Friday
Dec311999
120 - Learners Accessing Real Routers over Internet for On-Line Labs; Universal Learning Technologies: Free Course Delivery Site Offered
December 31, 1999
1. Learners Accessing Real Routers over Internet for On-Line Labs: We have
been tracking the increased interest in using the internet to give learners
access to real equipment in a remote lab situation. One new example is the
offering from MentorLabs. Today, they announced the launch of vLab, an
online training solution that teaches networking skills by giving users
access to real Cisco routers and switches over the Internet or corporate
intranet. Employing real-world scenarios authored by Cisco networking
experts, vLab's structured curriculum guides users to master the everyday
skills they need to upgrade and improve the reliability of their networks
and advance their careers.
I went on to their site www.mentorlabs.com and signed up for a demonstration
lab. After downloading some control programming, I was able to access
various Cisco routers around the country and experiment with actual
networking commands. As a learner, this gives me the ability to use a wide
range of equipment that would not normally be available to me in a
classroom. And, I can do that from any internet connected computer in the
world.
We think that this is a growth segment! Imagine being able to work with lab
based, on-line equivalents of a wide range of equipment, from IT servers to
printing presses and other hardware components.
2. Report from the High Tech RV Trip: As I mentioned in our last Trends, we
were heading out on a week long trip to Southwest Utah in a RV. I loaded up
the RV with some new technology to see what mobile teleworking and high tech
vacations might look like. Here are a few tidbits:
A- Garmon Street Pilot GPS: This is a small GPS unit, that rests on the
dashboard and provides great up to date mapping for anyone on the road. It
provided super suggestions of nearest gas stations and other facilities as
we made our way around the country. We used it in conjunction with several
mapping programs including Trip Master and Trip Planner. It was
interesting to see the learning aspects of the information that was provided
by the combo of the GPS and planning software.
B- Low Tech Awesome Sound Based Learning: One of our best learning
experiences was a throwback to our days as kids in museums. We found a
simple audio cassette program at the Visitor's Center at Bryce Canyon,
called Through Your Window. Popped it in the car tape machine and it gave
us stop by stop audio and music narration for a 4 hour trip around Bryce.
It beeped when it was time to turn it off, gave hints of what to think about
as we looked at the landscape and filled the longer drives with music and
background history. Imagine applying this for new employee orientation.
Give them a tape recorder and headset and have them visit different places
in the company. Now, the big idea is to bridge A and B. Hook up the GPS
and laptop to audio history databases. As we drive we could be offered
custom history stories about our interests. If you want to start the biz,
give me a call and I will help!
C- Two Way Wireless Paging on the Belt: The last piece of technology that
we brought along (in addition to our cell phones, laptops, GPS and other
gadgets) was a new two way pager with keypad that can be worn on the belt.
This allows instant 2 way messaging to the individual. While the capacity
should soon be built into both cellular phones and PIMs, it is very
interesting to see what happens when the body gets it's own email address.
We are going to do an experiment in on-line learning with folks that have
this device. If you have a 2 way pager from Skytel and would like to be in
a pilot for belt-based learning, please send me an email to emasie@masie.com
D- Teleworking from the RV: Cellular phones, modem connections in the RV
campgrounds and soon to be cable connections right at tent side. It could
work. But, be careful not to stay too connected during the vacation mode.
It might get out of hand!
3. Universal Learning Technologies: Free Course Delivery Site Offered:
Here is another new product on the market for the creation and delivery of
learning content via on-line formats. Universal Learning Technologies is
offering its Bravo product as a course development and
delivery/collaboration tool. As an incentive to get folks to try this new
product, there is an unlimited time offer of free course hosting. Bravo is
IMS compliant and is focused on a wide range of course formats, learning
styles and media types. Check it out at www.ult.net
4. State of Technology Training Industry: Report and Award: I was honored
to be given the Eddy Award by ITTA, which is the industry group for
organizations involved in delivering computer and IT training. I was
touched to receive the honor and was impressed by the degree to which the IT
Training Industry has grown dramatically. Here were some trends that came
out of the dialogues at the recent ITTA conference in San Antonio:
* Emerging new models for delivery of IT training, focusing on combining
classroom, on-line and mentoring.
* Continued emphasis on how to rapidly expand the world of IT training and
provide scalable solutions to meet explosive expansion of technology
requirements.
* Going beyond ERP implementations to Worker and Unit Productivity with new
software.
* What will people pay for on-line learning products? Is there enough
revenue to support the development of high quality simulations for short
shelf life products?
* Recognizing the expanding role of community colleges and other 2 year
institutions in the delivery of grass roots IT training.
* The role of home networking as a new field requiring networking skills.
Thanks again to the Board of ITTA for the great honor of their Eddy Award.
We all have a lot of work ahead of us to continue the skilling of the
workforce to meet the promise of technology.
5. Learning Anagrams: These came across my email pile but I could not
resist. If you like anagrams, where the letters are remixed to create a new
word of phrase, try these out:
"Eleven plus two" ANAGRAMS TO: "Twelve plus one"
"Slot Machines" ANAGRAMS TO: "Cash Lost in'em"
Ready for this one?
"To be or not to be: that is the question, whether tis nobler in the mind to
suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune."
ANAGRAMS TO:
"In one of the Bard's best-thought-of tragedies, our insistent hero, Hamlet,
queries on two fronts about how life turns rotten."
We tried one of the anagram servers and found that TechLearn Trends became
CRETAN HELD ERNST .. oops. Try it yourself at
http://mmm.mbhs.edu/~bconnell/anagrams.html
6. Welcome to Heinrich Koenen, New Dean and VP of The MASIE Center: We are
very honored to announce a new key player at The MASIE Center. Heinrich
Koenen, the former Director, Training and Technology of Domino's Pizza, has
moved to Saratoga Springs to take on the key role as Dean and Vice President
of The MASIE Center. Heinrich will be building the curriculum and faculty
roles at our events, including TechLearn '99 and The 1999 Computer & IT
Training Convention; coordinating the TechLearn Collaborative and serving as
an interface for key industry technology developers. Heinrich as been a
member of our "extended family" at The MASIE Center for many years and it is
an honor to have him join us. His email is hk@masie.com if you would like
to propose a session for one our upcoming conferences.
Upcoming MASIE Center Events: http://www.masie.com
* Learning Decisions (just 24 seats remaining) - May 12 to 14, 1999 in Las
Vegas, NV
* The Road to On-Line Learning Lab and Seminar - June 21 and 22, 1999 in
Washington, DC
* TechLearn '99 (with over 1,109 registered) - Oct 31 to Nov 3, 1999 in
Orlando, FL
(Including: The 1999 Computer & IT Training Convention)
been tracking the increased interest in using the internet to give learners
access to real equipment in a remote lab situation. One new example is the
offering from MentorLabs. Today, they announced the launch of vLab, an
online training solution that teaches networking skills by giving users
access to real Cisco routers and switches over the Internet or corporate
intranet. Employing real-world scenarios authored by Cisco networking
experts, vLab's structured curriculum guides users to master the everyday
skills they need to upgrade and improve the reliability of their networks
and advance their careers.
I went on to their site www.mentorlabs.com and signed up for a demonstration
lab. After downloading some control programming, I was able to access
various Cisco routers around the country and experiment with actual
networking commands. As a learner, this gives me the ability to use a wide
range of equipment that would not normally be available to me in a
classroom. And, I can do that from any internet connected computer in the
world.
We think that this is a growth segment! Imagine being able to work with lab
based, on-line equivalents of a wide range of equipment, from IT servers to
printing presses and other hardware components.
2. Report from the High Tech RV Trip: As I mentioned in our last Trends, we
were heading out on a week long trip to Southwest Utah in a RV. I loaded up
the RV with some new technology to see what mobile teleworking and high tech
vacations might look like. Here are a few tidbits:
A- Garmon Street Pilot GPS: This is a small GPS unit, that rests on the
dashboard and provides great up to date mapping for anyone on the road. It
provided super suggestions of nearest gas stations and other facilities as
we made our way around the country. We used it in conjunction with several
mapping programs including Trip Master and Trip Planner. It was
interesting to see the learning aspects of the information that was provided
by the combo of the GPS and planning software.
B- Low Tech Awesome Sound Based Learning: One of our best learning
experiences was a throwback to our days as kids in museums. We found a
simple audio cassette program at the Visitor's Center at Bryce Canyon,
called Through Your Window. Popped it in the car tape machine and it gave
us stop by stop audio and music narration for a 4 hour trip around Bryce.
It beeped when it was time to turn it off, gave hints of what to think about
as we looked at the landscape and filled the longer drives with music and
background history. Imagine applying this for new employee orientation.
Give them a tape recorder and headset and have them visit different places
in the company. Now, the big idea is to bridge A and B. Hook up the GPS
and laptop to audio history databases. As we drive we could be offered
custom history stories about our interests. If you want to start the biz,
give me a call and I will help!
C- Two Way Wireless Paging on the Belt: The last piece of technology that
we brought along (in addition to our cell phones, laptops, GPS and other
gadgets) was a new two way pager with keypad that can be worn on the belt.
This allows instant 2 way messaging to the individual. While the capacity
should soon be built into both cellular phones and PIMs, it is very
interesting to see what happens when the body gets it's own email address.
We are going to do an experiment in on-line learning with folks that have
this device. If you have a 2 way pager from Skytel and would like to be in
a pilot for belt-based learning, please send me an email to emasie@masie.com
D- Teleworking from the RV: Cellular phones, modem connections in the RV
campgrounds and soon to be cable connections right at tent side. It could
work. But, be careful not to stay too connected during the vacation mode.
It might get out of hand!
3. Universal Learning Technologies: Free Course Delivery Site Offered:
Here is another new product on the market for the creation and delivery of
learning content via on-line formats. Universal Learning Technologies is
offering its Bravo product as a course development and
delivery/collaboration tool. As an incentive to get folks to try this new
product, there is an unlimited time offer of free course hosting. Bravo is
IMS compliant and is focused on a wide range of course formats, learning
styles and media types. Check it out at www.ult.net
4. State of Technology Training Industry: Report and Award: I was honored
to be given the Eddy Award by ITTA, which is the industry group for
organizations involved in delivering computer and IT training. I was
touched to receive the honor and was impressed by the degree to which the IT
Training Industry has grown dramatically. Here were some trends that came
out of the dialogues at the recent ITTA conference in San Antonio:
* Emerging new models for delivery of IT training, focusing on combining
classroom, on-line and mentoring.
* Continued emphasis on how to rapidly expand the world of IT training and
provide scalable solutions to meet explosive expansion of technology
requirements.
* Going beyond ERP implementations to Worker and Unit Productivity with new
software.
* What will people pay for on-line learning products? Is there enough
revenue to support the development of high quality simulations for short
shelf life products?
* Recognizing the expanding role of community colleges and other 2 year
institutions in the delivery of grass roots IT training.
* The role of home networking as a new field requiring networking skills.
Thanks again to the Board of ITTA for the great honor of their Eddy Award.
We all have a lot of work ahead of us to continue the skilling of the
workforce to meet the promise of technology.
5. Learning Anagrams: These came across my email pile but I could not
resist. If you like anagrams, where the letters are remixed to create a new
word of phrase, try these out:
"Eleven plus two" ANAGRAMS TO: "Twelve plus one"
"Slot Machines" ANAGRAMS TO: "Cash Lost in'em"
Ready for this one?
"To be or not to be: that is the question, whether tis nobler in the mind to
suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune."
ANAGRAMS TO:
"In one of the Bard's best-thought-of tragedies, our insistent hero, Hamlet,
queries on two fronts about how life turns rotten."
We tried one of the anagram servers and found that TechLearn Trends became
CRETAN HELD ERNST .. oops. Try it yourself at
http://mmm.mbhs.edu/~bconnell/anagrams.html
6. Welcome to Heinrich Koenen, New Dean and VP of The MASIE Center: We are
very honored to announce a new key player at The MASIE Center. Heinrich
Koenen, the former Director, Training and Technology of Domino's Pizza, has
moved to Saratoga Springs to take on the key role as Dean and Vice President
of The MASIE Center. Heinrich will be building the curriculum and faculty
roles at our events, including TechLearn '99 and The 1999 Computer & IT
Training Convention; coordinating the TechLearn Collaborative and serving as
an interface for key industry technology developers. Heinrich as been a
member of our "extended family" at The MASIE Center for many years and it is
an honor to have him join us. His email is hk@masie.com if you would like
to propose a session for one our upcoming conferences.
Upcoming MASIE Center Events: http://www.masie.com
* Learning Decisions (just 24 seats remaining) - May 12 to 14, 1999 in Las
Vegas, NV
* The Road to On-Line Learning Lab and Seminar - June 21 and 22, 1999 in
Washington, DC
* TechLearn '99 (with over 1,109 registered) - Oct 31 to Nov 3, 1999 in
Orlando, FL
(Including: The 1999 Computer & IT Training Convention)
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