I haven’t made this for ages, but it’s perfect for a Winter Monday….  And it gives me an excuse to use my new casserole dish…Fry lamb’s mince, add chopped onion and garlic and chopped carrots. Add passata, a little red wine, a small amount of lamb stock cube, tomato paste, herbs, bay leave and Worcester sauce. Then season and leave to bubble…. Near the end add some frozen peas. Boil the potatoes and mash with butter and milk. Put in a casserole dish and top with the potatoes and some grated strong cheddar cheese and bak

October is National Cyber Safety Awareness Month which spotlights an array of digital security measures parents, teens, and everyone should be using and should be aware of to protect themselves vir… Source: www.suescheffblog.com See on Scoop.it - FootprintDigital

Philosophy is acidic.  It eats away at everything it touches, including itself.  Acids dissolve, but they also cleanse what has become unclean.  What I mean by this is that once the spectre of questioning is released, without a container or horizon in mind, the dissolving  begins.  Without "common sense" and a sense of self control, philosophy destroys instead of cleanses. Why not add a container, then?  Why not have a "philosophy of football" or "philosophy of cooking" and contain the questioning within the scope of a particular subject matter? Because philosophy then becomes dogma.  A "philosophy of education" for example would question everything including the effectiveness of education and whether we need education or not.  Usually, when people answer the question "What is your philosophy of education?" the answer is mostly a dogmatic response based on the buzz words of the day, that person’s experience, all the while blunted by what is seen as acceptable in that particular environment.  It’s not a philosophy (ie. an all encompassing digestion of how all things acceptable and unacceptable are related to or brought into the scope of that topic or view).  Our "philosophies" are usually thought out perspectives that don’t take "the whole" into account. But human existence is nothing but living life from a particular view established by uncontrollable "accidents" like gender, age, culture, and so on.  If humans philosophize, then isn’t all philosophy within a horizon, as Nietzche put it? If we’re true to ourselves, we can’t answer that question in any final way…I propose.  Plato, Nietzche, Kierkegaard and so many other philosophers used "characters" in plays and dialogs to flesh out this problem. In a sense, the author (re: authority as writer…re: god) of the play or book has the ability to give an account of "everything" within the scope of a horizon (the book) so that there can be an attempt at a final answer.  But, since this is done in a false world, the final answer itself is a possible final answer within that realm.  We can still question the author, when they were born, to whom they were born to, and so on.  However, through the vantage point of a fake god (author) we can begin to see the problem of "knowledge of the whole".  The book offers answers to problems posed, not by reality, but by the author’s view of reality.  Walking through that process and struggle, though, can help us attain a "higher" perspective and, possibly, some tools on how we can try to achieve clearer answers to the problems philosophy forces us to face. In many of Plato’s dialogs we find people talking while they have been drinking or while they are sitting in the dark or while the sun has gone down.  All of these allude to a blunting of the senses or a darkness.  This darkness alludes to an absence of senses while further alludes to an absence of the body.  The truest type of philosophy must negate the body and the senses that we are trapped by.  In this example, Plato uses darkness or drunkenness to achieve a state that allows for the questioning of everything.  After all, Cephalus, who represents tradition (and means ‘head of the family’ in Greek), leaves the conversation in The Republic when tradition is being questioned.  Tradition and the body must be negated when questioning everything.  Otherwise, a reordering cannot occur. However, the fullest life one can have must be a complete life that takes into account the body and the soul.  Philosophy cannot simply escape our mortal coil on this planet and play in the stars.  We are not stars. So philosophy and reason must be tempered with something that is not philosophy or reason.  Emotion seems to fit here, but emotion is short sighted and tends to want to be satisfied immediately.  In other words, emotion tends to focus too much on the body in one fashion or another. At the end of Plato’s Symposium, the drinking party ends with three people still awake late into the night.  Aristophanes (the comic), Agathon (the tragedian) and Socrates (the philosopher) are the last three.  Aristodemus, the narrator of the story (who is, in turn, commanded by Plato the true author), falls asleep at this point (another type of darkness) and awakens to Socrates being the only one left…completely sober.  The comedian (emotion) and the tragedian (emotion) can’t climb to the heights of conversation that the philosopher (reason?) can.  They need shirpas and Socrates doesn’t. Socrates then leaves and makes his way to the market place to talk to the common folk. Somehow, the comic and the tragedian eventually fall victim to their bodies (need for sleep…re: need for limitations to their horizons).  Socrates gets up, after drinking all night, and goes on to talk to, not experts, but the common folk. Socrates’ philosophy encompasses the high and the low.  He cares about the opinions of the expert and the common man.  He is somehow outside of this interplay, but is also somehow part of it (he is eventually put to death by an Athenian jury of his peers).  He allows the high to be high and the low to be low as he questions them. Socrates never claims to know too much.  This is because a true philosopher questions himself even more than he questions others.  He is always evaluating his own efforts even as he is questioning others.  The acid eats at itself. Philosophy is acidic, but is also necessary.  It is destructive, but in it’s lower form can also lead to building (re: Declaration of Independence).  Philosophy forces us to take the shattered and splintered experiences we daily collect and make an attempt at a good life.  But philosophy also questions the good life and, further, our conception of "good" and "life". We all have a philosophy in various categories (a dogmatic approach, I should say).  A philosophy of education, of marriage, of health, of everything…but we all don’t sit down and try to put those pieces together to see what our PHILOSOPHY is. It might be helpful, in the name of honesty, pursuit of Truth, and consistency, to cleanse your thoughts.  Cleanse your thoughts, habits, and processes with philosophy.  Take a second to scare the poop out of yourself by being honest and taking into account what you do and why you do it.  Then wash away the unnecessary and keep the necessary.  Repeat when needed :) Socrates was the master of philosophy and said that he knew nothing.  If someone who knows nothing can question himself, I’m sure those of us that are more clever can too :)Filed under: In The Classroom

Among several factors that influence the effectiveness of an eLearning course, choosing the right graphics have been one of my favorites. Graphics make an eLearning engagement more effective. In the entire eLearning development process, there is an important interpaly between instruction design and media development. One cannot do without the other. They share a common goal- to deliver the best learning engagement. Let us look at the three components impacting the planning and design of graphics in the eLearning development lifecycle. Component 1: Instructional Objectives An eLearning module’s instructional goal is the most important component in the planning and design of visuals. There are three major instructional goals for eLearning: To inform To support procedural outcomes To support principle-based outcomes For example, a procedural course includes many graphics that illustrate the screens or equipment the learner is being trained on. Whereas, principle-based courses use a problem centered learning approach in which the visuals illustrate a job setting in which the learner gets a virtual assignment to learn new skills. Component 2: The Learning Ecosystem ELearning development is based on a learner’s background and his/her competencies. This also effects the decisions in choosing visuals. The learner’s existing knowledge influences the type of graphic to improve learning. For example, the design and display of visuals for systems training with the objective of delivering hands-on practice will be quite different from the design and display of visuals for systems training with the objective of delivering acquaintance of process. Component 3: Functionality of the graphic. Usually we talk about graphics in terms of their salient appearance i.e. whether it is an animation, line drawing or a photograph. The effectiveness of a graphic is also determined by its functionality, i.e. what it communicates and how it impacts the learner’s psychology. I did a little research and found commendable categorization of graphic functionalities. Selecting graphics along the 7 functionalities can improve eLearning engagement significantly. 1. Decorative Graphics- These graphics add to the aesthetic appeal of the eLearning course , but should be used only in relevant scenarios. For Example, eLearning avatars help the learners compliment a trainer in a virtual world. 2. Representational Graphics- In such graphics, a virtual environment is created depicting a common work setting. Learners experience the real-work scenario without incurring the risk in learning in a real-work setup. These can be in the form of photographs, drawings or screen captures. 3.Mnemonic Graphics- These graphics aim to translate information into a form that the brain can retain better than in its original form. For example, six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy can be referred to as below. Keep Calm At All Sporting Events Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation 4.Organizational graphics- These graphics show qualitative relationships among the main ideas in a lesson and help the learners follow the eLearning course progression. 5. Relational Graphics- Relational graphics show quantitative relationships among two or more variables. These are in the form of pie charts, bar graphs line graphs etc. 6. Transformational Graphics- The major benefit of transformational graphics is to show changes in objects over time or space. They state changes in the form of processes or procedures in eLearning engagements. For example, two different graphics show the difference in space-time during operating an equipment. 7. Interpretive Graphics- Illustrating ideas or principles can be very helpful with such graphics. Interpretive graphics help in interpreting abstract concepts. For example, an interpretive animation shows the mechanism of action of Digoxin. Creating meaningful experiences in eLearning courses suddenly seems so much interesting than before. Do you know of any other examples of intelligent usage of graphics to spruce up the eLearning engagement? Share them with us here. About the author: Shikha Bhasin works with InfoPro Learning as a communications expert and brings more than 7 years of experience in content development. Shikha has worked with GE, DLF, Genpact and other companies in various roles and helped these companies in content development, training need analysis and eLearning development. The post Tips To Choosing Graphics For eLearning Development appeared first on .

I am writing a book which will be published by Routledge. It provides a description of a range of designs around the 7Cs of Learning Design framework. So far I have 81 designs which are listed below. Any more suggestions for things to include do let me know! Each learning design is anticipated to be around 2 -4 pages and consists of the following components: ·      Overview ·      Description ·      Figure ·      Example ·      Benefits ·      Time needed to implement   1.      Case studies: HEA case studies of good practice 2.      Case studies: LAMS Activity Planner 3.      Design view: Course dimensions 4.      Design view: Course features 5.      Design view: Course map 6.      Design view: Course performance view 7.      Design view: Course view: Pedagogical principles 8.      Design view: Design lifecycle 9.      Design view: Financial view 10.   Design view: Learning outcomes 11.   Design view: Pedagogy profile 12.   Design view: Pedagogy to technology map 13.   Design view: Resource audit 14.   Design view: Storyboard 15.   Design view: Task swimlane 16.   Digital literacies 17.   Framework: 7Cs of Learning Design 18.   Framework: Communication and interaction 19.   Framework: Communities of Inquiry 20.   Framework: Communities of Practice 21.   Framework: Community Indicators framework 22.   Framework: Constructivism framework 23.   Framework: Conversational framework 24.   Framework: E-Moderating framework 25.   Framework: Educational Design 26.   Framework: Pedagogy framework 27.   Framework: Personal Inquiry framework 28.   Framework: REAP framework 29.   Framework: Research-Policy intervention framework 30.   Guidelines: An overview of learning design 31.   Guidelines: Educause 7 things you should know about 32.   Guidelines: Facets of learning 33.   Guidelines: Olnet diagram 34.   Guidelines: OPAL guidelines 35.   Guidelines: Using OER repositories 36.   LMS template: Calendar view 37.   LMS template: Problem-Based Learning 38.   LMS template: Project/Case study view 39.   LMS template: Topic view 40.   Pedagogical Pattern: Discussion group 41.   Pedagogical Pattern: Jigsaw 42.   Pedagogical Pattern: Pyramid 43.   Pedagogical Pattern: Think Pair Share 44.   Pedagogical Pattern: SEMINARS (Ped Patterns Project)) 45.   Pedagogical Pattern: Learning to teach and learning to learn (Ped Patterns Project) 46.   Pedagogical Pattern: Fourteen Pedagogical Patterns (Ped Patterns Project) 47.   Pedagogical Pattern: Brainstorming 48.   Pedagogical Pattern: Simulation 49.   Pedagogical Pattern: Thinking aloud pair problem solving 50.   Pedagogical Pattern: Enriching the learning process 51.   Principles: Merrill’s Principles of Instructional Design 52.   Principles: SKG Designing for learning spaces principles 53.   Taxomony: Learning Activity Taxonomy 54.   Taxonomy: Bloom’s Taxonomy 55.   Tool: CADMOS 56.   Tool: Cloudworks 57.   Tool: CompendiumLD 58.   Tool: LAMS 59.   Tool: Learning Designer 60.   Tool: MOT+ 61.   Tool: Phoebe 62.   Tool: WebCollage 63.   Toolkit: 8LEM 64.   Toolkit: Cognet toolkit 65.   Toolkit: HEARTS toolkit 66.   Toolkit: Media Advisor 67.   Workshop: 7Cs of Learning Design 68.   Workshop: Carpe Diem 69.   Workshop: Design challenge 70.   Workshop: OER 71.   Workshop: Pedagogical Patterns 72.   Workshop: Tools for deign 73.   Personas 74.   3E framework 75.   Merrill’s 5 design principles 76.   Constructivist Learning Environments 77.   The nQuire framework 78.   3D pedagogy framework 79.   The 6 design frames 80.   A framework for Web 2.0 Learning Design 81.   Community of Inquiry framework

I think that you should be aware of what you post online because if there is something personal on the other people can see what you have posted and you might regret it later in the future.  You don’t want to post anything that would hurt anyone or even you or put you in danger or put anyone else in that situation. So I think that you should be careful about what you post because it could hurt you or someone else or even if you post something mean or send something mean it could come back to you and you could get in some big trouble. So like be careful on site’s like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and even Twitter, because a lot of people could see that and if you hurt some one on the internet or talk bad about them they could do a lot of bad things. If you post mean things online then the other people see and then they could harm themselves or the people around them. So I think that it is very important so that we be safe online. So I think that it is very important that we think before we post or send. Its very important that you use Online Safety.

The image below is of neither a house nor a home.  Building materials serve as the foundation that is the very beginning of the structure that may become a home. In a similar fashion, why do many educators think that simply teaching isolated facts or aggregations of data IS education? You can’t do anything with facts and data unless they are glued together with the adhesiveness of meaning. Students are ill served when they can answer short sighted multiple choice questions, but can’t make sense of the information found within those questions and answers. We would all shudder to think of a child living on property where the material for a home were scattered about in pile after unattached pile.  That’s what we do, however, when we teach to a standardized test.  That’s what we do when we ask students to simply memorize facts without giving them time to reflect on how those facts might fit in relation to each other and other units or disciplines. That’s what happens when we don’t afford students choice in our lessons and activities. Why doesn’t that make us shutter? I was listening to Malcolm Gladwell a few days ago on the A.M. side of the radio dial.  He’s an interesting thinker and has crazy hair.  Both of these facts attract my attention. His little nuggets of wisdom keep it. He was asked by host Dennis Prager, "You are a big picture thinker.  How do you connect the dots and create an unique view of how the world looks or works?" Gladwell, "Most people are information rich, but theory poor." I stopped listening at that point (Danish Philosophy Sorren Kierkegaard once said that if you read his book and something meaningful occurs to you, drop the book and reflect).  Seriously, I turned the radio off. Mr. Gladwell said in that one sentence everything that bothers me about modern education. Please understand that this post isn’t a polemic against modern education.  Many things make me very happy about where we are in eduction, but our system isn’t perfect and so … some things about modern education really bother me. At the top of that list?  We watch daily as intellectually homeless students walk by with building material in hand…not knowing how to build the home they will be moving into shortly. One way to begin the home building project?  Release some power in your classroom to the students.  Another way?  Allow them to reflect on their own learning in class and then share (if they want). This post, itself, is a reflect of a discussion Jessica D. and I had earlier today on the topic of reflection. Reflecting on our successes and failures are an integral part of strengthening the connections that we initially make when we learn or take action. Get it right once and we might be lucky. Get it right twice after reflecting and we’ve learned something.Filed under: In The Classroom Tagged: education, gladwell, homeless, homeless students, malcolm gladwell, modern education, standardized testing

While accessibility has been a part of the eLearning discussion for the past several years, accessibility has come to the forefront this past year as Section 508 Compliance has been increasingly enforced across the learning industry. Section 508, an amendment to the Rehabilitation act of 1973, requires all Federal agencies to make their technology accessible to those with disabilities. The recent crackdown on agencies that haven’t adhered to Section 508 has made waves in the eLearning world, sparking action and discussion. Accessibility has long been a priority within eLearning. Whether it be for training or learning, access to information is key and should not be withheld from anyone. So here are some short term and long term goals that a learning or publishing organization should plan for: Short-term Goals Continuously improve usability for people with disabilities: Updating websites and learning assets quarterly, including accessibility improvements resulting from customer feedback as well as rigorous third-party accessibility testing. Provide access to as many titles as possible: Accessibility standards to be global for as many as learning and educational assets possible. Serve the widest possible range of disabilities: Consider the needs of people with visual impairments, learning disabilities and mobility concerns.  Long-term Goals Provide/procure a low-barrier, commercial alternative for all learning and education accessibility needs through partnerships. Go beyond content accessibility standards and adopt universal design accessibility standards.  Achieving Section 508 compliance in eLearning Elearning courses typically consist of the following components: Non-text Elements Graphical User Interface Course Pages Section 508 can be applied to the above components in many ways: As Text Embedded in Images and Graphics: Alternate text (alt text) can be provided to describe the images in totality. Example of a simple graphic- Alternate Text: "A Microsoft Project window with the Standard toolbar highlighted is displayed." Example of a complex  graphic- Alternate Text: "The Above graph shows traffic density on Ring Road and Outer Ring Road between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM measured in cars per minute. Density on Ring Road ranges from a high of 210 at 9:00 AM, down to 100 cars per minute at 6:00 AM. On Outer Ring Road, the density increases from 92 at 6:00 AM to 165 at 8:30 AM, and then down to 120 at 10:00 AM." For Animations: Animations can be made Section 508 Compliant by Adding audio (voiceover) for the script content Adding keyboard alternatives for launching the animation Adding keyboard alternatives for the controls in the animation window Adding voiceover for the animation steps, synchronized with  the animation Adding transcript of the voiceover of the animation steps/ closed captioning For Audio: Audio used anywhere in the course can be made 508 Compliant by using text based transcripts For Video: Videos used in the screen can be made Section 508 compliant by Using audio (voiceover) for the script content Adding keyboard alternative for launching the video Adding keyboard alternatives for the controls in the video player Adding voiceover synchronized with the video steps or actions  For GUI: The GUI can be made Section 508 compliant by Keyboard-based navigation of GUI controls Keyboard-based navigation of the Table of Contents Audio cues for text, buttons, options, and other screen objects  All-in all, it is feasible to make your training Section 508 Compliant. Would suggest you to try above options and write to us about your experiences and queries about Section 508 compliance in the context of organizational learning and education. About the author: Mansi Jagga is a marketing communication specialist and drives the external communications for InfoPro Learning. She is an avid reader and is very fond of reflecting on knowledge learnt. The post Tips To Section 508 Compliance in Elearning appeared first on .

Snapchat says its servers were not breached, but a third-party app may have been compromised, exposing users’ photos Source: www.cbsnews.com See on Scoop.it - FootprintDigital

I am currently writing a book on Learning Design, which is intended to provide a practical hands on guide to designs, built around the 7Cs of Learning Design framework. This post is a draft of what I have written so far on Chapter Three - The Create C (formally the Capture C). The current version of the chapter is available from Slideshare. Comments welcome! 

Thrasymachus:Great read. Meaningful feedback help calibrate teacher expectations & student intentions so that deep learning can happen. Originally posted on online learning insights: Giving Feedback to Students that Stands Out In last week’s post Tools-of-the-Trade to Make your Online Teaching Even Better I reviewed various tools that help online educators make a connection with students by using media other than text to deliver guidance and instructions to students in online classes.  In this post I focus on how educators teaching online [and face-to-face] can use ed-tech tools effectively to provide formative and summative feedbackto their students. I’ve included several resources and examples of ed-tech tools in this post in a case study format featuring both online and face-to-face educators describing their methods.  The Case for Formative Feedback Formative feedback in some cases is more valuable to student learning than the final assessment. For instance, when a final grade comes later in the course session the student is not as receptive to feedback, and often focuses on the grade not the feedback. Formative… View original 805 more wordsFiled under: In The Classroom

With the rapid proliferation of mobile devices entering the workplace, many more organizations are permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices (such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones) to their workplace, and to use those devices to access privileged company information and applications. Beyond the corporate world, does the BYOD practice apply to educational settings? Key Points The habits of learning consumers have changed. A growing trend with learning consumers is the demand for the ability to utilize their own devices during training. Today’s learners demand and expect that solutions be tailored to their unique needs. A company portrays the image of a flexible and attractive employer, and BYOD can be a means to attract new hires. Learning consumers are inclined to trade their desktops for a device to engage in remote learning. BYOD can enhance effective and efficient learning. Takeaways BYOD is making significant inroads in the business world, and most businesses simply cannot block this trend. BYOD has been characterized as a feature of the "consumer enterprise" in which enterprises blend with consumers. BYOD offers a few "hashtag-trending" opportunities; iOS-agnostic apps can empower every participant with an active voice. Effective knowledge-based content can be delivered to learning consumers including millennials to baby boomers, at any location and to suit varying learning styles. Innovations in mobile device technologies have made it affordable for virtually all consumers to have an electronic device, whether it is a mobile phone, tablet or laptop. Instructional designers are focused on developing content that can be configured to any device the learner chooses to use. Companies partner with MOOC providers (eg, Coursera, edX, Udacity, Udemy, NovoEd, iversity, and others) who now have corporate development teams that will help to select and license access to university-level online programs. There is a growing trend for partnerships with community colleges, manufacturers to develop curricula, and to select and recruit candidates. To quote Mike Elgan, "BYOD devices aren’t categorizable as tools, but instead are part of the employee. … It can’t be ignored or wished away." There’s no use debating, BYOD is here to stay! About the author: Brenda Fernandes is a content quality analyst with InfoPro Learning, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Brenda is an avid learning strategist with content development, instructional design and business analysis as her core areas of expertise. Brenda is a keen practitioner of harnessing the power of learning content to impact employee performance. The post Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): To Stay or To Go? appeared first on .

Thrasymachus:Nice post! Originally posted on THE WRIGHT STUFF: When House Bill 5 was being debated in the Texas Legislature, at first the main focus was the reduction of required number of STAAR End-of-Course exams from 15 to 5.   Students are now required to take EOCs in US History, Biology, Algebra 1, English 1, and English 2. Now the main focus is on the new graduation requirements, which will affect all current 8th graders as the begin high school next year. What we have now is called The Foundation Plan.   In addition, each student will have the option of graduating with an endorsement (possibly more than one).  The five endorsement areas are … STEM Arts and Humanities Business and Industry Public Service Multidisciplinary We have had numerous meetings with administrators in our school district as well as with administrators for other school districts.  HB5 is very detailed and somewhat confusing because of all the options it allows.   However, I… View original 116 more wordsFiled under: In The Classroom

Advances in technology are on the rise and companies are looking for better ways of training their sales force. Such a scenario compels companies to get a better Return on Investment (ROI) from training and to fuel future growth in sales productivity. Operations within your company may be rapidly expanding into global markets. As a result of the expansion, your sales force needs to interact anytime and anywhere using multiple technologies. To keep abreast of the changing technologies in the highly competitive global market, sales training programs may be delivered in a disjointed manner or provide an incomplete response to the complexities of modern selling. To overcome this challenging situation, companies need to establish new methods of training and learning, which focus on crisp content, better interactivity, engagement, and are high on knowledge transfer. There is a huge need for training that will facilitate the sales force to apply learning in their day-to-day tasks. The solution lies in online training. Enhancing Learning and Development (L&D) through online training not only helps the sales force access trainings and gain required skills at their own pace and convenience, but also empowers them to enhance their skills that contribute to the goals of the company as well as promote career progress. L&D through online training helps to improve your sales training methods in a very effective way. But, this brings on another big challenge—development of effective training. Developing the right kind of training, mapping to customer needs is essential but is not easy. InfoPro has an in-depth understanding of this challenge. Our entire scope of sales trainings with innovative instructional strategies and engaging media are geared toward meeting our customers’ strategic business needs as well as learners’ knowledge needs. To speed widespread adoption of improved sales methods and processes, while linking your efforts to company goals, watch this space to read about "Developing Effective Strategies for Sales Training". About the author: Brenda Fernandes is a content quality analyst with InfoPro Learning, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Brenda is an avid learning strategist with content development, instructional design and business analysis as her core areas of expertise. Brenda is a keen practitioner of harnessing the power of learning content to impact employee performance. The post Developing Effective Sales Training appeared first on .

We are currently evaluating the two MOOCs were are delivering on the FutureLearn platform. In addition, we are currently finalising material for a Technology-Enhanced Learning MOOC as part of the EMMA project. From the findings we have been able to derive the following good practice guides for the design and delivery of MOOCs. Keep the MOOC relatively short; evaluation suggests that longer MOOCs result in high dropout rates and low learner satisfaction. Four to eight weeks is the recommended length of a MOOC. Clearly articulate the number of anticipated learning hours per week; again keep these to a minimum; around 3 - 4 hours is recommended. Have a clear and logical learning pathway. Consider having core and extension activities. Indicate the amount of learning time associated with each learning activity, Make clear why participants are expected to use digital technologies (such as forums, wikis, blogs, etc.) and in particular clarify what are the perceived benefits. For example, wikis as a good means of collaborative working, blogs for reflection, or e-portfolios as a means of participants evidencing and collating how they have achieved the intended learning outcomes. Keep video under 10 minutes, audio can be longer Ensure that learning outcomes are indicated at the beginning of each week, use active verbs that are measurable. Ensure content is coherent and logically structured, with a clear beginning, middle and end. Indicate what, if any, tutor support is provided. Articulate the pedagogical approach used, for example is reflective learning encouraged, or dialogic learning. During design try and focus on activities rather than content. Consider carefully what collaborative elements are included and how these are organised. Try and ensure that each week is organized in the same way so that it is easy for the participants to orientate themselves. Keep participants motivated and on track by providing a weekly email update, summarizing the key points covered and signposting to the following week’s activities. Include mini quizzes at the end of each week, to enable participants to assess their learning. Provide extension activities, which are both remedial and advanced in nature, to cater for a diversity of participants.   Consider having a short (5 minutes) video introducing the week’s content and activities, this provides a more personal touch. Have a number of synchronous hour-long sessions, perhaps one at the beginning of the MOOC to provide an overview and enable participants to outline what they hope to get out of the MOOC, one in the middle providing a space for Q&A and any points for clarification, and one at the end to provide a space to reflect on their experience. Try and ensure that all the resources are open and CC licenced. Provide a discussion thread on the forum to enable participants to introduce themselves, their experience of the subject to date and what they hope to get out of the participation in the MOOC. Consider having a particular structure, for example:   Connect, Activate/Demonstrate, Consolidate Connect - an introductory section to orient the participant to the week’s content and activities. Activate/Demonstrate - the main focus of content and activities for the week. Consolidate - the reflective element of the week, where participants reflect on what they have learnt and consider the relevance to their own practice. Present, Apply, Review Present:  Methods to present new material to students, or to encourage them to think it out for themselves.  This might involve facts, theories, concepts, stories or any other content. Apply: Methods requiring students to apply the new material just presented to them.  This is the only way to ensure that students conceptualise the new material so that they can understand it, recall it, and use it appropriately in the future. Review:  Methods to encourage students to recall former learning so as to clarify and focus on key points, ensure understanding, and to practice and check recall. Use an appropriate mix of multimedia, ensure that images add something to the text, and consider the benefits of audio versus video. Audio is good as participants can listen to whilst doing other things, video is good if it shows or demonstrates something. Try and ensure active participation as much as possible, for example: get participants to find and collate relevant resources, comment on the resource that others have uploaded, get them to write reflective blog posts and to comment on the blog posts written by peers, get them to participate in a discussion forum on a particular topic, or get them to work collaboratively in a group. Enable participants to monitor their learning progress, by providing them with the ability to tick once activities are completed. Consider personalising the learning experience, by providing audio feedback. Ensure that there are clear signposts for navigation and labelling (i.e. have clear headings, make it easy for the participants to navigate around, etc. ). Ensure that all the materials are accessible (variable fonts, suitable colours). Ensure that all links work. Ensure that all the activities are consistent with the platform’s functionality (i.e., discussion forum, feedback mechanisms). Keep text simple and to a minimum.

Posting things on social network can differ your future based on what you post. If you have pictures or comments that you have made that are not appropriate then you could not get accepted for some colleges. You can prevent this by thinking before you post something. "How could this affect my future positively or negatively?" Then hopefully you can make the right choice.

Originally posted on WordPress.com News: Another SXSW is upon us, which means a whole bunch of WordPress team members will be heading to Austin later this week. Since the official schedule is packed full of events, we want to make sure that you have the inside scoop on what we’ll be up to and where you can find us. If you’re in town, we hope you’ll stop by and say hello! Speaking of WordPress… Keep your schedules open for a couple of exciting panels taking place over the SXSW Interactive weekend. Starting things off on Saturday, March 8, our founder, Matt Mullenweg, will be looking at The Open Source Revolution: From Blogs to Homes. The panelists will discuss how open source is affecting the tech industry and what the future of technology looks like for those shaping the open source revolution (Saturday, March 8, 3:30pm at the Radisson). Then, on Sunday, March 9, Automattic… View original 445 more wordsFiled under: In The Classroom

Learning and Development strategies will help you leverage sales promotional approaches across your organization in sales enablement and sales training practices and processes to: Put sales training systems in place to promote sales success and gain traction through enterprise buy-in Improve selling acumen by defining and executing on best practices and competency models Establish credibility as a trusted partner who supports business goals Engage frontline sales management in cultivating long-term, sustainable results In developing sales trainings for promoting learning in areas such as sales, retention, and customer service, one or more of the following effective strategies may be used: Strategy I: Anchor/coach-based Strategy II: Scenario-based Strategy III: Game-based Strategy IV: Blended learning Strategy I - Anchor/Coach-based The purpose of anchor-based learning is to help the learner explore and discuss realistic problems in a professional scenario. The idea of an anchor stems from the fact that social learning or learning among peers is more effective compared to formal training. Anchored trainings usually contain a character based on the generic learner profile that the learners can easily identify with, thereby creating a social environment wherein the learner can expect to be exposed to an informal and relaxed kind of learning. This strategy will help the learners develop the desired skills faster as they will be able to easily identify themselves with the anchor. Strategy II - Scenario-based The scenario-based strategy’s main purpose is to mold the thinking of the learners using real life situations in their day-to-day environment and imparting knowledge of the expected patterns of behavior. This strategy firmly establishes learners in their work environment and provides a resolution to real life problems and dilemmas wherein the learner has to engage in task discretion and decision-making skills. The scenario-based strategy is useful in developing future scenarios as well as relevant tactical options to manage future developments. Besides, the use of scenarios is helpful in providing realistic strategic recommendations. Scenarios may be used through one of the following approaches: Approach I - Case Study-based Approach II - Video-based Approach III - Simulation-based Approach I - Case Study-based A case study approach helps to teach the learners how to apply the concepts in relation to their daily situations. The case study is generally followed by a number of formative questions for the learner so that the learner can build on his knowledge. This strategy is useful where the content presents specific examples of industry scenarios, in this case sales scenarios pertaining to up-selling, cross-selling, new customer acquisition, customer retention, etc. Approach II - Video-based Videos provide experiential and practical learning and helps the learners identify with situations and easily understand the concepts being taught. Since the videos present realistic scenarios, the learner can easily understand the application of concepts and thereby gain practical knowledge. Approach III - Simulation-based The use of simulations prepares the learners for various sales situations by involving the learners in role-play scenarios that are based on real experiences and actual events. Sales simulations offer sales people an opportunity to test themselves and reveal vulnerabilities in a safe environment. Simulated scenarios give them time to practice in advance and overcome the possible shortcomings. In other words, simulations provide experiential learning. Learners will be able to identify with the situation and become actively involved to generate a solution. Strategy III - Game-based The game-based strategy involves active participation and interaction of the learners wherein they are educated on new and complex concepts through fun games, which may be otherwise difficult to teach or boring to learn. The learners find it easy to face real-world challenges in game-based environments as they can choose actions, experience consequences, and work toward their learning goals. They can make mistakes through experimentation in a risk-free environment thus getting opportunities for exploration. Games work as excellent motivational tools and help students grasp and remember facts better. Game-based learning enables learners to perform tasks and experience situations, which would otherwise not be possible or undesirable due to cost, time, or for reasons of safety. Strategy IV - Blended Learning This strategy can be successfully used to deliver large scale sales trainings. This strategy combines the traditional face-to-face classroom methods with more modern computer-mediated training such as web-based training. This dual approach helps to leverage the best aspects of both types of training. A blended instructional approach can result in better learning outcomes, improved retention, and increased learner enrollment. Improved ways of training your sales force to fuel future growth in sales productivity through effective learning and development strategies will help your company promote sales success and step ahead with firm sales footprints. About the author: Brenda Fernandes is a content quality analyst with InfoPro Learning, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Brenda is an avid learning strategist with content development, instructional design and business analysis as her core areas of expertise. Brenda is a keen practitioner of harnessing the power of learning content to impact employee performance. The post Developing Effective Strategies for Sales Training appeared first on .

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One of the most important design decisions you need to make is considering the nature of the learners who will take your course or module. Students on a first-year undergraduate Mathematics course will be very different from post-graduates undertaking a Continuous Professional Development course or those taking an evening class in Spanish. The Persona cards are a useful way of articulating the nature of typical learners on your module or course. The persona view enables teachers to create personas for the types of learners that are going to complete the design activity; a class of first year 18-year old Maths undergraduates, will have very difficult needs to an online language course for adults. Hence articulating the persona for the learners will help guide what kind of teaching intervention is appropriate for those learners. Factors to take into account include: age, sex, cultural background, discipline, level of technological competence and motivations for doing the learning. Personas are a tool for sharing our understanding of the expected nature and types of learners.[1]  Nielsen (Nielsen 2013) states that: The persona method has developed from being a method for IT system development to being used in many other contexts, including development of products, marketing, planning of communication, and service design. [..] Common understanding is that the persona is a description of a fictitious person, but whether this description is based on assumptions or data is not clear, and opinions also different on what the persona description should cover. It is important to try and be as detailed as possible when describing a persona. An understanding of the characteristics of potential learners will help inform and shape the design process, to ensure that it is targeted at the right level in terms of learners’ competencies and motivations. Cooper (1999) argues that: Personas are the single most powerful design tool that we use. They are the foundation for all subsequent Goal-Directed design. Personas allow us to see the scope and nature of the design problem. They make it clear exactly what the user’s goals are, so that we can what the product must do - and can get away with not doing. Tables 1 and 2 show two personas, for Joe and Marie. The personas illustrate the very different characteristics of the learners, in terms of their background and motivations and goals.     Name: Joe Gender: Male Age: 19 Lives in: Gloucester, UK with his parents Likes football and music Education and experience Joe has had a conventional education completing 9 GSCEs and 3 A levels (in Chemistry, Physics and Maths). He works in a local restaurant as a waiter at the weekend. He has not travelled much outside of the UK. His hobbies include watching football and playing in a local band Roles and responsibilities He has worked as a waiter for two years and now supervises new employees. He runs a computer programming club, which has 15 members. They meet every Sunday more for two hours. He publishes a monthly newsletter on their activities. Technical skills He is a proficient internet user and has good programming skills, which he has learnt in his spare time. He has a laptop and an iPad. He uses the latter primarily for surfing the Internet and keeping in touch with friends. Subject domain skills and knowledge He has good science skills and a reasonable level of general knowledge, although he does not keep up much with current affairs. Motivation and desires He wants to get a job in the IT industry as a computer programmer, he is passionate about programming and is very gifted at it. Goals and expectations His goal is to complete a computer science course and then get a job in the IT industry. Obstacles to their success His one weakness is a lack of concentration. He does not have very good study skills and tends not to put too much effort into his learning. Unique assets He is a gifted computer programmer and is very sociable and confident with lots of friends. Table 1: Joe’s Persona     Name: Maria Gender: Female Age: 45 Lives in: London, UK with her husband and two children Likes classical music, theatre and reading Education and experience Marie left school having completed 5 O’ Levels. She later returned to college to complete a HND in cooking. She has run her own Italian restaurant for 15 years. Her parents were Italian and moved to the UK when Maria was ten years old. Roles and responsibilities Her restaurant business is very successful. She employs five people, including a full-time chief. She has overall responsibility for the business, including the finances and deciding on the menus, in conjunction with the chief. Technical skills She does not use the Internet very much and has relatively low levels of IT proficiency. She does own a desktop computer but using it mainly for sending and receiving emails. Subject domain skills and knowledge She is more practically orientated than academic. Her Italian is rusty, she hasn’t practiced it much since moving to the UK when she was 10. Motivation and desires Her husband and her would like to move back to Italy when their children (19 and 19) have left home. They would like to set up a restaurant business there. As a result she wants to improve her Italian skills. She is not interested in getting a qualification per se, she just wants to be proficient in Italian. Goals and expectations Her goal is to complete an online intermediate Italian course with the Open University, UK and then to move to Italy and set up a new restaurant business. Obstacles to their success The main problem she has is a lack of time, she is kept busy with the restaurant (working very long hours) and her family. The OU course requires 7 hours a week as a minimum, she will need to be very focused and motivated to ensure she meets this commitment. In addition, she will need support to begin with to develop her Internet skills, given that the course is wholly delivered online. Unique assets She is very practical and has a good business sense. Once she commits to something she is very driven. She has good general language skills and that fact that she lived in Italy for ten years should give her a good head start. Table 2: Maria’s Persona   [1] The following is taken from http://www.ld-grid.org/resources/representations-and-languages/personas   [2] https://openclipart.org/people/jonata/jonata_Boy_with_headphone.svg   [3] https://openclipart.org/detail/173498/retro-woman-2-by-tikigiki-173498

I was reading this article about Jellyfish born in space. Apparently, being born in a gravitation free environment messes with calcium crystals that evolved in jellyfish (most animals, really) to help them orient themselves & navigate the seas. As squishy & fragile as these creatures seem, they need the constant tug of gravity to fulfill their "jellyfish-ness". What a great argument for classroom/campus/district standards (academic & discipline-wise). Humanity was born out of pressure to survive and rise above the rest of creation. The soft bigotry of low expectations hurts everyone one of our "jellyfish" students from the youngest to the oldest. Our students need pressure so they will be properly oriented for the world they will co-create and eventually inherit. There is soft bigotry in looking the other way when students cheat (in the variety of ways that they pull this off), preparing low level lessons, and assuming students can’t achieve more than you expect by taking choice and freedom of action away from them. Human beings need pressure, direction, & those tugs/nudges that help us navigate life. Guidance, successes & failures are all needed to produce the next generation of leaders. Jellyfish need resistance to their efforts to become what they are and so do our students.Filed under: In The Classroom

A wonderful chat I’ve recently come across is the No Box Thinking chat (#NBTchat - Sundays 7pm central). The central theme suggests that "thinking outside the box" isn’t enough to ensure the vitality of education. During any meeting, education or otherwise, tossing out the phrase "think outside the box" to brain storm for a solution to a problem may sound innovative.  You’re leaving a safe place, right?  Jumping outside the box will lead you to a wonderful new pasture where the grass is greener. The box, though,  is still there.  Thinking outside the box means you’ve taken a step in the right direction…but only a step.  The gravity of the box still acts as an anchor to weigh down any thoughts that might take flight.  Even outside the box, a large enough box still blocks your view of some things. The Box: depth where there is none Let’s take a quick, but related, philosophical side trip.  Jean-Jaques Rousseau (18th century "French" philosopher) touched on the idea of our "box" when he said that people in Western society (any democratic or timocratic society for that matter) tend to be empty mirrors that reflect off each other. What he meant was that people who don’t have ideas of their own look to reflect, intentionally or not, the ideas of others. They are mirrors that simply regurgitate "the other" (much like standardized testing is a regurgitation of the learning students receive in class). If you reflect or chase after other’s approval or praise (the box) you can never escape its influence. It still frames your thoughts even as you claim to be "outside" it. If you have an entire society of mirrors reflecting off each other there is an illusion of depth, where there is none. Think of your typical standardized test driven classroom where the teacher ONLY teaches to the test.  The most successful students in that class tend to be the ones who can replicate what they teacher said.  Information thrown out the day or the week before is either jotted down in notes or memorized by the students and thrown back at the teacher in a slightly different form.  The teacher validates the student simply for projecting a reflection of the teacher back at them.  Meanwhile, the rest of the class writes down the correct answer and is swayed into thinking an intellectual depth was demonstrated when, in fact, there was none. An example, look at the image below.  A girl positions herself between several mirrors.  The light bouncing the same image from different angles to and fro.  A simpleton might assume that the room is bigger than it really is or that there are more people in attendance than there really are.  Depth is perceived, where there is none. That depth seems to exist because the other students aren’t replicating the teacher’s thoughts the "right" way.  A few "get it" and many don’t quite understand.  The many have failed at some task so a perceived need for work is noted.  The class moves in the direction of this pointless goal.  Bam! Educational depth has been produced out of a very flat classroom. The Box Cycle There is a tendency for calls of "outside the box" thinking to happen in aging social/political groups. Why? A force or event draws people of a like mind together. Before the box forms, there’s a flurry of ideas, plans, hopes and so on that energize the new group/movement. Through trial & error the ideas best adapted for the conditions that created the group are accepted, normalized, and become the foundation of the "box". Over time, extensions and adaptations of the original "box rules" stack one on top of another. As long as there isn’t too much tumult in the system, the box works so effectively that it seems invisible. The problem becomes evident when something disrupts the status-quo. A disruption forces participants to initially use old ideas and resources to patch the new problem.  When this fails, they begin looking for ideas "outside the box".  Outside of the box, though, is often a reflection or regurgitation of what was in the box (I’m thinking of one standardized test replacing another one).  One must put "the box" in the rear view mirror and watch it disappear to get good enough vantage point to start all over. "No box thinking" or, as Nietzsche put it, "no horizon" thinking requires a leaving behind of old ways to start all over.  This is difficult but necessary, especially as it relates to today’s approach to education. If you’ve read my previous post on how every student is now a port city, you’ll know that handheld devices and 24-7 access to any information any where had DESTROYED any illusion that the teacher should be the absolute expert in the classroom.  Students can now see inside boxes that we didn’t even know existed.  They have access to the best and worst humanity can offer.  Handing out packets of papers to get them ready for a really tough series of multiple choice tests does nothing to prepare them for a future where the iPhone5 will be a relic and a joke. How do we attain goals without relying on old systems? The focus should be on student choice activities as they are fleshed out by the skills developed in and out of the classroom.  This is not to say that students should never memorize facts.  We all operate on memorized facts (from driving our cars, to following certain people on Twitter, to using facts as common ground for new relationships).  Facts, though, should not be emphasized over general concepts and skills.  This emphasis betrays the weaknesses of the old way. To avoid our "new thinking" from eventually becoming the "new box" it is helpful to place the goal beyond reach. We can find this act with the Declaration of Independence’s "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" and Plato’s many writings that the Truth exists but is beyond immediate perception. No Box Thinking requires a commitment to accept the truth from any direction. NBT requires the participant to see nearly any resource as useful in the classroom to meet the need of the goal. Above all else, NBT, for it to be faithful to the great potential it offers, requires participants to let students project "who they are meant to be" as opposed to reflect what the teacher thinks they are.Filed under: In The Classroom Tagged: box, chat, education, education philosophy, inside the box, instructor, iPad, iPhone, Nietzsche, no box thinking, outside the box, plato, rousseau, students, teacher, technology, Twitter

I’ve just got back from Ireland, where I had my first taste of being an adjunct professor with Dublin City University (DCU). I am working with Mark Brown who is heading up the new National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL). On Monday Mark and I talked at a National Forum seminar in Athlone. The theme was the flipped classroom. I focused on the concept of disruptive education and looked at disruption from four perspectives: the flipped classroom, opening up education, e-pedagogies, and Learning Design. The focus of Mark’s talk was on quality, built around a metaphor of ice cream. Our talks were followed by a talk from Brian McCabe from the NUI Galway, where he provided a practical description of his implementation of the flipped classroom. On Tuesday I spent the morning with the NIDL team talking through the 7Cs of Learning Design and discussing how it could be applied at DCU.  I’m really looking forward to working with Mark and the team to take NIDL forward, I think it is a really exciting initiative. Watch this space as they say!

Today, the focus on training is strategically aligned with the business. As a step in the direction of meeting the organization’s principal goal—success, development of training material encompasses a blended approach. The blending of content provides a mix of eLearning nuggets, reinforced coaching strategies, robust new performance support systems, and learners’ collaboration and curation of learning content. It’s estimated that more than 90 percent of learning is obtained through informal means, and only 10 percent comes from traditional structured training. There is also a general consensus around blended learning designs leaning toward a 70:20:10 framework (70% experiential learning, 20% social learning, 10% formal learning) as the preferred strategy to improve workplace performance and with a greater focus on supporting informal learning. Blended Learning Increases Learner Engagement As eLearning is on the rise, more and more companies move classroom content online, but don’t do away with it altogether. The benefits of a classroom environment are highlighted in a recent article on How Blended Learning and Gamification Increase Student Engagement. The article states that, the classroom environment — especially if it’s a really collaborative, innovative, problem-solving focused environment — is so important. And it’s not impossible, but it’s much harder to create that culture online. Rob Schwartz, an online teacher, believes that online teachers can also enhance a learner’s engagement. To quote Rob, "Nobody wants to engage with content; people want to engage with other people about content. When we learn, it’s a human experience. If we try to remove the humanity too much from it and turn it into just technology, we’re missing out on a really critical part of that experience of learning." Leveraging an LMS for Blended Learning Leveraging an LMS may prove to be an excellent option for your organization. When used for blended learning, an LMS offers several advantages for both employee and management. Management Employees An LMS allows Management to offer training programs that provide various approaches, including mobile learning, online learning, and face-to-face learning. A mix of these approaches lend toward keeping the learner motivated and engaged. Blended learning programs that are carried out with an LMS allow you to blend online learning and classroom sessions for a more effective approach. With the use of an LMS for a blended learning approach, keeps the training process streamlined. Planning and monitoring training activities with the help of an LMS makes it really easy. An LMS provides for a robust server and a secure system, which makes it easy to store and access learning data. The ability to reach out to more learners spread throughout the world. Virtual learning sessions and eLearning courses can be easily delivered without compromising on the quality and consistency of training. Multiple learning formats (including podcasts, text files, videos, mobisodes and more) and media channels—offline and online). The use of an LMS makes it easier for training programs to cater to different demands and needs. An LMS provides greater training flexibility and encourages a continuous learning process without geographical boundaries or time restrictions. A blended approach offers training resources that may be reached via chat rooms, wikis, blogs, forums and other online options. Using online training channels often improves interaction with instructors or trainers because it increases their approachability. Social learning and collaborative tools, along with online help, helps to facilitate greater levels of interaction between trainers and employees. Increased approachability and interaction with trainers/instructors through the use of online training channels—social learning, collaborative tools, and online help. Encourages employees to learn at their own pace and stimulates greater knowledge retention. Dependency is reduced on single sources of information is reduced as employees also have access to important learning resources online. Benefits of Blended Learning Companies reap the benefits of eLearning as it is a convenient mode of training a larger audience. When training is well delivered, both staff and the company at large, leverage from increased performance levels and reduced training costs. The blended learning benefits for corporate training may be briefly described as follows: Improved ROI - Companies are able to save through decreased travel and reduced material, leading to improved and more efficient staff performance. This lends toward improving consistency and scalability with eLearning—longer hours of classroom training are condensed into fewer hours of web-based learning. Consistency in delivery - ELearning promotes a standardized process and consistency in the delivery of content. Real-time access of content - The eLearning course can be accessed anytime, anywhere and through the device of the learner’s choice. Greater retention - The eLearning approach includes a combination of multimedia and instructional designs to deliver a rich learning experience. Through this learning environment, learners are more likely to retain learning content and repeat the course to enhance learning and subsequently performance results. More control to learners - Learners can go at their own pace, not at the pace of the slowest or fastest member of the learning group within the class environment. Almost every person surveyed this year said that blended learning approaches work best. To reiterate those opinions, I quote an L&D director who summed up Blended Learning as follows: "The single modality learning approach is definitely going by the wayside. It just reflects changes in society and technology in general." About the author: Brenda Fernandes is a content quality analyst with InfoPro Learning, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Brenda is an avid learning strategist with content development, instructional design and business analysis as her core areas of expertise. Brenda is a keen practitioner of harnessing the power of learning content to impact employee performance. The post Blended Learning Grows Up appeared first on .