MAF Learning Technologies

Got Tools?

nivins — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:08:16 +0000

I always love Tom Kuhlmann's rapid e-learning blog. Tom is insightful and generous with his ideas. Today's blog is directly related to how our Learning Technologies team developed our course creation tools, DEScribe and DEViewer.
That is, put the tools into the hands of those closest to the learners. Let them create courses in their language and in their context. Tom articulates this better than I can, so I encourage you to read his blog, not just today, but sign up and become a better trainer.
Our tools can be downloaded from our products page.

Building an Online DE Environment with CouchDE

jmanley — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:40:44 +0000

We continue developing a new product called, Estante. Our tool, CouchDE forms the nucleus of this flexible, online Distance Education environment. CouchDE, in turn, builds upon the successful, open-source technology of CouchDB.

The CouchDE platform flexes to meet the local need. A single, independent student can utilize many features, but the system easily expands to include instructors, mentors, and libraries that serve a virtual networked school.

CouchDE includes feature such as:

Easy to form ad-hoc networks
Auto-syncs with other students, the main server, and even mobile devices
Supports chats and threaded discussions between students as well as instructors and students
Automatic reconnect for intermittent web access
Automatic offsite back up of school server
Robust security features

We look forward to publishing a release schedule. In the meantime, this screencast has for more information.

Regina and Laura Conduct Second Workshop in Costa Rican Jungle

jmanley — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:23:05 +0000

Photo credit: Shaun Austin Gordon

On 22 April Regina Manley and Laura Macias traveled to Laurel, Costa Rica, a small town in southwest Costa Rica about 1/2 mile from the Panama border. They are conducting an Oral Strategies Workshop for indigenous church leaders from the Cabécar, Bribri and Ngabere tribes. This, their second workshop for the same group, aims to equip and strengthen the local church leaders to not only use the STS (Simply The Story) method, but train others to do the same.

Regina and Laura are also accompanied by professional photographer, Shaun Austin Gordon. Click here to see Shaun's first pictures from this trip.

This workshop also reveals an unexpected...

Got Video Games?

nivins — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:56:20 +0000

On my recent trip to Asia to interact with LT staff there, we discussed the question, "Why is it that someone will not spend much time doing an e-learning course yet will spend hours playing a video game?" Our discussion led us to make a list of the characteristics of a video game that keep players involved. Here is a list of what we thought were important elements of a video game.

Frequent rewards
Convenient (available)
Competition (among various players)
Approximates real life in some way (we've seen pictures of dragons, the character I play looks something like a person or object I can relate to, etc.)
It is believable
Popular--if I don't participate, I feel left out (especially true for young people; Angry Birds may be an example)
Boys like games better than girls
Choices must be made
Decisions must be made
Danger--I can fail or take a risk to get the reward
I decide when to start and stop
I can try again--failure is not permanent
Challenges to overcome
Short challenges
Challenges are easy in the beginning

And two interesting additional comments by an Australian e-learning practitioner, perhaps more difficult to introduce into e-learning:

It is not required work
It has no meaning

And my American colleague added comments about why he does not play video games:

If it does not help me be better at something, then I don't want to do it
I have to see it as beneficial, not a waste of time

As an e-learning practitioner, it is helpful for me to think about how I can introduce some of the elements listed above as a way to motivate my students, not by creating a game situation, but to include activities that have the elements listed above that make the course more motivating.

Here is another person's ideas on this:

What Can e-Learning Learn from “7 Ways Video Games Reward the Brain?”

An Offline Digital Bible for Your Computer or Mobile Device

jclark — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:23:20 +0000

If you've ever wanted to read the Bible offline (while not connected to the internet) on your computer or mobile device, here's a great option for you.

This article by John Dyer at the Don't Eat the Fruit blog gives an overview of the Bible Browser app. A live demo can be viewed here. One thing to note when trying it out is that your web browser (Google Chrome in my case) may need to have a setting changed so it can run the app locally. Thankfully, the Bible Browser App reported this for me and gave a simple solution. Also of note, the app includes references to the ESV and NET Bibles in the mobile version, but they are not actually available (an error is given).

The Bible Browser includes 11 Bibles in 9 languages (Arabic, English, Greek, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian, Turkish, and Traditional and Simplified Chinese) and has other nifty features, such as Strong's word highlighting, search, and more. Check out the video on the blog post for more info.

The app is written in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, so it should theoretically work on any device with a web browser and enough storage for the app's files (which weighs in at about 150 MB). And, for the Web developers out there, the source code is available on Github so you can fork the project and contribute to your heart's content!

Leave a comment and let us know what you think of it.

PropellerNet: ad-hoc Network Idea For Remote Locations

jmanley — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:36:20 +0000

Peter Nye, MAF-LT's Technical Team Manager and Jim Manley, Communications Manager, discuss a new idea for PropellerNet that would greatly extend the reach of distance education ministries serving in remote locations.

Propeller Net? from MAF Learning Technologies on Vimeo.

Peter Nye and Jim Manley of MAF-Learning Technologies discuss a new idea for ad-hoc WiFi connections in the remote areas of our planet. MAF serves over 1.000 organizations worldwide. PropellerNet could greatly extend their reach.

What's It Like To Work With MAF-LT?

jmanley — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:20:23 +0000

Ever wonder what a techie's life is like at MAF-Learning Technologies? Elliot Dawson serves as a programer analyst. In this short video blog he talks about what he does.

Elliot Dawson, Programmer Analyst at MAF-LT from MAF Learning Technologies on Vimeo.

An introduction to Elliot Dawson, programmer analyst at Mission Aviation Fellowship - Learning Technologies division. Elliot gives a brief background of his work at MAF-LT and a new project he's working on.

For more, go to http://www.maflt.org/

Costa Rica Program Hosts Moodle Workshop

jmanley — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:21:29 +0000

Sierra Leone Story Team Reports Fruit

jmanley — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:59:38 +0000

Sierra Leone national church leaders working with Hope Universal reported today encouraging fruit after conduction their own STS, Bible storytelling workshops. MAF-LT sent Regina Manley to this southwestern African nation last November to train an initial core Bible story tellers. Now, alumni from those workshops tell us that they ministered in five communities with drama, teaching and Bible storytelling resulting in 15 people choosing to follow Jesus.

MAF-LT Helps Train Southeast Asia Pilots

jmanley — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:31:40 +0000

MAF-LT staff member, Ron Banks, is on assignment in Southeast Asia aiding the development of a national pilot training facility. Ron's specific task is constructing a flight simulator, a clear demonstration of technology enhancing education. Flight simulators find increasing roles in recurrent and ab-inicio pilot training. They offer not only significant cost savings, but also allow flight crews to explore maneuvers and situations impossible to reproduce safely in actual flight. See his updates by clicking "Read More."