The challenging of assessing formal and informal online learning at scale includes various issues. Many universities who are now promoting "Massive Online Open Courses" (MOOC), for instance, focus on relatively informal assessment of participant competence, which is not highly ‘quality assured’. This paper reports best practices on the use of a web videoconferencing application to […]

The paper critically evaluated the discursive practices on the Moderated Discussion Board (MDB) of Virtual University of Pakistan (VUP). The paramount objective of the study was to conduct a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the MDB on the Learning Management System (LMS) of VUP. For this purpose, the academic power relations of the students and […]

By CYRUS MOULTON, Union Leader Southern New Hampshire University is taking another step to help serve military personnel in the classroom, announcing a new partnership with Warrior Transition Technology Training to provide education, professional certification and job placement for military personnel through a new undergraduate information technology (IT) program. "For many veterans, getting a college degree [...]

By Meris Stansbury, eCampus News The Network of states’ practices are unique in that they offer a standard model of how to create this increasingly needed pipeline. The Pathways to Prosperity Network, an initiative of Jobs for the Future (JFF) and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, began three years ago in an effort to help [...]

Flexible, Distance and Online Learning (FDOL) is an open online course offered as an informal cross-institutional collaboration based on a postgraduate module in the context of teacher education in higher education. The second iteration, FDOL132, was offered in 2013 using a problem-based learning (PBL) design (FISh) to foster collaborative learning. How this was experienced by […]

As of now, there are many ways that can help people cut their spending. First, in order to reduce spending on transportation, by investing in a car it is a wonderful idea. When it comes to the water bill, you can reuse the water for watering plants. And if you are thinking of reducing electricity ...

On a daily basis, the vast majority of households up and down the country will receive at least one nuisance telephone call. Regardless of whether they are trying to sell you something, access your computer, or steal bank account details, [...]

If you are in charge of designing your internal training program in a workplace, chances are you’ll also be in charge to creating the content that will be used in these training sessions. Depending on the size of your company, or the complexity of your training sessions, the training materials... Read More

Transformation occurs in many fields, but not much has changed in the books concept. This article tries to show how to transform paper books into an interactive tool in blended learning to enhance engagement. Let us introduce the interactive book. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Join us for this global dialogue at one of South Africa’s most acclaimed tourist destinations, the world-renowned Sun City, situated in the heartland of the African bushveld. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Blab.im is the latest social media phenomenon. It's a fantastic live streaming system that runs in browsers or on their mobile app. It's similar to Google Hangouts but is far superior in its usability. There are so many use cases for a tool like blab and I want to figure out how we can apply […] The post Blabbing About Blab.im in Learning & Development - Join the Conversation appeared first on Litmos.

What if -in spite of the money and time you’ve invested- your Learning Management System (LMS) is not having a substantial impact on your business? Not really generating a justifiable ROI? Not providing the ease of use and data intelligence you need? This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

As corporate training and eLearning is turning shorter and practical, the importance of job aids to supplement learning is getting highlighted. L & D teams are now emphasizing on creating a coherent learning environment for their employees, by using job aids to complement the courses. Job aid, as the name suggests, aids the users in completing the job effectively and successfully. It comes handy for the users as it makes the right information available, in the right medium, right at their desks or fingertips, just when they need it. However poorly designed job aid would defeat its purpose and is likely to end up getting dumped into the stack of unused documents. Here are a few common mistakes that can, and should be avoided when creating job aids. 1. Lengthy and verbose - Users get frustrated if job aid provides too much theoretical, unnecessary and ‘nice to know’ information. Job aid is for quick reference and hence should be concise, to-the-point and quickly getting to the crux of its objective. It should ideally be not more than one or two pages.2. Complicated layout - Unformatted or complex layout makes it difficult for users to find information quickly. Job aid should be designed in an easy-to-follow format, contingent on the type of task it supports.3. Don’t map to users’ needs - Job aid written without keeping in mind the target users’ entry level knowledge, needs and experience often fails to achieve its objectives. 4. Content dumping - Just copying the entire step-list or flowchart from a training or process into the job aid is another common mistake. Job aid requires careful content curation, editing and reworking as opposed to content dumping.5. No visuals - Job aid with only verbal description takes a lot of time to read and may drop user’s interest. Using images, drawings and symbols to describe information guarantee retention and makes it lot easier for users to follow. But visuals must aid the learning process and not just decorate the document. 6. Lack of context - Job aids, many times, do not set the context for using them. Job aid should have a brief linkage to the context, being standalone learning material by itself. Context would help users understand, retain and process information better. 7. Difficult to access - The purpose of having a job aid gets defeated if it is not easily accessible to users. For example, job aids are merged into a single bank of online documents without sorting or giving a search option. Be it a print or digital, job aids should be easily accessible whenever users need it. 8. Complex language - Users tend to avoid referring a job aid if it has unfamiliar words, technical terms and industry jargon.  Job aid should use simple language so that the user doesn’t struggle with its meaning. Jargons should be avoided unless appropriate to the task and the user. A well-crafted job aid can be a great reference tool for learners to apply their learning on the job and retain knowledge. However it should be designed and developed carefully to yield its results.  Have you come across any such mistakes in job aids you have referred or reviewed? What are your tips for creating user-friendly job aids?

By Richard Sites, Vice President - Training & Marketing | @rhillsites  As you know, designing and developing e-learning is full of challenges and opportunities. A while back, we enlisted our blog subscribers to share their biggest e-learning challenges they face on a daily basis. That Top 10 list is below and we want to know what you think! Are there other critical challenges you often face when designing and developing e-learning?

Bottom Bar Viewer is now part of our Free Library! This […]The post Bottom Bar Viewer: A Free Lectora Template appeared first on eLearning Brothers.

SALT LAKE CITY — On Saturday, August 15, Western Governors University (WGU) will hold its 29th semi-annual commencement in Salt Lake City. In addition to recognizing students who have graduated in the past six months, the nation’s first competency-based university will mark another major milestone—50,000 graduates in just 15 years. Western Governors University

Clark Quinn mentioned The Meta-Learning Lab during #lrnchat today and it brought back a rush of memories. 14 years ago, Clark and I, along with Claudia Welss and Claudia L’Amoreaux, founded the Meta-Learning Lab.  We were ahead of our time. Our foundation beliefs were that… Everyone has the capacity to learn but most people can … Continue reading Meta-Learning →

Do you constantly look at innovative ways to keep your workforce calm, mindful, and happy? The present, as well as the future, is all about technology and how businesses are adapting to it. Virtual reality is a concept that has become relevant for different kinds of businesses. Imagine being able to track your focus component […]

Why should you use cinemagraphs in eLearning? We'll talk you through some of the ways they can make your courses more effective and attractive. Offering practical tips and examples, if you've thought about adding some movement to your media this is a great place to start. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Mobile Moodle learning can refer to two things - mobility of learning (i.e. learning on the go), and learning directly from your mobile device. Not surprisingly, the two definitions are interdependently related. Learning on your mobile phone allows increased collaboration, and it acts as an extra channel for communication in a course. Mobile Moodle learning is best when used as a supplementary method to eLearning environments, or even face-to-face classes.

Ask 10 people to order a pizza and you’ll see just how individual we all are and that there are endless ways to create personal savory perfection. Thin base or thick? Order in or take out? More mozzarella… but hold the anchovies, thanks! Personalization allows us to add a touch of the pizza experience to eLearning through customizing content and features to the learner’s individual needs, preferences, and learning style. Through applying personalization in eLearning, learning content can be presented to the individual rather than the group… and allow everyone to choose their own toppings! This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Cell phones are one of the greatest advancements in communication technology. In the past five years, cell phone usage has increased exponentially, even replacing landlines in many homes and businesses. According to an April 2015 report released by the Pew Research Center, 64% of Americans now own a smartphone, up from only 35% in April 2011. Cell phones have become so enmeshed in our daily lives, it can be easy to forget that cell phone etiquette still matters--especially in the workplace.  1. Know when to put your phone away The convenience and ease of cell phone communication can sometimes overwhelm the importance of face to face interactions, especially in the workplace. Remember that calls and texts are not always appropriate, especially during meetings and workplace conversations. Business Insider even warns against placing your cellphone on the table during a meeting, because you may appear distracted or disengaged. 2. Always identify yourself It may sound obvious, but it can become habit to answer your cell phone with an automatic, "Hello?" However, if you’re using your cellphone for business calls, remember to identify yourself when you answer a call. A simple, "This is Bob Smith speaking" or, "This is Sarah Smith" helps your caller feel at ease knowing who they are speaking to and establishes  a professional, rather than informal tone to the call. 3. Check your volume Often when people speak on the phone, they assume a louder volume than they use in normal conversation, which can be disruptive or distracting to others, especially in an office environment. Always assume a normal, pleasant conversational tone and be aware of others around you. Consider taking your phone calls away from the desk and find an empty, quiet space if you need privacy during a call. 4. Use speakerphone etiquette If you’re speaking to a person on speakerphone, be sure to let him or her know. It not only prevents the other person from saying anything that might be inappropriate for other listeners to hear, but it also makes him or her feel more included if there are other people joining in the call. 5.  Keep your voicemails brief Voicemails are often unavoidable, but take care to keep them brief, especially when you are relaying detailed information. Consider sending specific information in a follow-up email, rather than lengthy voicemail. No one likes having to listen to a rambling voicemail, so pause before the voicemail beep to consider how you can communicate your message as succinctly as possible. If looking for more phone call etiquette suggestions to implement in your office, OpenSesame has a range of courses related to telephone skills, telephone courtesy, and proper cell phone use. Business Skills PostsView the discussion thread.

This morning I awoke to find messages from a dozen friends asking, "Did you send me this?" Hackers had managed to send everyone on my Skype account a link to a weight-reduction site. ("How Rachel Dropped 25 Pounds and 4 Dress Sizes!") I wrote everyone, "This is spam. Please don’t open it. (I wouldn’t suggest … Continue reading Hacked on Skype. No collateral damage. Whew! →

Hosting your first webinar can be a nerve-racking experience. After all, even veteran actors can stumble when they have to pull off a live performance. In this article, I’ll give you some guidelines on how to host a winning webinar from start to finish. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.