Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Virtual College improves e-learning accessibility with new NAV Bar

Virtual College improves e-learning accessibility with new NAV Bar:source link

Last week Virtual College unveiled its new navigational bar, a work that has been in development for several months to make sure it was exactly right. The release comes alongside the first four of over 55 new modules being developed in association with the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement. The Productive Series e-learning suite covers Productive Ward, Productive Mental Health, Productive Community Hospital and Productive Community Services and spans all modules in each of these programmes.

The four introductory modules are available to buy here: http://www.virtual-college.co.uk/products/nhs.aspx and as with all Virtual College discounts are available on bulk purchases.

They are:

An Introduction to the Productive Ward

An Introduction to the Productive Mental Health Ward

An Introduction to the Productive Community Hospital

An Introduction to Productive Community Services

The new navigation bar will be implemented into all new Virtual College going forward. It is also customisable for third parties who wish to brand their own products when working with the company. For example, the Productive Ward series has been developed in association with the NHS, and as you can see in the example image, their branding has been attached to the module.

In addition to this customisation, advanced accessibility options allow individual users to control how the course is displayed with the use of the new options tab. With the click of a button users can change the size of the display, the colour of the overlay and the appearance of text should they require assistance because of visual impairment. The new colour coded page guide also makes it easier to see which pages you have completed at a glance should you need to revisit any aspect of the training.

Virtual College specialise in developing modules for large and small organisations across the UK. If you’d ilke to make your training more efficient through e-learning or blended techniques, call us on 01943 605976.

Mater Hospital develops e-learning course for high-risk medicines

Mater Hospital develops e-learning course for high-risk medicines:source link

An e-learning programme has been developed by Dublin's Mater Hospital.

Irishhealth.com reports this online learning course will raise understanding of high-risk drugs and the dangers that can be posed when these are administered or prescribed.

It was produced by the medical facility's pharmacy department and was supported by Pfizer Healthcare Ireland.

The online health and safety course identifies the top ten medicines and drug groups that can result in harm, as well as how errors in prescription and medication might occur and how these can be avoided.

It highlights the importance of educating professionals in high-risk drugs across all care sectors, from the prescription of the product to its administration and dispensation.

The e-learning programme also reinforces the importance of reporting any errors relating to medication.

A total of 6,882 mistakes relating to drugs were reported in Ireland's community healthcare and hospital facilities over 2010.

Errors relating to dosage accounted for 1,250 of these, while 730 involved supplying the wrong medicines.

The State Claims Agency and Health and Safety Executive revealed three-quarters of all medication mistakes happened in acute care settings, while eight per cent of all incidents reported to the bodies in 2010 related to pharmaceuticals.

However, Mater's distance learning course could deal with this issue and head of pharmacy services at the hospital Ciaran Meegan told the news provider it will make a substantial contribution to the safety of patients.

"This new e-learning initiative enables training on a critical, potentially high-risk aspect of healthcare to be delivered efficiently and cost-effectively in a flexible and accessible format to a large number of healthcare staff, which can only ultimately benefit our patients," he was quoted as saying.

Currently, the course is being utilised in the retraining of the facility's current staff, supporting the induction process of their new colleagues and improving the knowledge of all employees involved in the supply and use of medicines.

This is not the only online training course provided by the hospital, with the Health Informatics Training System Course also accessible over the internet.

Here’s Some Background Information for Your Next E-Learning Course

Here’s Some Background Information for Your Next E-Learning Course:Source Link

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - Cool backgrounds will make you the life of the elearning party.


During the year I conduct dozens of elearning workshops. I dedicate a large part of the workshop to graphic design because based on what I see, it’s an area that challenges many elearning developers.

Most of the people I meet have a training background. They may have some graphic design skills, but they usually find their roots in training. So they tend to be stronger in instructional design than graphic design.

Elearning courses are mostly a visual medium which means that graphic design is a key part of building effective elearning courses. In fact, it’s one of the three core considerations in the design of elearning courses:


  • What will the course look like?

  • What content needs to be in the course?

  • What will the learner do with the content?
Regardless of how you approach your course design, the course has to look like something. Even if you decide to do nothing but a white screen with black text, that’s a design decision.

In today’s post I want to offer a simple trick to help you get past the standard PowerPoint design or that template-screen look. It’s not going to make the instruction in the course better (you still need instructional design) but it can definitely make it a bit more visually engaging.


Change Your Background Image

It’s amazing what a nice background can do for the look of your screen. The right background can offer a visual richness that makes the content more inviting.

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - backgrounds can make your elearning course look better


Many rapid elearning developers will use the application’s default background or a pre-built template. That’s a fast way to go, but it doesn’t always work with your content. Instead of a template, try adding a background images that matches the content of your course. It’s a step in the right direction and requires very little effort.

The image above shows a quiz using the default background and one that uses a richer one. That background is a simple stock image and makes a perfect way to show off the art work in a museum.

Find the Right Background

Determine to put the learner in a context that matches the content. For example, in our elearning workshop we walk through the Hoh Rainforest design makeover. The goal is to craft a visually immersive experience. What can we do to get the person into the rain forest? For us it starts with finding a rain forest background image and then we add other complementary elements.

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - example of elearning course makeover


Below is another example. As you can see we took what’s a typical looking slide and converted it to one that has more visual appeal. Since the topic was how to change a tire we went with an automotive theme. Contextually it’s a better fit with the content than the template.


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - example of elearning course makeover


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - example of a simple background

The background is a bit more structured. It consists of a highway backdrop (grayed out stock image) and the content area is a license plate (another stock image). The content on both screens is the same, but which course looks more inviting?The license plate theme was designed by David for a free starter course we offer in the elearning community. He walks through the process of creating it. But what if you don’t have the graphic design skills to create something like this?

One solution is to find inspiration from other sources. In the example below, the course topic is how an organization monitors Internet usage. Using the Internet to access Facebook at work is very common. So instead of the typical screen, we designed a screen that mimics the Facebook look by using similar colors and lines.


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - example of an elearning course that mimics Facebook


An even easier solution is to settle on a single image background. Think about your course content. What is the one design element that says “this is the topic?” In the Hoh Rainforest demo, we found a single rain forest background image that lets us “step into the rain forest.”

What is the one background image that you can use to bring people into your content? Here are some ideas that are simple and offer flexible layouts. In the corkboard example, the background is the corkboard image.

Corkboards typically have paper and notes tacked to them. I like that type of background because it helps build a single visual theme but gives a lot of freedom in how the content can be laid out. You can also do something similar with a desktop or whiteboard.


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - example of an organic elearning course background image


Below is another example. We’re asking questions about workplace ethics. Instead of the default background that comes with the application, we found a shirt that matches a corporate look. It’s just a simple background image. Nothing fancy. But it really adds some nice texture and interest to the screen.

As you can see, you don’t need to modify the image to create a rich-looking background. The quiz example below is just a picture of a shirt pocket.

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - example of a simple background image in an elearning course


The first step is to determine a single image that represents the essential theme of the content. Then do a search for an image using Microsoft’s site or a stock image site like istockphoto or fotolio.

Here are a couple of ideas for inspiration. I like to look for wallpaper images. They tend to be a little out there, but used the right way can add a nice touch to your courses.

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - wallpaper ideas to inspire an elearning course background


Here’s a link to an idea that probably works better for you. They’re interior images. They’d make great backgrounds for all sorts of elearning courses. You don’t need to buy the expensive images either. I usually get the small versions which just cost a couple of dollars.


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - interiors that can be used for elearning course design

Going back to what I stated earlier, your course is going to look like something. You just have to decide what this is. We’re not all graphic designers but as you can see it doesn’t take much to move from the basic white screen or template to something that fits your content better and has a richer look.

Find the one image that represents the essence of your content and then build from there.



TidbitsIf you want to learn more about how to do some of this, sign up for one of the workshops when I’m in your area. The workshops tend to fill up so sign up as soon as you can. I hear the events in the UK are going like hot cakes…or is that crumpets?

I also just added information for the free Articulate jam session while I’m in Jacksonville.


Upcoming Events




Download your free 46-page ebook: The Insider's Guide to Becoming a Rapid E-Learning Pro


The Future of Mobile App Development Lies in HTML5

The Future of Mobile App Development Lies in HTML5: Source Link

The fact that mobile app development is a complex business is not contested by any developer. Today, if they want to develop a particular app concept for the iOS and the Windows Phone 7 platform, he/she will have to write different codes in order to develop the same app concept for these platforms. This is a time consuming process that requires great attention to detail and an in-depth knowledge and expertise of the coding pra...

Developer credits

Developer credits: Source Link
by Helen Foster.

I'm pleased to announce a new feature on moodle.org - Developer credits - listing all of our wonderful developers who have contributed code to Moodle since the project began in 2001. A huge thank you to everyone! approve

In addition to the developer names cloud, you can find out the names of the developers who contributed to each version of Moodle in Contributions.

Thanks to David Mudrak for developing the Developer credits feature, which we plan to extend to include credits for other contributions, such as tracker comments, peer reviews, testing and also translations submitted to the Moodle languages portal. If you have any feedback, please comment on MDLSITE-1663.

Strive to develop Automaticity in your learners

Strive to develop Automaticity in your learners: Source Link

Automaticity can be defined as “the status of any knowledge or skill that has been used so many times that it can be activated from long-term memory and applied using minimal working memory resources.” (Clark, Nguyen & Sweller, 2006).

Skills become automatic after repeated rehearsals of the activity. Multiple instances of performing a task helps learners develop automaticity with tasks and skills. Research indicates that a task such as matching letters can take as many as two thousand practice sessions but that the result can be significant. For example, when a problem was presented to students in a form that permitted them to use automated information, on average, the problem was solved sixteen times faster than an identical problem that required the use of non-automated information (Clark, Nguyen & Sweller, 2006).

In other words, Drill and Practice actually works. In our world of “accelerated elearning” and “faster is better”, we often forget that it takes time, as many as two thousand times to actually “learn” to do something effectively and without thinking. So the next time you are wondering whether or not you should add a little extra practice time in your learning design…the answer is yes!

Why do we think that athletes need practice to reach peak performance but that sales people, auditors, bankers, retail employees and others don’t. We are only kidding ourselves if we don’t provide practice opportunities for our learners.

Practice, Practice and more Practice turn novices into experts…and, by the way, it should be diverse applications of a skill or concept, not the same practice over and over again.

Source:

(Clark,R., Nguyen, F., & Sweller, J. (2006) Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-based guidelines to manage cognitive load. Pfeiffer.

The best learning of my life

The best learning of my life:Original Link

I’m currently involved in three open online courses: Change, CCK12, and LAK12. Altogether, I’ve facilitated about a dozen of these courses, with about 15,000 participants being involved in various ways. Some participants, such as in the current CCK12 iteration, take the courses for credit. The vast majority do so for other reasons (and I’m not sure what those are – personal interest? desire to connect with others? general curiosity?).

Participation varies significantly. The Change MOOC has about 2400 participants, yet we get typically get about 40 participants per live sessions, 5-10 blog posts a day, and 20+ daily tweets related to the course. Some are active throughout the course (though when I did an analysis on CCK08, only a few of the most active participants in week 1 were still in the top ten by week 12), some have spurts of activity, and others subscribe to the daily but don’t engage in ways that are visible to us as facilitators. Consistently, as the course progresses, active participation declines.

This isn’t unique to our courses. Even the current darling of open courses – Udacity – suffers from this. Their course on “building a search engine” had 2303 views for the introduction video and only 486 views for one of the last lecture videos of week 1. Video counts are a great way to track what people are actually doing in a course as creating something (artifact, blog post) is done less frequently in open courses than listening/reading. Wonder how long until companies like Udacity move away from YouTube to keep hit counts on videos in-house.

While active participation in our courses declines as the course progresses, subscribers to the Daily increase. I’m not sure what to make of that. If I was getting five emails a week on something I wasn’t interested in, I would unsubscribe. Does that mean we can view Daily subscribers as a) people are still engaged, b) people can’t find the unsubscribe link, or c) that we’ve subjected over 15,000 people to guilt about not being active in MOOCs?

While I’m not sure of the impact of open courses, I can state I’ve absolutely loved the learning experience of open courses since 2007. I enjoyed reading Laura McInerney’s post on the best learning of my life:

In the last few weeks I have experienced some of the best learning of my life…But even more amazing for me was that as the presentation was going on I could check information online, pull research articles as they were mentioned, broadcast ideas I had to twitter and get feedback from teacher colleagues here in the UK who were sat in their hous watching tv quite unaware of what I was listening in to. There was just so. much. learning. And it was awesome in the literal sense of the word – for the entire hour I was in awe of how much information I was able to take in and make sense of in so many different ways.

How The Mind Really Works: 10 Counterintuitive Psychology Studies — PsyBlog

Click this link : How The Mind Really Works: 10 Counterintuitive Psychology Studies — PsyBlog: Ten psychological findings that challenge our intuitive view of how our minds work.

GSMA 2012 Global Mobile Awards Announced - Congratulations to OnPoint Digital!

GSMA 2012 Global Mobile Awards Announced - Congratulations to OnPoint Digital!:Original Link

Monday, February 27, 2012

What's different about mobile learning?

What's different about mobile learning?: click this link to see the original post

As the doors open to a new era of mobile learning and performance support, it's a good time to step back and think about the new mindset required when designing for mobile.

Although a mobile pedagogy will continue to evolve, we already know quite a bit about how people use mobile devices and some of the advantages of mobile learning.

Mobile is Supportive
It doesn't take much deep thought to realize that mobile devices are an ideal medium for supporting performance at work. When an employee runs into an unsolvable problem, requires information to complete a task or needs step-by-step advice, this type of need can often be filled through mobile performance support.

Mobile is Collaborative
Learning and support at work can be provided through one's network of professional colleagues, both internal and external to the workplace. Using mobile devices, the geographically dispersed workforce can help each other solve problems and make decisions in real time when the desktop is isn't convenient. And of course, mobile devices can also be used for voice communication. That's an old-fashioned and highly collaborative approach.

Mobile is Gestural
The gestural user interface (UI) for interacting with a smartphone or tablet seems like another universe when compared to one-finger clicking on a mouse. The gestural UI removes the intermediary device (mouse, pen, etc.) so that users can directly manipulate objects on the screen. Objects are programmed to move and respond with the physics of the "real world." This opens up a new world of design possibilities for creative imaginations.

Mobile is Learner-centric
Learner-centric experiences occur when a person seeks the answer to an internal question. At this moment of need, the individual is highly motivated to learn and remember. When this occurs, it circumvents the need for extrinsic motivational techniques. Instead, it demands more effective information design, to provide quick and searchable access to content.

Mobile is Informal
Although there are bound to be an increasing number of Learning Management Systems that track mobile learning events, the mobile medium seems better suited to informal learning. Because mobile devices are often ubiquitous as well as always connected, they are ideal for learning in a variety of ways to fit a particular time and place.

Mobile is Contextual
Unlike other types of learning, mobile learning on a smartphone or tablet can occur in context. Only 3D simulations come close to this. Mobile learning may be initiated in the context of a situation, such as a few minutes of instruction prior to a sales call or quickly looking up a technical term at a meeting.

Mobile learning may be initiated in the context of a location, such as augmented reality to learn about a place while traveling or getting directions to the next technical service call. And if employees "check in" to a location-based site, they can find each other anywhere around the world.

Mobile is User-Generated
By taking advantage of smartphone and tablet hardware, users can generate content by taking photographs and recording video and audio. Through these multimedia capabilities, your workforce can send and receive information from the field.

A healthcare worker in a rural area can send photos of a patient's skin condition and ask for help with a diagnosis. An agricultural expert can create a photo album for farmers, showing conditions that indicate soil erosion. Rather than take notes, a trainer can voice record his or her thoughts on how to improve a workshop. Then use this recording back at the office.

Mobile is Fun
The most popular apps in iTunes are games. With mobile devices, games don't need to be limited to the phone. They can take in the larger world and be situational. For example, at a call center technicians receive digital badges through a mobile app for every satisfied caller. Badges are cashed in for various rewards. Think about ways to improve performance through challenges, team competitions and gamification.

Mobile is Sensitive and Connected
Take advantage of the hardware features of mobile devices. They have sensors for detecting touch, motion and device orientation. There is hardware for connecting through your carrier's network, and through WiFi and Bluetooth.

Some mobile devices can be used for tethering, which involves connecting the phone to a laptop with a cable and using the carrier as a modem to connect to the Internet. Mobile devices are also beginning to use Near Field Communications (NFC), so that devices can transmit information by touching them or coming into close proximity.

Conclusion
How can we leverage all that's unique about mobile devices and their use and at the same time, avoid the pitfalls? It will take time, thought and a high-level strategy to get it right. Your thoughts?


Connie Malamed publishes The eLearning Coach, a website with articles, resources, reviews and tips for learning professionals. She is the author of Visual Language for Designers and the Instructional Design Guru iPhone app.

From a "Social Being" to "Being Social"

From a "Social Being" to "Being Social": click this link

Business Admin Apprentice Scott Jones Earns City and Guilds Gold Medal

Business Admin Apprentice Scott Jones Earns City and Guilds Gold Medal:

We're proud of all our employees here at Virtual College, but this week we have extra reason to honour Scott Jones. Scott was the first person to start an apprenticeship at Virtual College when he joined our support team back in July 2010. His dedication to the job and his coursework has seen him earn distinctions in all of his modules and this week he was awarded with the prestigious City and Guilds medal for excellence on his course, an award presented to only 90 people out of more than one million who complete courses every year. Now a permanent full time member of staff his hard work and personality make him a valued member of the team. When asked about how the medal would affect his career, Scott replied "To win the medal is a fantastic result for me and an incredibly proud moment; it is a great achievement and now I can look forward to the future and completing further studies."

Virtual College now has a further three apprentices in training across the organisation, using e-learning to make the most of their time on the job instead of training off site. This is all lead by our Apprenticeship e-Academy, which specialises in delivering recruitment tools and e-learning to businesses around the country to help match them with the perfect applicant. If you're interested in being an apprentice, or you're a business that's thinking about hiring, you can hear first-hand opinions in the videos below; more are available on our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/ElearningUK/videos

Pupils taught life saving skills at e-learning training centre

Pupils taught life saving skills at e-learning training centre:

Pupils from the north-east of England have learned how to save a life at the Penistone E-learning Centre.


The Sunderland Echo reports that year six children from Oxclose Village Primary School in Washington were taught key aspects of emergency first aid in a St John Ambulance session.


Furthermore, Brancepeth Road school students had their medical knowledge improved through SafetyWorks, which provides interactive and realistic teaching on living safely, first aid and hazard prevention.


It is operated by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and supported by Nexus, Northumbria Police, Sainsbury's, local authorities and St John Ambulance.


Ellie May Spalding, an 11-year-old pupil from Oxclose Village Primary School, told the news source that she was taught about the recovery position, choking and other aspects of "life-saving first aid".


They also practised their new skills on their friends and teachers.


She said these lessons are not taught in school and pointed out: "It's quite important, as you never know when you might have to help someone."


Ms Spalding added she really enjoyed learning about these issues.


First aid tutor Marecia Edmudson claimed 150,000 individuals die in the UK every year in situations where medical assistance could have saved their lives.


"It's amazing how quickly children can learn exactly what to do in an emergency situation," she added.


St John Ambulance provides other online health and safety training opportunities and has launched an app for the iPhone, which is free to download and has been accessed by 43,000 individuals.


A mother contacted the organisation to inform them she was able to provide her choking baby with first aid as a result of this programme, which could have saved its life.


The group urged people with iPhones to download this tool, as it will enable them to provide support to an individual while waiting for expert medical assistance and could even prevent them from dying.

Ontario universities 'should provide more online learning'

Ontario universities 'should provide more online learning':

Universities in Ontario ought to offer a greater number of online learning courses, a provincial report has stated.


The Toronto Star obtained the government paper, which is titled: 3 Cubed: PSE institutions as centres of creativity, competency and citizenship equipped for the 21st century.


It is set to be released for wider discussion in March.


Pilot three-year courses involving e-learning should commence in September 2013 and a later rollout ought to occur by 2015, the proposed policy document stated.


It called on educational providers to offer year-round classes, allow students to earn over 50 per cent of their credits through virtual learning environments and to cut the length of time an undergraduate degree takes from four years to three.


At most, college diplomas should last for 24 months, the proposals stated.


This could make education faster to complete and would still maintain the high-quality of post-secondary learning, the paper argued.


Students would have a greater degree of choice and the educational sector would be refocused on a "forward-looking set of teaching and learning options".


E-learning would give professors more time to discuss issues with students, meet them and provide mentorship, the report argued.


Increasing levels of demand for further education has made it important for this sector to be relevant and flexible, it continued.


Furthermore, young people would be able to enter the jobs market at an earlier stage, while the online learning courses would also make education more affordable for both students and the state.


Glen Murray, the Canadian government's colleges and universities minister, told the news source that the proposals are "things that are happening in other parts of the world".


Speaking on behalf of the Undergraduate Student Alliance and Western University Students' Council, Patrick Searle told MetroNews.ca: "Students certainly support an expansion of online learning, though not necessarily at the expense of current physical classes."

Top Five Stories of the Week: What Companies Know About You and Other Secrets

Top Five Stories of the Week: What Companies Know About You and Other Secrets:Click this link for original post

What happens when big companies start using the data they have on consumers to predict some of the most intimate moments of our lives?


That’s the focus of one of this week’s most-shared stories, by the New York Times. Reporter Charles Duhigg reveals how the retail chain Target used its elaborate customer database to discover that a teenager was pregnant – before her own father even knew.


As Duhigg notes, Target statistician Andrew Pole “was able to identify about 25 products that, when analyzed together, allowed him to assign each shopper a ‘pregnancy prediction’ score.” Target could then send those customers coupons based on the specific stage of their pregnancy.


Top 5 most-shared articles by LinkedIn members (Feb 17, 2012 – Feb. 23, 2012)


Follow @LinkedInToday

1. How Target Figured Out a Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did (Forbes)


2. How Companies Learn Your Secrets (New York Times)


3. The 8 Qualities of Remarkable Employees (Inc.)


4. 10 Things Bosses Never Tell Employees (Inc.)


5. Why QR Codes Won’t Last (Mashable)


The piece resulted in a flurry of comments on LinkedIn and it also raised important questions about how companies will use our secrets in the future. Forbes’ Kashmir Hill, in a smart summary of the New York Times’ story, notes:


“With all the talk these days about the data grab most companies are engaged in, Target’s collection and analysis seem as expected as its customers’ babies. But with their analysis moving into areas as sensitive as pregnancy, and so accurately, who knows how else they might start profiling Target shoppers?”


Secrets, in fact, seemed to be the topic of the week on LinkedIn. Inc.’s Jeff Haden (who has two stories on this week’s leaderboard) reveals the secret things bosses wish they could tell their employees. Among the confessions: bosses want to be liked, they want to pay you more and they actually want you to talk and have fun at work. (So don’t lower your voice and pretend to be working when your boss walks by! Good managers know that you can have fun and work hard at the same time.) You can read the full list of managers’ inner secrets here.


Here are the other most-shared stories, broken down by industry:


Investment Banking: Warning: Banking May Be Hazardous to Your Health (Wall Street Journal)


Venture Capital: The ‘Unhyped’ New Areas in Internet and Mobile (TechCrunch)


Nonprofits: The Role of Brand in the Nonprofit Sector (Stanford Social Innovation Review)


Financial Services: 12 Leadership Traits You Need to Thrive in Tough Times (Entrepreneur)


Real Estate: Bill to Speed Up Short Sale Process and Prevent Foreclosure (DS News)


Public Relations: The Most Overused Jargon in Press Release Headlines (PR Daily)


Internet: Gamestop to J.C. Penney Shut Facebook Stores (Bloomberg)



EthosCE Learning Management Platform

EthosCE Learning Management Platform:Click this link for original post


See how DLC Solutions has two industry-leading integrated open-source applications: content management system Drupal and Moodle learning management system for medical education. This short video shows how easy it is to register for the learner to select and review a course, please complete an assessment, scored and receive a certificate. In addition, we highlight some of the core reporting functionality.

Schoology teams with leading south east Asian Schools

Schoology teams with leading south east Asian Schools:

Schoology teams with leading south east Asian Schools
Cempaka schools that are an elite group of five — for-profit, private Malaysian primary schools and secondary schools, began in 2010 with Schoology after experiencing dissatisfaction with the functionality of its former Learning Management System .
Read more on Technology Digital

DataFlux Expands Data Management Education with inSight E-learning Portal
In addition to a series of on-site and online training, offers a glimpse a state-of-the-art learning management system – the Learning Cafe – with developing content for organizations in the planning, implementation and providing data management and
Read more on MarketWatch (press release)

Millwork Industry Looks Online for Training
By combining the Millwork Distributors Association of Millwork Distributors The ‘ Learning Management System for its online education programs has quickly one of the preferred educational training systems for AMD members and nonmembers to be.
Read more on Building-Products.com

From Social Learning to Workforce Collaboration | Workforce Collaboration

From Social Learning to Workforce Collaboration | Workforce Collaboration:Click this link for the original post


Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed that I changed the title of my main blog from “Learning in the Social Workplace” to “Workforce Collaboration” Why? Well, to try and avoid the “learning” word or at least the term “social learning”! Let me explain.

Despite the fact that numerous studies have shown that most workplace learning takes place outside training - the term “learning” is for many people still synonymous with training. They simply don’t realize (or value the fact) they are learning (ie acquiring new knowledge and skills) every day in everything they do – because they have been conditioned to believe that learning only happens in a classroom or an online course – that involves studying or memorization – and when a teacher is involved.

As social tools have emerged and are being used by individuals to address their own learning and performance problems (outside training), I thought these old perceptions might change, but unfortunately the term “social learning” is now being used to refer to the use of “social media for training” – despite the fact that “social learning” is something that happens all the time – with or without social media tools – and in fact takes place far more outside training than within it! ....

Read the rest of the post here

Games Can Provide Authentic Experiences

Games Can Provide Authentic Experiences:Click this link for the original post

To provide effective instruction, it needs to be as authentic to the actual experience as possible. The context of an online course or the context of a classroom is not authentic. Most people do not work in a classroom (except teachers or trainers) so learning how to perform a task or negotiate an outcome in a classroom setting doesn’t always translate well to the work environment because of the disconnect between the environments. May times in a classroom or in an elearning module, there are no consequences for wrong decisions or actions. Sure, you may get a slightly lower score on your “final” but, really? are most people impacted by that. No, they simply take it again until they get 100%. In authentic environments, that is usually not an option, few real life situations allow “do overs.”


Practicing skills and concepts in an environment or setting as closely approximating the actual setting as possible minimizes cognitive overload and allows for a more effective transfer of knowledge to application. Every major life and death training involves authentic rehearsal (flight simulators, war games, etc.) The same type of instructional environment should occur for skills such as working out a financial transaction or closing a sale.


Gamification of content allows that to occur. You can create an authentic environment through graphics, storytelling and visual cues. Additionally, forcing the learner to apply concepts within the right setting encourages them to act in an authentic manner which is different than how most people interact with courses. In a course, the person “feels” removed from the content and acts as they think the instructor or material would like them to. Then, when they return to “work,” they behave authentically. The goal is to have them behave authentically in the learning situation and then correct to achieve the desired outcomes or behaviors.


Gamification of context provides two key advantages.


One, the environment in which the learning occurs can closely resemble the actual environment in which the task takes place. A game could have the setting of an office or a warehouse, a conference room or a workroom. Wherever the tasks are accomplished, that can be reconfigured in a game setting.


Second, a game can actually enhance or highlight elements of an authentic situation that do not unfold at a rapid pace. In other words, games can accelerate authentic experiences and highlight consequences in a way other instructional tools cannot. So for example, a person who writes a mortgage that a client can’t afford might not see the consequences of his actions because the new home owner may be able to struggle in their home for 6-8 months before they can no longer pay the mortgage. In a game environment, the writing of a bad mortgage could impact the player the very next turn or in two or three turns. This accelerates the consequence and illustrates to the learner the cause and effect relationship that is hard to convey in a classroom setting and that isn’t always seen in the real situation because of the passage of time.


So, providing a game for learning creates an authentic environment other than a classroom or a slideshow and highlights how certain variables or actions taken in situation play out over time.

Eating an elephant

Eating an elephant: Click this link for original post


I was talking on Skype this morning with a long-standing and much-respected colleague David Jennings. Both of us are bloggers as well as authors of books. He commented on the fact that I seemed to be able to move freely between the long form and the short form, 500 words one day and 50,000 the next. The reality, for me at least, is very different.

Once you get in the swing of it, it is relatively straightforward to write a blog post. Of course you have to start with an idea but, once you get going, an hour (incidentally the time it takes to travel by train from Brighton to London) is more than enough. In the past six years I've written about 700 posts for Clive on Learning and several hundred more for Onlignment. I feel like a seasoned old hack. But a book is a different prospect. It's a monstrous proposition, particularly when you have a busy day job to put at the top of your priority list. To make use a popular contemporary metaphor which attempts to explain the difficulty that our rational selves have in overcoming our emotional drives (see my review of the book Switch), the rider of the elephant (the intellect) says 'Let's make a start on the book right now and then keep going using every spare minute available until we finish', but the elephant itself (representing our emotive instincts) responds 'No way, mate, I'm off for a lay down. Later perhaps.'

Interestingly, elephants themselves provide the answer to this conundrum. The old question goes 'How do you eat an elephant?' (not that you'd want to, of course, and the elephant wouldn't be too keen either); the answer, as you well know, is 'One mouthful at a time.' The best way that I've found to write a book one mouthful at a time is by conceiving of it as a part work, each edition being issued as a blog posting.

With The New Learning Architect, I issued the book as a part work on the Onlignment blog subsequent to publication. While this increased the reach of the book, it achieved nothing in terms of the writing process and, as a result, the book took four years to write. On the other hand, my latest book, Digital Learning Content: A Designer's Guide, was schemed out in such a way that it could be constructed piece by piece from magazine articles and online guides, published on a regular schedule with tight deadlines. As a consequence, this book was assembled in 15 months, altogether a more satisfactory experience, particularly when the subject matter is so volatile.

Of course, a traditional book publisher would never let you work in this way, with all of the book contents made available for free in advance of formal publication; which is just one of the reasons why I would now only ever consider the self-publishing route, in my case through Lulu for paperbacks, and Kindle and the iBookStore for electronic versions.

The Man Who Didn’t Invent E-mail

The Man Who Didn’t Invent E-mail: Click this link for original post



You invented e-mail? Really?


Recently, I was shocked to learn that a 14-year old named V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai invented e-mail in 1978. This story came to me via the Washington Post, which reported on February 17 that the “inventor” was being honored by the Smithsonian. A Time magazine online story which I hadn’t seen until the past week apparently broke the “news” last November.


Why am I using quotation marks (which I typically abhor) around the word “inventor” and “news”? The answer is simple. When I first read the story in the Wash Post, I started laughing and quickly double-checked the calendar to see if it were April 1st. Since it wasn’t, I felt compelled to set the record straight and I am sure that I am not the only one doing so.


If you go back to the Wash Post story today, you’ll see a “clarification” (whoops, there are those pesky quotation marks again) explaining that “a number of readers have accurately pointed out that electronic messaging predates V. A. Shiva Ayyadurai’s work in 1978. However, Ayyadurai holds the copyright to the computer program called “email,” establishing him as the creator of the “computer program for [an] electronic mail system” with that name, according to the U.S. Copyright Office.”


Let’s look back for a moment. E-mail was a feature of 1960s mainframe computer systems that had the capability allowing a user to send a message to another user of the same system. This was an advancement of real-time chat programs that were in use up until that point (yes, chat was around in the 1960s). The MIT CTSS (ca. 1965) is likely to have been the first system that incorporated this kind of e-mail.


In terms of e-mail as we know it now, meaning the ability to send a message to someone using a different computer or computer system, credit goes to Ray Tomlinson (who also invented the use of the “@” symbol in the addressing scheme). I cover this in my book, Overload!, and this was the killer app of its time.


Now, back to our hero, Mr. Ayyadurai. While the clarification issued by the Wash Post serves to indicate that there was some degree of public outcry about the article, its wording is ambiguous at best. Holding the copyright to a computer program named “EMAIL” is not the same thing as having invented e-mail. Were I to write a messaging program today (assuming I took a crash course in programming first), I too would be able to copyright my very own “EMAIL” program. So could you, for that matter.


What makes me uneasy about this is that all of the press coverage comes in advance of the publication of Ayyadurai’s book, The EMAIL Revolution. While the cover of the book seems to be ready, the description merely says “”Lorem ipsum…” His Web site is a masterpiece of self promotion that also includes a video he prepared: “Turmeric: Wonder Herb of India.”


I stand by what is not really my claim but that of many eminent computer historians, namely that Ray Tomlinson is the inventor and father of modern e-mail. At least Ray didn’t capitalize it and he certainly isn’t trying to capitalize on it either.


Jonathan B. Spira is CEO and Chief Analyst at Basex and author of Overload! How Too Much Information Is Hazardous To Your Organization.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

E-learning 'can be better than traditional education'

E-learning 'can be better than traditional education': (original post click this link)

E-learning has many advantages over traditional forms of education, it has been said.

President of the International E-Learning Association (IELA) Dr David Guralnick explained these online learning tools enable people to practice tasks in realistic situations.

This can result in online training becoming "more engaging and more effective" than when a teacher stands in front of a classroom, as long as the e-learning course is well-designed, the specialist remarked.

It can involve simulations that are directly related to operations in the workplace, such as in retail spaces, he added.

Studies have revealed this form of education is "better than the more information-based approaches" that are seen elsewhere.

Universities could also benefit from e-learning and the "immersive environments" it provides, the specialist pointed out.

He stated chemistry students could experience a simulation that would enable them to perform experiments that would be too risky for them to try in the real world.

Furthermore, social networking can also be implemented in online learning courses, Dr Guralnick asserted.

He said this enables students to extend their reach "far beyond the classroom", allowing them to talk to people from all over the world, expanding their perspectives and networks.

Social media is continuing to get "more and more buzz as a way for people to benefit from the experience of others", the expert noted.

However, Dr Guralnick previously declared that challenges exist for organisations when they are branching out into e-learning.


Poorly-designed products can be ineffective at educating individuals and can often require people to merely "read text and click through pages".


In these circumstances, the software is viewed as boring and irrelevant to the workplace, which frequently involves practical applications and not "memorising facts", he added.


People who are using e-learning in their education should not consider it to be a burden but should appreciate the technology, Dr Guralnick said.

GIA: E-learning market will be worth $107bn by 2015

GIA: E-learning market will be worth $107bn by 2015: (original post click this link)

A rising interest in online learning courses will result in the value of the global e-learning sector hitting $107 billion (£67.47 billion) by 2015, a study has reported.

The investigation, from Global Industry Analysts (GIA), found distance learning is becoming more commonplace due to the development of modern innovations, including broadband internet, digital videos and personal computers.

It is the combination of all of these technologies that has led e-learning to become so commonplace, the company stated.

Furthermore, educational facilities such as colleges can also discover growth opportunities through the rise in e-learning, while businesses in sectors including financial services, retail, marine, IT, telecommunications and healthcare are also finding a range of applications for these courses.

Employees can be kept up-to-date with the latest trends and information, allowing businesses to keep talented staff members by training them and helping them to expand their skill set.

Substantial declines in the budgets of many corporations has made online training a particularly viable and attractive alternative and is helping firms to cope with the need to boost productivity during financial difficulties, the GIA added.

It brings advantages to students, including those living in remote areas or studying part-time, by allowing them to access educational materials from anywhere in the world and at any hour of the day.

GIA had previously argued that online learning "holds an edge over other computer-based training initiatives" as a result of its lower logistic costs, centralised content, ongoing storage solutions and uniformity within the delivery of content.

The primary market driver for this burgeoning industry is the convenience of distance learning courses and the self-determined nature of this mode of education, the organisation stated.

"Corporate e-learning market is set to witness rapid growth, driven by rising demand from corporate clients," it claimed, pointing to "improved content and resolution of localisation issues" as primary contributors to this growth.

IPA releases e-learning course on direct investments

IPA releases e-learning course on direct investments: (original post click this link)

An online training course has been set up by the Investment Program Association (IPA).

This e-learning programme will enable broker-dealers and financial advisors to understand how direct investments can be incorporated into a wider portfolio more thoroughly.

Investments of this type are also referred to as 'alternative' and allow advisors to diversify the holdings of their clients.

A range of opportunities, including equipment leasing schemes, oil, gas, private equities, managed futures and non-listed real estate investment trusts fall in this category.

The complimentary course is the second IPA continuing education programme created by the organisation.

Called Portfolio Construction and Management Utilizing Direct Investments, the e-learning course informs people how to manage return and risk in the holdings of their clients and is one of the first of its kind offered.

It features topics relating to specific asset classes as well as the overall portfolio and the IPA claims it provides participants with a "comprehensive overview".

Consisting of eight modules, the distance learning course was developed through co-ordination between the IPA and the American College.

IPA chief executive officer and president Kevin Hogan claimed while some financial advisors are aware of the value of direct investments in a "truly diversified portfolio" and have a familiarity with the products, the e-learning programme could help them to "strengthen their overall knowledge and understanding of these solutions".

It will help them to recommend these products to their clients with a greater degree of confidence, he stated, claiming the online learning courses offered by the IPA present "valuable information" to the sector.

Participants in the remote learning course can work in their own environment and at a pace that suits them, although the programme is expected to last between two and three hours.

Senior vice-president in the Mid-Atlantic territory for Behringer Securities Rick Handrich provided a positive testimonial to the IPA's distance learning courses.

"I have completed many other types of web based education modules - this by far was the best," he stated.

3 Tutorials to Help You Get More Out of PowerPoint’s Image Editing

3 Tutorials to Help You Get More Out of PowerPoint’s Image Editing:

The Rapid E-Learning Blog - 3 PowerPoint tutorials


I know it’s hard to believe, but apparently there are many people who don’t like PowerPoint. Obviously there are a lot of bad presentations created with PowerPoint, but it seems to me the blame rests on the shoulders of the presenter and not the tool. Besides, PowerPoint’s a versatile tool that’s used for more than bad presentations.


Personally, I think PowerPoint’s one of the single best multimedia applications. The secret is to look at PowerPoint in a different way. And once you do that you’ll see that it offers an assortment of capabilities.


I just returned from the Training 2012 Conference in Atlanta where I presented on some PowerPoint tips and tricks. For those of you who couldn’t attend, I’ve included links to PowerPoint resources that I’ve shared in previous sessions.


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - free PowerPoint resources and tutorials.



In Atlanta I was sharing how PowerPoint makes a good image editor. After the session, someone asked about this video where you learn to create a stickout effect that lets the image stick outside the box. It’s a basic cropping technique that allows you to open up the page and add more visual interest to the screen. The person wanted to know how to do that in PowerPoint.


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - the stickout cropping technique


I like this question for a few reasons. It lets me demonstrate how PowerPoint can be used to edit images. And it helps teach more about the features and capabilities of PowerPoint in general. Even if you don’t use PowerPoint to do this on a regular basis, practicing this technique is an excellent way to learn more about PowerPoint’s features.


So let’s look at a few ways to create the “stickout” effect in PowerPoint.


PowerPoint Tutorial 1


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - edit images in PowerPoint tutorial


Click here to view tutorial 1.


PowerPoint 2010 has a background removal feature. However, if you’re using older versions of PowerPoint you can still get the stickout effect. This tutorial shows how.


PowerPoint Tutorial 2


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - edit images in PowerPoint tutorialClick here to view tutorial 2.


In this tutorial you learn to use PowerPoint 2010’s background removal feature to create the stickout effect.


PowerPoint Tutorial 3


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - edit images in PowerPoint tutorial


Click here to view tutorial3.


This tutorial combines the background removal feature with a duplicate image. Learning to work with layers and multiple images is definitely going to open possibilities when editing images in PowerPoint.


Consolidated PowerPoint Tutorials


I know some of you can’t access the Screenr tutorials at work, so I downloaded the video files and used them to test a drag and drop video player idea in Articulate Storyline. You drag the DVD icon to the orange box and it loads the video. The cool thing is that it only took a few minutes to build the functionality.


The Rapid E-Learning Blog - PowerPoint tutorial videos in Articulate Storyline drag and drop elearning


Click here to view the three PowerPoint tutorials.


You may never need to use this specific image editing technique in PowerPoint, but going through these tutorials will help you learn more about PowerPoint’s features and develop a greater appreciation for the application’s capabilities.




TIDBITS


I’ll be in St. Louis this week doing two sessions. At the end of the PowerPoint session, we’ll be hosting a free Articulate jam session. Swing by if you’re in the area, especially if you want a peek at Articulate Storyline. I’m sure I’ll demo some tricks.


I’m also looking forward to the May 22 and May 24 sessions in the UK. Sign up now before they sell out.


Upcoming Events




Download your free 46-page ebook: The Insider's Guide to Becoming a Rapid E-Learning Pro


What Happened to the Promise of One-to-One Online Learning?

What Happened to the Promise of One-to-One Online Learning?:(original post click this link)

One early claim of the advantage of computer-based instruction was that the computer could adapt to the individual learner and provide her or him with instruction customized to their individual needs. This does not seem to be happening in the world of e-learning.

This adaptation to individuals is a missing ingredient in training and education. Even with the advent of computer training, the next logical step of individualized training/education has never materialized. The ideal strategic situation would be to have, in a corporate setting, performance-based metrics (number of products sold, number of initiatives presented, projects finished, etc.) tied directly to elements courses or course pieces within a Learning Management System (LMS). So, if an employee was making fewer calls than desired, the LMS would recognized the deficiency and “push” training content to that employee centered around content related to making more sales calls.

Based on an individual’s performance, a courses could be created using existing media elements (video, audio, text). Ideal the course would deliver the exact type of content needed to the employee. In an educational setting, a system could diagnose what the student knew or didn’t know and present her with just the right information to fill her gaps in understanding.

An alternative would be to create a system where the employee answers questions about his skill set and a manger answers questions and then an individualized training program is assembled by the LMS to address specific needs. S Input could be gathered from managers as well to indentify individual employee performance. Then, once the data is gathered, training related information, videos, etc. would be “pushed” to that employee within the context of her daily work activities through whatever device she happens to be using.

We need to get away from the “broadcast” concept of e-learning where “one-size-fits-all” and instead get to the apprenticeship model where instruction is customized to each individual learner based on his or her individual needs. The next evolution of e-learning needs to be one-on-one, personalized instruction that is designed (on the fly) to meet the needs of the learner and then stop.Too many people are taking large sections of online courses that they just don’t need. They already know the information but have to sit through it because others don’t already know the information and everyone gets the same instruction whether they need it or not.

Social media has not so much focused on informal learning as its focused on “just-the-information-I-need” learning which happens to come from peers instead of learning and development professionals. If learning and development professionals want to stay in the game, the thing they need to do is to figure out a way to create adaptive learning systems to increase the efficiency of learning and decrease the waste and redundancy in many, many e-learning courses.

The real value of computer-based instruction is individual adaptability and we haven’t even scratched the surface.

Monday, February 20, 2012

School district investigates e-learning options

School district investigates e-learning options:

A school district in the US is looking into e-learning in a bid to improve the range of education options it can provide to the students who sign up for classes.

The Council Rock School District is setting up a partnership with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit in order to examine whether or not online learning courses should be offered.

Barry Desko, Council Rock's director of secondary education, confirmed that a presentation on e-learning has been given to the Council Rock School Board, reports Patch.com.

He explained the move towards offering online learning courses is being taken "cautiously", with a wide range of options being looked into by the district before it makes a final decision.

Mr Desko noted one teacher at both of Council Rock's high schools will be in charge of e-learning classes next year, although there are several issues that need to be dealt with before the switch to online learning can take place at the institutions.

"We just think it's the right thing to do at the right time," he said, adding it is the aim of the district to build a programme that protects academic integrity at the schools involved in the project.

However, board member Patti Sexton is one of those who remains sceptical about the benefits of e-learning and she claimed it is not in the best interests of the student body.

"I have a natural aversion to online learning," she said, pointing out it contains none of the "joy" that can be provided through face-to-face interaction between a teacher and a pupil.

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that Anant Agarwal, director of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, will be taking charge of a new e-learning initiative at the institution, reported BBC News.

Lean Healthcare practitioners celebrate with Virtual College

Lean Healthcare practitioners celebrate with Virtual College:
Last week the 2012 Lean Healthcare e-Academy Awards were held at the Marriott Hotel in Leeds, celebrating the best examples of Lean techniques being implemented across the healthcare sector. As well as being an opportunity to acknowledge some outstanding achievements, our Lean Healthcare e-Academy hosts the annual event to bring together professionals from across the UK to network and discuss how changing and updating techniques and practices help their
organisations to reduce costs and improve service.

The day started in our exhibition hall where guests could see the latest from carefully selected sponsors, before being invited into break out rooms where key speakers and award nominees led seminars and discussions.

The winners of each category are listed below, but for full details of the conference, case studies and video from the event you can visit and bookmark http://www.leanhealthcareacademy.co.uk/lhaawards2012

The Best Impact on Patient Experience Award

SOUTH TYNESIDE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

For their project:
Improving the patient Experience for COPD patients in Sunderland

The Sustained Improvement Award

DONCASTER AND BASSETLAW HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

For their project:
Jeep's Disease: Changing Practice

Pioneers of Telehealth / Telecare Award

SOUTHERN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE TRUST

For their project:
Implementation of Remote Tele-monitoring for People with Long Term Conditions

Lean Champion of the Year Award

Richard Wylde

AIREDALE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

The Productive Series Award – International

HEALTHCARE IMPROVEMENT SCOTLAND

For their project:
Releasing Time to Care Implementation Programme

The Productive Series Award – International

SOUTH TEES HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

For their project:
Time to Care – The spread of 'productives' across an acute setting

The Embracing Technology Award

UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE

For their project:
Embracing Technology – Pharmacy Robot

The Sharing Best Practice Award

RSL STEEPER

For their project:
Prosthetic Rehabilitation: the use of best practice to drive quality and cost effectiveness

Improving Services through Training & Development Award

ROYAL FREE NHS TRUST

For their project:
Implementation of a hospital-wide 'diabetes care bundle' to improve inpatient safety

Outstanding Contribution to the Advancement of Lean Award

Susan Speak

AIREDALE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

People's Choice Award

BRADFORD DISTRICT CARE TRUST

For their project:
The adoption & spread of the productive mental health ward programme in a learning disability inpatient unit.

This year’s main sponsor for the event was NETS – North East Transformation System. The NETS team help to promote their model as best practice to organisations within the local NHS. Our appreciation also goes to Lesley Holdsworth from Java Productions who assisted with organising the event.

Online learning platform launched at GIBS

Online learning platform launched at GIBS:

A new online learning platform has been unveiled at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in South Africa in a bid to deliver more flexible education.

The school will be looking at harnessing the information-sharing ability of technology in order to improve the options available for students mulling over their choices for their education.

Sue Swart, GIBS digital marketing manager, explained it can be hard for many professionals to take time out to study due to how pressed they are for time in the modern world, which is why e-learning can be useful for individuals in this kind of position.

"Whether you're in a corporate job or running your own company ongoing learning is imperative for those who want to get ahead," she said in a statement.

The online learning courses will come under the GIBSdirect branding and two offerings have been made available by educators at the facility - Marketing and Financial Management - with applications for Leadership and People Management due to be opening soon.

While students can work at times that suit their schedule as a result of the introduction of e-learning at GIBS, the work for each module has to be completed within the two-month period over which the module runs, it was noted by the institution.

"Modules are 'ring-fenced' in this way as our research and experience show that such deadlines contribute to better completion rates and therefore ensure that students get a return on their education investment," said Ms Smart.

GIBS is offering students from all over South Africa - as well as even further afield - the chance to sign up to the online learning programmes at the facility.

However, those who wish to take part in the scheme will need five to ten years' work experience - preferably with some at middle management level - if their application to study at GIBS is to be a success.

MIT launches 'fully automated' online learning courses

MIT launches 'fully automated' online learning courses:

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has revealed it is to launch the world's first ever fully automated online learning courses.

It will be free for students to sign up to and will focus on electronics, with the classes set to begin in March, reports BBC News.

The Boston-based university announced its intention to branch out into e-learning shortly before Christmas and the creation of the online courses will come under the MITx brand.

Anant Agarwal, director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, will be one of the teachers in charge of the online learning and stated the aim is to continue to make the course material engaging for those who sign up to take part in the scheme.

"There are interactive exercises to see if they've understood," he said, pointing out students will need a working knowledge of science and maths to succeed in the e-learning module, although there are no formal requirements for those wishing to participate.

MIT's provost Rafael Reif added it will be an experiment to see whether or not e-learning can be a success for the university, with the needs of face-to-face evaluation from members of staff among the factors to be examined during the trial run.

He suggested online learning courses may also be valuable for training people in the workforce in the future if it is proved to be a success.

MIT has unveiled a virtual laboratory, e-textbooks, online discussions and videos for the online learning courses, which are expected to run until June and take around ten hours per week.

The history of MIT dates back over 150 years and there are currently well over 1,000 members of staff employed at the educational institution in the US, while more than 10,000 students are currently signed up to classes at the institution.

10 Visual Design Quick Tips

10 Visual Design Quick Tips: eLearning and slide presentations are highly visual mediums. The visual clarity of screens and slides can have a big impact on learning. If you're unsure what to do and how to go about designing the visuals for a training environment, here are some quick tips that might help.

1. Visual Design is Problem Solving
You solve problems all day long and you're probably pretty good at it. Coming up with a visual design is no different than other problems you must solve. First, define the visual problem (identify the goal and constraints); get ideas by brainstorming, sketching and researching what others have done; make decisions (ideally with input from others); and find a way to execute your solution.

2. The Screen or Slide is a Canvas
You're the painter. Think of the screen as a blank canvas. Don't let it be defined by an existing template. Start fresh by throwing away the standard approach with the title at the top and the content below. You might need it at times, but it will limit your potential solutions if you hang on to that approach at first.


3. Try One Typeface with Varied Styles
Without studying typography, it's difficult to know what typeface to use for an eLearning course or a slide deck. You can simplify this decision by using only ONE typeface in a course. A typeface that has several styles. Certainly bold and italic are necessities, but also heavy and condensed styles add more options. Then consistently vary this one typeface, as appropriate, using different sizes, weights and colors for different purposes. Some of my favorites: Myriad Pro, Helvetica, Franklin Gothic, Garamond, Gill Sans, Futura and Times.

4. Use Proximity to Indicate Relationships
We organize our perceptions according to certain brain rules. One of these is the Law of Proximity. When elements are placed close together, we assume there is a relationship between the elements. Use proximity to indicate which elements are related to each other so learners will know they are part of a group. Avoid using proximity when elements are not related, so you don't give learners the wrong idea.

5. Personalize Your Design
One way to give a design personality is to use a paper background for text or images. Don't overdo it, of course. For example, if you want to add a touch of informality, you might display text on a little note with masking tape or a paper with fold lines, as shown below. If you're going formal, perhaps a finely textured linen paper would work. Stock photo sites sell paper backgrounds or you can digitize one yourself.
6. Space is an Object Too
Think of visual space as an element of design, similar to image and text. Space and form are the yin and yang of visual design; without one, you can't have the other. White space or negative space refers to the area between and around elements and between elements and the edge of the screen. Use white space to provide balance and clarity to your design. This makes it easier for learners to process the visual information.

7. Let Characters Speak for You
eLearning courses tend to drone on. When it makes sense, switch it up and let characters (photos or avatar-types) do the talking. You can use speech bubbles or just a connecting line to the text. When characters speak, it transforms the content into a micro-story. Dialogue between two people, first-person statements or internal thoughts are usually better approaches to presenting information than didactic bullet points. (See Alternatives to Bullet Points for more on this.)

8. Crop Photographs for Focus
Your photographs will have more impact if you crop them to show only what's important. Most photos have extraneous visual information that may detract from your purpose. Examine each photo you use and identify where you want the viewer to focus. Then crop the photo so the focal point becomes predominant.


9. Simplify Your Color Palette
There's almost never a reason to go crazy with colors (I can't think of one, but I'm sure somebody will). Generally, using too many colors will confuse your learners, making it harder for them to focus on what's important. Simplify your palette to a few subdued and compatible colors. Then add one or two contrasting colors for accent and emphasis.

10. Repeat Elements to Unify a Design
A sense of unity will make your visual design feel like one integrated composition. One way to create this sense of integration is to repeat certain design elements. If you use some of the techniques in this article, repeat them in a consistent way. This creates a connection between the elements. The trick is to use visual repetition without getting boring.

Keep practicing!

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