Does anyone else get the same feeling of unease as me when developing something new? Based on a recent request I had from an academic colleague to build an online resource that encouraged self-directed learning and elements of self-differentiation, I have developed a new framework for online learning, but it’s so basic and obvious that somewhere along the line, somebody else MUST have developed it before me. So back to that feeling I mentioned at the top of this post. Like I’m a fraud. Like I’m trying to claim ‘dibs’ on something that has been around for ages. I’m also uneasy, because if this framework IS already in existence, then I’m plagiarising by proxy. The framework I’m talking about is something I’m calling The Ripple Effect. To visualise it, think of main themes or concepts as stones that are thrown into a body of water. Concentric rings (or ripples) will emanate from this ‘stone’, with each successive ripple covering the main concept in greater depth. Information students are required to know sits in the rings closest to the stone, and outer rings contain information at a higher levels and greater depth.  Students are required to look at the content in the 2 or 3 ripples closest to the ‘stone’ as a mandatory part of their course of study, while access to all other rings is optional. Students can work through as many or few of these rings as they want, and completion of the resource is self-determined once a student feels that they know enough or are starting to move outside of their comfort zone. The first resource developed with this framework examined the subject of injury aetiology, with five common causes of injury: surfaces, climate, footwear, protection and equipment introduced as the initial ‘stones’ from which ripples would emanate. The software used to develop the resource was Adobe Captivate, supplementary films were taken from YouTube and embedded activities were developed using the free-to-use Internet-based application Padlet (formerly Wallwisher). On a whim I submitted an abstract introducing the Ripple Effect to the panel in charge of INTED2015 (the International Technology, Education and Development Conference). I submitted the abstract for three reasons: I have never spoken at an international conference; my appraisal for this year states that I should try to present at one national and one international conference…and I have never been to Madrid, the location for this year’s conference. I was very surprised when my abstract was accepted. I was even more surprised when, after writing the brief paper to attach to my abstract (I hadn’t bothered writing a full paper in advance - I was sure I wouldn’t be accepted to present at the conference) and then making it available on the internet, a number of Twitter and Facebook posts mentioned the Ripple Effect as being an interesting and useful framework for online learning. All of this is very complimentary and heartening, of course…but I still have that uneasy ‘itch’ in my brain telling me that something this simple and this obvious MUST have been around for donkey’s years… …and here’s a copy of the paper if you’d like to read more.

First, imagine … these giant green chalkboards … GONE: Then, imagine the walls - painted with this stuff: Whoa… They even make IdeaPaint in CLEAR: Imagine, indeed!

If you are intrigued by the future of learning design, you won’t want to miss the second half of this interview with Karl Kapp. In case you missed the first half, see Games and Simulations. Coach: What types of challenges do newer technologies, such as mobile and podcast, present to the instructional designer? Karl: The biggest problem is that in the learning field we sometimes get seduced by the technology and forget the underlying learning need and, even more importantly, the underlying business need. Organizations invest in learning initiatives because they have a business need; sell more product, keep employees safe to reduce liability, increase market share. Learning initiatives are not altruistic for companies. So, first and foremost, we need to focus on how technology will address a business need and avoid the "cool" or "wow" factor that often overwhelms the use of educational technology. Having said that, another challenge confronting instructional designers is to "think outside the classroom" paradigm. Too often we take something like a podcast and present it as an hour long lecture. Wrong format. Instead, we need to think more like a radio talk show. They engage listeners through dialogue with guests, short segments and narrowly defined topics. All great techniques to use for educational podcasts. Another example is National Public Radio (NPR). They use authentic sounds to put the listener in the location of the interview, stories to provide the context of the segment and then insightful questions. Those are all great techniques we can use in podcasts to engage our learners. Designers need to get their heads out of the design books and into other media to see how its done outside the field. Mobile learning, for example, doesn’t mean taking an entire course and shrinking it to fit on the limited screen size of a smart phone. Instead it means learning dictionaries where information can easily be looked up and retrieved. It means mini-games that reinforce learning. It means audio-based instruction that someone calls and receives from an automated menu system. It does not mean "shrunken slides." Instructional designers need to run, not walk, away from classroom-thinking and get to the point of providing short, quick business focused learning points that are easily accessible when and where our learners need them. This means leveraging new technologies to deliver non-traditional instruction. Coach: In general, how do you compare the effect and impact of informal learning in the workplace versus formal, structured eLearning? Karl: A recent (2008) ASTD/Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) study revealed that more than 70 percent of the knowledge that employees acquire comes from informal learning experiences but that 78% of the companies allocate less than 10% of their budget for informal learning. So by shear volume, informal learning is the most powerful tool for learning in organizations. And, it turns out, the most under utilized. By ignoring the impact of informal learning, companies do not have a consistent learning message or consistent methodologies. Instead they have a hodgepodge of informal learning initiatives that no one is monitoring. The impact of informal learning is huge. We, as learning professionals, need to embrace informal learning and work to own it. We need to create guidelines to help target informal learning, we need to create environments in which informal learning can occur (both virtually and face-to-face) and we need to encourage experts within our organizations to actively engage in sharing knowledge. Additionally, we need to educate executives on the value of informal technologies to aid in learning, innovation and organizational collaboration. Coach: How do you think social media and newer technologies will converge in the learning space in the next 5-10 years? Karl: Well, as the futurist William Gibson has been quoted as saying "the future is already here, it is just not evenly distributed." An interesting convergence I see is the use of virtual immersive environments as the central hub for learning, collaboration and innovation within an organization. I have seen and taught with a tool called ProtoSphere that has a 3D virtual environment interface but also includes blogs and wikis, an interface with MS SharePoint, the ability to locate experts within an organization, application sharing and the ability to launch e-learning courses. It is not a huge leap to think the next natural step would be to tie it to mobile devices. Some form of the convergence of all these technologies in one tool will be the future environment in which knowledge workers will interact. Knowledge workers will log into a 3D virtual office space with easy access to other systems and other workers. This will be great for rapid prototyping, the visualization of data and collaboration across great geographical distances. While being more engaging and productive than our current 2D paradigms. Alternatively, the product Google Wave is impressive. The ability to create threaded discussions, new "waves" and interject into emails and seamlessly set up web pages is truly impressive. However, the one thing that is missing, in my opinion, is the 3D element. So I look to the convergence of social media, 3D worlds and business applications to be the future of learning. Coach: As a professor, how are Instructional Design and Technology curriculums adapting to the changing technologies? Karl: We have switched to colored chalk…just kidding. We are adapting in a number of ways. First the basic underlying concepts of instructional strategies and techniques do not change. So we stress the importance of understanding how to apply instructional strategies to different types of content. Second, we use the tools. Students create blogs, contribute to wikis, record podcasts and participate in 3D virtual environments. It is important for instructional design students to use the tools that are being introduced into academic and corporate settings. There is no substitute for hands on experience using the technologies. That is the best way to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of different technologies for different instructional needs. Third, we discuss alternatives to the classroom paradigm of instructional design. We talk about distributed practice techniques, we discuss using documentary techniques for video-based learning, techniques from the radio for podcasts, we teach how to leverage the strengths of the new media for learning but also caution against the seduction of the technology. Finally, we listen to what our students are telling us. They are leveraging social media technologies Facebook, Twitter, ect., in ways that we can’t imagine because they are immersed in it. When they have good ideas about leveraging these technologies for learning, we listen and encourage them to share with the faculty and each other. We create a learning community where students, alumni and faculty can all help each other stay connected and up-to-date on the latest in the field. Thanks, Karl! How do you think people will be learning in the future? Comment below. Related Article: Games and Simulations Post from: The eLearning CoachThe Future Of Learning Design Share this on LinkedinTweet This!Email this to a friend?Share this on FacebookShare this on del.icio.usStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponAdd this to 100 bookmarks

I’ve reached the fork in the road. Now what?   I read a very well thought out blog post today by @mrocallaghan_edu today about the moral purpose of schools.  He talked about the Golden Circle and the WHY of schools.  It got me thinking about the WHY of my teaching career.     What do I […]

You may remember that my June 28th post reported on some of the fire and brimstone being directed against the education industry sector in the business of running colleges and universities. Generally speaking, these institutions are aimed at adult students,...

Well, our first week of work on the K4STEMLAB was very productive. The space has been cleared, we’ve completed a matrix of the EiE units we are interested in by grade level, I have a rough project plan (task list) fleshed out, and yesterday, I finished the first draft of the floorplan. We’ve gotten preliminary approval to remove the chalkboards and we are looking into IdeaPaint for at least some of the wall surfaces. We also plan to lower the SMART Board to a better height for our elementary students, who range in size (based on my rough calculations) from 30″ to 60″. Stretch goals this coming week: Finalize the project plan / work breakdown structure Begin intentful conversations with our learning space designer Begin identifying requirements for our Learning Management System (LMS) Begin prototyping & create proof-of-concept Camtasia-powered "Computer Lab" lesson screencasts I normally would be travelling this week to attend the ISTE Conference, happening right now in beautiful San Diego, California. As luck (and finances) would have it, ISTE wasn’t an option for me this year.  Hello, silver lining! Have a great weekend everyone! -kj-

How would you answer this question? How do I communicate the value of social media as a learning tool to my organization? Individuals and organizations gave their responses around the web this month. In case you missed it, here is a roundup of some valuable recommendations. Use Unique Strategies for Different Groups At Minute Bio, Jeff Goldman advises taking a unique approach for each group in an organization. For example, for the Management group focus on ROI and case studies. For getting Staff buy-in, make a prototype and keep the content relevant to their work. Get willing users to create buzz. An important insight is to make sure IT implementers are on your side. Identifying the IT social media users and doing some initial legwork for them could help. Focus on the Audience and Organization Clive Shepherd recommends stepping back from the technology itself to consider whether "bottom-up" learning is appropriate for the audience and the organization. He makes a good case for developing independent learners and outlines the advantages of informal learning—it’s cheaper, more responsive, less controlling, less patronizing and more in tune with the times. But he also points out the downside—less certain, less measurable and less suited to dependent learners. Show Examples Jane Hart offers a practical and straightforward approach—show examples. She presents a matrix that shows the types of learning that can occur through the use of varied social media tools, such as blogs, presentations and podcasts. The types of learning she includes are: Intra-Organisational, Formal Structured, Group Directed, Personal Directed and Accidental & Serendipitous. This important resource is a rather convincing testament to the ways people learn through social media. Partner with Innovator and Early Adopter Types RK Prasad recommends the Diffusion of Innovations approach from the book by Everett Rogers. He encourages you to partner with Innovators and Early Adopters and points to research showing that people evolve through stages in response to innovation. Thus, individuals differ greatly in their readiness to adopt new technologies. By focusing your efforts on Innovator and Early Adopter types you can achieve a small initial success. Then continue to provide success stories to the next group on the continuum, moving along until you reach the Late Adopters. Ensure It Solves A Business Need In his blog, Karl Kapp presents ten strategies for communicating the value of social media. The most sound advice is to make sure it solves a business need. My personal favorites include renaming Social Media to Knowledge Media and to just start using it without telling anyone (beg for forgiveness later). A final compelling strategy from Karl’s list is to position media differently than it’s intended use. For example, you can change a micro-blogging social tool into a productivity tool by modifying the "What are you doing?" question to a "What are you thinking?" or "Can anyone help me?" question. Focus on Outcomes, Results and Small Initiatives Clark Quinn suggests you avoid the word Social Media and instead, talk about the outcomes of informal learning, such as innovation, problem-solving, creativity and research. Focus on results rather than concepts, including case studies and how the competition is using informal learning to solve a business need. Implement as you would any organizational change initiative by starting small with a supportive group. Prevent Social Learning Backlash B.J. Schone advises that you go into this with your eyes open. There will be people who don’t understand, who fear the technology, who think the names are silly, and who feel threatened. To prevent your goals from being undermined by these perceptions, you’ll need to prepare by seeking out allies, communicating both sides of the issue, producing a real example and rebranding the tools with conventional names that make sense for your organization. Fulfill The Five Requirements of Adoption Kevin Jones also bases his recommendations on the Diffusion of Innovations, but focuses on the five requirements. These include: 1) showing the advantages in a way that people perceive the tools as better than what they supersede; 2) ensuring the new approach is compatible with organizational values and experiences; 3) making the new approach as simple to use and understand as possible; 4) starting out with a trial initiative and 5) ensuring the results can be observed by others. Handle Objections Wisely The GoodPractice blog tries to understand the reasons behind common objections so you can offer intelligent responses to comments, such as, "Social Media causes people to slack off" or "My colleagues aren’t interested." They also include a humorous Slide Share presentation about objections to new technology. Real World Examples For some examples of how organizations are using informal learning to solve a business need, see these case studies: Collaborative Learning and Emergent Learning. What are your recommendations for communicating the value of using social media tools for learning? Post from: The eLearning CoachHow To Communicate The Value Of Social Media Share this on LinkedinTweet This!Email this to a friend?Share this on FacebookShare this on del.icio.usStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponAdd this to 100 bookmarks

It’s a little after 5am. On a Tuesday. School has been out for just over a week. My classroom looks like this. It needs to be imagined, invented, constructed, from nothing, within two months. I find this video, shared by my colleague Christian Long, absolutely inspirational. The Future Is Ours, indeed.

This morning's digital edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education featured a story that is such a cheesy, headline-seeking piece of writing that I simply can't help calling the question - Do you guys really call this kind of brand-mongering,...

People who create eLearning get involved in many types of content development tasks. In addition to researching and developing content for courses, you may find yourself creating training manuals for webinars or the classroom, writing web copy, making reference materials, and developing Electronic Performance Support Systems, Help documentation, presentations and so on. During all of these tasks, you will be organizing content at a high level to give it a meaningful structure. A meaningful structure is logical, helping people to comprehend and retain the content as well as helping them quickly find the content they need. Assuming that you’ve sufficiently wrapped your mind around the content, use the list below to find the most effective strategy for organizing it. Sticking to one high-level strategy will help streamline the design process and it helps learners and users understand the larger framework of a course, website or document. The content on this page is organized alphabetically. Alphabetical A conventional but important organizing principle for content is alphabetical order. Because most people learn how to use alphabetical order in childhood, it’s nearly intuitive. Alphabetical order allows for quick and easy access to information. Example: Help documentation, glossaries, lists like this. Categorical Some content has a flat structure. There is no hierarchy, no sequence and all of the topics are more or less at the same level of difficulty with no prerequisites. In this case, you can organize the content by category in a nonlinear structure. For example, content can be organized by tasks (e.g., teaching all of the editing functions in Word) or by products (e.g., information about cell phones with high-end cameras).  Example: A course for teachers presenting the rules of various children’s games might be organized by games for preschoolers, games for early elementary years and games for older children. Cause and Effect Organizing content by cause and effect may not be the first approach you think of, but it can be effective when used for the the right purpose. When the content presents problems and solutions, then a cause and effect structure is appropriate. Example: A course on troubleshooting a network for IT professionals could be arranged by problems and solutions. Inherent Structure Often content has its own structure that is cognitively natural to the subject. If the content presents events in a time line, then a chronological order is self-evident. If the content revolves around various geographical areas, then organization by location is natural. Example: A course teaching agriculture extension agents about soil could be organized by soil layers, starting with the topsoil. Order of Importance In a flat structure without hierarchy, the most effective approach for organizing content might be by the order of its importance. Because learners usually pay the most attention to the beginning and end of a topic, you have quite a few options for arranging the content. You can either: 1) place the most important content at the start AND the end or 2) proceed from the least important to the most important content or 3) go from most important to least. This last approach is my favorite. An analysis of your content will help you figure out which approach to choose. Example: In an online presentation for new employees, Human Resources might first want to introduce critical security issues and how to safeguard company information prior to discussing less important issues, such as the office holiday party. Simple to Complex Instructional content can be organized from the simple to complex even when the simpler content is not subordinate or prerequisite to the complex content. This strategy provides a slow initiation into a subject, building the learner’s confidence and knowledge base. Example: A course on personal finance might teach how a savings account works prior to teaching how to balance a checkbook. Although the savings account content is not prerequisite for balancing a checkbook, it’s an easier concept to grasp. Sequential When you’re presenting a process or procedure, it’s often most effective to structure the content as a series of steps. The structure of sequential content provides hooks for learners to remember the steps of the procedure. Example: A course that teaches how to draw blood from a patient would require a sequential structure. Spiral A spiral approach might be difficult to implement in a single course, but it is certainly appropriate for a curriculum. A Spiral structure revisits each topic in a systematic way at a more detailed and complex level each time. Example: A typical mathematics curriculum uses the spiral approach. Subordinate to Higher Level (Hierarchical) When the content requires that a learner master subordinate skills or knowledge to advance to a higher level skill, a hierarchical structure is effective. This is one of the most well-used structures for courses because much of what people learn is based on prerequisite knowledge and skills. Example: As a prerequisite to learning how to handle difficult customers at a call center, learners would first need to know the basics of effective customer communication. Whole to Parts An excellent approach to organizing content is to introduce the big picture or system view first and then to delve into the parts of the system. Providing the big picture helps adult learners make sense of information. It also provides a framework for fitting information together in memory. The whole to parts organization is similar to a general to specific structure. Example: In a course or in documentation about computer repair, first present the higher-level systems of the computer and then present the components of each system. If I’ve omitted any approaches that you use, please add them to the Comments below. Related Article: Chunking Information Post from: The eLearning CoachContent Organization Cheat Sheet Share this on LinkedinTweet This!Email this to a friend?Share this on FacebookShare this on del.icio.usStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponAdd this to 100 bookmarks