Teacher Training Lags

May 9, 2002

NEED FEEDBACK!!!

What are your thoughts on ERN? We'd like to know...take a few seconds and reply to this email answering these questions:
1. What you like about ERN
2. What you dislike about ERN
3. What could be done to improve ERN

On with the newsletter...

What forces are driving elearning? What has changed that makes elearning necessary? The following are some of my thoughts:

1. Students have changed. Students are no longer traditional students - 18 - 25 year age group. The student population is aging, is taking courses part-time, is studying of campus, and is viewed as a "customer" of the learning organization (or department).

2. No longer lifelong employement, but rather lifelong learning (see article)...

3. Knowledge as a competitive tool. A well-trained, efficient workforce is a critical strategic advantage for organizations. Training is no longer a "necessary evil"...it is an investment in the future success of a corporation

4. Learning for improved performance - not necessarily a degree. Learning must be linked to improved performance on the job. Most learning that happens in corporations is not to "earn a degree"...it is to improve work performance. Education institutions need to understand this fundamental shift in WHY people are learning...if not, they risk becoming obsolete as corporate universities fill this gap with "just-in-time", "just-for-me" learning

5. Evolution of education theory. The teacher as lecturer and "distributor of knowledge" doesn't work in a society over run with information. Current educational theory (instructional design principles and exploratory learning) reveals the importance of an instructor as a facilitator...

6. Information overload...too much information...I'm breaking up...I can't hold on...it's overwhelming. Unorganized, unlinked information is worse than no information. Online learning can help to keep employees/students informed and up to date on the information relevant to their job.

7. Development of digital communication tools. WebCT, BlackBoard, web conferencing, streaming media, collaborative software are creating a resource base that is beginning to make technology transparent so that learning can happen. Instructors and students can now communicate across time and space with limited technical knowledge...and this is critical for widespread adoption of elearning. Most people are fine with technology...as long as it makes things easier.

8. Globalization. The world seems much smaller than it did even a decade ago. Education institutions used to compete geographically...i.e. whoever is close to us. Now, the Internet has changed that. Access is critical...can your students access your content from anywhere? If not, chances are, you will find institutions from across the world willingly to educate "your" students...

9. Speed. Everything is faster. Development times for products...idea to conception...information to customers...educating staff of new policies, procedures, and regulations. Businesses find that the quicker ideas result in products, the better the competitive advantage. Classroom learning has difficulty keeping up in this climate. And things don't appear to be slowing down...

10. Learning organization. The notion that an organization also "learns" is important. How are innovators perceived? How is transformation created? How do organizations stay fresh, vibrant...equipped to change with the changing world? An organization that learns is an organization that values employees who "walk different paths"...and provides them with room to make mistakes, recover, innovate, and re-create the entire organization. Idealistic? Yes...but, integral to future success.


Virtual College
Quote: "Like much of the tech world, online universities are reassessing program goals and strategies. Some programs will emerge in different forms and some will simply disappear. Those that survive, however, should be superior to their predecessors, especially as online and traditional universities begin to recognize their market lies not in the traditional student but in the ever growing numbers of working students and professionals seeking flexibility."

Comment: The education pie is growing...More students are learning. Continuing education and distant education (and corporate-focused education) will grow at rates that far exceed traditional education. The author makes an excellent point that "online programs designed to provide a traditional education in a nontraditional manner have had limited success."

Embrace New Technology
Quote: "One is "Start somewhere." Two is "Small changes can sometimes have big effects, even if they can't be predicted in advance. Make small changes." Three is "Seek and support innovators among the faculty, and enable them to share their experiences." Four is "Make mistakes, admit them, and go on.""

Comment: I love it!!...start - do something, improve it, collaborate, and make mistakes...this is the essence of starting elearning!! This is all anyone needs to know to succeed.

Distribute, not create
Quote: "The African Virtual University has dropped plans to offer its own degree programs in a variety of disciplines and will instead concentrate on delivering computer-science and business programs from established institutions."

Comment: This is a reality that will confront many colleges/schools/corporations over the next several years. As I've said before, the first to develop courses also become retailers...The time and investment required to produce online resources can be prohibitive...so, instead, organizations can purchase the courses designed by others. Nothing new here...basically, it is the same thing as a teacher purchasing a textbook for a course. The big issue will be on how much flexibility the course creators give to instructors to mix and match content...

Wireless
Quote: "The university said students will have cell phones with voice mail and a custom cell-phone plan, eventually in lieu of phones in dormitories. They will also have access to class schedules, course availability, grades and transcripts over a wireless Web."

Comment: The future is wireless...it just doesn't make sense for new buildings/facilities to be only hard wired (well, aside from security concerns!)...something about the concept of elearning requires the freedom of wireless...plus, students entering the workforce are already untethered...

My eight-year old daughter HATES math. Or should I say she hates not being able to do as well as she would like? Several months ago, I purchased a Math Blaster CD for her...(but the learning was buried too deeply in the games). So this weekend, I searched the Internet for math resources to supplement the CD...came across two sites. One was a "flash card" site, the second a "homework helper". Her desire to learn was re-kindled, and she spent a good portion of the afternoon working with digital flashcards...

Seems like a small experience, but it is an excellent example of the value of elearning, and the benefit of technology as an enabler of learning. In this case, the learner has control of the learning...she had a computer mediated learning experience (sounds like something that should be treated with penicillin!!)...and I was a facilitator guiding her to resources that helped her to succeed.

Learning is a "delicate" process. A learner can easily be overwhelmed and assistance at just the right moment can mean the difference between failure and success. Classroom instructors know this...and they often are not convinced that online learning can provide a learner with the help needed. However, technology can be a timely resource to move learners from being overwhelmed to being in control. How? Properly designed courses provide resources for learners to reach for help when they need it, not when the instructor notices it...What kind of resources?...links, games, quizzes, glossary, simulations, email support, chat, discussion questions, FAQs, etc.

Course Paradigm(I'm twitching as I write that last word)
Overly simplistic article (in the theme of a link I posted last week on "End of a Course")...but does list some thoughts on what learners need (instead of a course).

The author list 5 points on why courses are "outdated":
1. Learners don't want useless information
2. Learners want information when they need (not months in advance)
3. Learners need to fit learning into a job setting
4. Learners need reference materials
5. Learners want to demonstrate how learning improved performance (isn't this like #3?)

PowerLine

Courses

Mindboggling Blogging...

Okay, so I have a confession to make. When I first heard of blogs, I had little use for them apart from their cool-sounding name (blog, blog, blog). When George started blogging and tried to encourage me to start, I told him "I'm not that much of an exhibitionist". I figured that the paying public had no interest in finding out if my dog is constipated, who I'm dating (sigh..I'm not...), or how my day at work went (just fine, thank you...).

I have slowly changed that tune as I have worked on this newsletter - it's done on a blog, don't you know! I must grudgingly admit that there is something cathartic about putting my thoughts down into words, knowing that someone will actually be reading them and hopefully learning something in the process. I am starting to see numerous uses that blogs offer for instructors and students, employees and management. Being able to reflect on learning or experience, recording it, and sharing it for others to absorb is pretty heady stuff and (as the Grassroots KM Through Blogging article explains) a very effective learning technique as well. I'm going to continue to explore the world of blogging through this newsletter, and I might just start my own personal one at some point too. If you have a moment, I encourage you to check out a blogging site like Blogger and experiment. You just might find that it can add an incredible new dimension for not just you, but also for your students, colleagues, etc. Oh, and by the way, my dog's digestion is just fine these days - thanks for asking...

Is Weblog Technology Here to Stay or Just Another Fad?

Quote: "But is this a truly new media species, with the power to command the attention of big Internet media companies? Or is it simply that in this, the Internet's fallow period, anything even remotely buzzworthy is given more of a spotlight than it deserves. Is the Weblog, in other words, a fad that is destined to fade?"

Comment: If you haven't heard of blogs before, this is a brief background article, providing an overview of the blogging world and how this tool is being used by people and businesses.

A Tale of One Man and His Blog

Quote: "For a little over two years now, Blogger has brought its "Push button publishing for the people" to the net, making it easy for net users to create simple, easily updated websites. In doing so, it has brought the kind of vibrant discussion previously seen on the net's chatboards to an area previously noted only for its dormancy - the personal homepage. Better still, you can use it for free. It's used on around 400,000 websites - and it is run by one person, Evan Williams."

Comment: Is Blogger too good to be true? Will it continue to stay a free service despite the growing masses of people who are taking to the idea of pouring out their innermost thoughts onto the Net? Read on to find out...(actually, Williams does come across as a decent sort...).

Blogs - Learn to Blog, Blog to Learn

Quote: "Although everyone would like to learn a craft by apprenticing to a worldclass master, it's not always possible. Workshops held by master craftsmen don't scale. By combining blogs and digital storytelling, we get the next best thing, a virtual apprenticeship...Imagine learning to teach by observing and learning from stories told by a world-class instructor."

Comment: Jay Cross presents a basic introduction to using blogs in teaching and learning...nuff said.

Grassroots KM Through Blogging

Quote: "Thus it seems that blogs are a really cool way of telling stories. And because they are digital and use the Web for publishing and distribution, they have some advantages over traditional means of storytelling - they are much more accessible than face-to-face mode, they scale very easily across a large network, thus reaching a larger audience, they can be easily archived and can be retrieved any number of times, and providing context is much easier with hyperlinks and cross references."

Comment: Even though it was published a year ago, I've yet to come across another article that examines using blogs for knowledge management/organizational learning to this level of detail. Well worth the time.

CA*net4

Fathom

May 2, 2002

At first glance, this link has nothing to do with elearning: DeepFried. When I first visited this site, I laughed until I was in pain (in fact, my stomach still hurts - and that was 2 months ago!). This is an excellent example of using the Internet for it's strengths - interactive, engaging, (even humerous) learning. "Edutainment" can increase interest in learning - after all, kids learn through play...nothing says adults can't do the same!

Still Psyched?
Quote: "Many of the early adopters of e-learning have found that the wholesale investment in technology left minimal resource for developing content, making it unpopular with the learner..."

Comment: When I first started exploring the value of online learning, I was surprised that most discussion/resources centered around technology. This didn't make sense (actually, it still doesn't!). Online learning is about learning. Technology is the enabler. To focus heavily on technology - at the expense of content - will result in weak, anemic courses. A course management system and software programs isn't what online learning is about. When a management system or a development tool becomes the focus of an online learning initiative, students, organization, and instructor all suffer.

End of a Course?
Quote: "The days may well be numbered for the course as the essential ‘unit of learning’. The typical course is a shrink-wrapped offering where every learner receives the same training, regardless of the job that they do or the skills they already possess...Two developments give us some hope that we can meet the challenges of constant change and individual differences - one is new technology, the other a new way of thinking"

Comment: Interesting concept..."death of courses"...idealistic - but the article raises some excellent points. Corporations want "just-in-time", "just-for-me" training. The three areas (employee, job, course) need to connect so that known content is not re-taught, and irrelevant skills aren't taught. For higher education institutions, a part of the education experience is beyond only content - it is about exploring, building skills of critical thinking, assessing, evaluating, challenging. Just-in-time content is often focused on a narrow skill gap...works for corporations, not sure about higher education.

With that said, I thing much potential exists for improving learning by allowing for personalization. Imagine an introductory assessment to a course that evaluates learning styles and preferences, and then "creates" a course where content presentation matches learning styles...basically, students in the same course will be covering the same content, but in a format that matches his/her own styles...This utopian view is an extension of "learning objects"...and requires an LCMS (learning content management system). Great promise...potentially great expense (though the learning objects could be reused...and as the concept of m-learning (m=mobile) picks up speed, a variety of presentation options for content would be valuable).

Pedagogically Driven Instructional Design
Quote: "Pedagogy can be defined as the method by which educational content is exposed to learners...The intent of the learning cube-based pedagogical model is to organize and sequence the multimedia content assets in a pedagogically distinctive learning path that matches the style of individual learners."


Prepare for Future Web
Quote: "...the Semantic Web attaches well-defined meanings to data -- enabling it to be used for discover, automation and reuse across various applications."

Comment: Interesting...the Semantic Web (conceptualized by Berners-Lee - of WWW fame) is an attempt to make the web more useful...more intelligent. One of the original promises of the web - access to information - quickly gave way to too much information (to the tune of 600 billion+ web pages. The HUGE popularity of the web is its current greatest challenge...and Semantic Web seeks to address this.

Technical link:
What is .NET?
.NET is everywhere. I don't have a clue what it is...I even subscribed to a .NET listserv...I still don't know what it is. When I inquire about it, I get vague responses like "it is the next big thing"..."It is Microsoft's new strategy"..."It's about web services (I sorta understand that)"..."It's like Sun ONE"...hmm...head hurts.

That's why the quote in this article comforted me (apparently no one really knows what .NET is about): "Microsoft just doesn't want to try explaining .NET and end up confusing you. To be honest, I think most techies would have a hard time explaining it too."...but the author does go on to define it as ".NET is what people in the computer biz call architecture—or the way pieces of software work together."...Yeah, great...that helped.

April 30, 2002

From the department of "in-case-you-care": We surpassed 100 subscribers to ERN this last week!! Feel free to send this newsletter to anyone you think would find it valuable...new subscribers always welcome! Enough of that...here we go:

Things have changed...actually, the world has changed. The over-hyped knowledge revolution is plodding forward (though not at the level of expectation espoused by the media and miscellaneous gurus...). A rather "queit" revolution has changed the way we connect, the way we communicate.

The driving force shaping organizational behaviour (and in particular learning) is the new reality of networked communiation. People no longer connect only with the teacher in the "next classroom", or the co-worker in the next cubicle...people now connect with other like minded individuals - across the world. Things don't happen in isolation, and when they do - it is the organization that suffers. I've yipped about it before, but the greatest impact of the Internet is networking...connections...

Yet this new networked, connected, sharing mindset runs into traditional organizational "silos" present in many organizations. Collaboration is still more of a concept than a practice. The concept of a "learning organization" holds promise to address this. After all, it is ineffecient when the same learning experience is repeated over and over in an organization...without any sharing of experiences. Perhaps this is why knowledge management has become the new learning poster child...

What does this have to do with elearning??? The same issues that exist on a macro level in organizations exist on a micro level with instructors. The image of "sage on stage" needs to give way to "guide on the side" (sorry...cliches give me rashes...but, hey, sometimes they fit!). A traditional teacher, who seeks to duplicate lecturing online will fail. Guided, exploratory learning is needed to succeed online (...or even in classrooms).

In keeping with my rant...check out this link:
Collaborative Learning
Quote: "When communication is seen as transformative, it is two-way, interactive and dynamic, with the emphasis on construction of knowledge rather than the receipt of information..."

---

From Steve's head...
Moving Beyond Napster...

Usually the mention of peer-to-peer instantly brings to mind a vision of hipsters sitting diligently by their computers, tying up huge gobs of bandwidth while swapping music. (Though the label "hipster" can be quite relative - one friend was quite proud of the fact that she was able to find the "Irish Tenors" online. We all looked stunned and then asked, "Do you mean the Irish Rovers???" We all received a rather stony "no" and several icy glares. So much for the delusion of being cultured...but I digress...)

Peer-to-peer technologies hold out great promise for online courses. One of the major concerns in this type of learning has been how to develop a feeling of community and a greater opportunity for the type of group work that is common in the classroom. Programs like Groove present the opportunity to structure activities in online courses so that groups of students can meet virtually, brainstorm, develop ideas, share resources, collaborate. These are all activities that can help to enrich the student learning experience and help make online courses that much more engaging and effective.

Peer to Peer: As the Revolution Recedes

Quote: "A further sign that peer-to-peer technology may have real staying power comes from the backing of deep-pocketed and influential stalwarts such as Sun and Intel, each of which have been among its biggest evangelists in the corporate world."

Comment: A brief overview of the recent state of the peer-to-peer industry. It examines life beyond Napster, focusing specifically on potential business uses of the software.

Peer-to-Peer: The Next Hot Trend in E-Learning?

Quote: "It's important to remember that P2P isn't a training application; it's a networking technology that enables the sharing of resource."

Comment: This article examines how peer-to-peer technologies are being incorporated into corporate (and to a minute degree, academic) e-learning programs. This is a good read because it specifically examines how peer-to-peer software can impact online learning.

Combining Technology and Group Learning

Quote: "This assignment presents several challenges. The instructor must consider how to overcome student resistance to computer technology, foster student skills in critically evaluating Web resources, and deal with the issues involved with grading collaborative projects."

Comment: While this particular article doesn't focus specifically on using peer-to-peer software, it does describe combining technology and group work. As well, it presents the views of an instructor who has developed direct experience, which is (in my opinion) always a valuable perspective to examine.

Getting into the Groove

Quote: Groove 2.0...delivers richer collaboration for users and more control for corporate administrators. Some might find these aims contradictory, but Groove has never been a pure peer-to-peer product. The strategy was always to empower end-users to spontaneously share information within and across company borders while at the same time meeting IT requirements for security, data integrity, and availability."

Comment: Our department has been experimenting with Groove for the better part of a year. We've found it to be easy to use with lots of features. The majority of staff and students that have been involved in using it seem to have enjoyed the experience. And this is only the preview version which is scaled down and (gasp!) available for free on the Internet (http://www.groove.net). Now with the release of version 2, Groove has more goodies to offer. This article provides a good (albeit slightly technical) overview of the newest version of Groove. And as my colleague George constantly reminds us all, the fact that Microsoft invested $51 million in the company is definitely a sign that Groove will be around for a while.

April 25, 2002




What is needed for online learning to thrive in an organization? That's a HUGE question...but hey, I'll tackle anything! Bring it on!! (ahem...actually I'm kinda clueless...and ignorance is bliss...:-)). So, here are my thoughts:




1. Commitment from the top.
2. Environment that encourages experimentation, and accepts failure
3. Collaboration/resource sharing attitude
4. Availability of resources for those instructors wanting to "play" with technology and learning
5. A change management strategy to ensure elearning is adopted with "minimal discomfort"
6. Development support for instructors - i.e. a place to go to have questions answered, to receive development help
7. Student support - resources to help students succeed.

I don't know which is most important...but I can't really see successful elearning happening in a program/department/corporation without at least these seven elements. Thoughts?

Students Critique Instructors via Web
Quote: "The goal of this Web site is to provide MSU students knowledge of a potential teacher. MSU students can go online to read comments on teachers from other students or to critique a past or present teacher. "

Comment: I'm not comfortable with this. I view evaluation as being a component of the learning process...when an instructor is evaluated by students, it has great value in helping the instructor improve. However, if the evaluation process is made public...i.e. hosted on a web site with personal "venting" comments, then the goal of evaluation to improve learning has been obliterated. I don't publicly post student grades with my personal views of their performance...I would expect a similar level of respect as an instructor. By all means, solicit student feedback online, but the goal should be to improve teaching.


The Impact of the Internet on Learning and Teaching
Quote: "Learning is the act or process of developing skill or knowledge. Modern, web-based learning and computing provides the means for fundamentally changing the way in which instruction is delivered to students."

Comment: The author explores the dynamics of teaching online...an excellent overview of planning "continuous improvment" in teaching is listed in the second half of the article. If you are somewhat new to elearning, you'll find this article VERY useful.

Benchmarks: Quality Online (.pdf)
Comment: 45 page document - originally published in April 2000 by the Institute for Higher Education Policy. Great resource...the executive summary is worth reviewing. A total of 24 benchmarks are established in 7 broad categories: Institutional Support, Course Development, Teaching/Learning, Course Structure, Student Support, Faculty Support, Evaluation and Assessment.

Retaining Students Online
Quotes: "As we seek to utilize online instruction in ever more productive ways, we must continue to be mindful of student retention, the lack of which can plague online classes in particular. Instruction over the Internet is maturing, and its quality will increasingly be scrutinized. Online student completion rates should be -- and can be -- improved."

Comment: The first paper I wrote about online learning was for a traditional course on instruction...it was returned to me with this comment scribbled on it: "Do you realize more than 50% of students don't complete online courses they start?" Student drop out rates can be a black eye for online learning. This paper discusses several practical ways to prevent (or at least reduce) drop outs focusing on contact with students, "stickiness" of course page, technology etc. An instructor plays one of the most critical role in improving student retention.

Adopting a "the're adults, they'll contact me if they need help" mentalility doesn't work online. An instructor is a facilitator of the learning process...when students haven't been online for several days, or posted to discussion questions for over a week, then it is time for the instructor to initiate contact...lack of student engagement (due to either instructor or course design) is a recipe for poor student retention.

Engaging, well-designed courses are also a significant factor for preventing drop outs...this is where instructional design plays a critical role. The process of anticipating (and creating a process for) student interaction with course content is paramount. A few weeks ago, I listed my thoughts on the role of instructional design in the learning process. I asked for reader input. Here's some of the responses I received:

- ID provides "big picture" process of course, ensuring quality
- ID ensures assessment matches outcomes and that assessments are authentic
- ID strives to make technology "transparent"
- ID gives courses a "look and feel" that helps students to experience a sense of comfort with the environment
- ID identifies the appropriate media to use according to the content, students, facilitator, resources available

Thanks to everyone who forwarded comments!!

I've had a few conversations over the last week that highlight the friction between online learning and classroom learning. One email I received stated that the same issues that we grapple with online, teachers grapple with in a classroom. Great point! Online learning is a form of learning with technology...but it is still learning. Sound principles of education (i.e. interactivity, student time on task, collaboration, etc.) are relevant online and in the classroom.

Here's a problem: Online learning is compared with classroom learning, and all comparisons assume that both forms of learning have the same objective. They don't. Classrooms have worked for thousands of years...and they will for many more. Online learning has grown as a result of a "modern" need: education - anytime, anywhere, for life. Classrooms have not met this challenge...and they never will. This doesn't mean that classrooms will soon be obsolete...quite the opposite - learning technologies will help them thrive. It is foolish to compare two concepts, meeting different needs in different ways...or, simply put (by Jay Cross)...Learning hasn't changed; teaching has changed.

Any comparisons between online learning and classroom learning are flawed. They are different mediums..but not in competition. Comparisons should focus on the quality of the actual learning experience with the intended outcomes...online or in a classroom.

Hitting the E-Books...

Is there anything as reassuring as printed text, at least in the academic world? You can touch it, hold it, highlight it, make notes in the margins, and you can even, when very frustrated, tear it up into tiny little pieces. Flying in the face of this satisfying, tactile experience, is the potential growth of e-books. Publishers are increasingly offering books in this format, but will this catch on with students and instructors? Despite a relatively slow start, there are indications that these digital resources have begun to showcase qualities that could increase their level of acceptance. The following articles provide a brief introduction to e-books and some of the student and instructor views and opinions towards these resources.

Students Leave Books on the Shelf

Quote: "Sixty three percent of 300 students questioned on campuses across England reported they would use information from the internet instead of buying books. Twenty two percent said they would use books in electronic format."

Comment: This brief British news item indicates that students are willing to forego a course text in favour of digital resources because (surprise, surprise), it saves them money...

E-text Finds its Way on Campus

Quote: "I've gotten mixed results from students...but as the course goes on, they seem to like it better because they see that the info is very topical and up to date. It's like anything that's new, you have to get beyond the learning curve."

Comment: This news story reports on the University of Phoenix's decision to eliminate books in favour of e-texts. Unlike the previous article, this report indicates a mixed reception from students, but alludes that this is a result of people preferring to do things the way they traditionally have, and that opinions will change once students are forced to change their habits.

Will E-books Change the World?

Quote: "Even if e-books cannot beat traditional books yet, these collective efforts will improve the legibility of e-books devices and make e-book reading more tempting for larger audiences. Readers will also consider the benefits of the e-books technologies such as potential lower unit prices, immediate access, large storage capabilities, highly developed search functions, hyperlinks to both internal and Internet resources, adjustable fonts and sizes (according to individual preferences), speech generating plug-ins and the combined use of e-book readers with PDA functions, e-learning applications, music and video playing, and mobile telephony."

Comment: Set aside a bit of time if you plan to read this paper - it weighs in at an equivalent of 21 printed pages, including end notes and bibliography. It is a thorough and interesting read, though, so you just might find it time well invested. The author believes that e-books are an inevitable outcome of our networked society and its growing demands for electronic information and trade. What are your thoughts? Will e-books change the world? Write us back and we will compile your comments in a future issue.

Readerworks Opens up the World of E-Publishing

Quote: "From a user's perspective, the Reader software not only provides near-paper reading quality, but also lets users annotate, search, bookmark, highlight, and index quotations. When the device is used with the freely provided Encarta dictionary, a reader can also easily look up a definition simply by right-clicking and selecting "Lookup" from the pop-up menu."

Comment: This is an interesting article, because it presents the experiences of an instructor who began experimenting with the creation of e-texts. It's a little older than the other articles (May of last year), but it's the only one that I can remember coming across that outlines opinions of someone who has actually tried to put together such resources.

Nebraska Researchers Measure the Extent of 'Link Rot' in Distance Education

Quote: Academic departments often do not budget for such maintenance costs or consider in tenure-and-promotion evaluations how much time such maintenance takes...People think about start-up costs, but they never think about maintenance costs."

Comment: Anyone who has included Internet links in their courses can relate to the topic of this article - link rot. You find the perfect web site, and before you know it, it has mutated into another incarnation or disappeared completely. How long do links last? More importantly, what can be done to deal with this inevitable outcome? Read on...

Accessibility
Quote: "Let’s face it, information technology is the way of the world," says Ross Doerr, technology and ADA accessibility consultant for the New Hampshire Association for the Blind, a private, non-profit organization. "If technology tools aren't accessible to people with disabilities, you’ve just shut the door to millions of people like me."

Comment: The field of online learning is still new...and perhaps that is why issues of accessibility are not mainstream in discussion. However, accessibly should be a consideration for ALL designers, instructors, administrators of elearning. Many issues of accessibility have improved in schools, corporations, shopping malls etc. When I was in high school, I remember the school putting in an elevator to accommodate a student in a wheel chair...and this wasn't that long ago (honest!)...just goes to prove that accessibility is still a recent development.

Online learning will greatly help itself (and obviously students with special needs) if it embraces accessibility upfront...rather than "retro-fitting"...some good links: Quick Tips...Section 508 (an American site to: "Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals."...good stuff here.

Also finally, bookmark this one: Bobby..."Bobby WorldWide is a tool for Web page authors. It helps them identify changes to their pages so users with disabilities can more easily use their Web pages."

Online Course Design Standards
Quote: "Based on decades of research and the work of the best minds in the field of Instructional Design, we have recently completed a comprehensive set of standards that can now be used to design and evaluate online courses."

Comments: A very useful site...compiles years of work into concise, simple standards. The need for standards in elearning is critical...many courses fall just short of "trash". Standards, in an ideal world, help to improve the quality of online courses, which improves learner satisfaction, which improves the acceptability of elearning...

Growing up Digital
Quote(s): "World Wide Web will be a transformative medium...The Web is two-way, push and pull...We read and we write, we absorb and we critique, we listen and we tell stories, we help and we seek help. This is life on the Web. The boundaries be­tween consuming and producing are fluid..."

Comment: The Web has impacted society...business...libraries...schools... Often discussions about the Web focus on how it has improved efficiency/added complexity to ways of doing things. Yet what about the impact of the Internet on us? On the next generation? The author tackles some of this issues in this article...

What is the greatest impact of the Internet/Web? Simply - networking...connecting. The author describes "a shift between using technology to support the individual to using technology to support relationships between individuals." The original view of the Web was just this...communicate with others, share information...CONNECT.

What are the implications of this in education? Perhaps too early to tell, but one of the earliest implications emerging is one of student expectation that the instructor/teacher is with them...not above them...meaning that an instructor uses the Web for what it is good for...connect students with resources and with other experts. The instructor does not have to know all the answers...rather he/she plays a facilitative role in helping the students explore resources. After the student has explored the resources, the instructor creates "context of use discussion" to assist the student in integrating the skills/concepts in real world situations...


IT Link:
Intelligent Roaming
Quote: "Intelligent Roaming dynamically manages users' network connections enabling them to seamlessly connect or roam from network to network depending on how and where they're using their mobile PCs."

Comment:
Neat. Cell phones roam from network to network...why can't wireless devices like mobile PCs? These types of practical, user-friendly developments will continue to generate growth in wireless devices. I read an article recently (forget where...) and the author mentioned that the cell phones caught many by surprise (AT&T couldn't see value in cell phones, and decided to pursue computers...ouch!)...wireless devices may well catch many by surprise...and when they become popular, they'll become VERY popular. Why?...because they make the Internet portable...and that has implications for schools, businesses...any organization.

eLearning Resources and News

5 minutes of elearning related issues...twice a week.

To unsubscribe, see end of this email. To subscribe, click here

---

Last week, I presented my experiences with developing online resources and teaching online. One of the statements I made is that there are "no stars" in online development...it is very much a team process. I further highlighted the need for instructional design in this process. Someone asked "What is instruction design (ID)? Why is an instructional designer important in moving resources online?" ...hmm good question...

Here are some views on they value of instructional design (gleaned from the converstation at the presentation):
1. In a classroom, the teaching environment in maleable - the instructor adjusts as is needed. Online, the structure is rigid. ID must anticipate student interaction with course content, and ensure that learning happens...so, in some ways, ID (as a process) anticipates and responds to HOW students will learn...or put another way ID tries to do online what the instructor does in a classroom.
2. ID focuses on the most effective way to present content
3. ID begins with the learner and the learner experience
4. ID focuses on rich, interactive learning
5. ID presents course material in educationally sound, proven formats
6. ID gives structure to the student's process of working through course material.

Any other thoughts on the role of Instructional Design in moving courses online? Respond to this email with your thoughts, and I will compile and present them in a future edition of ERN.

Learning to Play/Learning Through Play...

With the explosive growth in computer technology's capabilities, the world's gaming population has come a long way from Pong and Pac Man. North American society's demand for games has kept up with this trend, voraciously gobbling up new product releases. "According to the National Institute on Media and the Family, 92% of children between the ages of 2 and 17 play video or computer games. In 2000, 35% of Americans rated video and computer games as 'the most fun entertainment activity.' (TV came in a weak second with just 18% of votes, followed by the Internet, books, and movies.) That same year, U.S. entertainment software sales topped $6.2 billion -- nearly three times the gross domestic product of Bermuda." (Game Theory Fast Company, January 2002)

We can choose to look at this as a problem of "what do we do with these folks when they reach the shores of post-secondary education." How do we maintain their interest and ensure they learn? While this is a valid question, I think the more timely question is "how do we maximize the way we use technology to make their educational experience more effective, even more relevant that what we currently deliver." Hopefully, some of these articles begin that thought process...

Microsoft Explores New Game-Based Learning Environment

Quote: "Gaming best suits the instructivist teaching method...because students can use video-game technology to do expensive, inconceivable things virtually - like explore the human body...Kids will start demanding the same kind of engagement and stimulation in the classroom that they get from television, the Internet, movies, and video games."

Comments: Games have captured the interest of Microsoft to the tune of a $25 million dollar investment over 5 years. Hmmmmm..... Yes, this is small potatoes in terms of Microsoft's earnings; however, Bill and company don't throw away money on just anything. At the same time, $25 million is HUGE potatoes to educational institutions. As the article points out, this investment helps to encourage risk in development, as if the project doesn't pan out, the institution isn't left trying to cover the costs. The partnership with MIT shows some of the innovative uses of gaming in education - check out the site at Games to Teach .

How Games Work

Quote: "Learning should be child-like, not childish. Some people hear the word 'fun' and immediately say, 'None of that! We have to be serious about training.' Yet, we are all born accelerated learners. Before we attend school, we all demonstrate natural learning abilities."

Comments: This brief interview with Paul Scheele is focussed on selling LearningWare's products, but it also does present an overview of how games can be of benefit and why they should be incorporated in course design and delivery. If you can get past the selling that is occurring, you may also want to check out Why Games Work , a white paper from the same company.

The Learning Frontier

Quote: "It is one thing to memorize a definition of nationalism or to read a passage describing the fragility of an ecosystem; it is quite another to enter into an environment where those ideas play themselves out based on your actions and ability to identify and solve problems."

Comments: Clark Aldrich interviews designers of highly successful computer games to find out how they see computer simulations impacting on-line learning. I think this is an interesting read in order to get a perspective from the gaming world, what roles they see for simulations in e-learning, and how they measure the effectiveness and success of their creations.

Study of Distance Education Effectiveness
Summarize last several pages...



The Impact of the Internet on Learning and Teaching



Change in MS Licensing



Mentored Learning

Facilitation/moderation

eLearning Resources and News

5 minutes of elearning related issues...twice a week.

To unsubscribe, see end of this email. To subscribe, click here

---

Online Teaching in an Online World
Quote: "The objective of this research was to learn about the common obstacles, supports, and experiences as well as the tools used among early adopters of the Web as a teaching resource."

Comment: The seven recommendations (listed on the last several pages) for college instructors, administrators, and institutions, is worth reviewing . They are:
1. Instructor training
2. Instructor recognition and support
3. Instructor sharing of expertise and resource exchange
4. Online learning policies
5. Online learning research
6. Online courseware development policies
7. Online learning pedagogy.

Online learning has impacted the way in which students and teachers interact...yet the entire education industry is only at the beginning stages of MASSIVE change. Currently, online instruction is being squeezed into the old model of classroom instruction. Administrators will have to make major decisions over the next several years about handling student contact time, copyrights, training of instructors, development time, etc. So, perhaps in some ways, online learning will transform more than just learning...perhaps it will transform entire institutions...

Faculty - Philosophy Distance Education
Quote: "As higher education attempts to meet the growing demand for courses delivered at a distance, identification of potential barriers to faculty acceptance and adoption are needed. The purpose of the study was to describe faculty perceptions with respect to distance education competence, value, and information technology support by philosophical position towards distance education. "

Comment: If you're afraid of it - you won't try it...if instructors don't think online learning works...they won't try it. This is fundamentally an issue of "change management". Last week I posted an article that stated resistance to technology is basically only resistance to change. I often hear students say "I hate computers"...what they are really saying is, "I hate change, and computers are the current embodiment of my dislike for change..."

This emphasizes the importance of of utilizing change management strategies for new online students...or for an instructor moving online...if change is not managed, the learner will be overwhelmed and drop out. The first online course I took did a HORRIBLE job of managing change for students...no surprise that 1/2 the class didn't finish...

How is Learning Changing?
Overview:Short article...lists major areas of change in learning...new technologies, different forms of assessment, collaborative learning, and the learning environment. What do all of these changes mean to an instructor? A new teaching reality (even for classroom teachers), that is more focused on learning...and verifying that learning has happened. All of the "change areas" listed in this article will drive online learning.

IT Stuff:Integrated PDA/Cellphones
Interested in the products available in the emerging PDA/cellphone market? This article offers a good overview...I had a look at the Handspring Treo this last weekend...looks neat. Only problem I see is social uptake. Cell phones have been getting smaller, PDAs more sleeker. This is what customers want. This unit combines the worst of each...it is a bulky cell phone, or an ugly PDA (depending on how you look at it!). What does this have to do with education? Nothing, but watch the school hallways...the 16 - 30 year old market is a testing ground for new technologies...

Culture Shock
Quote: "American, Canadian, or Northern European students are generally taught to take initiative, ask questions, view instructors as equals, and be individualists, so they’re likely to thrive using personalized learning portals. But such individualized approaches may not be successful in Eastern Europe, for example."

Comment:

Teaching Resource

More Teachers Taking Online Courses
Quote: "Teachers increasingly are using computers for teaching and learning -- not just for their students' education but for their own as well."

Comments: Makes sense...if you are going to teach online, you first need to be an online student...imagine a teacher beginning to teach in a classroom without ever having been a student. Unthinkable. Yet, I think it happens often in virtual instruction. In fairness, however, a large part of it may be due to the newness of the field...not many institutions are offering courses on how to instruct online.

So why would anyone bother taking a course online? Well, one quote in the article sticks out for me "nothing surpasses the convenience." Several people in our department are upgrading their education - online. It would be much more difficult for them to advance their learning if only traditional courses were offered...let's face it - time and distance are the two barriers that are obliterated in online learning. Online, the doors of learning swing open for the masses (or something like that)!

Learning Objects
Quote: "For years, the e-learning industry has anticipated the day when learners could personalize, assemble on the fly, and access e-learning on demand. Development teams would be able to build content a single time, store it electronically, reuse it, and deploy it in different formats with a simple button click. A small content piece--a learning object--would establish the foundation upon which these capabilities rest."

Comments: I read an interesting comment on learning objects...the author likened learning objects to teen sex...everyone says they are do it, everyone thinks everyone is doing it, and secretly, everyone thinks it'll be great once they actually do it!! Learning objects have been THE buzzword in education for over a year. Much of this attention is deserved - learning objects may well transform education...yet, I don't think many are doing it. Projects like POOL are beginning to move to practical application, but overall, I think most corporations/higher education institutions are still trying to figure out what learning objects are all about.

On a different note...much of what most people do with computers is a very primitive example of learning objects...cutting/pasting paragraphs from one Word document to another, copying PPoint slides using them in another presentation, etc. are all examples of creating content and reusing it. Learning objects take more organized content and make it available to a larger audience.


Resources for Students:
WebCT Tutorials
If you have students who are new to the WebCT environment, this tutorial may be helpful...I spent a few minutes going through the tutorials, and while they are basically only audio and screen captures, I think it would be a great resource for new students.

How Online Learning Works
This site is a great resource for students new to online learning. Issues like navigation, interacting with students, instructor, etc. are all available. A quiz titled "Is Online Learning Right For Me?" is also included. Worth a visit...might help your next group of students!


IT Link: Tablet PC - Higher Ed Killer Application
Quotes: "It has the functions of a laptop, but has digital ink technology so that users can write on it with a stylus similar to pen and paper...Using the Tablet PC, faculty might develop dynamic, interactive classrooms along the lines of WebCT’s forthcoming Slate project, a push and pull technology for wireless classroom communication."

Comments: Tablet PC's hold much promise for education...as the article also highlights, Tablets have built in 802.11 (doesnt state if it is "a", "b", or "g") wireless connectivity, giving students instant Internet access. The article promises reduced costs in the long run, but I'm sure the initial hardware/network/software costs would strike fear into most administrators! One word of caution...new technology often comes with people who over-promise what it can do. I wonder if the exuberance expressed here is not an example of that.

Weekly Rant:
Overcoming the Comfort Zone
Quote:"The biggest barrier to most people embracing and using online collaboration tools and software has little to do with the technology itself...The truth is that the biggest barrier is to overcome is people’s (especially adult’s) natural resistance to change—the kind of change that requires people to overcome old attitudes and work habits and embrace new ways of doing things."

Comment:This article is a MUST read for anyone who is struggling with ways to get students (or colleagues!) to use new learning technologies. The first online course I taught really opened my eyes to the resistance that students have to doing things differently (i.e. they HATE change). Yet, one of the roles of education today is to prepare students for an increasingly digital world. Meetings tomorrow will often be virtual...not face to face. Group work tomorrow may include people from L.A., Alberta, China, etc., all collaborating and sharing information and resources.


Let's Get (Inter)Active...

It seems a little hypocritical talking about interactivity on a "push" medium such as this newsletter...there really is no interaction here...we write and you (hopefully) read. The good thing about this (in addition to providing you leads on potentially interesting articles and web sites) is that you can see how important interaction is to the learning process, and that it is vital to incorporate such elements into your courses. It's great to read and pick up new knowledge, but the experience is so much richer when you get to express your thoughts about what you have read, discuss this with others, generate new ideas together. Having said that, here's a few interesting articles about interactivity in e-learning...if these strike a chord, perhaps some interactive discussion can take place on the RROC web site...

The Myth of Interactivity on the Internet

Quote: "Words like 'interactivity' and 'community' have been hugely abused and devalued over the last eight years...If you turn a page in a magazine or book, that doesn't exactly qualify as interactivity. Yet if you click a link on the web, many feel you are participating in an interactive activity."

Comments: Here's a brief article that could start some interesting interactive dialogue (I tried to find some way to encourage you subliminally to go to the RROC discussion area, but I just couldn't do it...ethics, yeah, that's why :-) ...). McGovern has valid points - too much of the material on the Internet - e-learning-related or not - is stiflingly static and one-dimensional. And not answering e-mail promptly is like ignoring student questions. However, does the very nature of e-learning mean that students can only interact with content, consistently removing the human element from the education/training equation? Is it possible to create something like this? Yes. Is it an inevitable result of every effort? I would debate that conclusion... Any thoughts? (SY)


Discovery Learning: Repurposing an Old Paradigm

Quote: "E-learning, after all, is a delivery technology that supports many different instructional methods. But sophisticated automation does not a memorable training program make. Lurking behind many of today's slick delivery systems are shop-worn, passive learning paradigms that Socrates spurned in the fifth century B.C."

Comments: Apart from the use of the term "paradigm" (I HATE overused, trendy jargon...), and the focus on corporate training (which is, realistically, what is driving e-learning expansion and growth...) this is a worthwhile read. Michael Allen is the creator of Macromedia's Authorware software and an engaging public speaker. Allen puts forward ideas on using discovery learning principles to create e-learning that is not only active, but relevant and effective. Unfortunately, he stops short of providing examples of how to do this...maybe this is where our experience as educators and personal creativity come into play...??? (SY)

Design for Usability
Quote: "Will everyone who believes that online users are brain-dead, slack-jawed morons please raise their hand?"

Comment: Yikes!...This opening sentence in the article says it all! The author argues that many principles of online resource "usability" (short sentences, no scrolling etc.) are wrong...and, for the most part, I agree. A motivated learner is most concerned with content. Usability and navigation are important in designing the learning experience, but these design principles should not reduce the quality of the content.

In contrast, I have encountered online courses that were text heavy (size 10 font), with no paragraph breaks, supporting visuals, or clear navigation guidelines. In those cases, I don't care how good the content is...the design is inhibitive to learning, and the user experience has not been considered. Learners new to the online environment will be intimidated by poor design.

Education in a Blender issue...

Here is the exciting second issue of eLearning Resources and News! (Ok, maybe it's not exciting, but this is still new, so we have to market it...:-)). Steve Yurkiw has offered to contribute to ERN. You can identify our posts by our initials (not sure why you'd want to though...but, in case you do). As mentioned previously, comments, questions, suggstions are welcome!

Links:
'Hybrid' Teaching Seeks to End the Divide Between Traditional and Online Instruction
Quote: "Hybrid courses and hybrid degree programs promise the best of both worlds, offering some of the convenience of all-online courses without the complete loss of face-to-face contact...Hybrid models appear less controversial among faculty members than fully online courses have been, though some professors worry about any move away from an educational system that has worked for centuries."

Comments: An overview of blended or hybrid teaching/learning and reasons why to consider implementing this format. The article focuses on American universities, examining reasons why they undertook this type of venture including lack of physical space, preparing students for future online courses they will take during their careers, and to address faculty concerns over the loss of face to face content. (SY)

Find a Winning Blend

Quote: "Many projects can even become terminally stuck at this (ed. note: planning) stage. The trap becomes spending energy thinking about how to reproduce the classroom experience that we are all familiar with, rather than focusing on how to use new technology to create a new model for a better way of learning.

Comments: Okay, so this article focuses exclusively on private industry; however, a lot of what is covered in the content can also be applied to academic institutions trying to implement e-learning strategies. The ideas that I think are valuable to examine are the extremes of converting to e-learning:

• Trying to keep things as similar as possible to what we know and are comfortable with, so we try to completely replicate the classroom in a new medium, losing the opportunity to incorporate new and improved ways to learn and teach in the process.

• Getting caught up in technolust and trying to incorporate new technology without any clearly thought out ideas of what we want to accomplish using this technology and how learning and teaching can be improved through its use. (SY)


Effective Course Content by Design
Quote: "WOWDOC provide guidance about how course content will be processed, organized, and delivered in the CM. This guidance includes six steps for developing instructional strategies inside the CM:

Identify the level of online involvement.
Define pre-instructional activities.
Select content and determine presentation format.
Determine learner participation.
Develop assessment procedures.
Review activities. "

Comment: WOWDOC (WebCT Ordinal Web Delivery Organizational Companion) is a model that assists instructors/instructional designers in developing online resources. No rocket science here - pretty basic overview of what is required in ensuring a successful transition from traditional to online delivery of materials...but it is well worth the read! (GS)

Techno Stuff Link:
Google vs. Teoma
Quote:""We [Teoma] are the next generation in search," said Gerasoulis, a Rutgers University mathematics professor who has had Google in his sights since founding Teoma in 1999. "Google has reached its maturity." You can access the search engine directly by going to: Teoma

Comment: Looks promising. Teoma tries to go beyond a regular search engines by doing three things: providing results, offering suggestions for refining the search, and offering resources (go to their web site, and they'll tell you all about how good they are!). I did a series of searches in Google and Teoma...must admit, Google loads much quicker, but I could get used to the added resources Teoma offers. (GS)

What's Ahead for wireless?

The field of elearning is rapidly evolving. Technology innovation and education reform combine to create an exciting, and confusing, environment. "eLearning Resources and News" (ERN) will give provide a broad overview of what is happening in elearning - and what these changes mean to you as a user of learning technologies.

As a member of RROC, you will receive this newsletter twice weekly. If you want to unsubscribe, please click on the link at the bottom of this email.

If you know of someone who would be interested in subscribing, please ask them to email me their email address. I'll have self-subscription available on the Internet soon.


Links:
Web Based Management Tool to Support Classroom Instruction
Quote: "This article discusses the challenges facing faculty and students when interfacing between the two delivery contexts and provides general guidelines for using a Web-based course management tool to support F2F instruction."

Comment: A good, basic overview of elearning as a means of impacting classroom instruction. An excellent point is made about using elearning as a means to INTEGRATE not DUPLICATE classroom activities. The greatest impact on elearning may not be in distance instruction, but in the classroom.

Preview and Review
Quote: "With technology, we can add, "repackage the same message in different modes and with a rich array of examples," and "allow ’em to hear it again and again until they get it.""

Comment: This is definitely a strength of the learning with technology...the ability to experience important concepts in a variety of ways - this may include video, software activities, quizzes, etc. In order for technology to be useful, it must create educational efficiency (i.e. better management of courseware/student tracking etc.)and educational effectiveness (i.e. increased learning). Packaging the same message in a variety of modes certainly addresses learning effectiveness...sounds like learning styles to me.


IT link:
Digital devices ready for take off
Quote: "Gartenberg foresees a future where consumers will have multiple information devices boasting Web and application services with both wireless and wired connectivity."

Comment: Wireless...definitely one of the IT catch phrases of the year (decade?)...Bill Gates predicts an upcoming "digital decade", and wireless seems to be taking a lead role. I know of several schools using Palm Pilots for learning...and recently in corporate elearning, the concept of m-learning (mobile learning) seems to be catching interest...The too-often repeated statement of "anytime, anywhere" learning is fully realized with wireless technologies...