You know about bugs, viruses, and hackers.

Now imagine them in robots.

Here’s a fun article about how robots could become dangers.

It’s based on this academic article with the awesome title of “A Spotlight on Security and Privacy Risks with Future
Household Robots: Attacks and Lessons.”

Dangers include bad guys taking control of robots to invade privacy, harass, or vandalize.

Also, robots could go haywire and injure pets and older people (this means you, baby boomers!).

(TW)

What happens when good robots go ‘bad’? | 5 November 2009

The cloud metaphor in computing has been around for several years, and has become one of the options for setting up learning services. For example, the theme of our last conference was “Get Your Head in the Clouds.”

There are many forms of cloud computing. My colleague, the always lucid Janet Clarey, explains cloud computing and solutions based on this model in a lengthy post on her blog. She includes definitions, diagrams and examples, and promises more real soon. (GW)

Cloud Service and Deployment Models | Brandon Hall Research Blog | Janet Clarey | 5 November 2009

Our team is offering four online workshops before the end of the year. Three of the four workshops come with complementary research reports for added value. The workshops are as follows:

Managing the Implementation of a Learning Management System - with Tom Werner and Gary Woodill
Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. & Canada) (GMT-5:00)
3 hours – $295

Obtaining Government Funding for Training Initiatives – with Dan Cox
Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. & Canada) (GMT-5:00)
Two hours – $295

Designing Mobile Learning: Principles and Practices  – with Gary Woodill
Wednesday, December 9, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. & Canada) (GMT-5:00)
Two hours – $195

How to Make Training Engaging in the Live Online Classroom (with minimal PowerPoint) – with Janet Clarey
Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 1 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. & Canada) (GMT-5:00)
Two hours – $195

For more details and to register, click here.

Michael Arrington accurately describes the anticipation many people are experiencing for today’s launch of the new Motorola Droid smartphone, which runs Google’s Android 2.0 operating system.

“In the hours before you own it, that device is perfect in every way. It will make you happier, a better person. There are no bugs, there are only features. It is whatever you want it to be.”

Mr. Arrington has been using one for a week and describes it as follows: “Droid is the Alpha phone. And I will love it and only it. Until something better comes along.” With that type of endorsement by someone as respected as Michael Arrington, expect these to fly off the shelves.

Google apps are increasingly being used for learning and development. (We’ve even published a report on the topic.) As Google apps move to Google-powered smartphones, adoption of mobile learning will likely gain traction. (RN)

Fever Pitch: It’s Droid Day, Enjoy The Moment. | TechCrunch | Michael Arrington | 6 November 2009

There are thousands of apps and websites for mobile learning that are labelled as “educational.” But the quality or the connection with useful learning is dubious in many cases. That is why a list like the one provided by Abhijit Kadle from Upside Learning is useful. In the course of writing a white paper on mobile learning he looked through hundreds of resources and picked his top 50. This helps in your search since someone has already evaluated these as worthwhile. (GW)

Top 50 Mobile Learning Resources | Upside Learning Solutions Blog | Abhijit Kadle | 2 November 2009

Here’s a five-part podcast on collaborative and social learning in the workplace. Dawn Poulos interviews Harold Jarche, Jay Cross, Clark Quinn, and Charles Jennings. The part 1 link is at the bottom.

Part 2 question- From your recent survey, 3 out of 4 CLOs admitted that their people could not keep up with the needs of their business. Is it that these CLOs are incapable of coping with today’s business environment? Are we seeing the end of the training department as we know it?

Part 3 question – What do you think the key enablers are for collaborative learning to become truly embraced in a corporate setting as opposed to something that’s done at grassroots level?

Part 4 question – There is still a level of discomfort with the use of social media within corporate environments, training included. As far as CLOs are concerned, do you think that this is a mentality issue, a process issue, or a technology issue?

Part 5 question – Do you feel that we are on our way to integrating learning as an equal within enterprise, both at a functional & personnel level and at an enterprise application level?

Harold Jarche, Charles Jennings, Clark Quinn & Jay Cross on Challenges and Misconceptions of Collaborative and Social Learning in the Workplace (Part 1 in series) Xyleme Voice Dawn Poulos 5 November 2009

An interesting Wall Street Journal article about whether young people’s use of texting and Facebook will help them or hurt them when they enter the workforce.

Both sides are vividly described:

Some argue they can accomplish a great deal: This generation has a gift for multitasking, and because they’ve integrated technology into their lives, their ability to remain connected to each other will serve them and their employers well.

Others contend that these hyper-socializers are serial time-wasters, that the bonds between them are shallow, and that their face-to-face interpersonal skills are poor.

The article concludes that, either way, texting and social networking is deeply, deeply ingrained in young people.

(My guess is that texting and Facebooking help you become very good at light maintenance of relationships and light task coordination. But they don’t help you learn to rack your brain. If your job is going to include things like writing the first draft of the marketing plan, you’re still going to have to learn the solitary skills of grinding it out.)

(TW)

The Greatest Generation (of Networkers) | 4 November 2009

The e-learning list is “the marketplace for e-learning services and solutions.” It’s a directory of 283 e-learning companies of off-the-shelf courseware, LMSs, bespoke development, and authoring tools.” The listings include a brief summary from company websites, and services and courses offered. Visitors can vote and rate the  vendors. Based on the sampling of reviews I did, it seems only the  vendors have submitted reviews of their own products. Maybe that will change as more users visit the site. The list is maintained by Richard Beaumont of Enriched Learning Services Ltd., a provider of e-learning instructional design and consultancy services. (JC)

The E-Learning List | Richard Beaumont

Many years ago, when I started out as a university professor, I had a teaching evaluation of a three hour class I conducted, from one of the tenured faculty members in my department. Her main criticism was that “the students were having too much fun!” This was a three hour evening class with working adults. My critic seemed to think that learning always had to be serious business. This is also reflected in the term “serious games”.

Fun can be a great motivator, as can be surprises. Last week I played an alternative reality game (ARG) as an activity at the mLearn2009 conference in Orlando. We had fun, and we learned at the same time.  The fun part is one of the things that motivates the learning activity. Here are a few You Tube videos of people having fun while learning.

Piano Stairs

World’s Deepest Bin

Bottle Bank Arcade

Enjoy! (GW)

The Fun Theory. com | Volkswagen | 2009

November 9 at 11:00 AM PT | 2:00 PM ET, Stream 57 is hosting a live webcast from Times Square on the top Embracing e-learning and online training in the face of the flu, the recession, and the demand for better education. The panel includes Anthony Allen — Director of Digital Media, ASTD (American Society for Training & Development), Rick Housler — Office of The Chief Learning Officer, The World Bank, Brian O’Donnell — Associate Director, Department of Medical Education, Centocor Ortho Biotech Services LLC, Andrej Petroski — Director of Learning Technologies, Harrisburg University, and Mark Sharp — Vice President, Atlantic Link Global. Registration here. Follow on Twitter #s57chat. (JC)

Embracing e-learning and online training in the face of the flu, the recession, and the demand for better education | A Crucial Curriculum | Stream 57