Wikipedia now RSS enabled on all pages

Wow!  Can anyone guess what I'm going to say about this bombshell?  Yea! That's right!  Learning!  Amazing opportunity to be completely connected to, and pulling, content that you are interested in as it is evolving over time. 
There are still plenty of folks that just don't participate in the Web2.0 world and all I can say is that you are missing out.  If we are to be the life-long learners we want to be, then you can't possibly have a better way of doing it than with RSS connections to the world.  If you have a better solution, I'd love to hear it.

Symposium on Wikis

Hi eLearnDevConers!
I just found this little nugget of "papers" on WIKIs.  Its a huge topic to swallow in just 1hr, so I'm hoping to get the conversation started now.  With your early feedback I can really target the presentation to your needs.  The Enterprise2.0 movement is driving IT depts to implement corporate wikis.  This is a fabulous opportunity for training departments to have impact and datamine for nuggets of information that can be formalized for new-comers. 
Check out more of the conversation at the Corporate eLearning Development blog and give me a shout if you want to make sure that we touch base at the conference.

Symposium on Wikis

Hi eLearnDevConers!
I just found this little nugget of "papers" on WIKIs.  Its a huge topic to swallow in just 1hr, so I'm hoping to get the conversation started now.  With your early feedback I can really target the presentation to your needs.  The Enterprise2.0 movement is driving IT depts to implement corporate wikis.  This is a fabulous opportunity for training departments to have impact and datamine for nuggets of information that can be formalized for new-comers. 
Check out more of the conversation at the Corporate eLearning Development blog and give me a shout if you want to make sure that we touch base at the conference.

Wild about Brain Age - Let the competition begin

Need something to do in the evenings at DevCon? How about a Brain Age battle? If you have a Nintendo DS, we can have a Brain Age competition with up to 16 players using a single game card. If you don't have a DS, I'll have mine - and other assorted gizmos to share with you.

Brain Age is predicated on the idea that your brain is a muscle that needs training like any other muscle. Everyone knows you can prevent muscle loss with exercise, and use such activities to improve your body over time. And the same could be said for your brain. The design of Brain Age is based on the premise that cognitive exercise can improve blood flow to the brain. All it takes is as little as a few minutes of play time a day. For everyone who spends all their play time at the gym working out the major muscle groups, don't forget - your brain is like a muscle, too. And it craves exercise.

The first time I tried the game - my brain age was a whopping 82. I am now in the 20s and holding steady. I haven't cracked all the games - and don't even get me started about the Sudoku section.

Wondering what I'm babbling about? Check out the website (www.brainage.com) or read the WSJ article (http://webreprints.djreprints.com/1447130730772.html).

If you have the game, I'd love to hear your comments - I'm off to buy "Big Brain Academy" and test drive it.

Learning about Multifocal implants

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na!  That's the sound of the bionic man using his 6million dollar eye.  Remember that one?  Apparently we aren't that far from it.  The latest in eye surgery is eliminating the need for bifocals and/or reading glasses.

My mother-in-law is an opthalmologist, and recently while helping with her web site she described the latest surgery that she does implanting multifocal or intraocular lenses in cataract patients.  This is amazing to me.  I figure that things will be even better by the time I need them. 

This is actually cool in another way.  How I went from not knowing, to knowing quite a lot in a matter of minutes thanks to my network, Google, and wikipedia.  I got to thinking how this pattern has become so familiar over the past few years.  You hear somthing interesting at dinner party, or chatting with family and friends, you "Google it" later, and check out the wikipedia for safe measure.  That, in and of itself, gets me light years ahead of the ol' library days of my youth.  And in very short order I'm connected to a network of contacts, and information:  I'm an engaged, informed consumer.

Learn more at WebMD.  Or if you are ever in Phoenix, AZ I can get you connected with the best surgeon in town.  (shameless plug for my wonderfully talented mother-in-law)

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na  I love making that annoying little sound.

Learning Trends: ISD down, Web2.0 UP...way up!

Everyone is always asking for data around here.  It used to be quite frustrating because it was incredibly difficult to get real data around learning in an organization.  Its still impossible, IMHO, to get level four data specific to training, but I like trends.  I like what can assumed from trends...its kind of soft data that tells a story, but you need to fill in the plot and the key players to complete the story line.  Google trends is helping me tell my latest story.

Actually, maybe you can help me tell the story.  Check out the pictures below and write a compelling plotline for them.  Is this shocking to you?  Is this just because Web2.0 is so hyped?  Are you feeling sad that fewer people are searching for Instructional design?  What do you think?

No vacancies in University Guest House Hotel

Just a note to let everyone know that there are no more vacancies in the University Guest House hotel. We've used up our room block. We still have plenty of room in the residence halls and you are always welcome to look for off-campus hotel accommodations as well.

Garin Hess | Executive Director
eLearning DevCon 2006
www.elearndevcon.com

eLearnDevCon2006 - Wiki session prep

Life, the Universe and wiki

This is a great post to get you thinking about the power of wikis.  Come with all of your questions to the wiki session.  Check the schedule here.

You can also find out more about me at the Corporate eLearning Development Blog.
And those of you reading this at elearndev, then check out the eLearn DevCon 2006 Blog for lots of great info in preparation for the conference.

Security and WBT

When developing WBT security is usually an afterthought, if thought of at all.

I am presenting a session on security considerations of WBT.

What are the questions that come to your mind when you think about security and Web-Based Training?


Authentication (Is the student really who they say they are)?
Authorization (Does this student have the permissions to do what they are requesting)?
Confidentiality (Is there anyone trying to get sensitive information about this student)?
Data Integrity (Was the information sent back to our LMS modified before it got there)?

Cheating?
Hacking?

Vlogs - how are they being used?

Hi everyone! I'm giving a presentation on Vlogs (video blogs) called "Creating Vlogs for Your eLearning Effort" in which I'll be demonstrating how easy it is to create Vlogs (we'll create one live during the session). At the beginning of the presentation I'm exploring some ways that Vlogs are currently being used to support or enhance e-learning. I'd welcome any comments about any experiences any of you have had with Vlogs and even blogs in general as part of an e-learning education effort. What challenges have you had? What successes? What have you been able to accomplish with Vlogs you couldn't do with blogs?

 

By the way, if you're interested, here are a couple of interesting articles on Vlogging:

http://www.destinationkm.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=1129 - on how we're all still trying to figure out how to use them productively, on predictions about how pervasive they will become, and suggestions on utilizing the creativity that spawns in what has traditionally seemed like the unlikely areas of organizations (quote: "The creativity of three genuinely inspired people working with limited time, equipment, and means can reach millions and create far more buzz than a million-dollar Super Bowl commercial.")

http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/archives/002454.html - a short but insightful comment on the what online mechanisms should be used for

 

Looking forward to this year's conference!

 

Garin Hess
Rapid Intake Inc.
www.rapidintake.com