Posts tagged e-learning
The Library Trainer as Constructivist eLearner
Nov 27th
Image: Instructional Design by Lauren Pressley
Like many others I’m learning how to do most of my job on the fly. Because the precepts of my own learning require me to share, I thought I’d air my own personal learning adventures in case there are others in the same situation. Learning Just In Time, I’m grappling Andragogy (Adult Learning theory) and Instructional Design theory so that I can effectively build professional learning plans in a Learning Management System for HMCPL staff.
After my recommendation, we have a brand new installation of Moodle, the leading open source LMS application in the educational community, as the basis for what will be a series of competency-based learning plans for staff. While it’s still in the ITS testing phase, I’m trying to get in the right frame of mind before I begin. Of the three learning theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism) Moodle’s philosophy is guided by a “social constructionist pedagogy” which might be perfectly suited for library staff learning. The concept behind PLCMC’s “23 Things” seems to be an excellent example of Constructivism, in that by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in.
While there are There are Model-Based Usability Heuristics for Constructivist e-Learning, I do plan on submitting a budget request so that I may participate in a Moodle-based class titled “Implementing Online Teaching and Learning: Using Moodle and Other Web 2.0 Features” by Diane K. Kovaks. Until then, I’ve come up with a syllabus of my own: I’m subscribed to eLearning Learning Community’s feed for Instructional Design to keep up with the latest posts on the subject and I’m absorbing well. I’m following Thursday evenings’ #lrnchat on Twitter. Though still at the legitimate peripheral participation (lurking) stage, I spoke up just this week and was rewarded with good conversation about learning. Moodle tutorials (2 Minute Moodles) are to familiarize myself with the Moodle interface, while Martin Ryder of the University of Colorado at Denver School of Education has compiled an exhaustive list of Instructional Design Models and I’m working through those.
Interesting that Catherine Lombardozzi is studying the Constructivist theory within the ADDIE Instructional Design Model to develop a Learning Environment Design model. A more common, systematic approach to eLearning, the ADDIE model get’s it’s name from the following five components: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. Raleigh Way of Georgia Southern University’s Center for Online Learning says that ADDIE is a “strategic planning of a course. It is a blueprint that you design and follow. It helps us connect all the dots to form a clear picture of teaching and learning events” and has an excellent set of tutorials here.
Thought recently maligned, I appreciate the systemic manner and fluid hierarchy of ADDIE, and the more I study it more I feel this approach can be given to almost any talk, course or series of learning opportunities.
In TechSoup’s recent webinar Tech Training Made Simple with Online Videos with Lee Lefever (creator of those fabulous CommonCraft videos) I asked Lee if he had any tips for library trainers on teaching technology. His reply was to tell a story with a sympathetic character, then solve that character’s problem. A dominating thread in his videos, we all relate to his characters and scenarios. While there is debate among professional Instructional Designers about the lack of ID theory in CommonCraft videos, there is no doubt as to their effectiveness on the adult learner. I know I’m just at the beginning of my learning journey here and that there are many experts to learn from. but this is the level of ‘explainability’ that I hope to achieve in our staff learning plans.
Do you have recommendations for creating courseware which inspires learning at the CommonCraft level? If so, please share. If it can’t be done, then why?
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Loading ...E-Learning Preparedness
May 14th
I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to participate in an online chat about e-learning best practices with our own Paul Signorelli. As I answered questions for Paul, I had the opportunity to reflect on my experiences in introducing blended learning at Gwinnett County Public Library, an organization, that until a couple years ago, relied almost solely on classroom-based ILT for training. In my ferver to get e-learning off the ground, I took a few lumps along way that could have been avoided had I taken more care to address early on a few fundamental questions in implementation regarding physical assets, supervisory needs, and administrative concerns. I volunteered to Paul that I would be happy to compile and share a general e-learning preparation checklist for libraries considering e-learning, or for those that are relatively new to it. Here goes (or visit the Google group T is for Training for a printer-friendly version):
E-Learning Preparedness Checklist
Physical
- Does each work unit have an adequate number of PCs to be used primarily for e-learning?
- Are the PCs in an area away from potential distractions?
- Does each training PC have the necessary equipment and configuration for e-learning?
- Consider equipment such as:
- Headset microphones for webinars
- Webcam for video conferencing
- Browsers correctly configured (i.e., Java, Flash Player, Active X controls, popup blockers, software applets, etc)
- Is there a Help Desk/Tech Support system in place?
- Are there bandwidth bottlenecks during peak times of PC use in the branches?
Supervisory
- Do employees have scheduled off-desk time to participate in e-learning?
- Is training viewed as an essential job function and supported as such?
- Are policies/guidelines in place to restrict hourly employees from accessing e-learning off the clock?
- Will concepts taught in e-learning be modeled and reinforced in the workplace?
Training Administrator
- Will e-learning offerings conflict with branch/department scheduling?
- How will new e-learning opportunities be advertised?
- Which, if any, e-learning classes count toward CEUs for your professional staff?
- Have you communicated your vision for e-learning so that staff know what to expect?
- Do you have the buy-in of key stakeholders, such as the Director, the IT department, line managers, etc?
- What evaluative criteria will be used to determine the success of e-learning initiatives?
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The all-new networked teacher (librarian?)
Dec 19th
There is a lot of talk about the new wired and networked student, but where does that leave teachers and trainers?
Alec Couros considers what it means to be a networked teacher and his ideas informed the last minute of this video on The Networked Student.
Far from being rendered obsolete, the networked teacher has a powerful set of functions in the realm of social learning. Relieved of the sage-on-the-stage burden, teachers can explore new territory.
- Learning architect: helps students to build learning networks
- Modeler: provides guidance when students get stuck
- Learning concierge: helps students with communication etiquette and how and where to ask for information
- Connected learning incubator: provides guidance on how to vet resources and identify quality information
- Network sherpa: organizes the mountains of information
- Synthesizer: helps students navigate beyond the course and develop real knowledge for their futures
- Change agent: helps students to “creatively solve the world’s problems”
These are good roles to consider in terms of “training” (outmoded term) library staff, but don’t you think all of these roles could apply to librarians and their patrons of all ages?
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Video Web conferencing –not ready for prime time
Sep 26th
I spent all of yesterday on the “aorta” level of the Seattle Public Library, those crimson hallways being the site of our local ASTD chapter’s Future of Training event. It was a fun and lively exchange of knowledge and experience with a cohort of mostly corporate trainers. The format followed the organic barcamp model, with sessions suggested and posted (somewhat) on the fly and locations shifting according to the level of interest expressed.
As a frequent online presenter and facilitator, I was interested in a session on Web conferencing with live video. I have imagined that seeing the instructor’s expressions and gestures would fill in the missing link that keeps online training from being the full equivalent of in-person training. The live motion would counterbalance the static nature of the information on the slides. Now I know it’s not that easy or automatic.
The presenter showed us a recording of bad video—what not to do—before showing us the “good” video. I was hard-pressed to tell the difference. This is what I saw:
- the lighting was terrible, casting deep shadows on the speaker’s face
- the camera angle was singular, static, and poorly chosen
- the speaker was not animated and not engaged with the camera (aka the audience)
- the colors of clothing and background were drab
With all this visual turnoff, you’d think I’d be looking at the slide content instead. But no—I couldn’t take my eyes off the speaker’s face, unless she swiveled her chair or crossed her legs, which drew my eyes there. Motion in an otherwise inert environment is totally seductive, even if it is deadly dull motion.
I realized that, in order to add video effectively, you have to acquire the skills of a TV producer. Set up professional lighting and manipulate multiple cameras with pre-programmed zooms (an approach pioneered by Desi Arnaz for early television). Stage the background and the apparel (and makeup?) and find a SME who’s also trained to work in front of the camera. Then you might have something worthy of taxing the bandwidth of your audience.
I have enough challenges working in the present Web conference setting that I think I’ll wait for this piece of the future of training to evolve a bit more. But hey, feel free to disagree with me! I just stumbled on Oovoo, which makes me think that maybe video communication does have a future. Anybody oovooing?
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