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Entries from June 1, 2009 - June 30, 2009

Friday
Jun262009

Learning Leaders Fieldbook - Download the e-Book

TO: Learning, Training & Performance Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, The MASIE Center

RE: Learning Leaders Fieldbook - Download Free e-Book

The MASIE Center is pleased to announce our latest free e-Book, created by Learning CONSORTIUM colleagues:

Learning Leaders Fieldbook
Download at: http://www.masie.com/fieldbook

Edited by CONSORTIUM Colleague Bill Byron Concevitch and coordinated by Brooke Thomas-Record, the Learning Leaders Fieldbook is a practical, open-source resource. Chapters (and PodCasts) were contributed by:

Joy Hunter, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Holly Huntley, CSC
Jonathan Kayes, CIA University
Tom Kelly
Martha Soehren, Comcast
Donnee Ramelli

Also included is a series of PodCasts about how these contributors became Learning Leaders and the day-to-day realities of their unique roles.

We hope that you will read the stories from your Learning Leader colleagues, listen to their PodCasts and share this resource with other learning professionals.

Once again, download this book and PodCasts at http://www.masie.com/fieldbook

Yours in Learning,

Elliott Masie
Host, Learning 2009 - Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
Contact: emasie@masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Services & Events:
* Learning 2009: Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM (Over 240 Fortune 1000 Organizations)
Information and Registration at http://www.masie.com

Wednesday
Jun242009

582 - Jack Welch Invests in Welch Online MBA; Goodbye Kodachrome; Iran Distance Learning

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 24, 2009.
#582 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,754 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host - Learning 2009 - Nov 8-11 - Orlando, Florida

1. Jack Welch Invests in Welch Online MBA Program.
2. Goodbye Kodachrome!
3. Iran’s Global Distance Learning Offering.
4. The Morning in Brazil - Uncertainty & Learning.
5. Learning 2009 Update.

1. Jack Welch Invests in Welch Online MBA Program: “Former General Electric Co. Chief Executive Jack Welch is putting his name and money behind a little-known educational entrepreneur, injecting some star power into the budding industry of online education. Mr. Welch is paying more than $2 million for a 12% stake in Chancellor University System LLC, which is converting formerly bankrupt Myers University in Cleveland into Chancellor University. It plans to offer most courses online. Chancellor will name its Master of Business Administration program The Jack Welch Institute.” From the Wall Street Journal. Details at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124562232014535347.html

2. Goodbye Kodachrome! Paul Simon sang this about Kodachrome, the color film from Kodak:

“They give us those nice bright colors. They give us the greens of summers. Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day…So Mama don’t take my Kodachrome away.”

Ah, but with the rise of digital cameras, at the end of this year, Kodak is retiring the Kodachrome line. And, I do think back to all “the cr*p I learned in High School!”

3. Iran’s Global Distance Learning Offering: Two colleagues from Iran, both of them learning professionals, have been communicating with me about the intense events in their country. One of them noted that hundreds of millions of people around the world have been in “the largest global informal distance learning experience”, teaching each other about the culture, politics, leaders and history of Iran.

4. The Morning in Brazil - Uncertainty & Learning: I had the honor this morning of delivering the keynote address to e-Learning Brazil via video conference. The conversation focused on the convergence of high Uncertainty in our organizations, combined with growing use of Social Learning (designed and grassroots). In interactions with the participants in Brazil, there was much discussion about the use of “story” as a key content and context element.

5. Learning 2009 Update: We now have over 300 colleagues registered for Learning 2009 and more than 20 major sponsors. In the coming weeks, we will have major announcements about the ReSkilling event that will be co-located with Learning 2009 and learning experiments being organized for the participants. We are pleased to announce that students from Champlain College will come to Learning 2009 to build - in real time - a series of iPhone and Smartphone Learning Applications, defined by Participants. For fun, we are also adding a “Dancing with the CLOs” element. Watch senior learning leaders from organizations improve their ballroom dancing skills and compete for your votes. Location: Orlando, Florida.

Dates: November 8-11
Early registration discounts are now available at http://www.learning2009.com

Elliott Masie
Host, Learning 2009 - Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
Contact: emasie@masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Services & Events:
* Learning 2009: Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM (Over 240 Fortune 1000 Organizations)
Information and Registration at http://www.masie.com

Friday
Jun122009

581 - Usability Lab Perspectives; Sliders Along a Continuum

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 12, 2009.
#581 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,749 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host - Learning 2009 - Nov 8-11 - Orlando, Florida

1. Usability Labs Perspectives.
2. Trainer’s Tip: Sliders Along a Continuum.

1. Usability Labs Perspectives: We are having a great deal of fun doing a Usability Study with one of our Learning CONSORTIUM members, a Fortune 50 company. Next week, they will be taking a “deep dive” look at one of their new e-Learning modules, developed by a third party company. Our colleagues are interested in taking a fresh look at how workers in their organization are learning, navigating and reacting to this required safety course. I’m serving as a coach to them as this is their first Usability Study. I thought that you might be interested in the process. It’s easy to replicate in your own setting:

* First, we generated a list of behaviors that we wanted to observe at each section of the e-Learning module. (eg. Does the learner naturally know to click on the icons? Does the learner access the Help function during the module?)
* We crafted these questions into an observation check list, including navigation, mouse movements, time on each task and degree of exploration. There is also a series of verbal questions that will be asked of the learner before, during and after the module.
* We set up a cubicle with 3 cameras to look at the learner’s face, hands and body language - plus a capture of all screen activities - linked with a time code and an audio capture.
* In real time, the team will watch (from a remote room) as each of 6 learners takes the module. They will be observing and coding the learners in real time. In addition, the team has a speaker and microphone to ask a few “interruption” questions (eg. “What is the task that you are being asked to do on this screen?”)
* At the end of the module, each learner is debriefed in depth, based on their actions during the course and a set of reflective questions. (eg. How challenged did you feel by the e-Learning?)

It is quite simple to set up a Usability Lab space in your own office. Every time I am involved in one of these Studies, I wonder why they are not used more widely as part of the design and development process. As designers watch real users navigate the course, it is fascinating to watch their own new perspectives on how to improve the design.

2. Trainer’s Tip - Sliders Along a Continuum: Recently, I have been using a Slider along a Continuum as part of my teaching style. For example, if the content is Delegation Modes, I will use a large white board and place the extremes of a Continuum several feet apart (eg. Direct Delegation … Tacit Delegation). I have a big magnet arrow that can be moved along the Continuum. I’ll ask learners to come up to the board and move the slider, based on their reaction to a scenario or simulation. It is interesting to see how a class adopts the Continuum as a physical and mental model. It becomes a great way to explore the range of views on a topic.

Elliott Masie
Host, Learning 2009 - Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
Contact: emasie@masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Services & Events:
* Social Learning LAB & Seminar: June 17 - 19: Saratoga Springs, NY
* Performance Support LAB & Seminar: June 24 - 26, Saratoga Springs, NY
* Learning 2009: Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
Information and Registration at http://www.masie.com

Monday
Jun082009

580 - Return from India - Energized and Dehyrdated; Search Heats Up

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 8, 2009.
#580 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,745 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.

1. Return from India and Germany: Energized & Dehydrated.
2. Search Heats Up.
3. Performance Support & Social Learning LABS.

1. Return from India and Germany: Energized & Dehydrated. I had an incredible three week trip to India and Germany, meeting with Learning colleagues, attending a wedding and investigating the future of meetings. It was fascinating to meet with dozens of learning professionals throughout India and explore the evolution of their learning industry and field.

On a personal note, at the end of my trip, I had quite a medical experience with extreme dehydration. Five days of “traveler’s stomach” had left me so dehydrated that I ended up in the Emergency Room for 36 hours with an irregular heart rate. My internal chemistry had gotten so far out of wack that my heart wasn’t happy. But, nine bags of saline, lots of potassium and great care at the hospital has put everything back to normal. Of course, the learner in me was totally fascinated by the internal video views of my heart - but that is for another day.

2. Search Heats Up: Keep your eye on the world of Search. There is deep interest from the user and investment communities in expanding the world of Search. Google continues to add new functionality. Twitter users are developing a broad set of search tools aimed at harvesting knowledge from one’s social network. Microsoft has rebranded their search as Bing and poured resources. And, my inbox is filled with recent venture notices from engines like Wowd and Yebol. Instructional designers will need to do some deep thinking about the role of Search in learning architectures.

3. Performance Support & Social Learning LABS. There are several seats available in each of our MASIE Center LABS this month, to be held in Saratoga Springs.

Performance Support LAB & Seminar (6/24-6/26) focuses on “learning at the moment of need”.
Social Learning LAB & Seminar (6/17-6/19) details strategies for adding social media and networking to learning design.

Both are value priced and detailed at http://www.masie.com

Elliott Masie
Host, Learning 2009 - Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
Contact: emasie@masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Services & Events:
* Social Learning LAB & Seminar: June 17 - 19: Saratoga Springs, NY
* Performance Support LAB & Seminar: June 24 - 26, Saratoga Springs, NY
* Learning 2009: Nov 8 to 11 - Orlando, FL
Information and Registration at http://www.masie.com