Do we really need all the bells and whistles to learn?

Maybe I'm getting old but do we really need all the flash and bang of a full blown expensive elearning vehicle to get our 4 to 6 key messages across. What's the use of audio and video if I can't view it while I am on the go. Why can't it run on my chosen device. Learning should be about anywhere anytime...my time on whatever device I have at hand. Enough ranting. Here's something cool. Cool but maybe also induces a yawn in some trainers. I use the apple iTouch everyday. I love it. I have a company smart phone that I nickname the brick. Guess why. Anyway I added some new free and cheap apps to the iTouch that really make learning easy and fun without all the razzamataz. Get ready for it...I'm talking Flash Cards. Yep for the iTouch and if you are lucky the sleek iPhone. I program new cards and tests myself in minutes or for free download new cards off the net. The library has lots to choose from. Project management terms, anatomy, geography all the way to management strategy. All in the palm of my hand. I love it. Oh I also found a wikipedia site for mobiles that gives me immediate access to thousands of learning items. No more boring waits at airports or falling asleep in traffic jams...I have my learning right where I am when I need it most.

The WOW Factor: 2008 Sees New Learning Revolution

This story knocked my socks off last year and I have just been waiting for someone to pick up on developing the concept further. Imagine being able to control online activity...just by thinking about it. That includes movement, gestures, facial expressions, and that is just the beginning. This could revolutionize learning and many other fields over the next 12 months. Visit: http://emotiv.com and prepare to read about a new device that sounds incredible and hard to believe. This is what they say: Based on the latest developments in neuro-technology, Emotiv has developed a new personal interface for human computer interaction. The Emotiv EPOC uses a set of sensors to tune into electric signals naturally produced by the brain to detect player thoughts, feelings and expression and connects wirelessly to most PCs. The Emotiv neuroheadset now makes it possible for games to be controlled and influenced by the player's mind.

See also: Cnn Future of gaming, Business Week, and USA Today

Google Virtual Chat

Interesting launch from Google. http://www.lively.com/html/landing.html. Using Lively you can create your own virtual (class)room for meetings and customize your avatar, stream personal photos and video. Is this competition for a 2nd Life experience. Time will tell. As its from Google I would expect this to be easy to use and also built for their new mobile platform. Creating stuff in 2nd Life is not that easy and requires money and time. Withy Lively sounds like you can setup a virtual classroom in minutes. The big plus I feel with both 2nd Life and Lively is having Voice over IP (VOIP) as it becomes a more attractive and interactive environment for potential learning experiences.

What's Learning 2.0?

The question of what is Learning 2.0 comes up alot in conversations. No better place to get a definition than a Web 2.0 Wiki. Or the Wiki of Wikis. Wikipedia.

The term e-Learning 2.0 is used to refer to new ways of thinking about e-learning inspired by the emergence of Web 2.0. From an e-Learning 2.0 perspective, conventional e-learning systems were based on instructional packets that were delivered to students using Internet technologies. The role of the student consisted in learning from the readings and preparing assignments. Assignments were evaluated by the teacher.

In contrast, the new e-learning places increased emphasis on social learning and use of social software such as blogs, wikis, podcasts and virtual worlds such as Second Life.

E-learning 2.0 assumes that knowledge (as meaning and understanding) is socially constructed. Construction takes place through conversations about content and grounded interaction about problems and actions. Advocates of social learning claim that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to others.

So there you have it. Don't forget your Learning Technologies team have already launched many of these Web 2.0 platforms. If you haven't used some of these capabilities yet, get in touch.

e-Learning Trends 2008

Worth clicking over to Survey to view results from an interesting Survey on Trends in e-Learning that was conducted in November and December 2007. Learning Circuits and E-Learning News polled their readers on how they’re using e-learning in their organizations. Results are based on 293 responses. Some highlights include: over 60% use Authoring Tools and roughly 50% (like us) use LMS, Virtual Classroom and Testing Assessment Tools. It showed there is also a lot of room for outsourcing- with most technical support, web development and reporting taking place currently inhouse. Not surprisingly, it also showed employee buy-in, time commitment, and cost to maintain, as the biggest concerns when trying to rollout e-elearning. Other responses included "culture does not support e-learning" and e-learning is not perceived as "real training". Now where have we heard that before.

iPhone - will it revolutionize mobile learning?

Okay maybe not a revolution. More like an evolution. As I write this update via my wireless iTouch I can't help feeling this device is so suited to mobile learning, the big display, the snazzy browser, the audio/video features, the user friendliness, the interface, need I say more. If anyone wants to do a mobile pilot with the fab iPhone please give me a shout. Mobile learning has come of age...and it has an apple logo!

iLEARN Communities

Dont forget the cool new communities feature on your LMS iLEARN. Well worth a visit, not just to read what your training colleagues are discussing but to make your voice heard. Tell us what you think. Check out items on second life, learning technologies, content standards, web 2.0, and much much more.