Minimizing" is in, and "supersizing" is out, according to a new report from the Hartmann Group called "Portion Control from a Consumer Perspective." One can't help but wonder if this is viral, which is to say that a meme is afoot. If so, we'll see huge changes in the way that virtually everything is perceived. Minimizing, streamlining, "portion control"-- not just in terms of obesity, but also in terms of code, in the bulk and heft of products.

Soon, the learning management system as we know it - the "super-sized" version -- could be replaced by smaller, easier-to-digest presentations.

Here's what the Hartmann Report had to say about food, which seems to be a perfect metaphor for e-learning products. Consumers are most daunted by portion-control while dining out, says the report, and by personal notions as to what constitutes a "normal" serving. Subsequently, consumers are seeking greater variety and quality in single-serve packaged goods as well as more individualized attention from supermarket food courts and delis.

Translated into the e-learning, the "meme" or "viral trend" could mean that consumers will want:
a) small bite-sized downloadable chunks (audio and/or video);
b) discussion boards that are accessible via smartphones and handhelds; with posts possible via e-mail;
c) "lite" or transparent structure, without the labyrinth of endless clicks,
d) no more bulky authentication, and the need to download plugins ranging from java to activeX.

If you're interested in the original report that gave rise to this meditation on the nature of memes and how they may translate to other fields, here's a link to the report. The Hartmann Group report examines food service preferences from a behavioral viewpoint and provides insights for manufacturers, restaurant operators and retailers who work with consumers on moderation. One chapter examines the relationship between consumer demand for single-serve or portion-controlled products, and the response of retail and manufacturing to the demand.

Here's a link to wikipedia's entry on "viral video."

Posted by Susan Smith Nash.

Welcome to a series of interviews with e-learning and distance professionals. This week's interview is with Leah Piatt, Duke University, who is involved in corporate training and adult education.

What is your name, and what is your involvement with e-learning?
Leah S. Piatt. Relatively new to corporate training and adult education, I've been leading the way in our departmental work with e-learning. I've worked with Elluminate. I'm eagerly awaiting the day when I will get to actually moderate a class using this tool.

How did you get interested in distance education?
Some of our participants live and work an hour or more away from our training facility. We're really trying to alleviate travel and time obligations. I anticipate that e-learning will also help with the number of instructor lead classes we teach and bring about a more blended learning approach.

What is your favorite new trend in distance education?
I love the idea of continuing education via distance education. This could open up the amount of guest speakers we have both by eliminating travel time for the speaker as well as allowing someone who'd missed the session to hear the recording and view the presentation later.

What is your favorite technology?
Elluminate

What kinds of instructional materials do you use in elearning?
Power Point, Word, clip art, Snag-It, Captivate (soon, hopefully).

How do you use textbooks in e-learning?
We don't use textbooks, rather participant guides and job aids. These can be emailed before the session begins or converted to power point.

What is your favorite quote? or, what's a book that caught your eye recently?
quote: "While you teach, you learn." -- based on the words of Seneca the Younger, 4BC-65AD

book: The Primal Teen: What The New Discoveries About the Teenage Brain Tell Us About Our Kids --- Barbara Strauch

First published here

Celebrity blogs and “viral videos” have changed the way that news and cultural socialization takes place. The way that people approach the Internet and how they obtain information has probably changed forever, particularly for the “gamer” generation, who simply do not tune into the television news hours or Sunday morning news shows. There are rather profound implications for e-learning as well, and it is important to keep the changes in mind when thinking of how best to be engaged

Five days after Britney Spears’ “trainwreck” performance on the Video Music Awards (VMA’s) for MTV, the “Leave Britney Alone” video produced by 19-year-old Chris Crocker, a gay man living in his grandparents’ basement in Tennessee, had received eight million hits.

Chris Crocker’s video became an excellent example of a “viral video” – one that is disseminated throughout the web and gains enormous traffic as people e-mail the links to each other, post links on their blog, or embed the script in their social networking space (MySpace, etc.)

It is every parodist’s or prankster’s dream to create a viral video. After all, there is no doubt that people will see it. The average American may not be able to tell you where Turkmenistan is, but he or she can tell you which celebrity shaved her head and brandished an umbrella at a car full of paparazzi.

In Florida, a college student was administered electrical shocks via Tazer when he became disruptive at a speech given by former presidential candidate John Kerry. The fact it was recorded by a phone / camera and instantly posted on the web provoked intense debates about free speech and police brutality. It also provoked parodies and copycat stunts. At the same time, there was a very real possibility that it was a prank, inspired by an entire spectrum of reality shows, many of which focus on playing practical jokes and pulling rather harsh set-ups, gags, and traps. The many-times viral video spawned a host of parodies and remix Tazer song that reminds one of vintage Fat Boy Slim.

With the presidential candidates hitting the campaign trail, we probably have a lot to look forward to, in terms of set-up pranks and “punked” behavior.

In order to be relevant and interesting to the e-learner, information in our e-celebrity, YouTube and Page Six world, information has to meet certain criteria. Further, it is good to keep in mind that a virtual socialization process is going on. Individuals turn to the Internet, in addition to newspapers and magazines, to gauge social values, mores, and trends. This is nothing new, except that in the world of the viral video, socialization via Internet takes place very quickly, and it is always changing.

To be effective for e-learners, information must fit certain criteria:

1---It has to be engaging and entertaining. As a result, short, engaging video clips and news flashes (always with photos) work.

2---Reality sells. Reality programs have conditioned viewers to believe that authenticity comes in pixelly, low-resolution videos and images obtained by handheld devices are more authentic and “true” than high-resolution images.

3---No one believes the “official” version. In fact, many viewers are suspicious of “big” media, since it is assumed that they often have a commercial or political agenda, which results in spin or outright fabrication of facts.

4---Viral videos move fast. Viral videos are disseminated via feeds, links sent via email and text messages, and embedded in MySpace accounts. The viral video is an excellent example of a “meme” in action, and demonstrates how waves and tipping points occur in the “wild.”

5—You have to be able to interact with it. Viewers want to interact with the e-media event. They want be able to voice their opinion, and to see their posts being responded to. They also need to be able to link to their own MySpace or blog.

6---Celebrity blogs and YouTube viral videos are examples of socialization events in the virtual world, in a world where face-to-face socialization is becoming (seemingly) less important.

7---Elearners will not respond to “canned” or irrelevant and stale discussion boards. They want to be able to relate their own experiences and discuss issues that connect to their ideas, views, and values.

8---Good e-learning involves e-socialization. The socialization process has been accelerated in the virtual world and it involves more people. In theory, more people have access, and there is a sense of democracy in action.

An effective e-learning course will allow elearners to incorporate items that matter to them. Motivation occurs as individuals are able to satisfy their need for affiliation as well as their need for acknowledgment and accomplishment.

An earlier version of this article was first posted on eLearningqueen.com

Louisiana will provide teachers with online (or face-to-face) training to prepare them to meet No Child Left Behind requirements and other standards-based education and assessment. The program has been developed by the Louisiana Department of Education and consists of five individual modules, the first of which will launch September 24, 2007.

The program is known as GLEEM, which is an acronym for Grade-Level Expectations Educational Model. The program was developed by the Louisiana Department of Education (http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html), and is a statewide pilot initiative which, according to its website, is designed to do the following:

• Provide participants with a deeper understanding of the Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) and the state comprehensive curriculum.

• Enable participants to deepen their understanding of effective instructional practices by exploring research-based strategies and instructional resources.

• Broaden participants' knowledge of standards, benchmarks, GLEs, and technology by applying them in the development of standards-based lessons and assessments.

• Explore the potential of learning communities as they relate to professional development and student learning through collaborative learning experiences.

GLEEM is offered to participants in the form of five learning modules which may be taken sequentially as a series, or standalone. Upon successful completion of each module, each of which requires approximately 2 weeks, if taken online, the student will receive credit for continuing education and professional development.

Module 1: An Introduction

Module 2: Effective Classroom Practices

Module 3: Enhancing a Standards-based Lesson Plan

Module 4: Effective Assessment Practices

Module 5: Making the GLE Connection

While the courses are offered face-to-face as well as via the internet, the online version provides individuals with an opportunity to develop a learning community. Participants may be K-12 teachers in Louisiana, or individuals who are interested in the following:

Obtaining a deeper understanding of the grade level expectations and Louisiana’s state comprehensive curriculum;
Increasing his/her understanding of effective instructional and assessment practices as they relate to the comprehensive curriculum; and
Obtaining a deeper knowledge of standards, benchmarks, GLEs, and instructional technology through applications in the development of standards-based lessons and assessments. (from the GLEEM website, http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/lcet/2162.html
The GLEEM program is impressive and it correlates well with the stated goals, vision, and mission of Paul Pastorek, Louisiana State Superintendent of Schools, who articulated his commitment to teacher development in his statement issued in July 2007. Louisiana continues to meet challenges in the post-Katrina era, and GLEEM to be an inspiration for all states facing change and challenges.

Posted by Susan Smith Nash

An effective online learning utilizes both behavioral and cognitive psychology in order to create a learning environment that results in the mastery of basic concepts and facts, an ability to synthesize information, integrate and relate it to life and personal experiences, and to work with and apply new knowledge in new contexts and settings so that deep learning takes place.

Behavioral Psychology:
Premise: The underlying attitudes and beliefs in a person will manifest as behaviors
The online course consists of a series of behaviors. These behaviors consist of a) going to the site; b) contacting instructor and/or student; c) doing online research to make connections; d) applying knowledge to one’s life, then reporting on it (a paper or discussion board entry)

Behavior is determined by outcomes/consequences -- the behavior of the student online will be determined on what he/she perceives to be the consequences of actions. One positive “consequence” is the receipt of feedback.

Knowledge is manifested in behavior (correct answers)

Behavioralism/Objectivism: Objectivism has value in an online course because it allows a strategy for creating categories and organizing principles so that the student has a framework the knowledge being acquired. For example, a behaviorist approach can be used in developing multiple-choice or true-false tests, particularly when it is important to be able to identify images, etc. or to be able to organize facts and figures.

Method:
Content presentation -- the website should be organized in a way that encourages the student to be able to classify and categorize knowledge, to place it in a framework, and then to make connections, compare and contrast

Question is put to student -- Questions deal with identification, classification, timelines, and comparisons of data

Student is told if answer is right

Positive reinforcement for right answers

Cycle is repeated for wrong answers

External truths and knowledge exists for learners to memorize
Teacher control
Students learn to categorize and classify


Cognitive Psychology:
Premise: Learner is positioned as an active processor of information.
Active engagement: The student will be asked to not only read from the book or the website, but also to actively become involved in additional research. The learner is also asked to engage in analytical tasks that have to do with processing, evaluating, assessing, and creatively transforming information.

Emphasis on internal mental states: a) emotional states -- the student is asked to respond, react, and report on the material; b) memory -- the student is asked to recall information or experiences and to reflect upon them with respect to new information; c) connections -- the student is encouraged to make connections, and thus by relating material to other knowledge bases, the student is able to achieve deep learning -- learning which will be useful in the student’s life.

Realistic context: Considers perspective and knowledge of student. Various points of view are always considered, and inclusion is a goal.

Constructivism (Active learning, Adult learning):
Methods vary:
· Encourage knowledge formation -- Reading, researching, discussion with instructor and other students

Process is different for each student -- Students are not required to do their reading / research / thinking tasks in any particular order, but are asked to think about the implications of the knowledge and to apply them to a practical situation.

Self-directed exploration-- Students have choices in the topics they explore and write about

Discovery learning -- Learners are are asked to actively engage in their own explorations -- either via the Internet (clicking on links, downloading journal articles), or via their own life / work travels.

Construction of concepts, schema and mental models -- The website is structured in a way that gives a visual guide to some of the concepts and paradigms being constructed and explored.

Truth and knowledge is constructed by students based on perspective and experience -- Journals and final projects allow students to explore this; research that builds on experience also reinforces it.

Instructor observes, coaches and facilitates -- The instructor is coached in the most effective methods and approaches to use when working online -- rapid response; quick turnaround; positive guidance; additional suggestions (re: websites, resources, articles); interesting topics that relate to student’s interests and goals; good guiding questions

Students create meaning -- they can do this either in their own work, or via collaborative work so that their findings are mediated, and one can become aware of some of the cultural constraints to knowledge / knowledge formation.

Both approaches, cognitive and behavioralism, can be successfully employed in an online course. The most effective programs incorporate both, and also acknowledge the need to accommodate learning styles.

Posted by Susan Smith Nash

I am truly amazed by the amount of cynicism directed by some readers toward e-books, as if their existence were a conspiracy to render traditional books obsolete in the spirit of Fahrenheit 451. Much effort has gone into comparing e-publishing to traditional book publishing, conveniently summarized in Wikipedia's entry on e-books. An Internet search for "Will e-books succeed?" brings up numerous articles and even blogs dedicated to the concept. Avid e-book readers defend their e-practice in commentaries to rants. Whether individuals express preference or aversion toward e-books, there are numerous reasons related to lifestyle preferences, as well as personal views on technologies, learning methods, and pleasure reading. Some people yearn for a familiar kinesthetic page-turning experience, whereas others readily accept that paperbacks no longer require paper.

The problem with the e-book/traditional book debate is that e-books have evolved but common perceptions of them have not. Most people are familiar with e-books only as electronic versions of their logocentric counterparts. For example, consider Powerhomebiz's "Top Ten Reasons Why EBooks are Better than Printed Books." This list offers ten convincing reasons why businesses should switch to using e-books. However, one of the most critical and defining components of contemporary e-books is barely implied: "You usually get far more than just the book. Most eBooks are sold with bonuses and related information that usually don't come with the purchase of a traditional book. You might pay the same or even a bit more for an eBook, but you usually get more, too." What does it mean to get far more? What are these bonuses? Perhaps the author is referring to hot-links to references and the ability to quickly search the entire e-book for a word or phrase (these features are noted subsequently in the list). Still, the definition of e-book seems limited to the traditional text-based approach.

What if we could depart from thinking about books as a collection of words? What if a book could contain video and audio? What if a book could evaluate the reader's understanding of it? What if multiple intelligences do exist, and what if we could stimulate more well-rounded learning by modifying the definition of "book"? Before I delve any further into absurdities -- after all, everyone knows that words live in books, audio lives in radios, and videos live on TVs -- let's fathom to consider what might happen if these media could be happily married, and let's use psychologist Howard Gardner's categories of intelligence as a framework for theorizing how this might impact learning.

Verbal-linguistic intelligence has to do with words, spoken or written. Traditional books cater to this type of learning, thus it carries over to e-books. However, in e-books this kind of learning might be enhanced with audio. For example, what if a reader could click on a word to hear how it is pronounced, or roll over a glossary definition to hear it read aloud?

Related to verbal-linguistic intelligence is musical intelligence, where a person learns aurally through rhythms. What if book text could be instantly turned into a lecture, so the reader could actually listen to the content? What if a reader could click a button to hear a clever rhyme, supplemental to the text, designed to help him or her remember a concept?

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence deals with muscle memory and learning by doing, rather than by reading or hearing. Imagine if a student could read about architectural concepts, and then follow step-by-step videos to build projects (and have the ability to pause the videos when necessary). Similarly, a dance student might find it more useful to observe and follow an instructional video embedded within a dance theory e-book, than to read about all the physiological and qualitative details of specific exercises.

Spatial intelligence is similar to bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, because it involves learning through visual aspects. People with good visual memory might benefit from embedded videos in e-books just as people more oriented toward bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, since videos potentially offer more sensory stimulation than reading alone. I say "potentially" because learning stimulation is difficult to quantify and is subjective. It is possible to be emotionally or even physically moved by written text, as people more attuned to verbal-linguistic learning might attest.

Considering these four kinds of intelligences -- verbal-linguistic, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, and spatial -- and assuming that people learn through different means (how many times have we heard people say, "I'm more of a visual/aural/kinesthetic learner"?), it becomes evident that if we assume the purpose of a book is to instruct, it is better to instruct beyond a monopolistic framework of verbal-linguistic or logocentric intelligence.

E-book adversaries might argue against my point by saying that not every book is meant to instruct in a traditional academic sense. Some books are meant for pleasure reading. Well, consider this: book sound effects. Imagine that you're reading a murder mystery, and the protagonist enters an abandoned house where a violent crime took place. You hear a door squeak and distant footsteps that fade away. You continue to read about how the protagonist explores the room. Suddenly, you hear blood-curling scream comes from the next room. The benefit of this type of reading for pleasure or entertainment is that the reader can still imagine what is taking place; the sound effects work to further stimulate the imagination. An obvious problem would be synchronizing the sound effects with the text. This could be fixed if the text rolled like a movie, and the reader could set the speed. The only traditional books I'm aware of that currently have sound effects are children's books, like Sounds of the Farm by Gail Donovan where the reader can press buttons to hear how animals sound, but the sound cannot be associated with specific parts of the book except through the possibility of textual command to the reader to push a button.

Thus far, I have argued that diverse reading experiences could be enhanced through the integration of aural and visual stimuli with traditional text-based books. However, I have only touched upon four of Gardner's original seven intelligences. If, by this point in the article, anyone still doubts that e-books can theoretically offer a more comprehensive learning experience than traditional books, I firmly believe any hint of skepticism will be erased after exploring what e-books could potentially do for the remaining three intelligences.

The notion of self-reflection is a dominant theme in contemporary education theories, and was identified by Gardner as intrapersonal intelligence. Interaction with others is interpersonal intelligence, in which learning occurs through discussions and participation in group activities where a person directly encounters others' perspectives. E-books have the ability to stimulate self-reflection and group interaction if they could be integrated with online learning platforms, thereby facilitating online discussions and journal-keeping. Furthermore, while students can self-reflect on a traditional book by making lengthy notes in a separate notebook, what if in an e-book it were possible to highlight text, type notes in a pop-up window, and even link notes to text?

Last but not least is logical-mathematical intelligence, which deals with logic and reasoning. Traditionally, instructors have been responsible for assessing students' understanding of course concepts. But what if a student could take e-quizzes and get immediate feedback on his or her comprehension? This would certainly help students know what they needed to review before class or prior to an exam.

So, what if we stopped thinking of e-books as electronic versions of the same book you could pick up at your neighborhood bookstore? What if instead they were dynamic learning environments that addressed all seven of Gardner's multiple intelligences, and thereby provided a more engaging and meaningful learning experience to readers?

Xplana Learning has assumed a leadership role in the development of e-books and online learning platforms, and has indeed redefined e-books in order to maximize usability and engagement, rendering learning through XplanaBooks far more comprehensive than traditional books and other e-books on the market. In the above examples, Xplana answers the question "What if e-books could?" as "Yes, our e-books can."

In the great e-book debate, it's time to stop worrying about whether e-books are going to replace traditional books. This argument, in my opinion, has no substance, as individual preference for reading medium is largely dependant on lifestyle. Secondly, e-books are venturing into a new realm that oversteps the limitations of traditional text-based books. We should be able to appreciate what e-books can add to the learning experience, and consider how we can continue developing e-books in relationship to contemporary educational theories in order to maximize learning outcomes.

Architecture student Kim was a senior who needed to take three upper-level courses in her major and one elective to complete her degree. She consulted with some of her friends to find out what they thought was the least challenging elective. The word in the dorm was that the school's "Beatles" online course promised an easy A.

"The instructor sends you his lecture notes, and you just have to look at them when you're doing the quiz. You're not supposed to use any materials, but everyone does it."

"You never have to go to class, and the only days you need to worry about are the three quiz days. You take the quiz from home."

"My roommate helped me do the quizzes last semester. I would print out an extra set of lecture notes, and she'd take the odd number questions."

The "Beatles" course was exactly what Kim was looking for. She enrolled. That semester, she spent no more than six hours of her life memorizing her instructor's notes and regurgitating that information for the online 30-question multiple choice quizzes. She printed out lecture notes for herself and her roommate, who had agreed to help due to the 45-minute time limit.

Professor Rogers who taught the popular online "Beatles" course had decided to impose the rigid time limit after entire classes were passing with A's. He had originally allocated a full regular class time of an hour and fifteen minutes for each quiz. Although Rogers made his students sign an honor code of conduct (via email) that they would not use notes during the quizzes, he quickly learned this was happening through course evaluation comments from more honorable students.

By the time Rogers realized there was a problem, his open-enrollment course had gained such popularity that over 300 students were enrolling in it each semester. He felt overwhelmed. How could he possibly monitor the ethical behavior of each student? He consulted with Chair Rodriguez of the Music Department. Rodriguez knew little about online education, and proposed that lessening the time to 45 minutes might be the solution, as it would encourage students to study more before each quiz. The result was an increased percentage of roommates and friends in the game of tag-team quizzing.

The fact of the matter is that when Professor Rogers tried to force learning upon students, those who did not wish to learn the materials found a solution, albeit unethical, to pass the class with flying colors. Students who followed the rules and spent time learning the materials, and took the quizzes without any notes or help from friends, routinely received lower quiz scores than those who cheated.

The main problem was that Professor Rogers did not cultivate an engaging learning environment. He believed that everyone who enrolled in his course genuinely wanted to learn about The Beatles. He assumed all students were self-driven learners. He did not take time to explore opportunities for online teacher-student and student-student interactions.

Online discussions and group activities are a critical component of e-learning, just as attendance, participation, and group projects are commonplace in the traditional classroom setting. It is important to remember that students' interest and involvement in a given subject can be greatly influenced by positive interpersonal communication, even if they've come to the course in pursuit of an easy A. Many professors are still new to online education, and it is important for them to understand the variety and flexibility of resources at their fingertips in order to maximize teaching and learning.

Key words: technology education, data mining, enterprise solution planning, educational leadership

A program designed to prepare individuals for careers in knowledge services, which could include learning organizations and technology software and service providers, is being offered by UC-Santa Cruz (California) at their Silicon Valley Campus located at the NASA Ames Research Center in the South Bay at Moffett Field. It is not clear from the information in the brochure how many (if any) courses are online. Nevertheless, the certificate program appears to be very valuable.

Knowledge Services and Enterprise Management (KSEM) Certificate Program is USCS Extension graduate-level certificate program at the UCSC Silicon Valley Campus in cooperation with the UCSC Baskin School of Engineering. The courses are offered face-to-face. Some may be offered online, but it’s not clear from the informational materials.

While the program is interdisciplinary, individuals must have a solid background in statistics, and should be familiar with stochastic processes and other algorithmic approaches. KSEM is, according to UCSC literature, a program that requires students to bring together the application of information technology and the knowledge services to enable individuals to manage high tech enterprises and other complex systems. Ideas from many different fields come together with the goal of addressing challenges faced in today’s global and knowledge-based economy.

The program could be beneficial for individuals who would like to work in knowledge management systems design, enterprise systems design, new product and service development, portfolio management (products and services), service management and e-business, marketing and product positioning, global supply and value change management, manufacturing and outsourcing, business intelligence, and risk management.

Core courses cover areas such as technology and information management, knowledge services and data analytics, data mining, eBusiness technology and strategy, and more.

For information, call 831-459-1384
Visit http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/programs/ksem

posted by susan smith nash

By now, everyone is familiar with the attributes of the iPhone, but what about the smartphones – the Blackberry, the Blackjack, the T-Mobile Sidekick, Samsung, and others? With the ability to download, store, and play mp3 files, video files, and images, the competition has heated up. Smartphones are starting to have the functionality of handheld devices such as the Dell Axim.

Podcast: http://www.beyondutopia.net/podcasts/smartphonepower.mp3

New infrastructure and information architectures make downloading larger files and sending movies / images possible.

Samsung Blackjack

Here are a few innovations around the corner:

Blackberry 8800

1. HSUPA – High Speed Uplink Packet Access. 1.5 Mbps up to 5.76 Mbps

2. HSDPA – High Speed Downlink Packet Access, with 3 Mbps up to 14.4 Mbps.

This is an improvement over the current method, WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) because it will be fully 5 times the speed of WCDMA.

Future possibilities include:

1. Delivery of Instructional Content to Massive Multi-User Groups

2. Uniform, low cost, highly effective test preparation

3. Virtual study groups

4. Multi-user webinars via Elluminate or other conferencing software

5. Synchronous professional development using polling and interactivity

6. Asynchronous training and development.

iPhone vs iPod

Educational podcasts have arrived. Downloadable, automatically updated audio content fits the lifestyle of learners who are taking courses in traditional face-to-face settings as well as via the Internet or mobile devices.

With iTunesU and the debut of the iPhone, the number of individuals who download lectures and other educational audio to mobile devices has skyrocketed. iTunesU, which started rather modestly in 2006, now hosts educational content for dozens of colleges and universities. At this point, more than 10 million downloads have been tracked (iTunesU, 2007). This fall, when most people go to class, the number is expected to reach an all-time high, for those attending face-to-face classes and also those who are taking online courses.

Just how are people using the audio content they download? What is the best use? Now you can weigh in by voting in a poll: http://elearnqueen.blogspot.com

You'll see the poll if you scroll down the right-hand column. Here are the possible responses to the question, What are the best uses of educational podcasts?

Just-in-time content before test

Listen while driving

Refresh key points, concepts, schema

Entertain with stories, examples, case studies

Podcasts have demonstrated themselves to be very useful for educational purposes because, as opposed to traditional audio files that are accessed from a password-protected website, podcasts allow you to subscribe to the feed and to receive updates and new content automatically.

Professor lecture notes: For large lecture courses in a traditional face-to-face environment, having the ability to download the lecture notes and listen to them again can be quite helpful. For students taking the course at a distance, lecture notes can be invaluable supplements to the text and other instructional materials. The only possible downside is that the audio quality may not be studio-grade, given that the lectures are being recorded in a lecture hall, and there could be ambient noise and variable sound levels.

Textbook supplements: Having podcasts that cover textbook content appeals to students who are audio learners and who remember items and organize them most effectively when they hear them. According to the split-attention principle, the most effective way to deliver audio content is to somehow reinforce it with a complementary image. In this case, one could include graphics or images that could be viewed while listening to the podcast. For example, if the lecture is about the situation in the Middle East, the audio lecture could be accompanied by maps, photographs, and other useful and relevant visual information.

Course topic / related content: What are the goals of the course? What are students expected to do with the information? Ideally, the students learn critical thinking skills and, most importantly, how to apply the information being presented. So, it can be very useful to prepare audio files / podcasts that incorporate current events, case studies, and up-to-date information that relates to the core course information.

Research paper / term paper-related content: Even if students have taken research and writing courses, it is always helpful to guide the way and demonstrate how to be effective with online research, how to write an annotated bibliography, when to look for additional sources, and which citation styles should be used. Having an audio guide can help alleviate anxiety and provide reassurance to help students overcome writer’s block.

Student podcasts: Students often enjoy recording and posting audio in addition to text. It is a perfect opportunity to rehumanize the e-learning space, and posting audio is a way to develop a sense of community.

There are several ways to listen to the content. The way that you use content depends on your equipment, connectivity, and learning preferences.

Just-in-time downloads: Students can download content before a test or class discussion. It helps reinforce knowledge and leads to effective use of short-term or working memory.

Category or Schema-builders: Some podcasts are organized around key concepts and they are very useful because they guide students and help them develop categories for organizing knowledge.

Elaboration: Audio and podcasts often include stories and narratives organized in a way that help students develop an in-depth understanding of the concepts.

Problem-solving: Podcasts that provide examples of how the information is used to solve problems, and which may include analogies or extended metaphors help students make connections. They can then use the information to solve problems or apply the information to experiential learning.

Podcasts that are accompanied by images (either stills or video) can also be used in training in order to demonstrate procedures or in the identification of a condition, person, place, or thing. Some examples can be found in a new resource, available in August from Charles C. Thomas publishers. Entitled Excellence in College Teaching and Learning, the is one of the few books available that covers both traditional and online teaching and learning.

The full potential of educational podcasts has not even begun to be tapped, and the advent of new technologies as well as enhanced infrastructure and bandwidth minimizing programs will also contribute to the popularity of the form. Video (via vodcasts) through youtube, google.video and other services continues to push the envelope and encourage students to collaborate on projects and share ideas.

Tumblelogs live up to the hype. I really could set up content, which included video, text, links, and graphics in less than a minute. I can post content from my phone, and upload embedded video by adding a single google video link.

The ease of use make Tumblelogs ideal for education from K-12 to lifelong learning. The simplicity of adding content makes it ideal for course projects, collaborations involving gathering and sharing data, and for presentations. It is perfect for individuals who may have impaired vision or dexterity, or may feel uncomfortable with technology. Seniors with limited mobility can use tumblr.com with little difficulty.

Here are a few samples:

http://www.wemightwin.com

http://excellence.tumblr.com

Benefits:
--Easily add videos and graphics
--Simple design, with choices of layout
--Can post from phone
--Can link to audio files via gcast.com
--Layout is readable for vision-impaired
--Displays nicely on mobile devices
--Easy to share / add rss feeds

Downsides:
--Can't rearrange the sequence of the posts
--Can't easily upload or link mp3 files
--No comments or discussion board features

Tumblr.com is a new company, and tumblelogs will undoubtedly add features in the future. In the meantime, its simplicity and ease of use easily compensate for the limited functionality.

Highly recommended.

Today the University of Edinburgh announced an on-line experiment to test how older computer users perceive synthetic voices. Little work has been done on this subject involving this age group, so participant results will provide more information on making voice interface technology more accessible to older adults, and support research on making computers easier to operate.

The first part of this short experiment involves listening to voices generated by a computer and rating them; the second part is a personality test.

Participants can receive a short summary of results in September once data are analyzed, and enter a raffle to be one of five persons to win a $25 Amazon gift certificate redeemable world-wide. The research supports the University's ongoing research at its Center for Speech Technology Research and the UK-funded MATCH Program.

Copy and paste
http://fordyce.inf.ed.ac.uk/webexp2/voices-smart-homes.html into your browser and help seniors have their voices heard.

Turning Technologies has announced the release of a cluster of products that are likely to change the nature of educational interaction in classroom and online.

What is the main complaint about the traditional lecture model -- 300 hundred or more students packed into lecture halls with the sage on the stage professor? Most people would say the problem is the lack of student engagement. In the past, it has been impossible for students to meaningfully interact with the professor and with other students. Now, thanks to Turning Technologies, professors can take roll, poll students, ask for opinions, and then display responses with their PowerPoint presentation - all with a click of a clicker, provided by TurningPoint software. Turning Technologies has an array of audience response cards, or "clickers," which work well with many lecture applications, ranging from K-12 to higher education, corporate training, and government.

The Rochester Institute of Technology has been using Turning Technologies' response cards in its lecture-based courses that include 150 or more students. Using wireless response cards, students not only interact by voting and providing opinions on topics. They can also take quizzes (multiple choice, etc.), and can check roll. The results are gathered in a comma-delimited spreadsheet and imported directly into Desire2Learn, the learning management system used by RIT.

To encourage remote interaction, Turning Technologies is preparing to announce the general release of its VPad, software that allows individuals who are participating in a webinar or other synchronous online activity to vote and for the results to be instantly tabulated and displayed. The possibilities are pretty staggering, particularly in an election year, and in a time when people are seeking ways to improve efficiency in marketing research, census data collection, and more.

I'd like to see Turning Technologies use their products to gather census data. Their products, if used effectively, could collect the kind of data that could help states such as New York, collect census data accurately and thoroughly, and possibly avoid slipping to 4th place (behind Florida) and thus losing even more Congressional representation. Conversely, Florida could use the technology to gather data in hard-to-gather locations, en masse (say, in departments of motor vehicles), to overtake New York.

These are just a few of the possibilities. The point is, the future is interactive, and data gathering is accurate, efficient, and more flexible than ever.

The 2007 Informing Science and Information Technology Conference (InSITE 2007) features a full suite of papers that provide an international perspective on all informing sciences, which include issues of e-learning and education, as well as educational technology, instructional technology, and technology education.

The conference, which takes place from June 22 - 25 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, provides interdisciplinary approaches, new views, and ways to understand and communicate and share ideas. Further, the conference extends the mission and vision of Informing Sciences, which is to provide opportunities for open educational resources.

The proceedings of the conference are published here: http://proceedings.informingscience.org/InSITE2007/index.htm

Here is an abbreviated listing of some of the presentations, with links to the papers:

Panel Discussion: Challenges of Open Educational Resources
Alex Koohang, Macon State College, USA
Tom Seymour, Minot State University, USA
Gary DeLorenzo, California University of Pennsylvania, USA
Robert Skovira, Robert Morris University, USA

Topic: Collaborative Work / Working Together / Teams
Socio-Technical Theory and Knowledge Construction: Towards New Pedagogical Paradigms?
Antonio Cartelli, University of Cassino, Italy

Topic: Curriculum Issues
Information Technology Team Projects in Higher Education: An International Viewpoint
Kathy Lynch, Monash University, Australia
Aleksej Heinze, University of Salford, United Kingdom
Elsje Scott, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Topic: Control, Audit, and Security
Threat Modeling Using Fuzzy Logic Paradigm
Adesina Simon Sodiya, Department of Computer Science, University of Agriculture, Nigeria
Saidat Adebukola Onashoga, Department of Computer Science, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
Beatrice Oladunjoye, Department of Computer Science, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Topic: Distance Education & e-Learning
E-Learning in the School: Applied to Teaching Mathematics in Portugal
Maria João Gonçalves, University of Minho, Portugal
Claus Kaldeich, University of Minho, Portugal

Topic: Economic Aspects
Offshore Outsourcing: New Spin Or Same Old Business
Sudesh Duggal, Northern Kentucky University, USA
Carl Simkonis, Northern Kentucky University, USA

Topic: Education / Training
The Lifelong Learning Iceberg of Information Systems Academics – A Study of On-Going Formal and Informal Learning by Academics
Bill Davey, RMIT University, Australia
Arthur Tatnall, Victoria University, Australia

Topic: Visualization of Information
Mobile Learning, Cognitive Architecture and the Study of Literature
http://proceedings.informingscience.org/InSITE2007/IISITv4p811-818Nash399.pdf
Susan Nash, Excelsior College, USA

Topic: Ethical, Social, & Cultural Issues
Uniting Idaho: A Small Newspaper Serves Hispanic Populations in Distributed Rural Areas
Martine Robinson Beachboard, Idaho State University, USA

The Technology Ownership and Information Acquisition Habits of HBCU Freshmen
Nicole Buzzetto-More, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, USA
Retta Sweat-Guy, Fayettville State University, USA

Topic: Information & Knowledge Mgmt / Organizational Learning
Using an Outcome-Based Information Technology Curriculum and an E-Learning Platform to Facilitate Student Learning
Azzedine Lansari, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates
Abdallah Tubaishat, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates
Akram Al-Rawi, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia

Topic: Organizational Issues
The Impact of Business Process Orientation on Organizational Performance
Rok Škrinjar, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics, Slovenia
Mojca Indihar Štemberger, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics, Slovenia
Tomislav Hernaus, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics, Croatia

Topic: Psychological Aspects / HCI / Usability Issues

Of Disobedience, Divinations, Monsters and Fumbling: Adopting a Self-Service System
Bob Travica, University of Manitoba, Canada

Discussion on ways to create great mobile learning courses

Videography by Dave Feiden.

Reference:
E-Learning Queen

Podcast - downloadable mp3 file.

Anyone who has taken online courses through a college or university is likely to be very disappointed by the webinars commonly offered in corporate and professional development training. Even though new versions of webinars use software such as elluminate (http://www.elluminate.com/ /) , which allows synchronous audio, presentation media, and streaming video, the experience often leaves a feeling that something was missing.

So, how can webinars be made more effective?

The answer lies in learning strategies.

All too often the assumption is made that if individuals can come together in a virtual space, they'll get as much from the experience as being in the same room together. However, just as meetings can be unproductive, and classrooms boring, a virtual meeting can fall flat. Weak webinars are doubly frustrating because they implicitly communicate a negative message about learning and information technologies. Such a message is doubly ironic in a time of iPhones and ubiquitous wifi, incessant video and text-messaging.

Here are a few ways to strengthen a weak webinar:

Capture the learner's attention at the beginning. Be catchy. Connect with your audience. Engage their emotions, pique their curiosity, appeal to their sense of self and community. By doing so, you'll be creating conditions of learning (Gagne), and making it more likely that they will actually follow through and watch the entire webinar.

Build a cognitive framework at the beginning. Be sure to list learning objectives and outcomes. By doing so, you're helping the learner develop schema, which can be thought of as file cabinets in working memory.
A recent article on cognitive architectures and mobile learning describes some of the processes at work
(http://proceedings.informingscience.org/InSITE2007/IISITv4p811-818Nash399.pdf ) in an effective elearning or mobile learning course.

Encourage interaction. The sage on the stage exudes authority. Although it is a good idea to establish credibility with your program (for example, the American Management Association (http://www.amanet.org/ ) touts management luminaries and gurus such as Peter Drucker in its online seminars, offered with a Corpedia.com learning management system), if your learners simply sit and passively watch, their recall is likely to be close to nil. Get them involved. Ask them to type in questions, use voice-over chat, videocast their images from webcams. Encouraging interaction will create conditions of learning.

Make it real: connect to audience experience. The American Marketing Association (http://www.marketingpower.com/ ) offers webcasts in topics that are designed to appeal to its members. With webinars (both live and recorded) in branding, B2B, direct marketing, Internet marketing, market research, marketing return on investment, marketing strategy, and more, the members are likely to find something they can relate to, and which will help them. Without an opportunity to further the connection, and to respond to questions or ideas that ask the individuals to problem-solve for their own particular needs, the audience members are likely to be bored.

Show me the money: reward the learners. Some learners are happy with the emotional "reward" that comes with interaction. It's sufficient emotional affirmation and it satisfies their need for affiliation. Other learners are happy to be able to take a test or a questionnaire that "rewards" them by showing them how much knowledge they've gained. Still other learners are motivated by certificates and other ways to show they have achieved a level of professional expertise. A good example is the exam to become a Professional Certified Marketer. Ostensibly, one can take webinars, which will help an individual prepare to take the exam, which is offered through the American Marketing Association ($100 to register, $435 to take the test / discounts available for members).

Unfortunately, though, most webinars do not establish a clear pathway between their courses and a certificate, college credit-eligible course, or degree.

Repurpose with a purpose. If you're repurposing old videos from the 60s and 70s, keep in mind that the technology, clothing, and hair styles have changed dramatically. You'll need to remember that the anachronistic elements are potentially a huge distraction from the actual message. So, if you're repurposing old video or media assets, be sure to do so with a clear purpose in mind. Repeat the outcomes, the categories of knowledge, the key points, and the desired outcomes. Keep the learner on track. Continue to point to the reason for the presentation or topic.

Respect culture and language. Your webinar may appeal to a very narrow audience, and yet you may need to show it to people from diverse cultures, languages, and geographical regions. Be sure to incorporate the cultural assistance you'll need. Create a mediated space by including bilingual cues and guides, links to helpful dictionary or encyclopedia entries, and explanatory sidebars. A very useful article that addresses the issues is one on bilingual education located here: http://elearnqueen.blogspot.com/2007_02_10_archive.html A video that deals with motivation and cultural difference can be found here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3081767539581545454&hl=en

For corporations, professional associations, and organizations with a large inventory of stored "webinar events," the opportunity to strengthen them and expand their reach and impact should be cause for celebration. The "Webinar Weakness" can be overcome by using effective learning strategies.

Bridging Cultural Difference

Mini-Webinar: Authenticity in Writing

Articles You May Enjoy:

Quality in an Online Course (at elearners.com)

Analyzing Television and Film in e-Learning. (from http://www.elearningqueen.com)

Online Programs that Appeal to All Generations (at elearners.com)

You're probably familiar with Project Gutenberg, the repository of more than 3,700 titles that range from Shakespeare, to Edgar Allan Poe, to William Blake. Project Gutenberg is an invaluable resource, not only because of the availability of text, but because of the searachability of the archive.

What you may not know is how the works are archived, and how the various search engines work. I was surprised to learn that the library archiving software used is by Greenstone Digital Library, a software developer from New Zealand. Not only is their software widely used by not-for-profit archives and libraries, it is also open-source.

The archiving software has been used for cataloguing, retrieving and storing repositories of music (Chopin at the University of Chicago), art, and historical documents, in addition to texts.

Greenstone runs on Windows and UNIX servers, and is fully documented in English, Spanish, French, and Russian. It offers complete interfaces in numerous other languages. I would say that installing and running Greenstone is not for the faint of heart, but it does seem to have a solid set of help and instruction manuals.

The URL is http://www.greenstone.org

For the first time ever, users can take the complete Myers-Briggs personality type assessment, verify their types, and receive a high-quality interpretation at one place, completely online through CPP, Inc, at http://www.mbticomplete.com. While personality tests have been widely available on the Internet for years, some of the more complicated, more statistically valid ones, have been costly, or have required one to hire an expensive service for evaluation of the results.

For decades, individuals, corporations, the military, and other organizations have used personality tests, usually in the form of questionnaires, or “inventories,” to determine an individual’s personality profile. Matching a personality profile with a job can result in a better “fit” between the tasks and an individual’s interests. Creating teams with individuals who have complimentary personality traits can lead to enhanced productivity. Finally, supervisors and fellow team members can begin to understand, and have more tolerance for, trait differences.

Perhaps the most widely known and commonly used personality type indicator is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which was developed years ago by a mother and daughter team of psychologists. It has been used to help individuals better understand themselves and others, communicate more effectively, and lead more fulfilling personal and professional lives.

While there is no doubt that the MBTI has had enormous positive impact on the workplace, and has improved efficiently, morale, team-building, and even conflict resolution, it is useful to take a step back and ask a few questions:

1. Can an instrument based on self-reporting ever lead to real self-awareness? Will the individual ever be able to advance past the level of self-awareness they had at the moment they took the inventory?

2. Is there built-in bias due to assumptions about personality that are culturally biased? For example, does a test-taker from one culture understand introverted to be something different than a person from a different culture?

3. Can using inventory results lead to labeling and stereotyping, which could result in individuals getting “stuck” in a role or a label?

4. Are we restricting ourselves unnecessarily with the MBTI? Are there yet undiscovered “off-label” uses that could help organizations and individuals with conflict resolution, career programming, training, education, marketing, and distributed project management? With the availability of the inventory, and the ability to take it online and receive a high-quality interpretation quickly, the possibilities have been expanded.

Perhaps on of the most valuable aspects of personality type indicators is that they can lead to enhanced self-awareness. Self-awareness is always desirable, because without it, it is difficult to develop cognitive strategies for change. Further, without self-awareness, it is difficult to understand differences in responses, and it is difficult to establish empathic relations.
First appeared at e-learning queen: http://elearnqueen.blogspot.com

The following approach represents a way to fast-track the development of online courses by using an integrative approach to develop unique, high-quality courses that reflect the core values and vision of the institution while bringing together media assets, supplemental subject matter experts, and a highly effective online instructional strategy. This article was first written in 2003, but in reviewing it, it seems to be remarkably helpful, particularly as institutions are faced with creating courses and course content for new learning management systems and technologies (m-learning, etc.).

Elements:

* Point Person in the Academic Unit: Coordinates unit-developed curriculum, courses, course descriptions, learning objectives with primary subject matter expert(s) in the academic unit.

* Instructional designer and information technology liaisons: develop templates and manage the course management system / informational infrastructure

* Template or approved course structure: This provides a consistent look and feel, as well as encouraging coordination and competence with students, instructors, and support staff

* Core textbook with extensive media asset support, including online learning elements: Although other texts and resources will be used, a well-respected, high-quality core textbook that contains high-quality media assets provides a content credibility assurance. By utilizing the streaming media, presentation graphics, audio, interactive quizzes and other features that have been developed by the textbook company, huge time and cost savings are possible. See http://www.mlearners.com for examples of content suitable for mobile devices.

* Subject Matter Expert Collaborator #1: The SME is asked to review the course from his/her unique perspective and add content, instructional guides, and directed activities. For example, SME #1 may be asked to provide historical perspectives.

* Subject Matter Expert Collaborator #2: This SME does not duplicate the work of SME #1. Instead, he/she brings a new set of assumptions and approaches to the task, and generates content that goes in a slightly different direction. For example, this SME may focus on adding connections to contemporary concerns (ethics, case studies, etc.).

* Academic Review Committee

Stages of Quality Review and Development:

Review 1: Develop a curriculum and courses that make sense in terms of institutional vision and mission. This is done by members of the academic unit, a key subject matter expert with coordination from the point person.

Review 2: Develop course descriptions. The point person works with the primary subject matter expert, with a review by the instructional designer to make sure that key points are included. It is acceptable to develop a template or form to standardize the course descriptions.

Review 3: Select texts, leverage textbook media assets and support to build a foundation.

Core text: Depending on the course, select a best-selling, widely-adopted textbook from a major textbook publisher which has significant media assets with it. This would include online content, interactive material, presentations, streaming audio and/or video, as well as a CD-ROM.

Additional required texts: Particularly in the case of graduate courses or surveys of literature, trade books which address specific topics will provide depth and breadth to the course.

Articles and online resources: Identify articles, obtain permissions, and place in the online library reserve.

Review 4: Build-out based on course objectives and textbook.

Build-out 4a: Syllabus. Develop a form or template approach in order to provide standard information. Widely-used text and logos should be made into objects and used in a SCORM-compliant manner. A standard course structure can be implemented for a unit's online offerings, with slight variations depending on the course objectives and approach.

Build-out 4b: Meshing core textbook assets with units.

Build-out 4c: Meshing activities, supporting content, etc. with media assets from core text.

Build-out 4d: Incorporate the additional readings to add depth and breadth to the course content. This may take place in Review 5 or 6 if the SME Collaborators are charged with recommending readings and texts.

Review 5: SME Collaborator #1 -- this person complements the primary unit's online course developer and subject matter expert. SME #1 may be a part of the unit, or an outside contractor / adjunct.

Build-out 5a: Add new SME perspective -- develop lecture notes, online reserve articles, additional resources. Provide the SME with a checklist of tasks in order to assure consistency of performance and that he/she does not simply repeat work already done. Carefully define SME's focus - for example, SME #1 may be asked to provide historical perspectives, a history of key ideas and developments, and an annotated bibliography of seminal works in the field, in addition to guiding questions, sidebar items, readings, etc.

Build-out 5b: SME provides guiding questions, sidebar items, focus / talking points, recommendations on readings / texts / online reserve articles.

Review 6: SME Collaborator #2 - as in the case of SME #1, this person supports the work of the point person in the department and unit-generated content / structure. This person builds on the core course foundation that includes the primary text. SME #2's focus can be on making connections to current contemporary situations, settings, developments.

Build-out 6a: SME follows a checklist / guidelines sheet in order to accomplish specific tasks. The focus should be carefully defined and delineated so that the work provided creates depth and breadth, always building on the work of the unit point person, unit curriculum / content experts, and SME #1.

Build-out 6b: SME provides guiding questions, sidebar items, focus / talking points, recommendations on readings / texts / online reserve articles. These follow the focus set out in the checklist and guidelines.

Review 7: Instructional Designer / Information Technology Review: The course is reviewed to make sure that objectives are being met, and to suggest places for editing, revision, or expansion.

Review 8: Alignment with Institutional and Academic Vision and Mission. Stakeholders take a look to make sure that the course objectives, instructional strategies, and course content are in line with the institution's vision and mission, both in terms of academics and in terms of access, etc.

Review 9: Academic Review Committee - The purpose of the academic review committee is not to second-guess or "correct" the work, but simply to take a look at it to make sure it conforms with the institution's policies and procedures with respect to Best Practices.

Review 10: Final revision before putting into course template and the course management software.

Useful Video on Certificate Courses

Using social networking to develop, deploy, and share online quizzes could be a powerful way to build a knowledge community of students and educators, and to overcome the content limitations and passive learning problems often associated with quizzes.

According to educational psychologists, the problem with most quizzes is that they do not encourage active learning. Further, some test-makers focus on trick questions and they fail to cover all the instructional content. Thus, badly constructed quizzes do not really assess the knowledge they claim to be measuring.

If we reconceptualize that way that we use quizzes, there is a new, powerful paradigm just waiting to be applied to quizzes and quiz banks. If you're thinking that this might be referring to the collaborative approach that would be found in a wiki, you would be close. What we're really talking about is the paradigm of social networking which would employ the techniques found in MySpace, LiveJournal, webrings, blogs, iTunes, etc. Basically, we're talking about anything syndicated with an RSS or Atom feed.

While there are repositories of learning objects that include test banks and quizzes, they do not employ the power of social networking, which includes syndication and the use of user-driven taxonomies (tag clouds or social bookmarks as used in del.icio.us).

This will change, however, as XplanaQuiz (http://www.xplanaquiz.com) takes the lead by creating a place where people can create, collaborate, and share. It is a new site, and will be constantly changing. Here's how it is described:
XplanaQuiz is a public internet site available for publishing and viewing of assessment-based content. XplanaQuiz allows an educator to easily create and provide access to quizzes/activities. Each quiz has its own permanent URL, and each list is RSS-ready. One of the most important aspects of the site is not the quizzes but how users can access and find the content. Content is categorized by subject (predefined taxonomy), tagged by folksonomy, available via search and creator. For every conceivable topic, XplanaQuiz will possess an abundance of quizzes available for use as supplemental or primary instruction.
There are many benefits for those who choose to participate in the construction of a knowledge community and a social network for quizzes (and other learning objects and instructional material).

Learn to write better tests.
Incorporate Bloom's Taxonomy (recall, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation).
Recalling memorized information.
Construction of schemata.

Encourage students to take the quizzes as practice exams.

Link the question to the concept that is illustrated by a graphic, video, or diagram.

Edit, revise, and share questions.

Link to downloadable e-book chapters.

Link to downloadable audio review.

Contextualize within a story, narrative, or case study.

Situate the quiz with a person's experience or background.

Encourage critical thinking by using effective techniques.
Premise - Consequence.
Analogy.
Case study.
Incomplete scenario.
Problem / solution evaluation.

The idea of using social networks to share quizzes is exciting. It reflects a commitment to developing programs that acknowledge the behaviors that people really have, rather than trying to impose an alien or awkward one on them. In the end, having dynamic knowledge communities is extremely motivating and affirming to everyone who is involved.

Useful References

Dewey, R. A. (2006) Writing Multiple Choice Items which Require Comprehension. Retrieved from http://www.psywww.com/selfquiz/aboutq.htm on March 6, 2007.

Writing Multiple Choice Questions that Require Critical Thinking. (2006) Retrieved from http://cit.necc.mass.edu/atlt/TestCritThink.htm on March 6, 2007.

We are ignoring and/or imposing ineffective distance education strategies for our bilingual and non-English speaking populations. Right now, we have an urgent need to provide the kind of education and training that will benefit bilingual and non-English speaking populations in the United States, and we need to do it as quickly and effectively as possible in order to develop human potential, communities, and economies across the spectrum of socio-economic and demographic groups, professions, and vocations.

podcast / downloadable audio file

There are more than 35 million Spanish-speakers in the United States. This is a conservative figure, because there are no ways to accurately record the actual number of Spanish speakers, and by some accounts, that number increases by as many as 1,000 people per day. The USA has the fifth-largest population of Spanish speakers in the world.

Let’s put the USA Spanish-speaking population into perspective by examining the populations of Spanish-speaking nations:

Chile * 16 million
Peru * 28 million
Venezuela * 20 million
Mexico * 107 million
Guatemala * 12 million
Argentina * 36 million
(The World Fact Book, 2007
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook )

What happens when Spanish-speakers resettle in the United States? One of the first challenges is survival, which usually means depending on family members for support. Strong family ties and a willingness to work together to support family members have been tied to the success of individuals who come to the United States. Commitment to the extended family does not come without a price, however. It is often difficult for individuals to find time to take English lessons. Formal schooling and education may be sacrificed or delayed in order to work outside the home and earn money for the extended family. Many Spanish-speaking new arrivals to the United States are nothing short of phenomenal. Not only do they work to save money for their immediate family, they also tend to send money home to relatives who have stayed behind.

Education comes with a high price tag and great sacrifice. Although nine years of education are free and compulsory in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, students are under tremendous pressure to discontinue their studies in order to earn money.

Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries have long utilized distance education in order to provide education to remote regions. Technology utilized has ranged from basic book-based correspondence to television and Internet-based programs. Students are often organized in community groups so that they have the opportunity to meet with a local tutor or facilitator. http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-4/mexico.html

Bilingual programs have been developed and are supported in many regions of Mexico and Central America, where indigenous languages are still alive and well. Spanish is considered the gateway language, the language of commerce. When Spanish-speakers arrive in the United States, they often know two languages: Spanish and an indigenous language.

The realities of education should demonstrate to English-speakers that Spanish-speaking newcomers are adept at learning languages, familiar with the concept of distance education, and eager to learn. However, educational initiatives simply will not work if cultural pressures and realities are not taken into consideration.

Distance education for Spanish-speakers must accommodate the following realities:

**Technology – Internet cafes are common throughout the Spanish-speaking world and individuals are comfortable with communicating via e-mail; also downloading images, music, etc. But – time and access are definitely limited. It is best to have instructional content and activities developed for off-line access.

**Language – the best bridge is to offer courses in Spanish and also in English. Each course should have, at the very least, a glossary of Spanish-English terms to encourage the bridge.

**Training and Practical Application - the pressure to support one’s extended family makes vocational and technical training more attractive than liberal arts. That said, it is important to keep in mind that without solid foundations in basic skills (writing, reading comprehension, English as a Second Language, math), vocational training is not likely to be as successful as it could be.

**Reading and Writing – because of the pressure to discontinue studies, many students may need extra support in reading and writing courses. Developmental reading, writing, and math should form the foundation of all courses, even technical or vocational training.

**Situated Learning – Making lessons relevant and immediately useful to individuals is vital. It’s important to include items that are of public service and which help advance the community as a whole. For example, students studying vocational and technical topics may benefit from safety tips that are provided in an accessible manner.

Saving a life with bilingual training: A Possibility

Do you forget your training the moment you step outside the classroom? Chances are, you did not pay much attention to the content even as it was being presented if you were sitting in a classroom and were watching an interminable Powerpoint and listening to the professor read directly from the slides.

Receiving training or information while in the workplace, or on the way to work, makes more sense. Imagine tuning into a radio station or turning on your mp3 player and listening to safety tips as you go to the construction site. http://www.osha.gov/

For example, here’s an OSHA-based text on the four most common construction site safety risks:
Podcast in Anglo-inflected Spanish (it's Susan reading and discussing the OSHA standards in Spanish) .. click here

http://elearningqueen.tripod.com/edublogs

With more than 35 million Spanish speakers in the U.S., it makes sense to focus time and resources on Spanish and English e-learning, mobile learning, and other distance education modalities and delivery methods.

First published at e-learning queen

Reasons for Grammar Reviews