Friday
Oct192001
222 - New Habits of an e-Learner
October 19, 2001
#222 - - - October 19, 2001 - - - 42,319 Readers
*** Elliott Masie's TechLearn TRENDS ***
e-Learning, Training and e-Collaboration Updates
Host of TechLearn 2001 - Oct 28 - 31 - Orlando, Florida
New Habits of an e-Learner
Confessions by Elliott Masie
I can get pretty weird as an e-Learner. After approximately 500 hours as
an on-line learner in a wide range of courses and activities, I notice
some new habits have emerged. I'll share a few with you and ask for the
same in exchange (see bottom of article). Deep breath. Here goes:
* Browsing is What the Browser Was Designed For: I browse! I sample a
wide range of learning programs as part of my choice. If you were to look
at the Learning Management System report from our organization, you would
see that my non-completion rate is code red high. Actually, those include
browsing ones. It is the digital form of auditing a class in college the
first week and then dropping the ones that I didn't like. But, the way
that I choose a class is to start it conditionally. Actually, isn't
browsing what the browser was meant for!
* Triple Tasking: I triple task! When I am participating in a
synchronous e-Learning class or session, I am usually doing three tasks at
once. I am participating in the event at hand (via listening, watching or
clicking). However, I find myself using a second laptop in my office to
do both one more task (such as email or instant messenger), but I am also
jumping ahead of the instructor's pace. Sometimes, it gets to be a 4
level multi-task with food or print material. My wife Cathy will ask if
I can concentrate that way and I tell her that I love to learn in this
style.
* Talking While I Learn: I normally don't talk to myself, except, when I
am e-Learning! My staff states that I mutter, talk to the screen and have
been known to throw a piece of paper at a learning screen. In fact, the
more engaged I am the more that I seem to talk. It is downright dangerous
when I am wearing a headset, since my voice gets way too loud. Actually,
I find my talking a good way of getting engaged in the process.
* I Compete With Instructional Times: When an author says that a module
can be done in 30 minutes, it is like the firing gun at a track meet. I
compete the with times, as a side game for my interest and motivation. It
is a good thing that most e-Learning offerings don't have a Top Scores
Page, or I would really get time competitive. Now, sometimes I find
myself having to choose between comprehension and completion. I will not
tell you the choice in this format. :)
* I Copy, Paste and Send: When I am in the middle of a cool e-Learning
course, I tend to copy, paste and send content segments to myself (for a
form of note taking) and to colleagues who I think might be interested in
the topic. It might not be totally kosher, but I find myself doing it a
lot.
These are neither positive or negative behaviors. Just ones that I have
noticed about myself, as I am in the e-Learner mode. I would love to hear
from TRENDS readers about your changing behaviors when you are a learner
at a screen.. Send me a note to emasie@masie.com
Elliott
* TechLearn 2001 - Oct 28 to 31 - Orlando, FL www.techlearn.com
* Skills for e-TRAINERS LAB - Dec 5 to 7 - Saratoga Springs, NY
www.masie.com
*** Elliott Masie's TechLearn TRENDS ***
e-Learning, Training and e-Collaboration Updates
Host of TechLearn 2001 - Oct 28 - 31 - Orlando, Florida
New Habits of an e-Learner
Confessions by Elliott Masie
I can get pretty weird as an e-Learner. After approximately 500 hours as
an on-line learner in a wide range of courses and activities, I notice
some new habits have emerged. I'll share a few with you and ask for the
same in exchange (see bottom of article). Deep breath. Here goes:
* Browsing is What the Browser Was Designed For: I browse! I sample a
wide range of learning programs as part of my choice. If you were to look
at the Learning Management System report from our organization, you would
see that my non-completion rate is code red high. Actually, those include
browsing ones. It is the digital form of auditing a class in college the
first week and then dropping the ones that I didn't like. But, the way
that I choose a class is to start it conditionally. Actually, isn't
browsing what the browser was meant for!
* Triple Tasking: I triple task! When I am participating in a
synchronous e-Learning class or session, I am usually doing three tasks at
once. I am participating in the event at hand (via listening, watching or
clicking). However, I find myself using a second laptop in my office to
do both one more task (such as email or instant messenger), but I am also
jumping ahead of the instructor's pace. Sometimes, it gets to be a 4
level multi-task with food or print material. My wife Cathy will ask if
I can concentrate that way and I tell her that I love to learn in this
style.
* Talking While I Learn: I normally don't talk to myself, except, when I
am e-Learning! My staff states that I mutter, talk to the screen and have
been known to throw a piece of paper at a learning screen. In fact, the
more engaged I am the more that I seem to talk. It is downright dangerous
when I am wearing a headset, since my voice gets way too loud. Actually,
I find my talking a good way of getting engaged in the process.
* I Compete With Instructional Times: When an author says that a module
can be done in 30 minutes, it is like the firing gun at a track meet. I
compete the with times, as a side game for my interest and motivation. It
is a good thing that most e-Learning offerings don't have a Top Scores
Page, or I would really get time competitive. Now, sometimes I find
myself having to choose between comprehension and completion. I will not
tell you the choice in this format. :)
* I Copy, Paste and Send: When I am in the middle of a cool e-Learning
course, I tend to copy, paste and send content segments to myself (for a
form of note taking) and to colleagues who I think might be interested in
the topic. It might not be totally kosher, but I find myself doing it a
lot.
These are neither positive or negative behaviors. Just ones that I have
noticed about myself, as I am in the e-Learner mode. I would love to hear
from TRENDS readers about your changing behaviors when you are a learner
at a screen.. Send me a note to emasie@masie.com
Elliott
* TechLearn 2001 - Oct 28 to 31 - Orlando, FL www.techlearn.com
* Skills for e-TRAINERS LAB - Dec 5 to 7 - Saratoga Springs, NY
www.masie.com
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