Do Yourself a Favor and Stop Learning.

I'm about to admit something odd, and perhaps career-threatening: I'm sick of learning.

[Gadgetopia]

Oh my. Does this hit close to home? Which criterion do you fit: Smart, or Gets Things Done?

9:30:29 AM    

Why synchronous communication in teaching and learning hasn't worked... yet..

Here we go, a quick Xplana dip into why synchronous communication tools in education leave so much wanting:

The Reality of Synchronous Communication

OK… here’s why all your synchronous communication facilities, chat rooms, shared whiteboards, MOOs etc. have never really taken off. They just don’t push it.

Eh? Well, think about it:

Why do I use email rather than visit discussion boards daily? Because with email I can push my message where I want to push it (I don’t have to rely on other people ‘visiting’ to collect) and other people can do the same to me… all it takes is one app sitting on my desktop... read more

[James Farmer's Radio Weblog]

In my opinion, there's more to it than just the technology and the lack of push. Much of the synchronous stuff I've seen gives a person no compelling reason to spend time there. The design and social engineering of synchronous e-learning is the biggest gap. In addition, learners do not know how to "do" synchronous online learning. Classroom training is a snap - go to the appointed place at the appointed time, everyone shows up, somebody is in charge and tells you what to do. Asynchronous training is almost as easy - turn on the computer, load up the application, and do what the application tells you to do. With synchronous e-learning it's harder for people to associate the learning opportunity with a time and a place, they can't see anyone, communication is often only through the keyboard (which means it is s-l-o-w and b-o-r-i-n-g), and all too often nobody seems to be in charge - what do we do next? who knows?

I don't mean to sound like a grump, but synchronous e-learning has a long way to go and it will always require more effort on the part of instructors and learners to make it work.

9:04:03 AM    

Have you considered Open Source for an LMS or LCMS?

Paper on evaluating Open Source software against other options.

This paper describes a general process for evaluating software, but has a specific focus on how to evaluate Open Source software against proprietary packages. It is useful in that it highlights key areas outside of straightahead functionality to pay attention to, things like cost, support, maintenance, reliability, and license issues. - SWL

- via [OpenSector.org]

9:17:16 AM    

MS Live Meeting misses the mark.

If you adopt Live Meeting as your standard for synchronous conferencing or training, be aware of the potential issues.

Live Meeting shows that Microsoft has work to do. Microsoft Corp. on Monday introduced a Web conferencing service -- and although it features minor integration with the company's enterprise products, the service falls quite short of the company's plan to offer its collection of collaboration software as an integrated package. [InfoWorld: Top News]

12:57:24 PM    

Heads Up: Verisign is at it again, and don't throw away your old G4 just yet.

Monopoly watch. Verisign uses DNS tomfoolery to take unilateral action against the internet. Microsoft secures yet another monopoly, and this one it didn't even have to work for. [Jeffrey Zeldman Presents: The Daily Report]

12:53:21 PM    

Look Who's Coming to eLearning Producer

The eLearning Producer Conference & Expo in San Francisco on November 12 - 14, 2003 is specifically designed for e-Learning designers, developers and managers who work in corporate, academic, or government settings. You are invited to attend even if you aren't a Guild Member or Associate! Join your professional colleagues from organizations such as these who have already registered to attend:

Williams-Sonoma, Southern California Edison, Humana, AT&T Wireless, The Wired Schoolhouse, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lawrence Technological University, Galileo International, PG&E, Deloitte Consulting, University of California, Osram Sylvania, SC Johnson, SAS Institute, Genzyme, Internal Revenue Service, Pacific Capital Bancorp, Robert Morris University, Reynolds & Reynolds, Cyborg Systems, Cisco Systems, Canadian Center for Management Development (CCMD), Intel, Progressive Insurance, Freddie Mac, AB Sandvik Services, CCG Systems, Beckman Coulter, Minolta, Medical College of Georgia, Siebel Systems, British Petroleum, Mail Boxes Etc., Intermountain Health Care, GeneEd, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Infinity Insurance, City of Concord, Sprint, Rockwell Automation, Ceridian Canada, Ltd., and hundreds more.

There are two weeks left to take advantage of the $100 Early Registration Discount! With the Early Registration Discount, and your standard 20% Guild Member discount, you can register now (or any time before Sept 26^th) for only $895 USD. Compare this to fees required by other major industry events and you'll discover that this conference is the most cost effective choice you can make. Join the amazing concentration of e-Learning industry leaders who will be on hand to facilitate your learning in the General Sessions, Think Tank Session, Concurrent Sessions, Pre-conference Workshops - all designed specifically for e-Learning professionals like you.

[The eLearning Guild]

9:05:49 AM    

Two Items from InfoWorld re MS Office Live Meeting (ex-PlaceWare)

PlaceWare had been used by some as a synchronous e-Learning tool prior to its purchase by Microsoft. It will be "interesting" to see how the change in ownership affects its adoption, and whether it will take market share from the remaining synchronous players. Either way, expect to find Office Live Meeting used more and more by entrepreneurs for conferencing with clients and associates.

Microsoft fires Web conferencing salvo. Microsoft this week will unveil Office Live Meeting, the first service offered as part of its Office productivity suite. Although the first version will pepper only a few enhancements above the service Microsoft acquired from PlaceWare earlier this year, the move signals Microsoft's long-term aspiration to bring online meetings into the enterprise collaboration platform fold. [InfoWorld: Top News]

PlaceWare relaunches as MS Office Live Meeting. Microsoft Corp.'s acquisition of PlaceWare Inc. bore fruit Monday with the launch of Office Live Meeting, an online conferencing service that pits Microsoft against WebEx Communications Inc., Oracle Corp., IBM Corp. and a host of other players. [InfoWorld: Top News]

1:58:10 PM    

The Case Method (remember that?)

Fast re-post: comments later. The Case Method has been around now for over 50 years. If you aren't familiar with it, you should be. It's the original collaborative/cooperative method in higher education, as far as I know, and it looks stronger than ever.

Making the Case for the Case Method.

For those of you who are interested in the case method as a tool for teaching and learning, David Garvin of the Harvard Business School has an excellent article in the September-October issue of Harvard Magazine. Better yet, it is available online:

All professional schools face the same difficult challenge: how to prepare students for the world of practice. Time in the classroom must somehow translate directly into real-world activity: how to diagnose, decide, and act. A surprisingly wide range of professional schools, including Harvard's law, business, and medical schools, have concluded that the best way to teach these skills is by the case method. [Making the Case: Professional education for the world of practice]

Garvin's research and writing have focused on organizational learning long before it was a popular buzzword. This article offers extensive background on the origins and history of case method teaching as well as insights into how it is evolving.

1:44:55 PM