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25 Awesome Virtual Learning Experiences Online June 25, 2009

Posted by B.J. Schone in eLearning.
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It’s good to refresh your design habits every so often, and that’s why I was excited to see a post on 25 Awesome Virtual Learning Experiences Online over on the Ace Online Schools site. A variety of new ideas is key, and the online experiences highlighted in this post cover everything from “history to geography, astronomy to anatomy, literature to government.” Peruse the examples and try to identify new ideas and techniques you can use to enhance the learning materials you design.

One example that caught my eye was the Mount Vernon Virtual Tour, which does a fantastic job of letting the learner explore the different floors and rooms of the mansion. The user interface is clean and very effective. I could see an interface like this being used to give employees tours of factories or important working areas where detailed knowledge is important.

Take a look at the full post: 25 Awesome Virtual Learning Experiences Online

Supporting Formal and Informal Social Learning June 18, 2009

Posted by B.J. Schone in eLearning.
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Last month I wrote a post called The Future of eLearning is Social Learning , featuring work by Jane Hart. I highlighted several of her online presentations, which do an excellent job of outlining the basics of social learning while also addressing some of the most common misconceptions and pitfalls. Jane recently released another presentation titled Supporting Formal and Informal Social Learning, which covers the people side of social learning and the settings/contexts in which it takes place. The presentation is below. This is Part 3 of a series.

I continue to realize the most difficult part of implementing social learning is the change management – not the technology. Slides 14, 15, and 16 do a good job of addressing this. Thanks, Jane!

eLearning Skills Then and Now June 11, 2009

Posted by B.J. Schone in eLearning.
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Have you noticed a change in the focus of your eLearning skill set over the past few years? I’ve noticed a change in mine. I’m doing more work with existing products and services, instead of developing things from scratch. And I find that I’m doing more research and development of learning technology tools now that so many options are available. I’m also doing less and less work with the LMS. I’d like to know: Is it just me? Have you seen your role change? And if so, how?

Here’s a summary of my most-heavily used skills, then and now, ordered by most-used to least-used:

Old skills

  1. LMS skills (SCORM / AICC)
  2. Development skills (ex. HTML / CSS / JavaScript)
  3. Adobe Flash
  4. Adobe Photoshop
  5. Adobe Captivate
  6. Troubleshooting
  7. Project management
  8. Internal marketing and communication of learning initiatives

Current skills

  1. Project management
  2. Research and evaluate learning / technology tools
  3. Internal marketing and communication of learning initiatives
  4. Development skills (ex. HTML / CSS / JavaScript)
  5. Troubleshooting
  6. LMS skills (SCORM / AICC)

How about you?

Social Learning Resources June 6, 2009

Posted by B.J. Schone in eLearning.
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I wanted to highlight a few social learning resources this week that I find to be very valuable. Take a look at the slideshows below for several perspectives and best practices for using social learning at your organization.

Defining Your Social Learning Strategy

Social Learning and Internal Communications

Harnessing the Power of Social Networks in Teaching and Learning

Social Learning Success Stories, Models, And Roles

Also, be sure to check out these books: