In the last blog, we covered the Variable Manager in Lectora®. Now we will talk about the other important management tool, the Resource Manager. This is also found in the Manage group of the Tools ribbon right next to the Variable Manager. The Resource Manager As the name implies, the Resource Manager is used to manage all of the resources that you import into a Lectora title, such as image files, video files, audio files, animated GIF files, Flash files, and attached or linked documents, such as PDF files. It is essentially a library of every resource that you’ve imported into or linked to your Lectora title. You can use the Resource Manager to view all of your resources in one place, get information about them, and manipulate them in various ways. Resource Manager - All Tab If you are using Lectora Online, the resource manager will look slightly different than this screen capture from the desktop version of Lectora. All of the features are the same though with one exception, which I’ll point out later. When you open the Resource Manager, the All tab is active by default. All of the resources imported into or attached to the title are listed in the left-hand pane. Selecting one of the resources in the left-hand pane displays the Resource Info on the right. And if the selected resource is an Image resource, a preview of that image will be shown in the Resource Preview pane. You can rename a selected resource if you wish by typing a new name into the Name field and clicking the Rename button. This is handy if you’ve discovered that the name of an existing resource is incorrect or perhaps contains characters that are incompatible with the platform on which you intend to run the content. (This can happen when resources were given a name on a different operating system from your own or perhaps typed in a different language.) The Rename button will enable once you begin to type in the Name field. If you are using the desktop version of Lectora, clicking the Rename button will rename the resource within the title as well as the actual resource file itself in the resource folders (images, media, etc.) associated with the AWT file. Resource Used Pane The Resource Used pane displays the paths to every place in the title where that resource is used. Clicking on one of those paths will select the instance of use in the Title Explorer. It will also enable the Create Unique Resource button next to the pane if the resource is used more than once in the title. Clicking the Create Unique Resource button will duplicate the selected resource and give it a new, unique name. This is useful if you want to modify a resource independent of the other instances where it is used. For example, say you have an image that is used on several pages, and you want to use the same image on one of those pages but with some text added to it or some other type of modification. You can create a unique resource via the Resource Manager and then edit the new resource in-place without having to import and position a new file. To edit a resource in-place, double-click the resource in the Title Explorer or in the work area to switch to its Properties tab and click the green pencil icon. For desktop users, the resource will open in the editor you have designated in your Lectora Preferences. For Lectora Online users, an image resource will open for editing in Pixlr. You can also right-click the resource in the Title Explorer or in the work area and choose Edit from the context menu. For desktop users, selecting the resource and typing Shift+Enter will also open the resource for editing. Resource Manager - Search Tab On the Search tab, you can search by name through all of your resources. Type all or part of the resource name into the entry field at the top and click the Search button. In the example above, you can see that two resources containing the word "background" were found. Resource Manager - Unused Tab The Unused tab lists all of the resources that have not been placed somewhere in the Title Explorer or used with an action, such as the Change Contents action. Once you are finished editing your title, you can choose to remove all of the unused resources if you wish, although they will not be included in the published content regardless. However, if you are using the desktop version of Lectora, the resources you remove from your title will not be removed from the resource folders (images, media, etc.) associated with the AWT file. So, removing a resource from the title does not delete the actual source file. It simply disassociates it from the AWT file. Optimize Size or Convert to MP3 or MP4 As I mentioned before, there is one feature of the Resource Manager in Lectora Online that differs from the desktop version of Lectora. You can choose to optimize the file sizes of selected image files, audio files, or video files by clicking the Optimize Size or Convert to MP3/MP4 buttons in the Resource Info panel. When an image has been scaled down from its original size, the Optimize Size button will enable when you select that resource in the left-hand pane. Clicking the Optimize Size button will reduce the file size and dimensions of the resource to just what is needed for the image to display at the size to which it has been scaled. If the selected audio or video resource isn’t already in MP3 or MP4 format, clicking the Convert to MP3/MP4 button will optimize and convert the files to those formats. These are the optimal formats for delivering audio and video on the web. To test out the Resource Manager in Lectora, sign up for a for a free 30-day trial. Lectora Basics is your intro to eLearning authoring with Lectora. In this blog series, Wendy Miller, Lead Content Developer here at Trivantis, will introduce you to fundamental concepts in Lectora. Wendy is a visual designer and computer programmer with extensive experience developing software, courseware, web sites, games, and multimedia. Catch up on previous posts in the Lectora Basics series: Lectora Basics: What Is a Variable? Lectora Basics: User-Defined Variables Lectora Basics: About Question Variables Lectora Basics: Why Disinheritance Could Save Your eLearning Lectora Basics: How to Use the Variable Manager The post Lectora Basics: How to Use the Resource Manager appeared first on .

2016 is now a few weeks underway, and we’re hoping that you’re still going strong with your New Year’s resolutions. If you feel your resolve wavering or if you’ve fallen off course a few times, no worries, that’s to be expected. The most important thing to remember is that it’s not time to give up yet! If you need a little motivation to get you through the rest of the winter, maybe it’s time to draw on some literary inspiration. Check out our list below to see which literary character is your New Year’s Resolution spirit animal. 1. If your New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier: Your spirit animal is Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Lest you forget, Charlie is a shining example of the benefits of exercising moderation in eating - he’s the only character who doesn’t isn’t horribly removed from Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Charlie only gets one chocolate bar a year for his birthday (which he saves and eats over many months) and even when surrounded by sweets, he shows plenty of restraint. 2. If your New Year’s resolution is to get better grades: Your spirit animal is Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. What fictional character could provide better inspiration for your studious side than a heroine who can save the world and still stay at the top of her class? 3. If your New Year’s Resolution is to read more books: Your spirit animal is Anne Shirley from the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. Reading gives Anne such joy and such fodder for imagination that it’s impossible not to read about her world and not fall in love with reading yourself! 4. If your New Year’s resolution is to spend less time on social media: Your spirit animal is Mercer, from The Circle by Dave Eggers. True, Mercer’s vehement rejection of technological society is taken to an unfortunate extreme, but he has some sound words to say about the world’s constant need to expose their lives online. 5. If your New Year’s resolution is to master a new skill: Your spirit animal is the indomitable Inigo Montoya of The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Sure, Inigo was ultimately motivated by a thirst for vengeance, which you might not have going for you. But what’s important here is that he became the best swordsman in the world in a mere two years. Devotion and discipline can help you become the best, and having a great catchphrase helps too! 6. If your New Year’s resolution is to travel more: Your spirit animal is Phileas Fogg of Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne. This classic adventure novel was written at a time when traveling around the world was infinitely harder than it is now - so you really have no excuse not to pack a suitcase and set forth! Phileas’ epic endeavor will inspire you to hop on the next flight to anywhere. 7. If your New Year’s Resolution is to be more environmentally- conscious: Your spirit animal is none other than the beloved Lorax from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. He’s the best reminder that everything you do has an effect on the world around you, and that "unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not." 8. Finally, if your New Year’s resolution is to get your life together (finally), look your best, stop all bad habits, and try to date somebody nice (and sane) for once in your life: Your spirit animal is Bridget Jones from Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’ Diary. She’s the patron saint of New Year’s resolutions because she knows, as we all do, that everyday is a struggle between trying to have it all and just trying to keep it together. Whether you succeed or fail at this year’s resolutions, remember that everyone in your life likes you very much, "just as you are!"

Our members are weaving the threads of education every day with people of all ages across the country. They are involved in improving lives and the overall well-being of our communities. With over 4000 members strong, NCCE would like to introduce you to a few peers. Every month we will take a snapshot of active NCCE members and find out what they are doing to make a difference in technology education. In it Together: NCCE Members Making a Difference Learn more about the leadership and members who contribute to Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE). NAME and TITLE:  Maria Turner, Coordinator, Architecture and Integration, Information Technology SCHOOL DISTRICT:  Hillsborough County Public Schools, Florida NCCE MEMBER SINCE: April, 2014 What is one new initiative you are working on in your district? Project Innovate is our district’s foray into 1:1 classrooms.  Currently in the pilot stage at 26 of our 200+ sites, this initiative strives to bring innovative teaching and learning strategies to our teachers and students.  I had the distinct pleasure of working with the teachers this summer as they participated in Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) training and 21st Century Learning Design.  All of the teachers who participated in the training were able to take the Microsoft Certified Educator exam, adding to their credentialed expertise.  As the initiative has progressed, I have been able to work in classrooms as Office 365 and OneNote have become staples in the daily life of a 1:1 classroom.  I’m very excited to see the transformation taking place as we continue on this journey. What is one strategy you use to have a more productive workday?  Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you I’m a "list" person.  These lists have now become tasks that are added to my calendar, color coded of course.  At a glance, I can see what needs to be done, and also get a sense of accomplishment as I "clear" my task list.  This little bit of motivation if very helpful during "trying" weeks. Name one thing your "Mama always told you"?  Treat people the way you want to be treated.  I really do try to empathize with others and treat them with the highest level of respect. When you "unplug" - what do you like to do?  I love to lose myself in a good book or a great football game. Where was your last training for NCCE? Tell us about it?  I just finished presenting at NYSCATE in Rochester, New York.  This was the first conference I had an opportunity to present at last year for NCCE.  It was wonderful to have the chance to return to this conference and reconnect with educators I met last November.  Instead of presenting in breakout sessions, I had the chance to present in the classroom area of the Microsoft booth.  This was a new experience for me that took me out of my comfort zone, but was an extremely positive experience.  Having the chance to share transformational possibilities with teachers and educational leaders and then continue the conversations for how these possibilities could apply in their classrooms and districts was energizing. In addition to presenting, I was also able to reconnect with several Microsoft Educator Experts that I met during ISTE this summer, as well as meet several new Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts during NYSCATE.  I had the pleasure to mentor one of these new Experts as she did her first presentation at a conference.  I knew I loved sharing and presenting, but being a proud audience member as a mentee is presenting was just as thrilling. The post NCCE Member Highlights: Maria Turner appeared first on NCCE's Tech-Savvy Teacher Blog.

Fresh off of winning one of the Innovation Awards at this year’s CES conference, Klaxoon looks to be an interesting product that may find a place in the K-12 arena. What is Klaxoon and Klaxoonbox? Out of the box thinking starts in the box. Today, Klaxoon, an innovative company dedicated to creative learning tools, introduced an interactive training solution that is poised to disrupt the working space in the U.S. Debuting at CES Unveiled New York, the cross-device platform is a collection of tools that facilitate interactivity, helping any employee in businesses and educational institutions to share knowledge and support learning on a daily basis. Klaxoon is the world’s first collaboration and learning solution with dedicated connectivity. Its hardware solution, a CES 2016 Innovation Award Honoree, the KlaxoonBox, provides total autonomy holding everything needed for a successful collaboration session inside. An extension of KlaxoonCloud, Klaxoon’s SaaS platform, KlaxoonBox ensures everyone can access Klaxoon everywhere whether online or offline. This is definitely a product we will be keeping our eyes on! In the meantime learn a little more in this teaser video produced by Klaxoon: The post First Look: Klaxoon appeared first on NCCE's Tech-Savvy Teacher Blog.

[Post by Greg Gammie, Implementations Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Futurestep, the global talent acquisition division of Korn Ferry, recently offered up eight trends in talent and acquisition for 2016. "Based on insights from 24 global experts, the list reflects trends that have emerged during the past 12 months as well as those predicted to dominate during the coming year." The predictions include that candidates will be in the driver’s seat and that "embracing diversity is proving to be the key to growth." To read all the predictions in detail, visit: Korn Ferry Futurestep

As we did in 2014 and 2015, we return in 2016 with our predictions of what will evolve for Learning Technology in Higher Education this year. We take a look at 2015s NMC Horizon Report as well as adding our own reflections at Falmouth. Last years, key themes were around supporting digital literacies, agile approaches to change and new approaches to physical and online learning spaces. Certainly the output from JISC’s Digital Student project details a fantastic range of exemplars that are supporting the student experience in these ways and the JISC/NUS Benchmarking tool gives institutions a set of practices on which to build. This year, Higher Education looks poised to adopt some of these approaches as ‘Flipped Classrooms’ and ‘Blended Learning’ become common parlance within the institution. The University of Southampton have some great video examples of flips and blends and the HEA academy offer a ‘Starter Tool’ for those interested to know more. Educational Technology will have a significant role to play in defining and supporting the incoming Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The Association For Learning Technology (ALT) have responded to the consultation asking that intelligent use of Learning Technology and an understanding of the issues by senior managers is explicitly incorporated into all framework iterations from now on. It will also be interesting to see how Open Educational Resources and Open practice (seen as a mid-range driver to edtech adoption in 2015) will influence the TEF and how it will be integrated into Blended/Online Learning opportunities. Learning Analytics are also likely to impact Higher Education again this year in light of the TEF as Institutions strive to find ways to measure success in Learning and Teaching. Last year we looked at the idea of student centred Learning Analytics and JISC’s Effective Learning Analytics project concludes in July and is already providing the sector with a range of tools and processes with which to leverage Learning Analytics. The Falmouth and Exeter Students Union, FXU are prioritising the impact of cuts to the Disabled Students Allowances and gaining clarity around academic practice, in particular Students as Co-Creators of learning. Use of Educational Technologies can impact both of these through accessible learning design and opening up learning design to students, something that the Ed. Tech team are currently working on with our BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship course. If you’re interested in learning more or implementing any of this within your teaching, let the team know.

From guest writer Paul Warren. Just recently, a number of things have begun to capture my interest with regard to the way in which technology is utilised to engage students in their learning. One of the things which particularly interests me is the seeming disparity between the wealth of available information about, and the apparent lack […]

The Holiday season... All of us know what it means: unending dinner parties, Christmas madness, preparation for New Years eve etc. It seems that we are all rushing and being productive, but are we though? To be fair, I haven't done much self-development or any development in general, Just because I lost my mojo during the holiday season. Let me tell you, getting it back is difficult but possible! We just need to start mixing and combining rest with work. My secret: productivity does not equal the quality, so dip your toes in self-inspiration first! Stay tuned Most of the people say that disconnecting and recharging is the answer to the search of productivity. To be honest, if I disconnect it becomes difficult to gravitate back to work. Because of this reason, I try to read a couple of blogpost a day which are related to my work and what I do. It can vary from inspirational blogs on social marketing to recipes for successful daily routines, or even some useful info on my colleague work. What is more, don't forget to stay tuned and communicate, or at least read the communication between your peers. Try to understand what they are working on, it might inspire you, and you will easily jump back to your working environment and routines. Getting it back Feel it? After catching up with your peers you start feeling the kick of reality. From this point on it becomes easy to create an action plan. Prioritise your To-Do list, even if you still feel as if lacking behind, continue performing your tasks on a slower pace. There is nothing wrong with it, as long as you can objectively reflect on what needs to be done asap. If this doesn't work, boost your self-confidence and productivity with favourite hype songs (mine is this one) it always works for me! Staying on top of the game Don't forget that your (as well as mine) productivity mojo is fragile, it needs nourishing. It is helpful to proceed with staying up to date on all fronts: reading and listening to whatever interests you, learning and communicating with your peers, sometimes distancing yourself from your work and looking at it through a different perspective. My advice: have the right apps to stay tuned, everything becomes fun and easy. E.g. I love HipChat, Intercom, Medium, FaceTime, Twitter and many more. In the end, don't rush into work when you know you can't perform as well. Try to provide the quality not quantity. Productivity and creativity has to work hand in hand. To get it all back you must know: Listening is vital, asking is a must and sharing rounds it all up. So turn on your hype song and stay productive after holidays! Don't forget to share your thoughts on getting it all back after holidays!

The 70:20:10 framework is a useful model based on observations that generally, people learn 70% of what they need to do their job from experience. About 20% is learned from exposure to new tasks or environments. Only 10% is learned through formal education. These numbers are not firm but they provide a rule of thumb, especially for planning and resource allocation to support learning at work. The most important aspect of 70:20:10 is that it requires leadership to hold the space so that workplace learning is connected through experience, exposure, and education.  Leaders have to promote learning and themselves master fast, relevant, and autonomous learning. There is no other way to address the many wicked problems facing us today. If work is learning and learning is the work, then leadership should be all about enabling learning. Holding space means protecting the boundaries so that people can work and learn. Personal knowledge mastery is the core competency for each person working in the networked era. But organizations have to provide the support and remove barriers to learning. Leaders need to provide the space for learning.One approach to supporting workplace learning, based on the 70:20:10 model, is for the organization to provide three types of enablers: Tools: that workers are dependent upon to do their work Skills: competencies to work independently People: social structures to work interdependently with others, inside & outside the organization Education can enhanced by first designing formal instruction through a process like Cathy Moore’s action mapping, instead of focusing on content delivery. Instructors can develop new skills by flipping their classrooms and focusing engagement, not lectures. Participants can be more engaged in formal training when it is linked to their own personal learning network. Exposure can be facilitated by enterprise social networks, so everyone can see what others are working on. The practice of working out loud exposes people to more diverse opinions. But exposure often comes from others, so engaging people at all levels in practices like cognitive apprenticeship becomes necessary. Work is learning and learning is the work. Social media are new languages, requiring new communication proficiency, but they help expand our social networks, enabling more loose connections and potential for innovative ideas. PKM is the discipline of engaging with our professional networks and creating a diverse source of information, knowledge, ideas, and opinions. In order to make sense of their experiences, people need to engage with communities of practice, consisting of mixed social ties, in order to test new ideas in a trusted space. Organizations can help to identify and support these communities, both inside and outside the enterprise. I have described one relatively simple way to practically implement the 70:20:10 framework. There are many other possible approaches. If these methods make sense, you can learn more by attending the Moving to Social online workshop. [next workshop begins 1 February 2016]

A few years ago when the US had high rates of unemployment, there was a strong suggestion that this was not due to a lack of jobs, but rather a lack of skills. After all, businesses increased their corporate training by 9.5 per cent in 2011, which brought global spending to over $130 billion. However, rather than investing in more courses or programs for members of staff to attend, organisations turned their attentions to technology platforms instead. Coupled with social and mobile tools, these platforms enabled companies to develop and share content, provide employees with training materials when they were needed most, and deliver continuous learning. This represented a shift away from the old ways of formal training, which typically took place in the classroom and involved a teacher telling learners what they needed to know. In its place, continual learning gives staff a more engaging and satisfying training experience, where they can learn informally on the job or at a time and place that suits them. But why does your business need a continuous learning environment? And how can you go about implementing this new approach towards training?   Reasons for continuous learning Arguably the main reason why your organisation should introduce a continuous learning environment is because without such an agile and adaptive culture, the business will get left behind. Skilled jobs are becoming more and more specialised, while the rate in which things like industry regulations and technological advancements change mean that you always need to stay one step ahead of the game. In many respects, there is no such thing as an expert anymore. Thanks to today’s information economy, each and every professional has the tools to become a thought leader or authority figure. If you are able to utilise these resources correctly, you will soon outpace others that have specialised in their field for years. "Continuous learning is increasingly important to the success of the organisation because of changing economic conditions," according to the University of Guelph. "Given the current business environment, organisations must be able to learn continuously in order to deal with these changes and, in the end, to survive. It goes on to add that from an employee’s perspective, continuous learning is also concerned with expanding your ability to learn by always improving skills and increasing knowledge. "Continuous learning in the workplace involves viewing your experiences as potential learning and re-examining assumptions, values, methods, policies, and practices. At the group level, continuous learning is reflected, for example, by a team transforming itself in response to changing conditions." But while several companies will claim they have attempted and possibly even implemented a continuous learning environment successfully many years ago, the proliferation and use of social technologies has made adoption much easier than before.   Putting a continuous learning environment into action In order for continuous learning to work, organisations must have teams, programs, and systems in place that facilitate such an environment. This will need to be inclusive of expert content and instruction as well as the leveraging of internal experience and knowledge. For many, this takes the form of social enterprise tools, which give individuals access to a constant stream of information and understanding. Not only can members of staff learn from one another and collaborate together, they are also able to do so while carrying out daily roles and responsibilities. As a result, training becomes an intrinsic part of work rather than a separate activity on a separate platform. Sceptics will argue that creating and supporting a continuous learning environment will simply upskill workers and cause them to leave the organisation. However the opposite is true, as members of staff that don’t receive opportunities to develop or participate in shared activities are more likely to seek employment elsewhere. But even if you manage to establish social tools that facilitate continuous learning, they still need individual members to inject new ideas, thinking, and resources for everyone else to benefit from. Therefore, supporting continuous learning is just as important as deciding you want to do it.   How to support a continuous learning environment   Establish a flatter hierarchy - Executives and managers should not be asking their CLOs to create courses or run webinars for them. Instead, both parties should work in unison and partner up with each other to support team and individual needs. This could call for a flatter hierarchical structure when it comes to training.   Establish a flexible framework - With traditional training, CLOs would package up lots of content, deliver it to employees on a plate and have complete control over who was allowed access. But continuous learning requires a flexible framework, which includes the right conditions for acquiring new knowledge and monitoring performance.   Focusing on performance - Remember that learning and collaboration are means to an end, not the final goal, which should be improved performance among employees. So, try not to concentrate on learning but rather focus on performance. Value network analysis tools can help find this information for you, as trawling through activity data to identify high performing individuals can be time-consuming and doesn’t relate to all members of staff.   Assist slower staff - While some employees will strive in a continuous learning environment, others may struggle. For this reason, you must assist slow or struggling members of staff that need guidance for their own personal knowledge management approach. This should also include how to work and learn collaboratively in their teams.     Create new roles - Existing course design and training skills aren’t always required within continuous learning environments. Instead, they require specialists in performance, collaboration, and professional learning that can provide advice and support. So, you may need to create some new roles in the organisation.   It might represent quite a shift from what you are used to, but switching your static training activity to a more fluid and dynamic continuous learning environment will ensure employees always have the necessary skills to succeed and all but guarantees your business won’t get left behind. Share this post with your own audience