625 - Google Launches Cloud Based Learning System, Outsourcing Grading

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 24, 2010.
#625 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,964 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: LMS & Learning Systems Forum - Chicago - June 10 & 11

1. Google Launches Cloud Based, Open Source Learning Platform.
2. Outsourcing Grading of Papers and Assessment.
3. 3D Video Camera for Organizations Announced.
4. Learning Systems Supplier PodCasts Online.

1. Google Launches Cloud Based, Open Source Learning Platform: Google has created an interesting application experiment called CloudCourse. This is an open source learning platform, running under AppEngine, their Cloud Based environment.  CloudCourse is being used internally at Google for several LMS type functions - from registration to classroom management. It It is available as an Open Source codeset and will be evolved as developers experiment and extend the functionality. We will be conducting a test at The MASIE Center Learning LAB and are intrigued by the ability of both learning departments and learners to create and launch learning activities in the “cloud”. Code and descriptions are downloadable at http://tinyurl.com/3yqpqrs

2. Outsourcing Grading of Papers and Assessment: A number of colleges are now outsourcing the grading of student papers to a company called Virtual-TA that uses both offshore and U.S. resources to provide students with very detailed and rapid feedback on their work. Needless to say, the practice is controversial. One interesting impact seems to be that these graders often provide much more detailed and extensive feedback to learners - and the firm claims that it increases retention and completion in online courses. Info at: http://www.virtual-ta.com/

3. 3D Video Camera for Organizations Announced: 3D is a major force in video as films like “Avatar” have shown a user appetite for the immersion experience of wearing glasses and having objects come right to our eyeballs. Yet, the cost of equipment has been huge. Panasonic announced a new camera for organizations that will be in the $20,000 range and weigh only 7 pounds - capable of shooting high def, 3D content. Take a peek at: http://tinyurl.com/2849c5x

4. Learning Systems Supplier PodCasts Online: I recently recorded PodCasts with the CEOs of several Learning Systems companies about the future of LMS and LCMS. Listen to these short interviews at http://www.masie.com/Learning-Systems-10/suppliers.htm

Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* LMS & Learning Systems Forum.
* Learning Leadership Academy.
* Learning 2010 - Oct 24 to 27 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

624 - Sleep Disruption from iPad?, Apolo Dances, Portfolios for Learners

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 18, 2010.
#624 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,959 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: LMS & Learning Systems Forum - Chicago - June 10 & 11

1. Sleep Disruption from iPad Reading Light?
2. Learning 2010 Keynote - Apolo Ohno on Dancing Tonight :).
3. Learner Portfolios Emerging - Win for Instructors & Learners.
4. 3 Seats Open in Video for Learning LAB Next Week.

1. Sleep Disruption from iPad Reading Light? Several articles have appeared in the last 2 weeks about possible sleep disruption from the backlight impact of reading on an iPad right before going to sleep. I actually noticed that after reading for an hour, which usually makes me quite ready for sleep, I was wide awake. Yet, reading from the Kindle, which is NOT backlit, did not have that effect on me. Here is a quote and link with some views on the topic:

“Light-emitting devices, including cell phones and the iPad, tell the brain to stay alert. Because users hold those devices so close to their face, staring directly into the light, the effect is amplified compared with, say, a TV across the room or a bedside lamp, said Frisca Yan-Go, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center in Santa Monica.” More at http://tinyurl.com/38kmsl2

I will tell you one risk - when I drop off to sleep and drop my paperback, there is no risk of damage. But, a dropped iPad is a different matter.

2. Learning 2010 Keynote - Apolo Ohno on Dancing Tonight :). As you may know, Apolo Ohno is a keynoter at our Learning 2010 event. Tonight, he dances again on “Dancing with the Stars”. I’ll be asking Apolo about his training and learning process for both his Olympic medals and his winning stint on “Dancing”.

3. Learner Portfolios Emerging - Win for Instructors & Learners: I have been tracking an increase in interest by corporate learning leaders to experiment with the use of e-Portfolios for their learners. These are used in universities, creating a sharable file for each student with an updated resume, personal statement, examples of work and other assets that would be of interest to future employers and current teachers. A few companies are now conducting experiments with e-Portfolios, allowing learners to build a profile that is of high value when they enroll for internal corporate training programs.  Imagine being able to see profiles of each learner in a leadership development program, with their backgrounds, perspectives, work samples and more. Some LMS systems are adding e-portfolio options and there are a number of robust open source projects detailed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_portfolio.

4. 3 Seats Open in Video for Learning LAB Next Week: We only have 3 seats left in our popular Video for Learning LAB & Seminar that starts next week in Saratoga Springs. The program does a deep dive on the use of On-Demand Video for stories and content as well as Live Video for a wide range of learning options. Info and registration at http://www.masie.com.

And, thanks for the over 1,200 Happy Birthday messages! It was fun to celebrate my 60th with so many greetings from colleagues around the world.

Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* LMS & Learning Systems Forum.
* Video for Learning LAB & Seminar.
* Learning Leadership Academy.
* Learning 2010 - Oct 24 to 27 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

623 - Turning 60 Tomorrow - A Personal Note

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 12, 2010.
#623 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,958 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: LMS & Learning Systems Forum - Chicago - June 10 & 11

Personal Note: Turning 60 Tomorrow

I am celebrating an interesting birthday tomorrow.  May 13th will be my 60th Birthday!

I feel very blessed on my 60th Birthday.  Learning is at the core of what I do every day.  I have the unique opportunity to be in communication with tens of thousands of colleagues around the world - jointly exploring how learning, knowledge and technology are evolving and stretching the way we work and collaborate.

I bought myself a cool gift for my birthday - an old Switchboard.  The type where an operator plugged two lines together with long cords. Why? Because I love the artifacts of our evolving technology - and because the switchboard is a great metaphor for how I approach work and life.

Thanks to everyone who reads TRENDS, sends fun notes and shares stories from the wide world of learning.

We will have fun learning together as this kid “of the sixites” heads into his sixties. Stay tuned!

Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* LMS & Learning Systems Forum.
* Video for Learning LAB & Seminar.
* Learning Leadership Academy.
* Learning 2010 - Oct 24 to 27 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

622 - Street Vendor Spots Car Bomb - Interview about Learning

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 6, 2010.
#622 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,954 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: LMS & Learning Systems Forum - Chicago - June 10 & 11

Special Report: Learning Lessons from Times Square Car Bomb Incident

Yesterday, I interviewed several of the people involved in the spotting of the attempted car bomb in New York City’s Time Square - to look for “Lessons Learned About Learning.”  Duane Jackson is one of the vendors in Times Square who reported the suspicious car to the police.  We spent a half hour chatting about the incident as it relates to skills, collaboration and expectations:

* The Police in Times Square have a constant level of communication with the licensed vendors on the street corners.  They regularly check in with him about situations he has observed and also keep him feeling connected to the comings and goings in the busiest intersection in America.  He feels that the vendors are a sort of “first responder function”.  It is key to him that the police on the local beat know his (and other vendor’s) names and that they grow a bond of trust.

* Skills from a Former Career: Duane Jackson is a former Vietnam Veteran, who learned observation skills and the importance of awareness for suspicious activity.  He will often tell one of the cops on the Times Square beat about a person or activity that looks strange - understanding that it is better to err on the cautious side.

* He is a married father of two who lives in Westchester County. Jackson moved to New York soon after graduating from Boston University in 1976.  He also worked with the city’s Housing Preservation and Development Program - and then got a vendor’s license in what he thought would be a short term gig.  He says that his time in City Government, gave him a sense of the importance of supporting public servants and the need for various agencies (and citizens) to work together.

* He believes that the relationships between the vendors and the police is a deliberate and important model of collaboration and rapid intelligence/response.

* His picture is at http://www.masieweb.com/vendor

Speaking with several of the cops from area precinct. it became clear how things really worked as planned in their first response reactions.  They noted that it rapid sequence the vendors pointed the horse mounted police to the car with the bomb, several different types of cops immediately cleared the area, the fire department responded from 3 blocks away and the combination of human and photographic intelligence came together rapidly and in a well coordinated fashion.  They said there was a “low ego” feel for how people were reacting and that extended to the City, State and Federal agencies - including the Intelligence Community and private industry.

Take aways for me, that may be applicable to other organizational settings are:

* Engage the widest “community” in collaboration and first level response.  Suppliers and customers are active parts of the processes in your organization.  How do we train them to be our assets and critical part of both a knowledge base and solution providers.

* First level workers are the key in the line of observation and response.  At Disney, the street cleaners in the park are trained to be an active part of first response, customer assistance and safety perspectives.  The greeters at Walmart play roles from security to customer assistance.  Chambermaids at Ritz Carlton are provided with the ability to spend money to resolve a guest crisis.  We need to invest in the training and communication connections with our first level workers, for both everyday and emergencies.

* Partnerships with training are critically important.  The boat captains and crew on the ferry that rescued the passengers on Capt. Sully’s jet when it landed in the Hudson (about 6 blocks from Duane’s stand) were trained to react immediately.  They didn’t ask for permission but just carried out a trained emergency response to the jet that was floating (and starting to sink) in the water.  They became the most important first responders.

* Recognition is key.  Duane received a call from the President plus loads of folks stopping by his stand on 45th Street to buy handbags and get autographs.  The police on the corner were clearly deeply appreciative of the way in which the vendors are part of their “extended team”.

Clearly, incidents like the car bombing attempt are part of the strange times that we live in.  Some would say we got very lucky this time and that future attempts might succeed.  But, the real lessons and kudos go to the people on the street corner (vendors, cops and engaged citizens), as well as the coordinated response of the government agencies involved.

Finally, it was clearly important to the officials that I interviewed that Times Square stay open, busy and filled with life.  As Duane Jackson said, “I am back at my stand, people are lining up to go to Broadway shows and we carry on.  New York works because we all have our roles to make this an awesome City!”

Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* LMS & Learning Systems Forum.
* Video for Learning LAB & Seminar.
* Learning Leadership Academy.
* Learning 2010 - Oct 24 to 27 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

621 - Learning Leadership Academy Invitation

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 4, 2010.
#621 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
54,952 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: LMS & Learning Systems Forum - Chicago - June 10 & 11

Announcing: Learning Leadership Academy in July!

Leading Learning in a Changing World!
July 19 to 21 - Saratoga Springs, NY
Led by Nigel Paine, Elliott Masie & Jonathan Kayes

The Learning Leadership Academy is a unique, intensive learning experience and workout for current and rising Learning Leaders. Facilitated by Nigel Paine, Jonathan Kayes and Elliott Masie - with a range of video visits from senior CLOs around the world - the Learning Leadership Academy will provide you with a deep and rich exploration of the changing landscape of learning leadership.
 
The Academy is built around 4 Key Themes for successful learning leadership:

- Leading the Learning Team!
- Enabling Learning in your Organization
- Aligning Changing Technology
- Driving Business Performance 

We will present you with a range of relevant case studies - that you will work on (MBA style) - bringing to light both the main issues with which learning leaders are confronted today and those that will challenge us tomorrow. Learning is changing and shifting to be Social and Mobile, and to include Performance Support and UserContent. There are also increasing and evolving competencies for leading distributed teams. You and a small team of global colleagues will dive deep into these topics and challenges. 

Space is Limited. Complete details at http://www.masie.com

Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* LMS & Learning Systems Forum.
* Video for Learning LAB & Seminar.
* Learning Leadership Academy.
* Learning 2010 - Oct 24 to 27 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com