E-learning awards launched in Northern Ireland

E-learning awards launched in Northern Ireland:
Northern Ireland's inaugural e-learning innovation awards have been launched at Queen's University by minister for employment and learning Dr Stephen Farry.
He explained the commendations will acknowledge the people and institutions that are "leading the way" in the effective use and development of academic technologies.
These can support teaching and education throughout higher and further education, as well as in the training sector, the politician remarked.
He called e-learning an "area of immense and rapid growth and change", noting innovative advances ought to be "exploited to the full".
This will enrich the economy and enhance the academic experiences of individual students, Dr Farry added.
He also recognised the launch of the Technology in Learning Delivery qualification, stating this will "complement and support the wider strategy for education and training" within the country.
Colleges and similar organisations should be seen as "key deliverers of skills" throughout all levels, which will enable them to meet the needs of communities and employers, as well as students, the minister declared.
Industry and businesses often examine the tertiary sector to help them discover development opportunities for their workforce and company, the specialist pointed out.
Dr Farry had previously argued it is vital the Department for Employment and Learning he works from collaborates with corporations when delivering its Skills Strategy.
"If Northern Ireland is to compete on a global economic arena, there must be a concerted, joined up effort to drive up skills on all fronts," the minister remarked.
He said he is committed to up-skilling the country's workforce, as well as addressing any mismatches or shortages of talents.
The e-learning awards are organised by the Regional Support Centre Northern Ireland and aim to encourage the creation of online training platforms and other virtual learning environments.
People and groups throughout the nation that are spearheading the effective use and creation of technological tools to support learning and teaching will be commended through the initiative.

University of Wisconsin-Madison innovates with e-learning

University of Wisconsin-Madison innovates with e-learning:
Online learning programs are enhancing the academic experiences of people who attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US.
An on-campus movement called Educational Innovation is taking place at the institution, encouraging staff and faculty members to develop new ways of learning.
It is hoped this will result in the university becoming more self-sufficient, improve its capacities and produce more resources for students.
One of the leaders of Educational Innovation is Jamie Henke, who created a virtual learning environment to support people participating in music theory courses.
Some people thought the only individuals who would be interested in e-learning would be people that wished to attend lectures and seminars dressed in their pyjamas or those who did not want to leave their residence halls, the university claimed.
Instead, the course has attracted overseas students, as well as people in employment or taking internships that need the flexibility that distance learning online can provide.
Lawyers, computer programmers and retired dentists have also signed up for online training in the composition of music.
Vice-provost for teaching and learning at the university Aaron Brower argued blended and online learning can enhance the academic performance of students, as well as maintain it.
"To do it right requires time, efforts and some start-up costs," he pointed out.
Professor of library and information studies Kristin Eschenfelder teaches an e-learning course for database design.
She claimed these innovative educational tools can sometimes be better than working from a traditional classroom.
Her students must listen to virtual lectures, which contain audio put over the top of a Powerpoint presentation, as well as work through a workbook.
"They enjoy that the database lectures are online because it allows them to listen to a difficult part of a lecture over and over and over again without the embarrassment of revealing they didn't get a point," she pointed out.

Virtual learning environment to help people collect debts from mentally ill

Virtual learning environment to help people collect debts from mentally ill:
A new e-learning tool has been created to help debt collection agencies deal with members of the public who have mental health problems in a sensitive and effective manner.
The virtual learning environment was delivered by the Money Advice Trust, with assistance from Rethink Mental Illness and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP), on behalf of BCW Group, which invested in the technology.
It is hoped the online training programs will enable debt collection employees to become more aware of the symptoms of certain psychological issues and alter their techniques when dealing with people who are affected by these problems.
This should strengthen the skill set held by BCW Group staff and support them in dealing effectively with a range of scenarios.
It should also help them to understand the differences between stress and mental health problems and assist them in responding accordingly.
A recent investigation undertaken by the RCP revealed as many as half of all adults in the UK with 'problem debts' could have mental illnesses, with owing money to individuals and organisations thought to be both a consequence and cause of psychological disorders.
Every 30 seconds, an employee from a debt collection agency will have to consider how to recover money from a customer who claims to have a mental illness, which can be challenging for the companies they work for as well as the member of staff themselves, the psychiatrist organisation remarked.
BCW Group managing director Bryan Mouat said: "The new e-learning tool will give our guys a fuller understanding of the difficulties faced by customers with mental health issues and further enhance our ability to deliver a professional and respectful service."
He noted his company has "always placed great emphasis on staff training and ensuring that our employees are well informed about relevant legislation and best practice techniques".
The firm recognises how important it is for staff to be continually developed to make sure they are well supported in all of their duties and can deal with individuals who have mental health problems in the best possible manner, the representative argued.

Online learning 'transforming education in Emirates'

Online learning 'transforming education in Emirates':

E-learning is transforming the education sector in the United Arab Emirates.

The Khaleej Times reports that teachers are getting rid of traditional textbooks and replacing them with items to support online learning, such as tablet computers and iPads.

Students are now being educated in buildings with smart boards, visual aids, immersive learning and surround sound, with this to be enhanced through the unveiling of a new scheme to develop virtual learning environments.

In the immediate future, pupils in the Emirates will all be provided with online learning tools through the Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Initiative.

This will involve the Ministry of Education providing young people and pupils with e-books and apps to make academia more engaging and interactive.

It will cost one billion dirham (£169.17 million) and is predicted to have a transformative impact to the country's education.

Chip maker Intel collaborated with the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) to investigate how to modernise the position of teachers and classroom education.

Every student at the IAT was provided with an Apple MacBook Pro, while educators created online learning tools by putting videos, training sessions and lectures on the internet in English and Arabic.

Attendance, levels of involvement and interest in the subject all saw improvements as a result of the e-learning initiative.

Furthermore, peer learning and collaboration between students were also enhanced and supported with the innovations.

"There have been positive results with astounding progress made from project-based learning," IAT managing director Dr Abdullatif Al Shamsi was quoted by the publication as saying.

He noted that laptop computers currently have a "central role in the classroom", with there occasionally being instances where there are no paper copies of the course materials.

The representative had previously said: "The iPad is compatible with the preferences and desires of today's youth, it frees them from the heaviness of the school bag and it became one of the necessary tools to enter the stage of the advanced technological education."

Online training course 'will help people lose visceral fat'

Online training course 'will help people lose visceral fat':

An online training course called "The Secrets to Losing Belly Fat & Increasing Your Energy" is to take place.

The e-learning programme will be delivered as an internet telecast on April 24th by certified nutrition health counsellor Karen Russell.

While the majority of obese people in America suffer from 'belly fat', thin individuals can also have this problem but might not realise it.

This substance can pose a silent health risk to people by residing around inner organs, regardless of the size a person is, Ms Russell pointed out.

Fat can be stored in one of two ways - either 'subcutaneously', which means under the skin around the abdomen, buttocks, thighs and hips, or 'viscerally', which relates to that kept deeper inside around the pelvis, chest and gut, covering vital organs such as the liver, digestive tract, lungs and heart.

While members of the public may be most concerned about the subcutaneous fat and self-conscious about how much of this they can see, it is thought the hidden fat could be the biggest danger to people's health.

Harvard Medical School notes visceral fat is linked to breast cancer, type two diabetes, metabolic disturbances, cardiovascular disease and the need for surgery to the gall bladder.

It "lies out of reach, deep within the abdominal cavity, where it pads the spaces between our abdominal organs," the educational institution claims.

However, the e-learning course will enable people to reduce the amount of this substance inside their body and could improve their medical outcomes, Ms Russell claimed.

She said her clients have seen reductions in blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, triglycerides and blood pressure from following the "personal, one-on-one" online training course she provides.

"I believe if my clients learn how to cook, shop and eat healthy, it can change their life," the nutritionist declared, adding: "Food is the best medicine."

People who wish to register for the e-learning course should go to www.recipe4wellness.com or telephone 330-340-8314.

E-learning courses 'need effective management'

E-learning courses 'need effective management':
E-learning could be a solution to some of the education problems experienced by South Africa, although a number of issues will have to be dealt with first.
This is according to Kobus Van Wyk, head of e-learning initiatives at Mustek, who claimed online learning has a place in classrooms, but will have to be effectively managed.
He pointed out that historically, knowledge was accumulated "in a linear way".
"Nowadays, young people are bombarded with information from all directions," the specialist continued, arguing the purpose of teaching should be to help them to understand this data and make sense of it.
Previously, Mr Van Wyk led the Khanya scheme in the Western Cape.
This was a pilot initiative, which involved rolling out computer-assisted learning and teaching tools to all the academic establishments managed by the region's Department of Education.
It was first established in April 2001 in order to explore alternatives to traditional classroom education, with the state noting skilled tutors were leaving the profession, while fewer people were becoming involved in teaching and the Aids epidemic was "starting to take a toll amongst educators".
As a result of this scheme, 22,000 teachers were trained in e-learning, while 150,000 computers were fitted in schools.
Mr Van Wyk explained the project taught him several things, including that there has to be a secure and safe environment for learning, in which infrastructure is protected.
Teachers have to be provided with "ongoing training and support,", while the right hardware should be installed, appropriate academic materials ought to be made available and delivery organisations must not overspend on equipment, the expert added.
"Computer skills are now a minimum requirement in the world of work," he added, noting online learning means these talents are imparted "as a byproduct".
"The important thing is equipping young people to cope in a rapidly changing world," Mr Van Wyk continued, claiming this is impossible without using computers to assist in academia.

Refugees 'inspired to study' through e-learning

Refugees 'inspired to study' through e-learning:
Online learning courses are inspiring refugees in Africa to continue studying.
IRIN reports that e-learning courses have helped to encourage a rising recognition of the value of higher education and the benefits this can bring, not only to individuals but to countries as well.
When peace arrives in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq and Afghanistan, the nations will require a new generation of education professionals such as teachers, the publication pointed out.
A recent assessment by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHRC) revealed only around 75 per cent of displaced children are accessing primary learning, with just over one-third enrolled in high school.
However, education officer for the organisation Audrey Nirrengarten said there is evidence to suggest providing opportunities for continued learning in adulthood could encourage more refugees to complete earlier stages of academia.
Virtual learning environments might help to achieve this goal and deal with the "huge unmet demand for higher education among refugees" identified by the UNHRC.
Utilising modern technologies and forging partnerships with other academic institutions could assist thousands of refugees to engage in distance learning online.
A joint initiative between Kenyatta University in Kenya and York University in Canada has resulted in the creation of one of these courses, which will be unveiled in the Kenyan Dadaab camp during the next academic year.
This combines face-to-face and online learning courses and will provide participants with the opportunity to earn a four-year bachelor's degree or a teaching diploma.
Humanitarian organisation Care reports there are five schools in the Dadaab refugee camp, which cater for around 15,000 children.
University of Toronto researcher Sarah Dryden-Peterson is involved in the online training scheme.
She told IRIN refugee youngsters can be particularly proactive and motivated when studying.
"They're looking for any kind of printed material they can get their hands on to learn and keep their brains active," she said, adding: "With the opening up of telecommunications and internet access, refugees are following online courses and developing their own ways of learning by pulling things off the internet."

Online learning to reach Jamaican primary schools

Online learning to reach Jamaican primary schools:
Primary school teachers in Jamaica have been encouraged by the nation's government to use e-learning tools.
Education minister Ronald Thwaites urged educators to utilise this facility during an address at a campus in Kingston, at an event marking the opening of the St Joseph's Teachers College Symposium 2012.
An online learning course is being extended to support the education of the youngest students at the 700 primary schools on the island, with this expansion occurring when a current review of the scheme is completed.
Mr Thwaites said this is scheduled to happen at the end of the academic year.
Currently, the e-learning project is focused on pupils in secondary education and there are more than 200 high schools in Jamaica.
The minister claimed support is urgently needed in improving the teaching of numeracy and the assistance provided by the online learning technologies could be used for this purpose.
Initially, the virtual learning environment project was set up through a collaboration between the Ministry of Education and private enterprise the E-Learning Jamaica Company, using modern computing services to boost the academic potential of high schools.
Finance for the programme was received through the Universal Access Fund Company, which has also helped educational establishments install broadband internet connections.
Minister of science, technology, energy and mining Philip Paulwell said during the first meeting of the E-Learning Jamaica Company earlier this year that the expansion of the initiative into early childhood learning centres and the primary education sector should occur speedily.
He called it a "massive exercise that is arguably the single-most impacting education project".
The Ministry of Mining and Telecommunications had previously pointed out the youth in Jamaica are "already immersed in technology, [so] the use of modern methodologies in the classroom is a natural move towards enhancing the learning process".
Furthermore, the "entertaining approaches to learning" offered through online training courses should help to stimulate academia and "excite young minds to embark on a quest for knowledge", the ministry added.

E-learning 'will complement traditional education rather than supplant it'

E-learning 'will complement traditional education rather than supplant it':
Online learning courses will be likely to augment traditional classroom education in the future, rather than supplant it.
This is according to Bonnie Stewart, PhD student at Canada's University of Prince Edward Island, who researches social media identity and how this could affect higher education and blogs at CribChronicles.com.
She claimed the education sector will learn from the experiences students have when merging formal academia and e-learning.
The specialist argued futurists have been predicting that higher education will be fundamentally altered since the Massachusetts Institute of Technology unveiled its MITx virtual learning environment, referring to the change as "The Great Disruption".
MITx will be open to people throughout the world, as well as supplementing the education of students on-campus.
The first course will be on Circuits and Electronics, with other subjects due to become available this autumn.
Ms Stewart argued she does not believe Massive Open Online Courses (Moocs) and unstructured internet networking services are the sole answer to education in the 21st century.
However, "Moocs help those of us interested in emergent ideas participate in a public learning experience that is otherwise not really available by conventional means", the specialist pointed out.
She explained these assist her PhD studies by enabling her to learn and think in public and providing her with up-to-date information and conversations relating to changes and innovations in her field of learning, as well as the ability to become involved in these discussions.
However, Ms Stewart pointed out e-learning courses do not always offer credentials or certifications.
Furthermore, they do not necessarily involve a person holding the performance or learning of participants to external standards, she added.
"These factors all make [online learning] a significantly different experience from studying at my bricks-and-mortar university," the expert remarked.
Although the disruption caused by the emergence of e-learning will be profound, the possibilities it provides might be similarly wide-reaching, Ms Stewart concluded.

Online learning 'has corporate benefits'

Online learning 'has corporate benefits':

The benefits of e-learning are not limited to educational facilities and can extend to the corporate world.

This is according to 1midea chief executive officer Ch Subba Raju, who told India-based news source PostNoon.com that any company can utilise online learning tools to create academic content, which could then be shared throughout the organisation.

He claimed virtual learning environments can also be more cost-effective than more traditional models.

For example, updating an e-learning course is simple as it can be quickly edited, the expert pointed out.

Furthermore, the content is of a consistent quality and the costs of scaling or sharing the programme can be negligible.

Mr Raju noted e-learning courses can take advantage of technological advances to produce attractive content that is as enjoyable and accessible as a film.

However, customers will have to be willing to invest larger sums of money in these high-value online learning programmes, he declared.

Some of the examples of corporate uses for e-learning outlined in the publication included farming, wherein the content could inform a person how to carry out agricultural tasks.

The world is now moving towards a society wherein knowledge is seen as a key difference between two individuals and e-learning taps into this.

Operations manager of iProf Learning Siolutions Kanwal Arora told the news source virtual learning environments might not replace traditional school education, because they cannot provide students with skills such as teaching discipline, setting goals and providing guidance.

However, they are particularly useful for self-study and could remove this academic practice from the classroom, he added.

They can be helpful when studying after school hours, enabling learners to revise chapters or catch up with their peers at home, the specialist remarked.

Express News Service recently reported that e-learning is beginning to significantly impact the education sector in Bangalore, with online learning courses especially commonplace among young people.

Vatican and Oxford to make ancient texts open for online learning

Vatican and Oxford to make ancient texts open for online learning:
People taking part in distance learning courses will soon be able to benefit from the collaboration between the Vatican's Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (BAV) and Oxford University's Bodleian libraries to digitise ancient books.
These scripts will be publically available for online learning and will be categorised under three different subjects - Hebrew manuscripts and early printed books, 15th-century writings and Greek texts.
A £2 million award from the Polonsky Foundation made this initiative possible.
Founder of this organisation Dr Leonard Polonsky had previously expressed his support for the digitisation efforts of the Bodleian library.
He said: "21st-century technology provides the opportunity for collaborations between cultural institutions in the way they manage, disseminate and make available for research the information, knowledge and expertise they hold."
The partnership between the Vatican and Oxford University was recently strengthened with assistance from the Bodleian's Centre for the Study of the Book and the initiative should build on the institutions' relationships with each other.
Approximately two-thirds of all the text will originate from the BAV, with the Bodleian providing the rest.
It has been forecast that the creation of the virtual learning environment will take four years and when it has been completed, an estimated 1.5 million pages will have been digitised.
Prefect of the Vatican Library Monsignor Cesare Pasini said the joint scheme will enable both institutions to provide a benefit to culture and science.
Participating represents a "great step forward in the Vatican Library's entry into the digital age", he argued.
Lord Patten of Barnes, chancellor of the University of Oxford, remarked: "By making these collections available online we give the wider public access to a small but significant part of the world's heritage."
The educational institution was also recently recognised by UK intelligence agency the Government Communication Headquarters as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research, indicating its e-learning environment will be particularly secure.

Fijian educators go on e-learning course

Fijian educators go on e-learning course:
A new project to encourage the creation of e-learning courses has been launched by the Public Service Commission in Fiji.
The Jet Newspaper reports deputy secretary of the organisation Iva Tavai officially opened the workshop at Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) training centre in Nasese.
It is entitled Developing e-learning content in technical vocational education and training (TVET) and Ms Tavai said it is important and timely for the nation.
She was quoted by the publication as stating it should provide trainers, teachers and education officers at a range of technical institutions and state ministries with a venue in which they can enhance their online learning capabilities.
The politician explained the Fijian Ministry of Education intends to roll out e-learning in 12 schools, with four of these programmes launched this month.
This TVET workshop lasts for five days and will feature 30 participants from state institutions and tertiary organisations, as well as Michael Montero, an e-learning consultant at the CPSC.
Ms Tavai claimed the relationship between Fiji's government and CPSC has existed since 1996, when the first in-country workshop was organised.
The country is one of 17 nations that are members of the CPSC and these locations have benefited tremendously through capacity building.
She urged people to take advantage of the knowledge and skills imparted on them during the workshop, which will enable them to boost the e-learning services they provide to their customers.
Education in Fiji intends to empower learners and help them to meet their potential through a responsive, inclusive and holistic study method.
It should also ensure the populace can appreciate their cultural inheritance and take pride in their national identity, helping the development of the country.
Learning is based upon a series of "intrinsic and enduring values", the Ministry of Education claims, highlighting safety, security, human rights and civic pride as some of these.

Online learning with social media 'could help foreign language students'

Online learning with social media 'could help foreign language students':
Foreign languages teachers could bolster the education of their pupils by using social media tools to create virtual learning environments.
Writing in the Guardian, Transcription Global UK online marketing manager Ryan Gibson pointed out Facebook can be utilised by tutors, who could set up a page for their class to 'like', before updating it in languages other than English.
Students could then use the networking site's in-built translating tools and utilise their own knowledge to gauge the accuracy of the translation, he suggested.
Online learning of languages might also be supported by blogs or Tumblr accounts, the specialist declared.
He said teachers could publish content in a foreign tongue and ask their pupils to do the same.
Mr Gibson claimed students could write something and put it online "for the whole world to admire".
Educators can demonstrate to youngsters why they love a particular language and inspire them to become passionate about learning it, he declared.
Twitter can also support online learning, the expert noted, pointing out teachers could post tweets in foreign languages and see whether pupils can carry on a conversation in the medium without using English and while staying within the 140-character limit.
Students may be asked to upload video blogs on to YouTube, during which they speak in an overseas tongue, Mr Gibson stated.
He asserted these could be on a number of topics, such as the speakers' hobbies, thoughts, political opinions or viewpoints on current events.
People who wish to put their video on the YouTube account should send it to the teacher first, the expert noted.
"There's no denying that enthusiasm for learning foreign languages amongst our schoolchildren is at an all time low, but if things are going to change, teachers and parents need to get smarter," he wrote in the publication.
VerbalPlanet.com recently launched an e-learning course for people wishing to learn a new tongue that enables students to utilise Skype to speak with teachers from overseas.

SFCC invests in e-learning courses

SFCC invests in e-learning courses:
South Florida Community College (SFCC) is investing in innovative e-learning technologies, Newssun.com reports.
Webmaster at the educational facility and director of its Educational Technology Center Melanie Jackson told the news source the number of students at the college involved in online learning courses rose by 44 per cent between 2009 and 2011.
The amount of e-learning programmes provided by SFCC expanded by one-third over this timeframe to accommodate the rise, she continued.
In 2003, only three of its courses were available over the internet, but in 2011 this figure was 180.
Currently, people at SFCC can complete associate of applied science, associate of science or associate of arts degrees entirely over the web.
The startling heightening in provisions reveals the popularity of e-learning, Ms Jackson said.
Online learning enables teachers to present education in new ways, increases the accessibility of academia and allows students to understand information with a wider variety of methods, occasionally from the comfort of their own homes.
The news source claimed the "revolution of online learning" could be the biggest alteration to education since writing and reading replaced the Socratic tool of discussing things face-to-face.
Ms Jackson told the publication: "Technology moves quickly. The only constant in our world is change. Google has gone from being a noun to a verb."
However, she argued virtual learning environments are "not for everyone".
Persistence, good time-management skills and discipline are needed for e-learning to be successful, the expert continued.
Students nowadays have different brains than learners did in the past, Ms Jackson remarked, pointing to studies that appear to show interactions with the television, video games and computers, as well as the rise of text messaging, have changed the neuron structures of the young.
SFCC also wishes to create a "unified digital campus" in the future, she declared.
Pupils, administrators and faculty staff requiring assistance in e-learning can speak to the Electronic Learning Department at the college, which provides training and multimedia resource development skills.

Iowa lawmakers discuss online learning bills

Iowa lawmakers discuss online learning bills:
Online learning is a key debate in Iowa, the Bullingdon Hawk Eye reports.
Last autumn, it was not a particularly important consideration among lawmakers as they toured the area discussing plans for education reform, but has now hit the forefront of their conversations.
State representative for Mount Pleasant Dave Heaton told the news source he is concerned about whether or not the e-learning course provider will exist in the region.
Legislators are worrying that a school district will invest large quantities of money in e-learning, which will be utilised by outside firms, he declared.
The policymaker said: "I don't think a lot of people up here are comfortable with that, even though a lot of them are impressed with the potential of online learning in some cases."
Iowa Department of Education policy liaison Mike Cormack said a house bill will cap the maximum number of students that can engage in online learning through private firms partnering with school districts at 900.
Furthermore, Senate versions will enable as much as 50 per cent of coursework issued over any day to be performed through online learning, with exceptions granted for certain people with medical requirements.
He said e-learning is "something that is very much up in the air".
"There are a lot of different scenarios," the politician added, hypothesising that some of the hesitation among lawmakers is because the concept is innovative and new to the area.
Mr Cormack explained 29 other states offer online learning in some manner and speculated that if a bill is passed, this will occur in a conference committee, involving representatives of both chambers and political parties coming to a compromise through negotiations.
Legislators in Tennessee are examining virtual learning environments as well, arguing these should be an essential aspect of any educational reforms, an article in the Tennessee Report revealed.
They are also looking at a bill called HB3062 that could mandate minimum teacher to pupil ratios in online learning courses.

Tennessee lawmakers look into online learning

Tennessee lawmakers look into online learning:
US lawmakers are advocating that virtual learning environments should be an integral part of reforms to education and are looking into how to set up these courses.
An article in the Tennessee Report revealed legislators are debating rules that would make teacher-student ratios and similar requirements for real-world education applicable to online learning programmes.
Authorities in Tennessee are looking into a bill titled HB3062, which would enable the Board of Education to enforce tutor-pupil proportions for e-learning courses and would ensure that academic providers adhere to these.
While people would still be able to learn at their own pace, e-learning programs would need to offer the same amount of time for students to study and work in.
Sponsor of the bill state representative Ryan Williams was quoted by the news source as saying: "There are many reasons why kids choose not to finish school and anything we can do to encourage them to stay in school and to get their diploma is a good thing."
"It's my hope that through virtual education, we're able to offer other programs or services that we may or may not be able to in other schools," he added.
Last year, legislators passed the Virtual Public Schools Act, which enabled charter establishments, educational boards and the state to sponsor online learning facilities.
This policy had established curriculum requirements in virtual learning environments and set up requirements for teachers involved in these courses to have the same certifications as those in traditional classrooms.
Susan Patrick, president and chief executive officer of the International Associaiton for K-12 Online Learning, pointed out 30 of the 50 states in the US allow full-time virtual schools, with around 225 of these establishments throughout the nation.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has also set up online learning initiatives to find out how the platform can improve the value of teaching and promote connections between the facility and learners across the globe.

SSIF revamps website to support e-learning courses

SSIF revamps website to support e-learning courses:
An online learning platform for healthcare professionals has been launched by Serono Symposia International Foundation (SSIF).
It has unveiled a new website, featuring a range of sections focused on specified areas of interest, including dermatology, immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, oncology and reproductive medicine, which can enable users to find the material they are looking for quickly and easily.
Furthermore, the portal has an updated visual design and provides advanced features and improved functionality, SSIF secretary to the board of directors Michele Piraux declared.
She added navigation on the website has already been improved, which will help current users and people in the future to access valuable educational materials in a manner that is "intuitive and fast".
It contains fresh online learning tools and more e-learning activities, which use technologies such as podcasts, video lectures and RSS feeds to support them.
SSIF first launched a website in 2000 and since then, it has constantly provided its users with live data relating to academic events for scientific initiatives using the e-learning platform.
All its content has been available for distance learning online and in the last 40 years, the organisation has organised more than 1,500 scientific conferences internationally.
It claims its website will remain as the "first point of contact" for professionals in the healthcare sector looking to use live events to support continuing education.
Alongside this, it provides assistance to multiple sclerosis nurses and other special interest groups, as well as post-meeting highlights as enhanced materials and specially-created online learning courses.
SSIF was set up to disseminate research through Continuing Medical Education, which it is hoped will improve the lives of patients.
There are currently over 35 online courses in its portfolio and its website achieves at least 80,000 page views every month.
Its headquarters are in the Swiss city of Geneva, while its representative office is in Rome.

E-learning programme launched for Bahraini women

E-learning programme launched for Bahraini women:
Women in Bahrain can now take advantage of a new e-learning programme aimed at helping them improve their IT literacy skills.
The scheme has been launched by Tamkeen and the Bahrain Women Union and the two bodies hope it will help females make a greater contribution to the kingdom's economy and encourage social development, Trade Arabia reports.
A total of 900 women will be taught basic computer skills on courses that last for 60 hours each, while a further 30 hours will be spent developing career skills.
In addition, around 5,500 women will have access to industry-specific training through the e-learning initiative.
Senior manager of human capital development at Tamkeen Amal Al-Kooheji described the initiative as "ambitious", saying the aim is to "open new horizons and different opportunities for Bahraini women wishing to enter the labour market".
She added the move will enable public and private bodies in the Kingdom to benefit from a skilled workforce of women and "help them gain professional experience".
Tamkeen, which was established in 2006 with the aim of encouraging Bahrain's private sector to drive economic development in the nation, sees the initiative as a key aspect of economic empowerment in the country, Ms Al-Kooheji concluded.
E-learning is growing in popularity around the world as a method for teaching students or staff new skills and techniques and many benefits over traditional classroom or lecture-based teaching methods.
It enables students to learn at their own pace and revisit any modules or topics they are less confident about and also lets them work remotely from home or their place of work.
According to Yonhap News, over half of South Korea's population over the age of three have taken advantage of e-learning, with figures from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy showing 52.8 per cent of this demographic had made use of computer education tools in 2011.

Zimbabwe rolls out e-learning programme

Zimbabwe rolls out e-learning programme:
An e-learning system that can be used by both primary and secondary schoolchildren has been launched in Zimbabwe.
Around 100 schools in the country are to participate in the National e-Learning Programme, which has been introduced after the conclusion of the Presidential Computerisation Programme, a drive to encourage computer use at secondary schools across the nation.
Zimbabwean newspaper the Herald reports local communities will be involved in the implementation of the e-learning initiative, which is part of the government's Public Sector Reform and Modernisation scheme.
Announcing the project, President Mugabe said the aim is to make every child in the country computer-literate.
"Encouraged by the Presidential Computerisation Programme, the first successful step of transforming Zimbabwe into an information society, we have now decided to go a gear up and add value to the initial programme by introducing a new dimension to it, this time, in the form of an e-learning programme," he stated.
The programme is also expected to extend to government departments and result in the development of web-applications enabling online registration of students and exam management.
Mr Mugabe added it is time for "all public institutions" to move online in order to boost "efficiency and effectiveness".
E-learning is already in widespread use around the world for education and training purposes thanks to its flexibility and ability to reduce costs for businesses.
The Australian government revealed this week that several different departments will use e-learning for staff training and students in Bangalore, India, are using digital technology to access online learning services to supplement their college studies and enable them to learn without being in a classroom environment.
In the UK, the National Pharmacy Association recently introduced a new online training programme that enables medical students to interact with tutors and course mates online, as well as access source material.

Australian govt 'embracing e-learning'

Australian govt 'embracing e-learning':
E-learning is being embraced by the Australian government as it looks to improve the methods it uses for staff training.
According to Government News, several departments, including the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and the Australian Electoral Commission, will begin using the method for educating their employees.
The administration has enlisted the help of consultant ILX Group to assist with the training programme and country manager for Australia and New Zealand Michelle Phillips said using e-learning for training purposes has many advantages.
It can be tailored so it is unique to each department and the fact that staff can learn remotely will cut the travel and accommodation costs associated with traditional training sessions.
"Research by ILX highlights that departments can save up to 40 per cent on training programme costs by using e-learning techniques over traditional training methods," she stated.
Using e-learning enables staff to progress through sessions at their own pace and at a time that suits them and Ms Phillips explained staff are likely to be more receptive to it than they are to the "'text-on-screen' approach" to learning, which leaves workers "uninspired".
"Learners are able to repeat sessions to develop a better understanding of each module without holding back the rest of their class," she stated.
AusAid and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are also making use of online learning facilities and such offerings are also in use within UK government.
A report released by the National Audit Office (NAO) late last year revealed HM Revenue and Customs is currently the biggest user of the virtual classroom and spent a total of £96 million on staff development in 2010-11, offering 723 e-learning courses.
However, just over half (54 per cent) of staff had the ability to access online learning offerings where needed, the NAO report showed, indicating access still needs to be improved.

E-learning articles

PKM is our part of the social learning contract

Is it time for a BYOL (Bring Your Own Learning) strategy in your organization?

How do you learn best in the workplace?

Tour Stops for Week Two of Gamification of Learning and Instruction Tour

Another Stake in Ground for Blackboard: Two New Investments in the Open-source E-learning Market

Here’s some interesting reads on this topic:

•  This kids, is why hallucinogenics and the internet don’t mix by George Siemens at elearnspace  (higher ed-focus and funny)
• Blackboard Acquires Moodlerooms, NetSpot To Offer Open Source Learning Technology, Leena Rao at TechCrunch
• Blackboard buys Moodlerooms...And no, this isn't an early April Fools by Christopher Dawson, ZDNet Education
• Evolution Unbound: Blackboard embraces open source. By Ray Henderson, President of Blackboard Learn
• Blackboard Confronts Erosion of Market Share, Makes a Major Change in Strategy by Phil Hill at e-Literate
• Blackboard Education Open Source Services – a personal view by Mark Drechsler, Director, Consulting NetSpot Pty Ltd Curatr: Using Visualization Navigation for Static Content with Social and Gamification Elements
  

Wait. What? I can buy an LMS with a credit card?

Are you measuring transfer of learning?

OJT Revisited!; What About Learning Previews?

Here’s a Simple Screencasting Tip That Will Save Time & Frustration

5 PowerPoint E-Learning Tips & A Free Template

FAQ: How Do You Manage the Graphics in Your E-Learning Course?

How To Evaluate An LMS – Use Case Scenarios

‘Kindle’ eBook App

‘Kindle’ eBook App:
‘

Other resources you should look at about Kindle and eBooks:

• James Clay eLearning Stuff – podcast with Lilian Soon, David Sugden and Ron Mitchell
• eLearn magazine – “Moving From Paper to E-Book Reading”

Are you using a Kindle or the Kindle App (or both)? How are you using ‘them’, and are you involved in a scheme whereby the students are given one (or an account) and you send them the documents they need instead of them downloading from the VLE?
Related posts:

1. Interactive eBooks are one-step closer to reality #eBook #KindleFire
2. eBook and eReaders (Infographic)
3. eBooks and Textbooks of the future #eBook #Infographic

How LinkedIn works

How LinkedIn works: source link

Latest eFront news: On our cloud-offering & Community++

Latest eFront news: On our cloud-offering & Community++:

Adapting elearning programs cross-culturally

Adapting elearning programs cross-culturally: click this link

Top 10 Free and Open Source eLearning Projects to Watch for 2012

Top 10 Free and Open Source eLearning Projects to Watch for 2012: source link

eFront the 1st open source eLearning solution that join OW2

eFront the 1st open source eLearning solution that join OW2: click this link

Something all learning pro’s should do

Something all learning pro’s should do:

My 15 favourite Australian e-learning bloggers

My 15 favourite Australian e-learning bloggers:

Games We Should Play - The Gamification of Learning

Games We Should Play - The Gamification of Learning:

When the Learner is the Teacher, Do We Need Instructional Designers?

When the Learner is the Teacher, Do We Need Instructional Designers?:

Screen Resolution Alert for eLearning Developers!

Screen Resolution Alert for eLearning Developers!: click this link

Can Corporate Training & Development be Gamified?

Can Corporate Training & Development be Gamified?: click this link

14% of Employees Value Corporate Training as Essential to their Learning

14% of Employees Value Corporate Training as Essential to their Learning: click link

Thinking about Clearing the Cloudy Air of our Industry

Thinking about Clearing the Cloudy Air of our Industry: click link

Change MOOC: Sensemaking and Analytics

Change MOOC: Sensemaking and Analytics: link

The problem with pre-work

The problem with pre-work:  click link

Visual design: learning from the professionals

Visual design: learning from the professionals:

Why face-to-face should be for special occasions

Why face-to-face should be for special occasions:

Collaboration is what we do nowadays: get over it

Collaboration is what we do nowadays: get over it:

The only way to build confidence is to practise and get feedback

The only way to build confidence is to practise and get feedback:

A conversation on measurement and metrics (#ASTDLN)

A conversation on measurement and metrics (#ASTDLN):

Chad Udell on Tools for Mobile Development (#ASTDLN)

Chad Udell on Tools for Mobile Development (#ASTDLN): 

Implementing Social Learning (#ASTDLN)

Implementing Social Learning (#ASTDLN): link

Getting Started with Mobile Learning (Chad Udell) (#ASTDLN)

Getting Started with Mobile Learning (Chad Udell) (#ASTDLN): click this link

The New Blend of Learning (#ASTDLN)

The New Blend of Learning (#ASTDLN): click this link

The Five Moments of Learning Need (#ASTDLN)

The Five Moments of Learning Need (#ASTDLN): click this lik

The Changing Nature of Business & Its Impact on Learning (#ASTDLN)

The Changing Nature of Business & Its Impact on Learning (#ASTDLN): click this link

How Can We Know What We Don't Know?

How Can We Know What We Don't Know?: click this link

Blog Book Tour: Karl Kapp's "Gamification of Learning and Instruction"

Blog Book Tour: Karl Kapp's "Gamification of Learning and Instruction": click this link

Mapping Pedagogies For Performance

Mapping Pedagogies For Performance: click this link

Older individuals 'can benefit from e-learning'

Older individuals 'can benefit from e-learning':
Learning new skills assists the mental health and wellbeing of older individuals and should be encouraged, one cognitive therapist has advised.
Dan Roberts, founder of danroberts.com, said is it "certainly a good idea to keep learning as we grow older" adding this should not just be limited to gaining academic qualifications.
E-learning and online learning can enable individuals to follow courses remotely without needing to visit a college and Mr Roberts explained "learning a new skill, whether physical or mental, is just as important as doing a PhD".
"Because we know the brain keeps growing and changing throughout our lives, it's definitely a bad idea to think we can just give up on studying and stretching ourselves because we hit middle-age," he remarked.
E-learning is being utilised at a growing rate both in the UK and around the world and the University of the Third Age recently revealed plans to expand its online services as part of a four-point plan to increase the amount of learning opportunities available to the elderly in light of recent criticism over standards in care homes.
Mr Roberts added taking a lifelong approach to learning, rather than stopping as people grow older, is a "win-win situation" thanks to the mental and wellbeing benefits of constantly stimulating the brain and developing new skills.
The trend has accelerated in recent years thanks to technological advances - such as faster internet connections and the introduction of tablet computers - and Global Industry Analysts (GIA) expect the value of the worldwide e-learning sector to reach $107 billion (£67 billion) by 2015.
Previously, GIA noted online learning has many advantages over traditional computer-based sessions, including reduced costs, a centralised storage point for content and uniformity of delivery to end users, adding "rapid growth" is likely to take place in the corporate market as a result.

Webinar Video – Learner Driven Learning Management System in a Global Environment

Webinar Video – Learner Driven Learning Management System in a Global Environment:

For all you folks who couldn’t make it to our webinar with Brandon Hall Group, titled Learner Driven Learning Management System in a Global Environment held on 22^nd March, here’s a recorded video that will transport you back in time.

And for those of you who did attend, well, you may want to relook at the fab 60 odd minutes again.

Just to recap, we discussed the current LMS landscape and environments, shared research insights on LMS usability in a global market, touched upon Mobile and Social Learning experiences required in Learning Management Systems today and spoke about ways to gather learner expectations. We also discussed an interesting implementation done for one of our clients, Global Knowledge, that echoed the webinar idea to the tee.

Note: Jason Clymer, VP (Sales) for North America at Upside Learning, who was slotted to co-host the webinar with Stacey Harris, VP, Research and Advisory Services at Brandon Hall Group, had to drop out due to a family emergency. Amit Gautam, Director of Technology Solutions at Upside Learning, filled in for Jason.

You Need to Know These Seven Tips If You Build Graphics for E-Learning

You Need to Know These Seven Tips If You Build Graphics for E-Learning:

If you’re building elearning courses, then you should expect to have a graphics editing program as part of your tool chest.  In a previous post I mentioned a few free (or low cost) graphic editors if you don’t already have one.

• 5 Free Desktop Image Editors


• 5 Free Online Image Editors

There’s even a good discussion about graphics applications in the elearning community. Jump in and share a favorite of yours.
There’s a difference between having a graphics application and being a professional graphics artist. Many of us work alone and have to do our own graphics. I find that what I do for graphics doesn’t require overly sophisticated skills.
While we may be using different tools, there are some simple graphics editing we should all be able to do.  Let’s review a few of the common image editing tasks.
For my demos, I decided to stick with PowerPoint to show that if that’s all you have, then you still can do quite a bit. If you use a different tool, look over the list and see if you can do them with the application you use.

How to Remove Backgrounds

PowerPoint 2010 comes with a background removal feature which makes it really easy. Select your image and click on Remove Background. At that point you can mark areas to keep and areas to remove.

Older versions of PowerPoint have a simple feature that lets you make a single color transparent. To remove a background, create a colored shape that sits over the picture. Group the shape and picture. Then copy and paste it back in as an image using Paste Special (.png). At this point you can apply the transparency to the single color.

Click here to view a tutorial.

How to Use the Drawing Tools

No doubt you’ll have to create shapes and boxes. Most image editing applications allow that. Learn to create shapes and then embellish them with colors, shadows, and dimension.

In PowerPoint, add a shape to the slide. Right click on it and you’ll see the format shape option. This opens up a box that displays everything you can do with the shape. In PowerPoint 2010, you can combine shapes to create custom shapes.
Once you learn to use the drawing tools in your image editor you can create all sorts of custom graphics, even if all you have is PowerPoint.
Here are some tutorials that demonstrate how to create various objects in PowerPoint:

• Create a glassy marble.


• Create a push-pin image in PowerPoint.


• Create a rich looking interface.


• 
  Create an LCD panel.


• 
  Create a 3D room effect.


• 
  Create a desktop surface.


• Create custom cue cards and memo pad.

You may never need the specific objects, but the more you do these things that much more you’ll be fluent working with PowerPoint.

How to Work with Layers

Creating a graphic with a single layer can be a challenge. Most graphics editing applications layer their images. This way you can isolate your editing to smaller pieces.
In the past working with layers in PowerPoint was a real pain. With PowerPoint 2007 that changed. Open the selection pane to see a layered view of the objects on the slide. From here you can change their order, title them, and make them visible or not.

Click here to view the tutorial.

How to Create Shadows

Drop shadows separate the objects from the screen. This adds depth and dimension to the image.
PowerPoint comes with some shadow features. Those are easy enough to use. Select your object and then apply the shadow to them. Starting with PowerPoint 2007, you have a lot more sophisticated shadows with which to work.

Click here to view the tutorial.

But what if you want to create your own shadows? That’s easy enough. Just add matching sized shape to create the shadow. Then do some basic edits like:

• Fill it with gray or black and set it behind the picture.


• Make it partially transparent to soften the color.


• Apply a soft edge (PowerPoint 2007+) to the shadow to make it seem more natural.


• Edit the points on the shape so that it’s a bit more organic and less straight.

How to Resize Images

Resizing images in PowerPoint is pretty simple. Select the image and then drag one of the anchors to size it. If you right click on the image, you’ll get access to the Format Picture window where you have a bit more control to fine-tune the sizing.

I see a lot of images that are skewed a bit because they get pulled from the middle anchors on the side or top. If you hold SHIFT and then click and drag from the corner, the image will scale up or down without changing its aspect ratio.

Click here to view the tutorial.

How to Crop Images

Cropping is one of the features I use most when editing my graphics. PowerPoint 2010 makes cropping that much easier because it acts more like an image mask than just a cropping feature.

Click here to view the tutorial.

How to Export Images

Once you create an image you’ll need to save it. There are all sorts of image formats. This post explains the formats in a bit more detail. But here’s a basic run down.
Generally you have two types of images. One is a bitmap filled with pixels. The number of pixels never changes. When you scale it up, the pixels become larger and that’s where you start to lose image quality.
The other type of image is vector. All of the shapes and lines are built on a mathematical formula. So when you scale it up or down you don’t lose image quality. Most clip art is vector-based.

I typically save my images as .png files. What I like about the .png format is that I get a good spread of colors so the images look rich; and I can make parts of the image transparent.
When working in PowerPoint, you have a few options. Create your shapes or custom images. When finished right-click and save as an image.

Click here to view a tutorial.

Or you can treat your entire slide as your image. In that case, save the presentation as an image file. If you do this, keep in mind, you’re not limited to the default aspect ratio in PowerPoint (4:3). You can always change the slide size to whatever size you need. For example, if you want an image that looks more like a banner, change the slide properties to dimensions that are better suited for a banner image.
If you use PowerPoint to edit your graphics, then these tutorials should help. If you use something else you’ll need to look for some tutorials for your application of choice.
Obviously there are a lot more things you can do with your graphics editor. What are some of the more common features you use? Feel free to share them by clicking on the comments link.
Also, if you want to create a series of Screenr tutorials showing these steps in the graphics application you use, send me the links and I’ll add them to this post.

---

Tidbits
I’ll be in Portland this week. There are just a few seats left. Sign up before it’s too late!
Upcoming Events

• 
  April 5: Portland, OR (OpenSesame). An E-Learning Heroes Roadshow workshop where we’ll look at ways to build elearning courses and learn some great PowerPoint tips. Excellent price and great coffee!


• 
  April 10: Jacksonville, FL (NEFL ASTD). Rapid E-Learning: From Blah to Hoorah!Feel free to contact the chapter if you have questions. Join me for the free Articulate jam session on April 11.


• 
  April 17: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Rapid elearning workshop. The first half we’ll look at some basic course design and in the second half we’ll learn to build interactive content.


• 
  May 17: Costa Mesa, CA (ASTDOC). Two workshops in one: Rapid E-Learning Workshop and Getting Started with Articulate Storyline.


• 
  May 22: London, UK. I’m doing a full-day elearning workshop and looking forward to meeting the blog readers in the UK.


• 
  May 24: Leeds UK. This is the annual Articulate users’ conference hosted by Leeds. It’s a great way to connect with other Articulate users.


• 
  June 27: Baltimore, MD. Details coming.


• 
  July: Knoxville, TN (Smoky Mountain ASTD). Details coming


• 
  August: Houston, TX (ASTD Houston). Details coming


• 
  September 27: Boston, MA (ADAPT). Details coming.


• 
  October 4: Seattle, WA (ASTDPS). Details coming.


• 
  October 17: Bloomington, IL (CIC-ASTD). Details coming.


• 
  October 23 & 24: Milwaukee, WI (SEWI-ASTD). Details coming.


• 
  November 14 & 15: Chicago, IL Details coming.

---

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

Want E-Learning Success? Make Sure Your Learners Are Dressed For It!

Want E-Learning Success? Make Sure Your Learners Are Dressed For It!:

One of my favorite parts of going to elearning conferences is meeting so many of the industry’s thought leaders. During my recent trip to the Learning Solution Conference in Orlando I ran into one of my mentors and a real elearning pioneer, Dr. Werner Oppelbaumer.
I was able to get some time with him for a brief interview. We discussed the industry and where he sees things going. I also asked for a sneak peek at some of his innovative technology research.

Lots of elearning people are using Twitter. What do you think about Twitter and social media, in general?
Werner: I am a big fan of social media, especially in the work place. It’s a great way to keep lazy people busy. They used to distract others with their long water cooler conversations and endless barrage of help for every little thing. This impacted the bottom line because they consumed the time and resources of more productive people.
Now with Twitter they are able to sit at their desks and feel like they are making an important contribution to humanity as they share all the important information that busy people are missing because they are working.
Ok…let’s talk about opportunities. What are you excited about?
Werner: Even if times are tough there are always opportunities. We’ve seen lots of improvement in our industry with technology like rapid elearning tools.
But learning is much more than multimedia technology. For years we’ve focused on desktop technology and then we looked at mobile. But what have we missed?
Clothes! And it’s been there right in front of our eyes for years.
We hypothesized that most people wear clothes when participating in an elearning course. And our studies have proved us right. Based on our findings, 87% of elearners wear clothes while taking their courses. Surely there’s an opportunity there with this huge untapped market.

We did some digging and sure enough, there is ample opportunity. Our studies are showing a direct correlation between successful knowledge transfer and what people wear. There’s a lot to learn about the emotional connection between clothing and the learning experience.
We immediately began to prototype some ideas that we think will push our industry forward. Here’s a quick tour of what we are currently working on in our research labs.

Click here to view the research lab demo.

That’s fascinating. Thank you Dr. Werner for sharing your expertise and letting us take a sneak peek at the future of elearning.

---

Tidbits
I’ll be in Portland this week. There are a few seats left. Sign up before it’s too late!
Upcoming Events

• 
  April 5: Portland, OR (OpenSesame). An E-Learning Heroes Roadshow workshop where we’ll look at ways to build elearning courses and learn some great PowerPoint tips. Excellent price and great coffee!


• 
  April 10: Jacksonville, FL (NEFL ASTD). Rapid E-Learning: From Blah to Hoorah! Feel free to contact the chapter if you have questions. Join me for the free Articulate jam session on April 11.


• 
  April 17: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Rapid elearning workshop. The first half we’ll look at some basic course design and in the second half we’ll learn to build interactive content. Working on a free Articulate jam session for this event.


• 
  May 17: Costa Mesa, CA (ASTDOC). Two workshops in one: Rapid E-Learning Workshop and Getting Started with Articulate Storyline.


• 
  May 22: London, UK. I’m doing a full-day elearning workshop and looking forward to meeting the blog readers in the UK.


• 
  May 24: Leeds UK. This is the annual Articulate users’ conference hosted by Leeds. It’s a great way to connect with other Articulate users.


• 
  June 27: Baltimore, MD. Details coming.


• 
  July: Knoxville, TN (Smoky Mountain ASTD). Details coming


• 
  August: Houston, TX (ASTD Houston). Details coming


• 
  September 27: Boston, MA (ADAPT). Details coming.


• 
  October 4: Seattle, WA (ASTDPS). Details coming.


• 
  October 17: Bloomington, IL (CIC-ASTD). Details coming.


• 
  October 23 & 24: Milwaukee, WI (SEWI-ASTD). Details coming.


• 
  November 14 & 15: Chicago, IL Details coming.

---

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

How Can Infographics Produce Better E-Learning Courses?

How Can Infographics Produce Better E-Learning Courses?:

Infographics are the hot! They catch your attention because they look great and have strong visual hooks.
I like them because they remind me a little of I Spy where you get to explore a busy graphic and search for interesting nuggets of information. Of course, not everyone’s a big fan of infographics.
There are many parallels between infographics and elearning. They both share information in a visual medium. Those who design infographics start with lots of information and distill them to a few essential points. That’s very similar to what we do when our subject matter expert hands us a 300-slide PowerPoint file to be converted to an elearning course.
For the person who desires to learn more about visual design and processing lots of information, infographics are a great source of inspiration. Let’s look at what makes them so effective.

Keeping it Simple

If you think about it, infographics are not much more than vertical slide shows. That’s right. They’re really no different than PowerPoint slides. But instead of clicking forward horizontally, they’re stacked nice and neat in a vertical column.

Compare this cool infographic from Paycor to the same content laid out in PowerPoint slides.

Click to view the entire Paycor infographic.

As you can see, the content is broken into very specific sections that are stacked and separated by color headings. They’re not any different than what you normally see in a PowerPoint slide template.

What Does it Mean for Elearning?

The need to share Information drives a lot of elearning; and usually there’s way too much information. So we tend to over inform which makes it hard to focus on the critical information. On the flip side, infographics do a great job focusing on key points of information. Understanding more about them will help us build better elearning.
Fast Company featured a video that explains the case for infographics. As you watch the video, see if you can identify common graphic design concepts like contrast, use of color, and flow of information.

The Value of Data Visualization from Column Five on Vimeo.

What Makes an Infographic?

There are many parallels between infographic design and elearning. Making it a habit to view infographics is a great way to learn about visual communication. They may even inspire some template and layout ideas.
Here are two good sites if you want to regularly review nice infographics:

• Killer Infographics
• Cool Infographics

Here are some elements of infographic design that I find parallels what we do in elearning:

Focused information: It’s all about sharing information and making it memorable. Many elearning courses have too much data on single slides. Infographics do a great job weeding out irrelevant data. This keeps them focused.

How can you apply what you see in the infographics to your own courses? Instead of writing a title on the screen with a list of bullet points, write a single sentence that makes the point. Use that sentence to guide the visualization of the information.
Data visualization: Infographics have a visual hook. In some ways coming up with the visual hook is more art than anything else. So how do you learn to do a better job creating the right hooks? The key point is the data. Let the data tell the information. If you have to explain the data, then it’s wrong. The data should do the talking.

Let infographics inspire some ideas. I also recommend the visual design mind mapping exercise we do in our workshops. The output is very similar because you determine a visual theme with the right colors, design elements, and typography.
Color schemes: Most infographics have a visual hook and use bold colors and elements that really pop off the screen. These techniques also work with your elearning screens. In fact, I’d start by finding an infographic you like and then replicate the layout on the elearning course screen. That’ll give you some practice playing with layout ideas and colors.

You don’t want the colors to compete with the information. Limit colors to just a few. Most infographics have a background color and then some other colors to create visual breaks between the sections. These can be headers or simple changes in the background.
There are many sites that will help with color schemes. Here are a few:

• Kuler
• Color Combos
• Colour Lovers
• Color Schemer
• Color Scheme Designer

Bold fonts: Fonts are interesting because they display text that we read. But they’re also graphic elements that convey meaning and speak to your visual voice. We learned about this in an earlier post where we matched fonts to images.

Click here to view the demo.

You’ll notice that infographics are very deliberate in how they use fonts. You can learn to do this using the mind map activity. It helps know what fonts to use.
Once you know what type of font you need, go to a site like Dafont or Font Squirrel to search for the right font. If you need some good free fonts, check out this post where you learned how to get 150 free fonts from Google web fonts.
Icons & clip art. Infographics are also iconic. They find a visual hook, pair that with the right colors and fonts and end up with a visually intriguing and memorable graphic.
Most of us aren’t graphic designers and we don’t always have access to the graphic design resources we need to build elearning courses, let alone an infographic. But that’s OK.
There are all sorts of free icons and vector images that you can use to help in your course design. The key is to stick within a single style so that you don’t get that discordant Frankencourse look.
Even if all you have is clip art you can still find a single style and build your images from that. Check out this post where I used a single clip art style to build my elearning course template. You can do the same thing with your infographics.

Here are some resources to find free or low cost icons and vectors. Before using them make sure to check out the license agreements. Some lame companies entice you to free resources and then put all sorts of restrictions on how you can use them. In my book, free should be free!
Also, subscribe to sites like App Sumo and Might Deals. They usually offer some free or very low cost access to all sorts of graphics.

• Iconfinder
• Free Icons Web
• Vector Finder
• Dry Icons

Building an infographic is a great way to practice compressing information into essential points. It also takes you away from the elearning mindset which can help shape a fresh perspective on your content. Practice building an infographic. It can only help you later in your course design. I like what Nicole Legault did on her site:

• An Overview of the Principles of Adult Learning
• Understanding Kirkpatrick’s 4 Levels of Evaluation
• The ADDIE Model: A Visual Representation

As you can see, there are many similarities between infographic and elearning course design. Both require weeding through data and drawing attention to key points and essential information. And since they’re both visual mediums, they are similar in their design elements, fonts, and color schemes.
While you may never build an infographic, making it a habit to review them is a worthwhile pursuit that can inspire your own elearning course designs.

---

Tidbits
I’ll be in Portland next week. There are a few seats left. Sign up before it’s too late!
Upcoming Events

• 
  April 5: Portland, OR (OpenSesame). An E-Learning Heroes Roadshow workshop where we’ll look at ways to build elearning courses and learn some great PowerPoint tips. Excellent price and great coffee!
• 
  April 10: Jacksonville, FL (NEFL ASTD). Rapid E-Learning: From Blah to Hoorah! Feel free to contact the chapter if you have questions. Join me for the free Articulate jam session on April 11.
• 
  April 17: Virginia (SEVA ASTD). Rapid elearning workshop. The first half we’ll look at some basic course design and in the second half we’ll learn to build interactive content. Working on a free Articulate jam session for this event.
• 
  May 17: Costa Mesa, CA (ASTDOC). Two workshops in one: Rapid E-Learning Workshop and Getting Started with Articulate Storyline.
• 
  May 22: London, UK. I’m doing a full-day elearning workshop and looking forward to meeting the blog readers in the UK.
• 
  May 24: Leeds UK. This is the annual Articulate users’ conference hosted by Leeds. It’s a great way to connect with other Articulate users.
• 
  June 27: Baltimore, MD. Details coming.
• 
  July: Knoxville, TN (Smoky Mountain ASTD). Details coming
• 
  August: Houston, TX (ASTD Houston). Details coming
• 
  September 27: Boston, MA (ADAPT). Details coming.
• 
  October 4: Seattle, WA (ASTDPS). Details coming.
• 
  October 17: Bloomington, IL (CIC-ASTD). Details coming.
• 
  October 23 & 24: Milwaukee, WI (SEWI-ASTD). Details coming.
• 
  November 14 & 15: Chicago, IL Details coming.

---

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