Archive for December, 2009
Learning and User Experience: Good UX=Good LX
Dec 30th
Steven Bell (who writes often and well on the topic of usability and customer experience over at the Designing Better Libraries blog) recently turned me on to an thought-provoking video of Jesse James Garrett discussing his ideas on User Experience at the Adaptive Path UX Week 2009 Conference. (Jump to the bottom of this post to see the video)
Garrett’s ideas are simple to understand and elegantly presented. Since watching the video, I find myself increasingly seeing the world through UX (user experience) eyes. It’s occurred to me that Garrett’s ideas on user experience also lay out a simple roadmap for engaging learners. In fact, many teachers and trainers probably already use UX principles effectively, whether they do so consciously or not.
FOUR WAYS TO ENGAGE LEARNERS
Garrett suggests that there are four primary ways that we can engage users:
- Perception (Senses): Engaging through sight, sound, smell, etc.
- Action (body/kinesthetic): Engaging through movement and physical action.
- Cognition (mind): Engaging through thought, reflection, logic, imagination.
- Emotion (heart): Engaging through emotion, feelings.
Four Ways to Engage Learners
You’ll notice that two types of engagement (perception/action) involve direct engagement with the external world, while the other two types (cognition/emotion) are internal engagements.
Reflecting on my own experiences I realized that the most successful, effective trainings I’ve been involved with, as both a learner and a trainer, offered a balanced engagement in all four areas.
I think there is an opportunity for trainers and teachers to bring their lessons to the next level by consciously designing learning experiences (LX) that engage learners in all four areas. In other words, I believe that Good UX=Good LX.
USER EXPERIENCE: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
One example of what it looks like when it all comes together (i.e. when people are engaged, internally through emotion and cognition, as externally through their actions, and perceptions) is illustrated beautifully in this video, The Fun Theory in which researchers replace regular stairs with “piano key” stairs. What do you think happens? Click play to find out…
So how were the people in this video being engaged? I observed:
- Perception (sound, music, visual stimulation of piano key stairs)
- Action (jumping, stepping, climbing)
- Cognition (curiosity, decision-making; choosing between stairs/escalator; processing the cause/effect of walking on the stairs)
- Emotion (fun, fun, fun! Joy of the unexpected. Joy of seeing others having fun. Sense of community, and sharing in a novel experience.)
Did you observe any other types of engagement?
Thinking about your own experiences, can you recall ways in which you’ve successfully engaged your learners or been engaged as a learner? Share your suggestions and experiences in the comments section. And if you find these concepts useful in designing future learning experiences please drop a line and let us know!
(see the complete Garrett video on user experience–well worth a watch–below)
Jesse James Garrett on The State of User Experience, UX Week 2009
All images used through Creative Commons license as follows:
- Eye: cc Attribution 2.0 Generic
- Mouse Click: cc Attribution 2.0 Generic
- Thinker: cc Attribution 2.0 Generic
- Hand Smile: cc Attribution Share-alike 2.0 Generic
Looking for creative commons images? Try Sprixi!
(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
Loading ...Feral Learning
Dec 29th
The original title of this post was going to be “Using FREE Online Resources for Continuing Education”. However, I was reading my Training Doctor Newsletter for November 2009 (yes, I’m a little behind and you should subscribe too) and came across a term that is new to me, feral learning. The newsletter states:
The term “feral learning” was coined in the 1990s by Ted Nunan, perhaps, or by Dr. Roy Lundin. It is in reference to employees taking control of their own training needs and education by utilizing resources they find themselves (such as Google).
Beautiful description of how I go about meeting my training needs with a very small budget. In these trying times, I currently have no CE budget, so I’m grateful that I have developed the skill of furthering my knowledge through online connections.
The newsletter suggests a wonderful blog post to check out by ZOE Training & Consulting. Please read through it for some excellent information. I love the 3 1/2 tips they state at the end of the post. Here are the beginnings of those tips as a teaser to send you over to the whole post…
- Help your employees become better learners.
- Help your employees become better teachers and mentors.
- Identify which critical areas are suitable for “PULL” learning
- (actually 3.5) Offer that content in multi-media formats.
I first heard another term for this, personal learning environment/experience (PLE), from fellow ALA Learning Blog author, Marianne Lenox, during her WebJunction Webinar titled “Start You Up! The Personal Learning Experience”. She presented this on 12/7/07. Be sure to check out the archive of it. Here’s a description of the webinar:
The new term “Personal Learning Environment” refers to a concept of highly individualized, non-structured e-learning built by the user to meet his or her own needs. Also known as a “PLE,” it can be a mix of educational computer software or applications, Internet pages, Web 2.0 tools and creativity. During this webinar, we will look at the most popular start pages like iGoogle, Netvibes and Pageflakes, and show you how to create your own private, educational website about almost any topic you choose!
I started following Marianne’s blog after the webinar. I began emailing her here and there. Then she was added to my IM list (Instant Messaging). Next thing you know we’re on a podcast together and the rest is history. You see, Marianne became part of my own PLE!! This is how it works!
Over the years I have found many avenues to bring me a constant stream of learning possibilities. By subscribing to blogs and online newsletters, joining lists and communities, and listening to podcasts, I have to pick and choose what I have time for. I mentioned in my previous post some top blogs I follow (and of course the blogs of the authors right here and the usual suspects found on the left side of this page) and lists that I am a member of. I love these newsletters:
- TechSoup By the Cup
- American Libraries Direct
- DIOSA Communications
- Idealware
- Training Doctor
- Philanthropy Today.
I love the OPAL and LearningTimes communities too.
For podcasts/vodcasts there is a wide variety (note my main training focus is tech training):
- T is for Training
- Adventures in Library Instruction
- Educause
- GeekBrief
- Get It Done Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips to Work Less and Do More
- Howard Rheingold’s Vlog
- IT Conversations
- JohnHaydon
- LearningTimes Green Room
- Librarian Live
- LISNews Netcast Network
- Longshots
- Presentation Slide Makeovers
- The Public Speaker’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Improving Your Communication Skills
- Rocketboom
- SirsiDynix Institute
- Talking With Talis
- Tekzilla
- This Week in Tech
What makes up your PLE? Please comment and share the blogs, communities, newletters, podcasts, etc. that you would recommend.
My manager has made it a requirement within our department to attend one webinar or listen to one podcast per month and share what we learned on a page of our intranet. This is a great way to foster feral learning!
In an effort to move from push learning to pull learning with the staff and volunteers I train, I created a Google Calendar chuck full of possibilities. I created a page on our Intranet that shows them the calendar and gives them links to many resources. I would like to share that information with you here:
Link to the calendar: Library-Related Training Opportunities – This calendar shows regional, national and worldwide trainings and conferences as well as online webinars to help you in your profession. Click on the name of any event for more information. You may also change the view from Agenda (which it displays by default) to Week or Month by using the tabs on the top right of the calendar.
If you really like to travel, here is a huge list of Library Related Conferences around the world.
Here’s the list of resources I have recommended:
ABLE – The free, online Alternative Basic Library Education (ABLE) Program provides basic library knowledge and skills for staff members who have no formal education in library science.
Adobe Luminary eSeries – In this eSeminar series, you will engage with industry luminaries to learn techniques that will give you insight and techniques that you can use everyday.
ALA – American Libraries Assn. This will link you to their calendar of events and trainings.
BCR – BCR (Bibliographical Center for Research) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. They offer a broad range of solutions and Their hands-on, personal attention to each customer enables them to deliver effective and timely solutions that help libraries keep pace with new developments in technology and services. BCR is the nation’s oldest and most established multistate library cooperative. Since 1935, the BCR team has helped libraries learn new skills, reach new customers, increase productivity and save money.
Charity How To – Offers free step-by-step videos for non-profits, including tutorials on online fundraising.
DIOSA – DIOSA | Communications specializes in Web 2.0 Marketing, Web 2.0 Trainings, Webinars, and MySpace Design for nonprofit organizations, and small businesses.
Discovery Education – Offers free webinars and archives.
Education Week – Offers Free webinars and archives.
Elluminate – Elluminate goes beyond web conferencing with best-in-class web, audio, video, and social networking solutions that help you create a 21st century teaching, learning, and collaboration environment. They offer great webinars.
Foundation Center – Offers free webinars on grant seeking, proposal budgeting, boards and fundrasing. They also offer fee based webinars.
Higher Logic – Higher Logic’s mission is to provide the constituents of not-for-profits innovative ways to think together and build trusted communities where interactive communication and information exchange can occur. By offering software products that allow people to contribute, share, and collaborate, Higher Logic delivers solutions to not-for-profits looking to preserve their organizational value and attract a new generation of global members. Check out their online Q3 Learning Series Webinars for 2009.
Idealware – Idealware seminars are designed to give you the tactical advice you need to make software decisions. They include all the candid advice and product comparisons of the reports and articles on which they are based, but offer plenty of extra guidance and insights straight from the author – and each is capped at 22 participants, so you’ll have lots of opportunity to ask questions and get just the information you need.
InSync Training – InSync Training offers a variety of consulting, development and delivery services to support synchronous training initiatives. We combine specialized instructional design, facilitation techniques, and content development to deliver the most effective training for the live online environment.
Library Journal Webcasts – List of Webinars suggested by Library Journal.
Lyrasis – A regional membership organization for libraries and information professionals, Lyrasis works to ensure their success today and tomorrow by providing access to more of the shared knowledge and expertise, innovative products and services, and customized solutions they need. Created in 2009 by the merger of PALINET and SOLINET, two well-established regional library networks, Lyrasis members now include over 4,000 member libraries and cultural heritage institutions across the US and beyond. Lyrasis serves as a critical collective voice in the national arena.
NEFLIN’s Library Webinars Blog: This site has been created by NEFLIN to provide Florida library staff with one location for information about webinars.
Network for Good Learning Center – Nonprofit 911 is a free training series on nonprofit marketing and online fundraising, supported by Network for Good and guest speakers.
New Horizons – Since 1998, New Horizons of Harrisburg has been delivering expert-led computer training to local Pennsylvania businesses and individuals. Through an integrated learning approach that ensures that new knowledge can be applied to real life situations, New Horizons Harrisburg delivers a full range of technology and business skills training from basic application and desktop productivity tools to complex and integrated business systems.
Nonprofit Resource Network – The Nonprofit Resource Network enhances the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations, providing professional development, networking opportunities and access to critical information resources.
NTEN – NTEN aspires to a world where all nonprofit organizations skillfully and confidently use technology to meet community needs and fulfill their missions.
OCLC Training Portal – The Training Portal is your gateway to making the most of your OCLC products and services. This site provides you with access to in-person and Web-based instruction from OCLC and OCLC-certified Training Partners.
OPAL – OPAL is an international collaborative effort by libraries and other organizations of all types to provide web-based programs and training for library users and library staff members.
O’Reilly Webcasts - Meet experts online.
PANO – Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations – PANO is the statewide membership organization serving and advancing the charitable nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and services in order to improve the quality of life in Pennsylvania.
PBS Teachers – Free media and education technology webinars.
SABLE – The free, online Supplemental Alternative Basic Library Education (SABLE) program provides additional resources in library knowledge and skills for staff members who have no formal education in library science. This program is a supplement to the ABLE courses; however, they are not tied to the completion of the ABLE courses.
SirsiDynix Institute – Providing you FREE access to industry-leading speakers and events, our mission is to support librarianship and advance the work of librarians around the world. Attend online as the SirsiDynix Institute presents compelling speakers selected from among leaders in librarianship and information technology. In each biweekly Web conference, presenters will share their expertise and enhance your understanding of current topics important to librarians.
Techsoup – TechSoup is a trusted technology resource that offers a variety of information and services for the benefit of the nonprofit sector. TechSoup provides instructional articles and worksheets for nonprofit staff members who utilize information technologies, as well as technology planning information for executives and other decision makers. Our introductory articles and message board support are aimed at those who do not have much experience using technology, but we also provide more advanced information.
The TLT Group – The TLT Group is a not-for-profit that helps college and university educators take advantage of changing technology so they can improve teaching and learning.
Thinkfinity – The goal of Verizon Thinkfinity’s professional development is to help educators, parents and afterschool practitioners engage students and enhance learning using our online resources. Check out their free training courses and register for the one that best meets your needs.
WebJunction – WebJunction bridges the barriers to learning by providing open, affordable, online learning communities like the one you are visiting right now. Our members take courses, attend events, share knowledge, and network with others – all in an environment that fosters collaboration and mutual support. Our vision is to be the place where the worldwide library profession gathers to build the knowledge, skills and support we need to power vibrant, relevant libraries.
WebEx Presents – Free webinars hosted by industry experts.
Again, please add in comments other resources that contribute to your own PLE and contribute to your own feral learning. Feral really is the perfect word to describe this movement in training. We are escaping the domestication of regimented classroom training and becoming wild in our efforts to learn as rapidly as we can to keep up with the lightning fast speed of change present in technology today. With the economy the way it is today, we HAVE to move in this direction.
I promise, I won’t bite you…
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Training Email Discussion List
Dec 23rd
Do you ever have a question about training or continuing education and wish that you could ask a group of library trainers? We have the solution!
ALA’s Learning Round Table, LearnRT, has an email discussion list that is open to anyone. The LearnRT discussion list is a great place to ask for ideas about training, share ideas and resources, post training related job opportunities, and more.
To subscribe:
- Go to http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/learnrt
- Click Subscribe
- Enter your email address
- Click Submit
- Check your email for a password from SYMPA
- Switch back to the ALA Mailing List Service window and enter the password
- Click Subscribe
Once these steps are complete you can click on Subscriber Options to set your delivery preferences. You can also change your password and subscribe to other ALA mailing lists. Unsubscribe at anytime by following the same steps and choosing Unsubscribe.
To email the list, send an email to learnrt@ala.org.
We hope to see you on the list!
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Fighting for Attention: Engaging E-Learning Hacks
Dec 21st
Designing e-learning is my creative passion. I get stoked at the prospect of authoring a course that is fun, engaging, and appealing to learners. As an erstwhile student and current professional, I’ve taken scores of self-paced e-learning courses over the years. I’m often astonished by how static and dull most of these presentations are. Granted, there are technical limitations (and in some cases, design standards) that dictate how much multimedia can be used in self-paced course modules. However, smart uses of multimedia in online courses can help capture attention, which is fundamental to facilitating the learning process. Below you’ll find some of my favorite hacks for adding pizzazz to online presentations. Be sure to adhere to the terms of service of each resource listed… and be a good librarian by respecting copyright.
Let’s Get Visual
If you are in need of fun photorealistic visuals, but you are not a Photoshop pro, check out 3dVia’s 3D Collage app. This neat Facebook application allows you to design hybrid 2D/3D images by using a photograph as a backdrop and importing 3D models into the scene. 3D Collage is fast, fun, and free. Simply upload your own 2D image into the program or snag one from Flickr, locate a 3D model from inside the app’s library, and then publish the output to your Facebook profile. Once the picture has been published, simply save a copy of it and paste it into your e-learning course. I’m currently working on a point-and-click adventure about customer experience, and I’ve used 3D Collage to develop all the in-game images.
Hit learners with a quick shot of fun and creativity by using any of these e-learning hacks.
Of course there are times when you may need to add video to your e-learning modules. Youtube is an excellent clearinghouse for finding video assets. Depending on your authoring tool, however, streaming videos can present a challenge. If you are using Adobe Captivate 4, there is an excellent Youtube widget that allows for streaming directly to your Captivate presentation. If you do not have Captivate 4, you can likely import the Youtube video as a Flash video file. To save Youtube video as FLV, simply go to KeepVid, enter the URL of the video you want snag, download the file, and then save it as an FLV. Voila! You should now be able to insert the Flash video into your presentation. This tip is useful for authoring tools like Articulate and the free online course builder, Udutu.
Another hack I commonly use is recording screencasts to demonstrate processes. Screencasts are digital recordings of computer screen output. You do not need anything expensive like the commercial version of Camtasia to record one. It’s possible to make a screencast directly from your browser by using Screencast-o-matic.com. Screencast-o-matic integrates with Youtube so that you have a place to host your screencasts for free, provided you have a Youtube account. After recording the screencast, simply upload it to YouTube from the Screencast-o-matic interface. You can link to the screencast, stream it during a course if you are using Captivate’s Youtube widget, or you can rip the FLV file using KeepVid.
It’s Not What You Say, but How You Say It
I prefer self-paced e-learning modules that have audio narration (with the option to mute in the event that the narrator is terrible!) When recording audio, course authors must be mindful of sound quality and audio level. A best practice that I recommend is to record the audio separately, using an editor like the freeware Audacity, and then optimize the audio before importing it into a course. This ensures that all slides have equal sound levels. You can also use Audacity for more creative purposes. Consider applying a voice filter to the narration of an objective slide for a change in pace. If you are using characters or agents in your e-learning, you can also apply filters to their voices for a bit of variety. Here are my three favorite custom filters for Audacity and directions for creating each.
Robot Voice Filter:
1. Record voice
2. Highlight selection
3. Go to Effect, then scroll down to Delay
4. Change the Decay amount 10
5. Change the Delay time to .009
6. Change the Number of Echoes to 30, then click OK
7. Go back to Effect, and repeat Delay four times.
8. Play your edited track
Chipmunk filter:
1. Record voice
2. Highlight selection
3. Go to Effect, then select Change Pitch
4. Modify the Percent Change to 117.50
5. Play your edited track
Walkie-Talkie Filter:
1. Record voice
2. Highlight selection
3. Go to Effect, then FFT Filter
4. Click on purple line and drag it up to the top (12db)
5. Click 10000Hz
6. Click OK
7. Click Effect, then High Pass Filter
8. Change Cutoff Frequency to 2000, then click OK
9. Repeat this process 2 times
10. Play your edited track
Have fun using these hacks, but resist the urge of inserting too many. There is no substitute to sound instructional design.
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...Working With and For Each Other
Dec 14th
ALA Learning Round Table friend and blogger Maurice Coleman was right on target, as usual, with the first of two online discussions about what we’ve gained through workplace learning and performance offerings this year. (The second of the two discussions, under the auspices of Coleman’s ongoing T Is For Training biweekly sessions for those interested and/or involved in library training programs, is scheduled for Friday, December 18, 2009 at 2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PST and will remain archived online for those who cannot attend.)
Coleman, like many who contribute to the ALA Learning Round Table and make it a first-rate resource for trainer-teacher-learners, offers an antidote to the isolation trainers sometimes experience. Through T Is For Training sessions, he provides a chance for trainers to talk with, listen to, and become familiar with colleagues from library training programs all over the country; share best practices and discuss why some practices are far from the best; contribute to a growing repository of training materials maintained on Delicious by T IS for Training participants; and have some fun while engaged in all the previously listed endeavors—all while becoming familiar, through practice, with how online communities develop and interact effectively.
The payoff is significant. Struggling with a training problem? So are others, and they can offer suggestions as well as useful resources so you don’t have to solve the problem yourself. Wishing you were feeling a bit more creative in resolving workplace learning and performance issues screaming for your attention? T Is For Training participants have been there, too, and can, with the sense of humor they deeply cherish, rekindle the creative sparks you thought had vanished. Looking for colleagues willing and able to commiserate, collaborate, and show you how they have already done what you are trying to do? They’re available, willing, and able because they understand that in giving, they also are receiving in ways they often can’t anticipate.
Even more significant is the reminder that one great resource often leads to another. The list of regular participants—“The Usual Suspects” on the left-hand side of the T Is For Training page— serves as a reminder that there is a tremendous amount of overlap between the T Is For Training group and those of us who are also involved in the ALA Learning Round Table. If you want to see what others are writing, you’ll find articles from those usual suspects on individual blogs as well as on a variety of engaging group blogs.
The more we explore, the more we discover—including the revelation that colleagues who at one time appeared beyond our reach are actually quite accessible. Participate in T If For Training or become engaged in the ALA Learning Round Table, and you’ll discover that first-rate samples of organizational learning plans are just an e-mail or phone call away from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Learning & Development Coordinator Lori Reed. Or that an E-Learning Preparedness Checklist is available from Gwinnett County Public Library Training Manager Jay Turner. Or that Huntsville-Madison County Public Library Staff Training and Development Coordinator Marianne Lenox has produced the equivalent of a semester-long course on learning theory and resources in a single article here on the Learning Round Table blog. Or that WebJunction Learning & Curriculum Developer Betha Gutsche has edited the highly detailed Competency Index for the Library Field.
We have, as the recent T Is For Training episode reminded us, learned a lot in 2009. And one of the most important lessons is that by participating in online discussions, or responding to a blog posting, or engaging in a Google Chat or Google Talk or Skype interaction, or simply making the time to pick up the phone and call a colleague for assistance, we are working with and for each other on behalf of all we serve.
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