280 - Instant Messenger Innovations & Learning

TRENDS by Elliott Masie - April 27, 2004 #280 - Updates on Learning, eLearning and Training
47,365 Readers - The MASIE Center - www.masie.com

1. Instant Messenger Innovations & Learning
2. Learning Quotation
3. Over 430 Tips (Send a Few More)
4. e-Learning Skills LAB - 9 Spaces Open

1. Instant Messenger Innovations & Learning: In recent days, Yahoo and Microsoft have announced new versions of their Instant Messenger (IM) technologies. IM is being integrated more closely into browsers, aligned with Net Services (such as games and e-Commerce) and increased collaboration and video/audio over IP functionality.

I would urge you to put IM on your Learning TRENDS Radar Screen. We believe that the role of "always on" connectivity will evolve into broader collaboration capabilities. In additon, we predict that organizations will standardize on a corporate IM/Collaborative technology, which will evolve into voice over IP, video conference and virtual classroom hubs.
Learning technologies will be asked to use a corporate standard rather than application specific tools.

2. Learning Quotation:

"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper." - Robert Frost

3. Over 430 Tips (Send a Few More): Recently, I asked for TRENDS readers to send us some eLearning Tips. I wished for about 100 good ones. Well, we got over 430 GREAT ONES! We are in the process of putting these together into a FREE electronic book/website and will have it ready in the about 4 or 5 weeks. If you want to add a few more, send them in to emasie@masie.com

4. e-Learning Skills LAB - 9 Spaces Open: We have a few spaces left in our May session of our e-Learning Skills LAB at The MASIE Center in Saratoga Springs. This is a 3 day, hands-on, drill down on all aspects of e-Learning which I lead a few times a year. Info at http://www.masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
* e-Learning Design & Development SIG - Las Vegas
* e-Learning Briefing - London, England
* e-Learning Skills LAB - Saratoga Springs, NY
* e-Learning Hispanica - Miami, Florida
Information and Schedule at http://www.masie.com

279 - 101 Tips for e-Learning

TO: Learning & Training Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, The MASIE Center
RE: 101 Tips for e-Learning

There are over 47,000 readers of TRENDS. Let's pool our thinking to put together a RAPID and FREE mini-book focused on:

101 Tips for e-Learning

It is a simple idea. If you can take a few moments to reply to this email (or send it to emasie@masie.com) with one or more Tips for e-Learning.

Your tip can be a Success or a Failure that you have experienced in trying to deliver e-Learning. Your tip could be a strategy tip for redesigning learning in your organization. Your tip could be a technology trap to avoid or a better method for blending e-Learning and Classroom.

In the next seven days we will compile these into a list of what hopefully will be at least 101 Tips for e-Learning. And, we will then publish that on our website for all to read. Your tip will be credited to you, unless you would like to be nameless (which is OK too).

Ready? Just respond to this email with your e-Learning TIP!

Yours in Learning...
Elliott Masie

Upcoming MASIE Center Events: http://www.masie.com
* e-Learning Briefing - Baltimore - April 19 (10 spaces available)
* e-Learning Skills LAB - Saratoga Springs - May 24-26
* e-Learning Design & Development SIG - Las Vegas - June 7-8
* e-Learning Hispancia - Miami - June 22-23

278 - e-Learning Tax Considered by Congress

TRENDS by Elliott Masie - April 1, 2004
#278 - Updates on Learning, eLearning and Training
47,287 Readers - The MASIE Center - www.masie.com

1. e-Learning Tax Considered by Congress
2. Pretzels Seen to Increase Learning Rate

1. e-Learning Tax Considered by Congress: The MASIE Center has learned that several members of the U.S. Congress are considering a proposal to add an e-Learning Tax. As the use of on-line learning grows, this is seen as a ripe area for "revenue enhancement". The tax would be based on the level of interactivity and learning involvement. Some members of Congress have been taking a wide range of e-Learning courses themselves to better understand the revenue potential. A sticky issue might be the impact of a non-completion of a course on obligated taxes. LMS vendors are starting to prepare special modules aimed at tracking and paying this "learning
tax".

2. Pretzels Seen to Increase Learning Rate: Researchers at Bachman
University have discovered that eating pretzels has a direct impact on the rate and effectiveness of learning. This seems to apply to both on-line and classroom based learning. One study does reveal that round pretzels are slightly more effective than stick pretzels.

Ah, the impact of the first of April. Yup, April 1st, that day of jokes.

Yours in Learning,

Elliott Masie

Upcoming MASIE Center Events at http://www.masie.com