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I will not be posting until January 3rd, 2007 due to the holiday.
Have a fun and safe New Year!
| 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
Towards a Task Model for Mobile Learning: a Dialectical Approach by Josie Taylor, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University; Mike Sharples, University of Birmingham; Claire O’Malley, Learning Sciences Research Institute, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham;
Giasemi Vavoula, University of Birmingham; Jenny Waycott, SITRC, RMIT Business Facility
Abstract: "Our approach to understanding mobile learning begins by describing a dialectical
approach to the development and presentation of a task model using the sociocognitive
engineering design method. This analysis synthesises relevant theoretical
approaches. We then examine two field studies which feed into the development of
the task model."
| 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
Quality Matters: Inter-Institutional Quality Improvement For Online Courses by John Sener
Abstract:
"The Quality Matters (QM) project funded by FIPSE and administered by MarylandOnline (MOL) is
creating a replicable inter-institutional continuous improvement model to assess, assure, and improve the quality of online courses. Designed to address statewide and national needs for credible quality assurance in online learning, the inter-institutional collaboration is an integral and essential feature of QM project organization, implementation, and impact. The project uses inter-institutional, intersegmental peer review teams as an integral part of the quality improvement process; the expansion of the peer reviewer pool to involve faculty from two- and four-year institutions beyond MOL members in peer reviews of courses is also particularly noteworthy. The QM project’s success to date indicates the viability of creating an interinstitutional collaborative process for quality improvement in online courses. Future efforts will focus on determining whether the project can build and maintain a sustainable model for the long term."
| 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
We will not be posting until Wednesday, December 27th.
From everyone at SyberWorks, we wish you a safe and happy holiday!
| 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
As a compliment to our SyberWorks e-Learning Accessibility Podcast Series, I found this article on, "E-accessibility to educational content for the deaf" by Dr. Eleni Efthimiou and Dr. Stavroula (Evita) Fotinea from the Institute for Language and Speech Processing, Dept. of Educational Technology. in Athens, Greece and Dr. Galini Sapountzaki University of Thessaly, Dept. of Special Education, Greek Sign Language Lab in Volos, Greece.
Abstract:"This paper focuses on the implementation of an e-learning environment for the educational support of the deaf, as a paradigm of deaf inclusion in the Information Society. The developed platform allows structuring and presentation of Greek Sign Language (GSL) educational material and linguistic resources, addressing the needs of GSL grammar teaching to early primary school pupils. Linguistic content presentation is realized by applying dynamic sign synthesis through the use of avatar technologies for sign representation. The platform utilises standard techniques for the presentation of educational material in deaf classes but also allows tutors to modify educational material dynamically. Acceptance by students and tutors has been tested under the supervision of the Hellenic Federation of the Deaf."
| 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
Here is an article from the e-learning guru site, Introduction to Instructional Design and the ADDIE Model by Kevin Kruse
Its a good basic primer for those new to instructional design and online training development.
| 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 a previous post, I mentioned some methods for delivering Flash video and the attention that Flash video is getting these days. Click TV is a tool that allows you to deliver Flash video with a twist.
Comments can be added to the FLV file so that during playback, viewers can get more information from the presentation. A matrix of comments can be seen and on mouse over, a short description of the comment appears. Click on the comment to advance the video to that comment. There are a list of tracks to at the top of the window, which are a group of comments. Through Click TV's controls, you can Add comments during playback and share them.
I can see this tool as a very useful way to annotate training and corporate videos. The Click TV website has some interesting demos of the products potential.
| instructional design | online training content development | accessibility |
| section 508 | interactivity | learning activities |
| elearning podcasts | usability | CSS Flash XHTML |
| semantic markup |
Al Lemieux
Senior Designer
SyberWorks, Inc.
SyberWorks e-Learning Podcast Series
SyberWorks LMS e-Learning Implementation Podcast Series
Making your users wait for anything that you present to them is never a good thing. Even if the wait is only a few milliseconds on a fast connection. We live in an 'immediate gratification' society where we expect things to work in a certain way and any deviation from that is seen as a poor implementation.
Waiting for page reloads, for example, while a form is executing or when you are waiting for a stock price come up. Synchronous web applications rely on client-server communication to be completed before results are returned from a form or other application. Asynchronous communication via Ajax let's JavaScript handle the client-server communication so that the user doesn't have to wait.
The idea behind Asynchronous JavaScript and XMl is the utilization of a request object in a JavaScript handle server side XMLHttpRequest's on the fly as the user is potentially doing other things. They don't have to wait for page reloads to interrupt their workflow.
Ajax, when done well (see Netflix, for example), also takes advantage of the DOM (Document Object Model) to swap out content on a page or to replace images in a gallery based on preference. All the while, the page remains visible to the user without reloading.
Ajax is also responsible for applications created by Google including Google Maps and Gmail.
There are some problems with Ajax that directly affect the user. Since the client-server communication is being handled by JavaScript, there are few indicators of the status of that communication. Since Ajax relies on ActiveX to handle the request, older browsers (pre-6.0) may have difficulty with some apps. Finally, since the client-server communication is happening behind the scenes, the use of the back button may be broken in some instances.
Overall though, Ajax is an exciting implementation of web technologies that have been around for a while: JavaScript and XML and the immediate page response is better than making users wait.
| instructional design | online training content development | accessibility |
| section 508 | interactivity | learning activities |
| elearning podcasts | usability | CSS Flash XHTML |
| semantic markup |
Al Lemieux
Senior Designer
SyberWorks, Inc.
SyberWorks e-Learning Podcast Series
SyberWorks LMS e-Learning Implementation Podcast Series
Saw a post on Jim Kissane's Workforce Development Blog about the impact of multitasking on learning, "Multi-tasking adversely affects brain's learning, UCLA psychologists report"
The article's information is given in the context of say, someone listening to the radio, checking their email, and watching tv while trying to study. Can this be applied to the environment of the online training? Using many different types of options or say channels in which information can be taken in online (live web conference, discussion groups, synchronous and asynchronous training, job aids, blogs, video, podcasts, etc.)does it in any way inhibit learning?
Sure, it all depends how its used and works together, but making it all work together is a lot more difficult than it seems, especially when you have content that comes from different places that has been used in different ways, but your required to use here this way because budgets don't allow you to do it another way. At the end of the day, its things like this that make the training manager's and content developer's job really tough.
| 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
