The Online Training Content Journal

Creating and Assessing Online Communities

Five heuristics for designing and evaluating Web-based communities
by Linda M. Gallant, Gloria M. Boone, and Austin Heap

Abstract:

"From a three-step analysis of online communities, a set of five heuristics emerged: interactive creativity; selection hierarchy; identity construction; rewards and costs; and, artistic forms. These heuristics were generated from concepts appearing in past research, and then tested by a content analysis with focus groups using the case examples of two well-developed Web-based communities, Facebook and MySpace. The users saw this type of social technology as a flexible form of their own expression to create their own identities, social relationships, and meanings. Overall, MySpace was seen as offering greater creativity and artistic form than Facebook. The users in this study used online communities for gaining social rewards; e.g., forming and maintaining friendships, with little concern for social costs such as time expended or privacy concerns. This study contributes to a set of heuristics that can be used to evaluate other Web-based online communities in social contexts such as gaming, communities of practice, and business."

instructional design	online training content development	accessibility
section 508	interactivity	learning activities
elearning podcasts	usability	CSS Flash XHTML
semantic markup

Dave Boggs
SyberWorks, Inc.
SyberWorks e-Learning Podcast Series
SyberWorks LMS e-Learning Implementation Podcast Series
e-Learning Lingo Podcast Series
SyberWorks Learning Management System

SyberWorks LMS e-Learning Implementation Podcasts: Episode #2 Interview with John Preble, VP of SBTAOnline.com

Here is our latest press release and podcast:

SyberWorks LMS e-Learning Implementation Podcasts: Episode #2 Interview with John Preble, VP of SBTAOnline.com

Episode 2: Interview with Jon Preble

Jon Preble, Vice President of Development at Southeastern Building Trades Associates, Inc. talks about their use of the SyberWorks Hosted e-Learning Solution to provide continuing education credits to workers in the trades that are required by law to maintain their licenses in the states of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.

SyberWorks LMS e-Learning Implementation Series: Episode #2 Transcript

instructional design	online training content development	accessibility
section 508	interactivity	learning activities
elearning podcasts	usability	CSS Flash XHTML
semantic markup

Dave Boggs
SyberWorks, Inc.
SyberWorks e-Learning Podcast Series
SyberWorks LMS e-Learning Implementation Podcast Series

In e-Learning, Our Eyes Can Be Bigger Than Our Stomachs.....

Gray's e-Learning Blog has an interesting post on  Initial satisfacion vs. end results in e-learning .

He makes some interesting comments in regards to online training and e-Learning course development, "In conclusion, when designing e-learning products, start with the basic functionality. Test it with users and add enhancements only if used often and fully. Remember added functionality often results in an increased learning curve for the user. Also remember that as was found in the 2004 study quoted below, “satisfaction and user performance do not always correlate” as learners preformed better with interfaces that they stated were less desirable. It is not inconceivable that you will have to weigh whether you are shooting for initial perceived satisfaction or end goal achievement and results oriented satisfaction."

He pulls the quote from, A comparison of parallelism in interface design for computer-based learning environments, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Vol. 20, No. 5, October, pp. 360–367

Dave Boggs
SyberWorks

Test Construction Resource

Below is a link to a test construction pdf from educators at the University of Wisconsin.  Good information to help develop test for online training content.

Test Construction

Dave Boggs
SyberWorks