Joyful Jubilant Learning

Low-Digit Score for Digital Learning

Hearing the words “digital learning” make me feel a little jittery and shuddery.  For me, they grate on my psyche, like the screech of fingernails or errant chalk on a blackboard grates on our ears.

There!  I’ve given myself away in the first paragraph.  Even my analogies are old-fashioned, and definitely non-digital.  (Hey all you teachers out there, do you still use blackboards and chalk?)

Avoiding Risky Behaviour
My financial planner dubs me “risk averse”.  I don’t think he meant it as a compliment!  With digital learning, it’s not so much that I’m “risk averse”, as just a bit slower than most of my colleagues here on Joyful Jubilant Learning.  To put it kindly, I’d estimate my score on the Digital Learning Scale is in the lower digits range.

When this topic was mooted, I sighed, knowing that I had a couple of choices. 

1. Try something new and pretend I’d enthusiastically “learned” yet another digital skill to keep up with the Jones’ (or in this case the Rosa’s, Tim’s, Steve’s, David's, Joanna’s, Karen’s etc)
2. Take my usual path into digital learning and be subdued and moderate and DOWNRIGHT BORING.

Excuse me, your honour ...
Let me step up to defend myself here.  After all, Outrageous Extraverts don’t really like to be seen as boring.

In my circle of friends, (the ones in Australia not the blogosphere) people are constantly admiring of my computer skills, online discoveries, trips into the world of websites blogging and social networking, and forums. To some people, I'm an early-adopter.  So clearly this is all a matter of degree.

Of course, there are some exceptions to this admiration.  There’s my hubby SweetP, the mathematician who weaves spells with numbers and computers that I couldn't even try to fathom.  Oh and of course Lovable Geek.  My son the IT manager is pretty scathing about his mother’s digital failings. 

To them I’m a bit sluggish, forever paddling in the shallows instead of getting out there where the water runs fast, dangerous, and exciting.

Take my hand...
So come with me into MY world of digital learning, where gentle paddling is just fine.

• Let’s start with something simple.  I have three Blogs and write as a regular contributor on several more.  Here on JJL, even that’s a bit sub-normal.
• I long ago realised that using good old Google Docs is by far the easiest method to prepare, collaborate, edit and share your writing.  That's how Karen Wallace and I wrote our book from opposite ends of the country.  It’s not fancy, but it does the job.
• The urgent need to find out information on my family history before all the oldies “kick the bucket” has had me hunting for good basic genealogy software.  I found PAF.  By sheer force of will, I figured it out, taught my sister, and crammed it with all the information we have.  The fun started when I uploaded it onto a few genealogy sites and started making connections with distant relatives and digging deep into the Irish heritage that surrounds us.
• Having tried Facebook and felt like I was being conned every time I was “poked”, I’ve left that to Lovable Geek and all his “friends”.  Give me a chat over the phone, or a glass of wine with a friend any day.
• Speaking of chatting brings me to something I am getting very intrigued by – Voicethread.  Joanna Young has brought it to us here at JJL, and Karen Wallace has followed over at Calm Space.  For the moment, I’m dipping my toe in the water with comments, but I know I’m hooked enough, and can see great value in this engaging and much more humanly-digital technology.
• Despite what I’ve told you, I’m a notorious Gadget Queen so I’m not necessarily averse to change or digital tools.  I adore my toys like my Palm PDA, Nokia mobile, Olympus camera, Canon scanner, IRiver mp3 player etc.

Let's find the root of the problem
I think my problems with digital technology stem from overwhelm.  The sheer paralysis that accompanies so much choice makes this poor, indecisive Libran completely overwhelmed.  So, I like to be a follower in the digital world, and listen to the leader’s sage advice on what paths might prove useful.

Much as I hate to be out of step, (and boring as it might be) I’ll happily stick to my low-digit Digital Learning Score.  I’d much rather keep learning at a pace that suits an Outrageous Extravert.  After all, by definition I’d rather be out there talking and learning by osmosis, rather than by research.  That’s just a bit too methodical and scientific for my liking.

Oh good grief, that’s another thought that might bring on the shudders!

__________________________________________________________________________________________

The digitally archaic Chris Owen of Pink Apple is an Aussie-based Relationship Specialist and blogger who shares the Secrets to Successful Relating.  Her humourous style brings many readers to her blogs Take A Bite and Apple Tart.

Together with Karen Wallace she has also co-authored Save Our Xmas Sanity a pre-Christmas Must-Have for all frazzled women!

Social Networking Services: An Incomplete List

First, just want to say hello to everyone, I have been out of pocket since December caring for my Mother. She is doing very well now and has completely recovered from pneumonia. She was proud to note that the lady at the Lancome cosmetics counter thought she was 65, she is actually 85 years young. I will post more about what I have learned about "Caring For Our Parents" in another post soon.

Today I am sharing the Social Networks Services I use online.

Social Network Services

This "voice thread" was inspired by Joanna's post on the topic "What Difference Does Voice Make".

This voice thread is a incomplete list of the social networks and services I use to connect with people online.  I am having a real blast getting reconnected using these tools.

You can leave text message, voice message, video, or annotate and doodle on the screen. I would love to hear comments, ideas, and if you are using any of these networks - how is it going for you?

Click this link for a Larger Version

My Tools, Techniques, and Ideas about Digital Learning

I remember growing up much of my digital education involved installing some software on my Apple II computer. I had some math programs and reading programs that I would play with as a kid. This was when I first started to realize that I wanted a career that involved computers. I remember going into the software store and drooling over all the wonderful titles I wish I had the money to buy. In that day and age, digital learning was confined to how much money you had to invest in buying software. Times have changed and most importantly the web has changed the accessibility to information and an education for just about anybody that has a computer . However, sometimes surfing through the pages and pages of sites out there can leave a person feeling as if there is too much information and not enough time to read and absorb it all. Therefore, I wanted to focus on some of the tools I use to help reign in some of this information and organize it in a matter that I can continue to use in the future.

You can’t go far in the digital world without hearing or using Google. My primary personal e-mail account has been with Yahoo for many years. But lately, I have also begun to look at the many tools that Google offers. One of my favorites is Google Notebook (http://google.com/notebook). When you are doing some serious web research and learning you need to be able to capture critical information in an accessible and easy to use tool. Google Notebook fills that need for me. With the add-on in Internet Explorer capturing information is only a click away. Retaining and saving critical pieces of digital learning is key for me and Google Notebook helps me with this every day.

The other tool I use daily is 37 Signals Backpack application (http://www.37signals.com). This is one web application that is bound to grow and grow. Their homepage states that over 1 million people use their products to manage their lives. I use it to take notes on books, digital reading, and anything else that I want. We also use the calendar feature to coordinate our family. Having one central calendar the entire family can access and change makes our lives a lot easier.

I have never been that interested in social bookmarking, but after reading a lot about del.icio.us I figured I would give it a try. The more you surf and the more you research the more bookmarks you have to keep track of. I finally got sick of keeping these bookmarks up-to-date in Internet Explorer. (http://del.icio.us) del.icio.us takes away the pain and hassle of bookmarking. Convenient tags allow you to get back to where you want to go in a flash. I have it installed on all my computers now and now my bookmarks are easily accessible and available to share with friends and family.

With so many sites and so many user ids and password, there is no better tool to use than Roboform. (http://www.roboform.com). Although this software costs a little money, it is worth every dime. A convenient browser add in as well provides for quick navigation and password entry. I also use its secure storage to save confidential numbers and other info I need to have handy, but don’t want accessible to the general world.

My final digital education recommendation is that you check out Capella University. (http://www.capella.edu) In 2005 I received my MS in Information Technology. Although I don't think that an online education was a great as my undergraduate degree at Rensselaer, I did enjoy the opportunity to learn in a very structured on-line environment. Having your own money invested is bound to make one spend the time to learn and grow.

My final tip is nothing digital. It is a simple timer that I have on my watch. I set my timer to help me focus and be productive. When time is up I know it is time to take a break or do something else. I share this with you because I believe we need to check the time and length we spend in front of our computers. As much as I love the computer and doing my own educational exploration on the web, I realize that I also need to take time to enjoy the nondigital learning experiences in life. This includes spending time playing with my family in the backyard and taking a walk in the park and feeling the grass between my toes. I work at home and sometimes I don’t know when to stop. Interconnectivity and digital learning are wonderful and I wouldn’t change them, but I also realize I need to set limits for me so I can improve the other areas in my life. After all my keeping a well-balanced life so I am successful in all areas of my life will help me focus even more when it comes time to more digital learning!

I am a rookie blogger just getting my feet wet in the blog world. You can check out more of my thoughts and ideas by visiting my blog (http://dlnewman70.typepad.com/orl/) where I try and share little things and ideas that make my ordinary life, radical!

Teaching with the heart of aloha in a digital age

Throughout this school year, I have been diligently researching 21st Century students and how to effectively teach them. Route 21 has been a rewarding resource for me. 21st Century Themes focus on Global Awareness, Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy and Civic Literacy. Surrounding these focuses, there is an integration of core subjects with skills such as Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Creativity and Innovation and Communication and Collaboration.

From this report:

We all know that learning doesn’t stop when school does, but now more than
ever, learning must be a lifelong pursuit. The rapidity of change, the
relentless advance of technology, the diminishing half-life of knowledge, the
far-reaching effects of globalization – all these factors contribute to a growing
conviction that the best thing we can teach our children is how to teach
themselves.

Certainly the challenge before us in education is how 20th Century trained teachers, with 20th Century developed materials and tools are to reach their 21st Century students. Even though the pieces and structures are generationally different, there is at least one facet that hasn't changed - reaching the heart of the student. In a time when students can learn more independently, communicate more frequently and access information more readily, it is even more important that the teacher personally encourage the hearts of students.

People are more digitally connected than ever before. 29 billion text messages are sent each month according to CTIA! This is up from 7 billion in 2005. However, with increasing distant relationships, students find themselves more alone than ever before. One researcher quoted students to say they felt abandoned.

Enter the teacher who desires to reach the hearts of her students. What a profound impact she can make as she adjusts teaching methods to her students' learning and finds a way to reach their loneliness. As our digital age offers a myriad of opportunities, life change still occurs personally. More than ever, this generation needs teachers who are on the cutting edge with their skills; but, even more than cutting edge approaches is the need to teach with the heart of Aloha.

If you would like to know more about 21st Century teaching, I recommend you begin with these resources.

Essential reading: the why, what, and how of effective technology integration:

· Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom

Twenty-first-century schools need twenty-first-century technology.

· Synching Up with the iKid: Connecting to the Twenty-First-Century Student

Educators must work to understand and motivate a kind of digital learner.

· Technology Integration Instructional Modules

Free modules are available for use by workshop presenters, college professors, or individuals interested in getting started with integrating technology into the curriculum.

(Photo courtesies: Partnership for 21st Century Learning)

~ Dean Boyer, Teaching with Aloha

Beware the meme, it may contain more than it seems

Have you taken part in a meme? I have. I don’t jump on every one that comes along but once in awhile, I do find time to participate when it catches my interest. A meme can take many forms. It can be a set of questions to answer (Five things you don’t know about me, is a popular one). Or a set of instructions to follow (like one book meme I recall, that had you go to the first book in your pile, turn to x page, etc.). Or you input the URL of a blog and it does some analysis to produce a widget to post on your blog and attract additional folks to the meme. Like how much is your blog worth? For grins, I checked on this Joyful Jubilant Learning blog to find:

My blog is worth $127,586.04.
How much is your blog worth?

Of course, we are all richer for the learning we share!

I think this example helps to show that memes like this are generally good fun. They tend to further the sharing of information about one another. They do take time and depending upon the viral nature of them, an individual could get tagged about the same time from a couple of different folks.

Some folks decide not to partake in them and I respect their decision. If the person is one I want to know more about, then it is not a big deal. It actually provides a opportunity to further the conversation outside the meme and achieve the same goal; a deeper relationship.

The most recent widget meme I participated in occurred early in January this year. I picked it up from one blog in my PodCamp group. The meme in this case was a widget that advertised the readability of the blog. I had seen a similar one a year or so ago and was curious to see if there were any changes in readability since then. I posted the results and went on my way.

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from Michael Pollitt, a free-lance writer for the Guardian (UK). He wrote:

Generous Coaching for us in eBooks, and Learning By Example

Two of our JJL authors are offering new eBooks on their own sites, absolutely free!

Karen Wallace has launched a new online magazine called The Calm Space, “a virtual magazine that’s like a day-spa for your senses!” and she writes...

In celebration of our first issue of The Calm Space, I am thrilled to be able to offer you a once-only chance to get a copy of my book, How to find the Pause Button for your life… with my compliments!

This book offers you six lessons on reducing the stress, and reconnecting with what makes you happy.

Visit The Calm Space and look for the Pause Button link to download your complimentary copy today.

[Or you can click on the image to the right for the direct route to the download page.]

At Confident Writing, Joanna Young has been presenting a monthly theme in her work shared with us as a writing coach. She turned her September discussion on authentic writing into a 14-page e-book: It's called The Courage to Hear Yourself Sing: 5 takes on authentic writing.

Joanna writes,

This is my first attempt at writing in this medium so I'd be grateful - as ever - for any comments and feedback.  If it's a format that works - who knows?  You might just see me doing some more in the future :-)

We hope so Joanna!

Like you, our contributing authors are lifelong learners, and while we are grateful to both Karen and Joanna for sharing these e-books with us, we are most proud of the example they set as learners who take risks, trying new things in immediate application of their learning. They have taken that additional, very crucial step, where learnING becomes learnED. They have taken a Leap!

Thank you Karen and Joanna, and Ho‘omaika‘i ana ~ congratulations on your work, both beautifully done expressions of your Ho‘ohana.
~ Rosa Say for Joyful Jubilant Learning

---

Read more about the learning journeys Karen and Joanna take, by clicking to their author indexes here on JJL:

• Karen Wallace
• Joanna Young

Community and Learning

While Dean is leading us down the path of "unlearning", and Rosa has struggled with "unlearning", I found this when visiting Nancy's Full Circle blog as my week of vacation concludes.

Nancy White has this nifty slideshow

Great food for thought!

I am a THOUGHT. Your thought.

Remember to add your nominations this weekend: Who should get our nod as Thinking Bloggers?

Another find from John C. Maxwell’s The Difference Maker may help you think of someone deserving today:

“Do you know what forms and sustains your attitude most today? Your thoughts. As author and successful businessman Bob Conklin indicated in the following piece, thoughts make a huge impact on you:

I can make you rise or fall. I can work for you or against you. I can make you a success or a failure.
I control the way that you feel and the way that you act.
I can make you laugh … work … love. I can make your heart sing with joy … excitement … elation.

Or I can make you wretched … dejected … morbid.
I can make you sick … listless.
I can be as a shackle … heavy … attached … burdensome.

Or I can be as the prism’s hue … dancing … bright … fleeting … lost forever unless captured by pen or purpose.
I can be nurtured and grown to be great and beautiful … seen by the eyes of others through action in you.

I can never be removed … only replaced.
I am a THOUGHT.

Why not know me better?”

So, by way of their influence the thoughts you now have, which bloggers are you allowing to make an impact on you? Tell us here.
~Rosa Say

From the JJL Archives:

• On The Difference Maker: UnLearn Trying to Motivate: Speak to Teach and A Management Problem: The Difference Maker by Tim Draayer.
• On Bigger Thinking: Start a Bigger Thinker’s List: “What I Want to Learn”

PodCamp Boston 2 - October 26-28, 2007

PodCamp Boston 2 is rapidly approaching. We are into August and October 26-28 feels like it is just around the corner.

It was a great event last year and I expect this year to be even more so. There are already 290 registered for this event.

Are you in New England? You should consider participating!

Even if you are outside the Boston metro area, this should be a good excuse to get here and participate!

The PodCamp website with additional info can be found here:

Accelerate Learning: Read and Stimulate Your Reticular Activating System

In this article I cite Thomas Edision, Wikipedia, and Jim Newton (Edison's friend) to answer these questions, "How do we learn? What is learning?"

"That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you'd understood all your life, but in a new way." - Doris Lessing - Author

We Have Been Given a Wonderful Gift

You may or may not know but we each have been given a Reticular Activating System (RAS). It acts as the brains control center, the  center of consciousness, attention and learning.

Your RAS is the key to “turning your brain 'on',” and seems to be the center of motivation and is essentially:

"your unconscious auto-pilot filter that constantly judges what’s important and what’s not about each and every bit of stimulus occurring physically around you and mentally inside of you. Or, to quote an expert:

“[It] alerts the brain to incoming information from the senses, and from the centers of thought, memory and feeling. More than that, it adjudicates the relative importance of that information. . . In a way the RAS is like a vigilant secretary, sorting out the trivia from the incoming messages.” - Ronald H Bailey, et al. The Role of the Brain, 1975

The amazing thing about the reticular filter is that you, through your own intentions and focus, can influence what it lets in and what it keeps out. If you have ever had the experience of buying a car and then noticed that all you see on the road around you are other cars just like yours, you’ve experienced the power of the reticular filter.

The trick is to consciously set up your reticular to look for input and ideas that will lead you toward SUCCESSFUL outcomes, not unsuccessful ones." Via David Allen Co.

We use our RAS each and everyday whether we realize it or not. The information and stimulus we gain in the process of learning is the seed of awareness that our RAS uses to draw our attention, to notice something we might have otherwise missed.

Example of Your RAC Working

Can you remember when you bought your first new car? What was the make, model, and color? Do you remember suddenly noticing many of the same cars with the color as yours?

Google Docs and Microsoft Word

The Office Watch curent issue has more details about using Google Docs for collaboration around a document and then finishing the document with formating and other things that Microsoft does well.

Several of the regular newsletters I subscribe to come from the folks behind the Office Watch. They keep current with what is happening in the land of Redmond, WA with a particular eye to the users of the Office products. They cut through the hype and vaporware to deliver the straight skinny as much as it is possible. In the years that I have subscribed, they are generally right on the money.

You can view the online version of the newsletter here.

From this website, you can also subscribe via RSS or email.

Office Watch tends to be a little technical.

Office for Mere Mortals delivers similar information in a manner that makes sense to most of us.

Email Essentials focuses on all things in the user arena for email not just Outlook.

All this information for FREE. Yes, free. Really. They do also raise money with some handy ebooks.

Oh, and you can also select to recieve a version of each newsletter to read on your PDA. They do practice what they talk about.

Do you have a technical newletter or information source to share? Please leave a comment with your recommendation.

Steve Sherlock is your collaboration teammate who believes commencement begins everyday

.......

This is a continuation of a posting originally made here

Teaching To Learn

One of the most effective ways I've found to learn is to commit myself to teaching something to someone else. Through my involvement in Boy Scouts as an adult leader, this becomes clear to me time and time again. In many cases, I end up counseling boys on topics I thought I knew pretty well, but when I sit down to brush up on them I discover I still have a lot to learn (particularly if I expect to teach someone else about a topic).

In addition to compelling me to dig deeper on topics than I might otherwise probe, this approach gets me to spend time finding out what others have done to teach the topic. I often find that there are tremendous resources available that allow me to "stand on the shoulders of giants" and improve my effectiveness as a teacher.

For example, I recently became a counselor for the "Personal Management" merit badge that the Boy Scouts of America offer. This badge is designed to help Scouts develop skills, discipline, and thinking processes to help them manage their time, finances, and other significant areas of their lives. I wish there had been a badge like this when I was growing up - check out the set of requirements for the badge in this Personal Management Worksheet.pdf (69 Kb), which I found online and am using with the Scouts I'm counseling. I'm actually applying some of these concepts in a home project we're doing now, and I wish I'd had some of these practice aids to help me budget my time when I was a teenager!

Do you want to learn something new, or become more knowledgeable about a topic which which you're already familiar? I recommend committing yourself to teaching someone else about that topic.

If you're not currently involved in any organizations that provide the forum for this, take a look around your community and see if you can change that. Some possiblities include:

• Scouting organizations
• community centers (I recently heard a story about someone who teaches basic computer skills geared toward senior citizens through a community center)
• Boys and Girls clubs
• community colleges
• public libraries
• retirement resource centers

And I'm sure there are many more - anyone else have any suggestions that have worked for you?

And all you lifelong learners, I encourage you to give teaching a try - who knows - you just might learn something!

---

Dwayne Melancon is the author of Genuine Curiosity, where he is always on the lookout for new things to learn.

Related items:

• What are the right tools for the job?

The nature of reading habits - enhancing the learning of reading

Reading furnishes the mind only with the materials of knowledge;
it is thinking that makes what we read ours.

~ John Locke  ~

I have been pondering the nature of my reading habits of late.  My reading to learn, more than my reading for pleasure.  I still take immense pleasure in reading fiction when time allows, but as the stack of unread ‘something to learn’ books grows I find myself needing to devote more time to the reading-to-learn type of reading.

Recent changes I had made to the bookshelves in my study have meant I had to move my to-read pile off the shelves – they are now sitting in three – count them! – three neatish tall stacks on my bench waiting to be sorted and put back on the new shelves. So they have been very much front of mind and in my face during this process… and I have come to realise that there are a number of challenges I have with my reading to learn.

There is the matter of time.

Of course, if I had all the time in the world, I would be able to sit somewhere nice and quiet and plough through the reading material. As it is, there aren’t many minutes in the day where I get a chance to sit and read in peace. So the challenge is to set aside time, make time, rather than waiting until I have a spare moment. 

I need to make my learning a priority or it just won’t happen.

There is the matter of attitude.

In my mind (and I have only realised this recently) reading is an indulgence.  Something you did when the work was done. Something for free time.

In some ways, I think this attitude stems from the fact that I love to read and that I have never seen reading as ‘work’.

I also think, as a bookworm child, I was teased for hiding with my head in a book when there were chores to be done.

In my quest to have work I love, what better could I spend my time on than reading?  Good, solid, meaningful reading…

There is the matter of focus.

Oh! I just love books.  I can lose myself in a good bookshop for hours. Any present that comes beautifully wrapped in the shape of a book thrills me to bits before I have even opened it. I could spend my entire earnings on books without much effort.  But then, of course, there is the reading of them. 

Books are not made for sitting looking pretty on the bookshelf - you actually have to open them and start to read.

And concentrate.

I have been known to have more than a half-dozen books I am reading at the same time.  And the number of bookmarks in books on my shelves attests to how many books I get part way through, only to be distracted by another.

I’m curious to know how others choose which book to read now, and how they concentrate on that book, and that one alone, without being tempted to open something else that may be enticing them… (or do we all have too many books on the go at the same time??)

There is the matter of process. 

I have never been one to write in books or mark them up. I never dog-ear a page. I was brought up to believe that books are hallowed ground, and that they represent a sacred object, never to be defiled. It was something about leaving them in pristine condition for the next reader (in the hope (?) that there would be a next reader).

But reading from people like Tim Sanders and Rosa Say about marking up books, creating indexes and writing your thoughts and learning right there in book totally has me challenged to change my ways.  Can I do it?  I’m not there, yet, but think I might start with a small book and do it as an experiment. 

Any tips?

There is the matter of stickability.

We’ve all read books where we thought – this is great!  This can change my life!  Wow!  And we promise ourselves to implement what we have read … then find ourselves a few weeks later, with no change at all.

As I have been learning - by reading many of the wonderful posts by JJLN contributors – there are other steps and actions that can be taken to reinforce learning, change habits and implement new ways of doing and being.

A change to my reading habits

So, with my pile of books serenading me with their siren song, luring me in, and the list of books I’d like to read growing every single day, it’s time for me to make some changes in the habits of my reading to learn, including:

1. Reminding myself, constantly, that reading is not an indulgence to be done in my spare time (I’ll save that for fiction) – it is a necessary part of my personal and business development. Absorbing these lessons
2. Scheduling time for my reading to learn in my diary in ink
3. Picking a book out of the pile that resonates with me at this moment (they all interest me, otherwise they wouldn't be in the pile!) and learning from it with focus.  Unless, of course, I find I am not learning anything, in which case it will NOT return to my bookshelf.
4. Don't pick up another book until the last one is done with me (OK, this one will be particularly hard...)
5. Breaking the habit of a lifetime by marking up a book and assessing whether this works for me
6. Reinforcing my learning by talking about it, writing about it, thinking about it, doing it, debating it, googling it, whatever it takes to cement and optimise the learning for me. Absorb the lessons here.

What about you? Do you have challenges around your reading to learn?

---

Post author Karen Wallace believes that writing about the lessons she's learned not only helps to cement the learning for her, but may one day help others in their quest for a calmer life.

E Learning is Shallow Yet Has Potential

I have great hope for the future of E Learning but in it's current state, E Learning is shallow and ripe for innovation. I was discussing this with Rosa and she asked me to share my thoughts with the JJL community.

Why is E Learning Shallow?

The challenge with E Learning is it tends to be impersonal, lacking one-on-one interaction, and reciprocal action.

Learning is an experience.

Learning cannot be bottled, controlled, or packaged - learning is the experience of acquiring knowledge or skills through practice, experience, or study. A teacher, mentor, or speaker can impact a students experience, direct their attention - despite that, learning is very much a personal journey.

Solitary E Learning offers flexibility, self-paced, and self-study opportunities that traditional approaches cannot match.

It is the exchange of ideas, debate, and exploring on an idea or concept between two or more people that creates a plethora of learning opportunities. Unless we can create a synchronous  electronic environment that provides for interaction, collaboration, and synchronous (at the same time) conversations.

We Need to VAKOG E Learning

We learn through our five senses and its a unique combination of visual, auditory , kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory (VAKOG) stimulus that creates the 'learning experience' and until E Learning can simulate more of a interactive, live learning environment it will not reach wide acceptance, by learners.

I am not suggesting that people cannot learn via E Learning, just that its potential will be limited until we can create a rich, live, and interactive user experience.

• Are you aware of any E Learning platforms that provide a synchronous and rich experience?
• What has been your experience with E Learning? What did you like or dislike?
• Why do you think E Learning has become popular?

Greg Balanko-Dickson is a Business Performance and Lifestyle Coach that helps entrepreneurs to have their business and a life too.

Steelcase: A Culture of Learning

In my never ending quest for knowledge about design, I came across the Steelcase Web site last year.  It was there I learned of Mark Greiner's blog workit.  workit also was a stop on a Starship Cruiser mission, one of my all time favorite voyages.  That day we were in search of a sense of place.

A few minutes at Steelcase's site pegs the red line on my this-is-a-company-that-values-knowledge meter.  Heck, it breaks the glass.  The entire site radiates this thought and for me it was not anything specific.  From the main site I find Mark's blog and his post on people and culture.  Mark's observations reinforce my perceptions of Steelcase as a knowledge-based company.

James P. Hackett's article, Preparing for the Perfect Product Launch, in the April edition of Harvard Business Review, caused me once again to dwell on the learning culture of Steelcase.  (Unfortunately HBR requires a paid subscription to view this article online).  Jim, who is the company's CEO, describes a critical thinking process that his associates go through before launching a product.  This process which Jim teaches at their corporate university, combines deep thinking with execution. 

Why don't I hire a training company to teach managers critical thinking?  The answer is simple: The lesson sticks better when the CEO teaches it.

The critical thinking course not only is of value to new product development, it helps managers working within groups, reach decisions and come to informed agreements. 

The course is based on four phases:

• Think
• Set the Point of View
• Plan Implementation
• Implement

Think

• Ponder
• Query
• Read and research
• Network
• Document

Set the Point of View

• Conduct a collegial, open-minded discussion
• Determine the direction
• Assign an owner for the point of view
• Stay the course

Plan Implementation

• Clarify, refine
• Consider all stakeholders
• Practice, practice, practice

Implement

• Select a spokesperson
• Play to win
• Celebrate the victory

Each of these phase subsets is rigorous and involved.  But from this snapshot one can easily discern the seriousness that Steelcase places upon the learning process.  Combine intent with content, add discipline and surround it with interested associates and you have a culture of learning.

Using Google & MS Office together

Google's move to an online version of Office continues with the announcement that they have purchased an online presentation system. Later this year Google Docs and Spreadsheets will also include something akin to Microsoft Powerpoint.

In most discussions of Google Apps it's considered a rival to Microsoft Office, where you have the choice of using either Google's online offerings or Microsoft Office - not both.

We'd like to suggest a middle ground - you can use Microsoft Office plus Google Docs and Spreadsheets to fill gaps that Office alone can't do.

As many of us are users of both of these products, using them together is a next step. Read the remainder of these insights at Office Watch. I like that Google is adding a presentation product. This will help complete the package.

Steve Sherlock is your collaboration teammate who believes commencement begins everyday

Review: This is Your Brain on Music

This love affair with books brings to mind another love affair that my wife and I share; music. Music has appeared at significant moments in my life such that hearing a particular song again takes me on a instant trip back in time.

I recall driving to the Junior Naval Cadet drill team practice, struggling with the decision leave the team to devote my time to making the high school basketball team when the Rolling Stones came on the radio singing “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need…” I did leave the drill team to play basketball.

I recall a time in college, the cross country team traveling on a bus ride to a meet in Plymouth, NH. It had been pouring rain since we left Worcester, MA. We were dreading running the course which was not known to be good in wet conditions. As we came over a crest on the highway, the rain slowed, the clouds gave way, the sun appeared and of course, on the radio, “I can see clearly now the sun has gone … it’s going to be a bright, bright sunshiny day.” The team did have a good race that day.

When I heard there was a new book: This is Your Brain on Music, The Science of Human Obsession by Daniel Levitin, I found the Amazon link and put it on my reading list. I read it over the course of several commutes via the train to Boston. Oddly, it held my attention such that I could not listen to music while reading it. Some books do that for me. They may not require my full attention but they attract it. This was one of those. This was also one book that I ended up marking more than any other I have read in the past several years. I marked books in school and then got away from this habit post college. Reading Tim Sanders’ Love is the Killer App brought this technique back into my life.

Daniel writes in the introduction:

“By better understanding what music is and where it comes from, we may be able to better understand our motives, fears, desires, memories and even communication in the broadest sense. Is music listening more along the lines of eating when you’re hungry, and thus satisfying an urge? Or is it more like seeing a beautiful sunset or getting a backrub, which triggers sensory pleasure systems in the brain? Why do people seem to get stuck in their musical tastes as they grow older and cease experimenting with new music? This is the story of how brains and music evolved --- what music can teach us about the brain, what the brain can teach us about music, and what both can teach us about ourselves”  (p12)

This Web 2.0 Thing Explained

Settle in for a few minutes to watch this. Fasten your seatbelt as it moves quickly.

Found via Will Richardson writing at Weblogg-ed

Steve Sherlock is your collaboration teammate who believes commencement begins everyday.

Quotes & Links

From Nancy White at Full Circle Online Interaction Blog

As I read the findings, the first thing that strikes me is that this report  talks about the need for technology  stewardship. Who are the people in your community or organization who have  an interest in and sufficient technology skills to help you scan, select,  implement technology and, very importantly, steward technology in use? This is  the intersection between technology and practice which feels so natural for  early adopters, but may be a barrier for the rest of us.

Read her posting and down load the full ICT report that she references (available in PDF).

From Andrew Taylor writing at The Artful Manager

Artist/director/maven Peter Sellars got right to the point in his conference  keynote for the American Symphony Orchestra League, suggesting that the  contemporary standard for the American orchestra doesn't serve the art, doesn't  serve humanity, and disconnects the two in the process:

If you want to respect your grandparents, take care of your kids. You can't  keep your grandparents alive forever, but they're still with you in your own  children. In America, we fell in love with an artificial life-support system  that wouldn't let certain things die. Telling ourselves it was out of love that  we were doing this, we starved the kids.

Any business that still has things on the shelf from 50 years ago as its  primary offering...it's a little odd. Everybody's saying everything but the  obvious -- it's dead

Read Andrew's full post here.

From Ken Thompson writing at The Bumble Bee

... I offer here my team profiling checklist which can be used to rapidly  profile an organisational team or multi-enterprise network  across eight different dimensions.

It can be worked through with a senior member of a forming team in  as little as 15 minutes.

 

I don’t pretend it is exhaustive but I do guarantee that if  you use it properly it will identify at least 3 things about the team  which you did not know about or were making invalid assumptions aroundwhich will impact on your virtual team support plan!

Read Ken's full post to obtain the full profile.

Wow, plenty of good stuff in those links!

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: biotema, bumble bee, full circle, artful manager, ICT

powered by performancing firefox

Steve Sherlock is your collaboration teammate who believes commencement begins everyday.

Periodic Table of Visualization Methods

This amazing table comes via Seth Godin via David at boingboing.

Follow this link.

View the table. Take your time, scroll around.

Read the popup information for each entry.

This was a good deal of work, and look what a presence it creates.



Steve Sherlock is your
collaboration teammate who believes commencement begins everyday.



Technorati Tags: periodic table, Seth Godin, BoingBoing, visualization

powered by performancing firefox

3 Keys for Change

These are the three keys to change: relate, repeat, and reframe. New hope, new skills, and new thinking.

This is from Alan Deutschman's article in January's issue of FastCompany.

He develops three stories leading to these three keys and does so convincingly for me.

Go ahead, click through to read the article for yourself.

....

What do you think about it?

Has Alan captured the keys to effective change?

Steve Sherlock is your collaboration teammate who believes commencement begins everyday.

Powered by Qumana

How do I blog? - Story from a Newbie

How do I blog? That, my friends is a loaded question for me. You see, I am very new to the “blogging” world and like a newborn infant, I think I stumble and grasp at things more than actually move and reach with a purpose. With that said, I can share with you my learning experience so far.

 

I started to blog because my dear friend and mentor strongly suggested that I do. Granted I am a techno-phile/geek at heart and the idea of learning a new technology was intriguing. I first started to explore the same way I like to explore any new city that I visit.  I tried to let myself get lost.  I started with the blogs that my friend had recommended and I followed links to links to links till often times my back button could not find me my way back home.  In those convoluted hour-long journeys, I learned so much about what was out there and I have found hidden gems of sites that I now love.

 

Tip #1 – Don’t be afraid to get lost.  Explore fearlessly and relentlessly. 

 

My first impression of The Big Blogging World (BBW) was one of awe.  Almost mind-numbing awe from the amount of learning and sharing that was out there.  Every where I looked, there was great minds and large hearts that were willing to give to anyone who will read.  It is truly incredible.  Of course, this wonderful view is in part because I started with the Ho’ohana Community and with JJLN. In these two communities, I have found the best teachers and guides.  They have coached, taught and encouraged me through this BBW and have shared their insight with me and have also allowed me to find my own way.  They have inspired me when I felt like quitting and they have saved me when I was lost and overwhelmed.

 

Tip #2 - If you are new and want a positive experience for blogging, find guides that will be kind, protective and nurturing teachers. 

 

 

Since these first few experiences and impressions, I have been blogging for about 3 months.  With the gentle guidance from my great teachers and my own wanderings, I have started to learn how to keep the flow of information controlled.  With so much out there to know and new material being released every day, every hour, my next challenge has been finding a way to control the amount of information I receive and still keep a hand on the pulse of current activity.  My solution so far has been learning how to use Bloglines, and RSS feeders.  Of course, the mundane solution of good habits that keeps me connected with my computer has also been essential.  Right now my habit is to check my sources at least once a day. I spend about 1-4 hours reading, exploring and learning.  Eventually I find the courage to write comments.

 

Tip #3 – Find a way to control the flow of information and keep in contact with the sites you love.

 

 

Ahhhh….. comments!  Now isn’t that a big team player to try and tackle?!  One of my teachers gave me the best advice for comments.  He said to make sure you really have something to say or add to the post.  Don’t fall into the trap of writing comments just to have a comment written.  As I have explored the BBW and have read other comments, I understand what he means.  I struggle with the internal argument of validating the comments I sometimes draft.  I have learned that if you have something to say, say it.  If you don’t have something to say, then read, enjoy and go back to read more later.  The best thing is, say what your thoughts are in a comment and then write about the post in your own post.  The highest compliment I have seen so far are the links that tracks back to someone else’s post.

 

Tip#4 – When it comes to comments, don’t be shy, be thoughtful and remember to link in your own posts your source of inspiration.

 

So far, this is my story and my advice from lessons learned.  I welcome you to share your stories, suggestions or feedback.  Please help me to continue to learn and Mahalo (thank you) for letting me write and reading my story.

 

Toni Howard is a Workplace Aloha Coach for Say Leadership Coaching. She is passionate about bringing nobility to working arts of management and leadership by sharing the principles and practices of Managing with Aloha.

K-12 Online Conference

Focused primarily on education, the K-12 Online Conference has produced a wealth of resources applicable to anyone wanting to learn more about the possibilities of Web 2.0. Educators from around the world use wikis, podcasts, screencasts and video to communicate how they are using Web 2.0 tools to engage and teach students. The conference runs October 23 - November 4, 2006, but the resources will be available online long beyond the conference dates.

Here are some of the topics covered during Week 1:

• Wiki Collaboration
• Free Web Tools
• Blogs
• Internet Audio
• Social Networking
• RSS
• Podcasting
• i-learning
• Flickr
• Internet Video
• Moodle

For example, the session on wikis discusses the k12wiki, which uses a simple wiki tool named wikispaces.

Bookmark the Website, subscribe to the feed, and make time for some valuable exploration.

---

Blaine Collins is the author of the Stronger Teams Blog, a place to explore useful ideas and strategies for improving teamwork, collaboration and team leadership in professional organizations.