your media player to your MP3/MP4 player. If you are using an Android based phone, you will need to "Mount" it first. This may involve simply clicking the file(s) and dragging to your device or clicking check-boxes and or setting up play-lists for synchronization after connecting your device to the computer.
Once the files are saved to your MP3/MP4 device, disconnect based on its instructions.
Navigate to the new MP3 or MP4 file on your device.
Press the Play button. The MP3/MP4 should play from the device.

In the next part (Part 3), we'll review how to create an audio CD for those who prefer to listen in car or some other type of disc player. Then we'll discuss BlackBerries in Part 4 because they are a different animal.

How to Play MP3s and or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 1 - mLearning Playback on Your Laptop

2009-09-08T13:30:00.007-04:00

Most folks who own a mobile device such as a laptop, an MP3/MP4 player , or a smart-phone , are tech-savvy people who know the ins and outs of their device's working s and can easily transfer media to it. For others, mLearning is a new delivery mode for training, the device and media type are new, or the thought of this technology just plain scares them. If so, this tutorial is for you...

Some assumptions before we begin:

Mobile learning or mLearning as we refer to it, is a great medium for quickly delivering brief chunks of important information out to your workforce or students. Some instructional design should be going into when and how it is used. mLearning is not meant for teaching arduous HOWTOs or the type of things people would better learn hands-on. At the same time, it is best suited for the “learner on-the-go.” You know the types, the sales people, the students, or the field-techs who need a quick byte of info on the way to their next customer, meeting, or class. mLearning in the form of audio and video files is for knowledge-transfer only.

I will cover how to play MP3 audio files and MP4 video files for mLearning purposes. I will cover how to create them in another article. The procedures that follow can be applied to most file types, but I reference MP3s and MP4s because they are the most device agnostic formats – meaning they are fairly neutral file types that can be easily created and played on most mobile devices. Podcasts are commonly distributed as MP3s while vid-casts are commonly distributed as MP4s.

The tutorials are instructions or routes-to-play an MP3 audio file or an MP4 video file on a type of mobile device only. Because the number of device brands and models are myriad, the instructions are generic except where the specified route-to-play indicates otherwise. Likewise any software and application instructions are also generic.

I will cover playing MP3s and MP4s for mLearning in four parts, starting with the most easily accessible device classes:

mLearning Playback on Your Laptop
mLearning Playback from a CD
mLearning Playback on an MP3/MP4 Player or Smartphones such as iPhone and Android
mLearning Playback on a Smartphone

Laptops and include any type of laptop or netbook. MP3 and MP4 players include any type of iPod, iRiver, Touch, Zune, etc. Smart-phones refer to ultra-capable handhelds based on the Android platform, iPhone, Android, Palm Pre, or BlackBerry.

Part 1: Play mLearning on a Laptop

Most folks who can access mLearning have a laptop. We will get to doing this with MP3/MP4 players and Smartphones later. The instructions for play on a laptop assume that you are running Internet Explorer or Firefox. I will warn you now, the instructions that follow are basic and simple. They involve saving the audio or video file locally to your device and clicking to play them.

Play MP3 or MP4 > Play on Laptop > Play Direct from Browser or Email

These instructions assume you have a live connection to the Internet and that you are accessing content sent to you through hyperlink enclosed in an email send to you or from a web page in your web browser.

From the appropriate web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided for the MP3 or MP4 files.
If prompted to display non-secure items, click Yes (assuming you trust the source).
If a library or wrapper for several MP3 or MP4 titles is displayed, click on the one link you want to listen to.
The MP3 you selected should open and play in your default audio/video player (typically Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, or iTunes).

Play MP3 or MP4 > Play on Laptop > Save to Laptop and Play

These instructions assume you temporarily have a live connection to the Internet so you can save MP3 and MP4 files, but then need to play them later while disconnected from the Internet, such as when at an airport, on a plane, or on a train.

From the appropriate web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided for the MP3 or MP4 files.
If prompted to display non-secure items, click Yes (assuming you trust the source).
Click on the MP3 or MP4 title-link you want to save.
Select Save Target As… (or Save link As... depending on your browser). You may want to change the directory where this is saved or save to a new directory you name “mLearning.”
Navigate to the directory of your choosing from the Save As window.
Click Save.
Once you a ready to play, navigate to where you saved the file and click on the MP3/MP4 title-link you want to listen to.
The MP3/MP4 you selected should open and play in your default audio/video player (Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, or iTunes). If you want to switch to a different player, close out, right click on the file you want to play, select Open with... and select the player you want to use.

Say tuned... we will review how to Play mLearning on an MP3 or MP4 Player in Part 2.

Guidelines for Selecting an LMS (Learning Management System)

2009-08-20T22:09:00.001-04:00

I am often asked or pulled into conversations regarding the selection of Learning Management Systems (LMSs). Selecting and implementing an LMS is not meant to be simple, but there is a process model you can follow. It is important to note the process is similar for any learning technology. Here's a punch-list for ya':

Identify your learning stakeholders. Think internal customers, external customers, internal partners, and executive sponsors. Include those who represent employees, business partners, and customers. Involve representatives of all areas who impact and are impacted-by learning. Especially include IT.
Do the front end analysis:

Identify your business objectives, learner roles, preferred delivery modes (synch, asynch, social learning, and knowledge management requirements), budget, projected ability to support from an operations and admin perspective (do you need to support internally or on a SaaS model), etc.
Factor in current vs. future needs (look three years out); and translate all this into your learning learning management needs.
Internally, you may want to classify those needs into two groups: 1) mandatory requirements and 2) "nice to haves."
Scenarios typically involve deciding if the organization must consolidate disparate systems into one vs. integrating two or more systems.
Remember to consider integration with other learning technologies such as SCORM/AICC tracking, self-paced eLearning, mLearning, virtual classroom, virtual labs, virtual sandboxes, immersive 3D learning, traditional instructor led class management, testing, certification management, eCommerce support, etc. Will the system need to be a slave to a larger human capital management system or ERP, or will it need to include talent management capabilities? Database connectors and Application Programming Interfaces help establish the connections between these systems; you will need to know if prospective vendors support these for your systems, present and future.

Yes - you need to do some research with industry reports. You may want to identify trends or features your team has not thought about. Know whether your company is small to medium business, enterprise, or global enterprise in learner-reach and size. This will help to determine which companies to look at, as many specialize in markets and services based on these classifications. I have found the Bersin & Associates annual Learning Management System reports to be very accurate and informative.
Make sure your needs are outlined in your Request for Proposal (RFP). Many will respond and promise you the world. Comb through each thoroughly with members of your group. Identify a list of vendors who best meet the requirements in your RFP.
Create use-cases and and or test-scripts based on your RFP and the critical business functions you will require the LMS to perform. Include a criterion based ratings system and comments sections for each use case. Remember the raters who fill this out for each vendor should be those who represent the learning stakeholders you identified earlier.
Have each vendor on the short list visit your organization on-site and demonstrate how they meet the requirements outlined in your RFP and use-cases. Most should do this willingly. If companies resist - move on to the next vendor. During the use case demos, document and rate performance of each. Do not be enamored by bells, whistles, and promised-features not yet available.
Compile, compare, and report on the results evaluated from each vendor. Report this back to your stakeholders so they understand the implications and can select their preferred choices. Meet and debate as many times as required to work through issues and identify which can best meet your organization's needs.
When you have narrowed down to a "short-list" of 2-3 vendors. Work with each on who best meets your needs and who can negotiate the best deal for your company. Make sure stakeholders understand they are not just selecting a system, but a vendor with whom they will be establishing a long-term relationship. The efficacy of trust and reliability in such a partnership are critical. Have each vendor on the short list come back to with an implementation plan and an ongoing maintenance plan, with requirements and proposed schedules for each.
Remember to do the cost benefit analysis and account for the capital implementation expenses (CAPEX) vs. the ongoing/long term maintenance, hosting, and operational costs (OPEX). Work with vendors to re-prove and re-demo on capabilities as many times as required. Those on the short list will submit contracts that need to be negotiated. Make sure all promises are outlined in your contracts.
When deciding which to select, advise your stakeholders to select a system that:

Most closely demonstrates your needs out of the box;
Requires as little "customization" from the vendor as possible (vs. "configuration" which your organization's people can implement);
Best meets your functional, budgetary, and operational requirements.

Once you decide on a system/vendor and sign paper - make sure you have an internal team ready to manage and support the transition to the new LMS and that the team itself can transition from implementation mode to admin/operations and or oversight modes as the technology evolves and you mature with it.

This set of guidelines is not all inclusive, but you get the idea. Got questions or want to chat about this - give me a holler.

Ron Ateshian - AKA Son-of-Fire
Learning Technologist & Strategist

Tips for Driving the Appropriate Use of Learning Technologies through Practical ISD

2009-06-26T13:00:00.001-04:00

Like many powerful tools, learning technology can help or hurt – it depends on how it is used. Getting others to use these technologies appropriately can be a challenge. Those of you around when eLearning was young were able to observed mismatches in learning technology to solution. In that case, eLearning often mismatched the needs and job context of the learner especially when the requirement included some form of behavior or skill acquisition that needed to be applied on the job. This problem is equally if not more prevalent today with new social media and mobile learning technologies available. Many are building wikis, writing blogs, and syndicating podcasts while grouping them under the Learning 2.0 umbrella, but does their content really support learning or a form of communication by providing access to information? If we are going to use or evangelize any learning technology, we need to get back to the basics – instructional systems design. If other learning professionals lack this basic competency, we need to help them.

Ideally, learning professionals have some training and background in instructional systems design (ISD), but we do not always see that in the real world. Even instructional design degree and certification programs tend to focus on the academic versus practice and lack preparedness for applicability when the graduate gets a job. Anecdotally, how many folks do you know with degrees in an area of expertise but lack the real-world experience required to apply it effectively? The old theory versus reality problem… At the same time, there is a basis for the application of ISD, and that’s the trick, applying ISD at practical and appropriate levels.

As learning technologists, practical ISD at a simplistic level tells us we need to help stakeholders and other learning professionals focus on alignment with business goals, business tools, and the work environment. Then we need to identify the needs of the learner by role and what must be accomplished on the job in the ideal world. We need to determine if a training or learning solution is required (it’s not when the problem is systemic or motivational), create a profile of the learner to include what they do in the real world, and map all that to the type of content that will be required (auditory, visual, kinesthetic, blended). Factor in budget, obstacles, and time to proficiency requirements and we can prescribe a set of learning technologies that meet those needs. As learning technologists, we need to push this approach.

If a learning technologist is not available, job-aides like tool matrices or decision work-flows can help stakeholders and development teams make decisions where learning technology is not a core competency, but later on, experts in the required technology need to be involved - especially in the analysis, design, and development phases. Learning technologists or experts will need to hold hands when their stakeholders are too far from their comfort zones.

If starting fresh or embarking on bleeding edge technologies, do some research to benchmark what’s been done successfully by others. When you have identified which technology will meet your needs, incubate and pilot. Start with small groups and the low hanging fruit during the initial test phases and then focus on the larger wins with larger groups as you proceed. Over communicate your wins but document your mistakes and don't forget the lessons learned - they drive efficiency and cost savings later on.

Lastly, ensure you communicate the purpose and value of the learning technologies up and down the food chain as this will drive adoption with your stakeholders and learners, along with prescriptive usage the learning professionals at your organization will need to drive.

Instructional Design and Technology: Where’s the Beef?

2009-05-21T15:01:00.009-04:00

It's important to address the science behind instructional design. For reasons unknown, programmed instruction (PI) in eLearning seems to be all but abandoned in much of the learning content I review. In my opinion, this is a flaw in instructional design and worse, is only supported by popular eLearning development tools, because they omit this capability. Thus begging the question:

"Where's the beef?"

Gagne actually pioneered this mode of instruction in the mid 1960s. For those unfamiliar, programmed instruction models assess a learner's needs through some form of testing and loop back, branch-forward, or multi-path based on performance to pass/fail criteria. More robust PI models incorporate both pretesting an posttesting. The biggest advantage to this design model is that delivery of content is customized to a learner's needs because only filtered content is delivered (based on what the learner did not pass). In essence, a form of needs assessment is built into course delivery and the user experience. How cool is that?

Development tools like Authorware or KnowledgeTRACK were great at facilitating this mode of design. Unfortunately these tools are no longer available, (in all honesty - they were cumbersome to use.) I certainly don’t see this in most of the Articulate or Captivate content I’ve seen lately.

Meanwhile, social and Learning 2.0 suites are starting to bake PI functionality into learning path where not only a test can assess performance, but a virtual instructor or coach can pass or fail. Others even advance the learner automatically if they simply complete a task as instructed. More of such suites are capable of housing SCORM modules or acting as a friendlier front-face to what is typically presented in the learning path of a traditional learning management system (LMS). For an example, check this one it out by Q2 Learning at: http://www.q2learning.com/ . None-the-less, this is a methodology we should revive. Take another look at the process illustrated above and decide for yourself.

Have a comment or question? Leave one and I will get back to you.

Evaluation: Best Practices in Implementation

2009-04-06T18:57:00.004-04:00

A scientific approach to evaluation must overcome extraneous variables, which are those things other than the learning event that may have caused a change in behavior or performance. One sound approach combines obtaining learning-measures with application and or performance measures in a Stepped Within Groups Design, which includes secondary (and possibly tertiary) posttesting on an interval basis. This is easier to set up than it sounds.

Capturing data with this type of design overcomes extraneous variables such as history, which has to do with how the timing of external events affect training measures - timing of incentives, change management, market forces, etc; maturation, which has to do with how the passing of time allows participants to learn what is required and affect behavior and results without training; and selection, which is how individual differences between groups affects measures.

Along with the reporting of descriptive data, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) to measure group differences and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to measure differences in statistical power between testing intervals should be performed. These tests measure the changes and effect sizes within each group and between the times the treatment as Tx (in our the training event) was administered. If consistent and measurable changes are noted between the pretesting conditions and the posttests for each group, the results would support that training is attributed to changes in behavior and or performance and not some other factors.

Risks if not conducted or conducted improperly:

Learning events that remain stale, stagnant, and out of date due to ignorance of the evolving needs of the course participants.
Training products that result in participant dissatisfaction due to unidentified problems with the course content, materials, delivery medium, learning environment and other factors relating to participant reactions to the course.
Learning events that produce no transfer and retention of knowledge and skill.
Training products that result in no impact on significant increase in on the job behaviors and performance outcomes.
A training product that produces no Learning ROI.
Results (good or bad) that are falsely attributed to the learning events when events other than training are responsible.
Attributing degradation of course effectiveness to the learning event delivered as opposed to the changing needs of the course participants.

Evaluation: Level 5 - Return on Investment (ROI)

2009-04-02T18:55:00.000-04:00

Answers the questions – What is the return-on-investment (ROI) for the stakeholder based on outcome measures identified at organizational analysis? These are the cost-returns attributed to performance. Metrics can include profit-gains and cost-reductions such as cost savings in travel, time saved on-task, reduction in error, reduction in resource usage, decreases in down-time, quality in production and customer service, etc… Data from reaction, learning, behavior, and/or results evaluations can be mapped back into an LMS, a best practices library, and/or design to continuously improve the learning value of the training product and to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the stakeholder in a competitive global economy.

Son-of-Fire's Learning Landscape

10 Key Considerations for Your Mobile Web Design Strategy

1. Define Your Need for a Mobile Site

2. Consider the Business Objectives

3. Study the Data of the Past Before Moving Forward

4. Practice Responsive Web Design

5. Simplicity Is Golden, But …

6. Single-Column Layouts Usually Work Best

7. Vertical Hierarchy: Think in Collapsible Terms

8. Go From “Clickable” to “Tappable”

9. Provide Interaction Feedback

10. Test Your Mobile Website

New Platform Uses Social Features To Improve Online Education

5 Free Tools For Creating a Screencast

1. Screenr

2. Overstream

3. Jing

4. GoView

5. Screencast-o-Matic

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2. When Kids Are Engaged, They Learn Better

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4. Replace Online Procrastination with Social Education

5. Social Media Encourages Collaboration Instead of Cliques

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Conclusion

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5. Promote It

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How to Play MP3s or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 4 - mLearning Playback on a BlackBerry

10 Social Media Tools For Learning

How to Play MP3s and or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 3 - mLearning Playback from a CD

How to Play MP3s and or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 2 - mLearning Playback on an MP3/MP4 Player or Smartphone

How to Play MP3s and or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 1 - mLearning Playback on Your Laptop

Guidelines for Selecting an LMS (Learning Management System)

Tips for Driving the Appropriate Use of Learning Technologies through Practical ISD

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Evaluation: Best Practices in Implementation

Evaluation: Level 5 - Return on Investment (ROI)