E-Learning

The art and science of online learning.

Free Microsoft eLearning Development Tool

/ Susan Hendrich / 3 Comments

Free Microsoft eLearning Development Tool

Microsoft has rolled out a FREE tool called LCDS. LCDS is an eLearning development tool that Microsoft is using to develop their multimedia driven eLearning. It can output to Flash, SilverLight, SCORM, HTML and more…

FREE DOWNLOAD: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/tools/lcds/default.mspx

About LCDS from Microsoft:
The Learning Content Development System, or LCDS, is a forms-based tool that anyone can use to create e-learning content. By using the LCDS, you can:
• Author rich, interactive content by completing the easy-to-use LCDS forms
• Preview your course at any stage of development
• Set up a course structure that you can easily rearrange at any time

Learning styles

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

Looking for information on learning style inventories?

After years of facilitating learning styles workshops, I offer you the following perspectives/ideas:
 1. The Learning Styles Online inventory is good. The “Learning and techniques” section that they provide as feedback for the quiz results is solid, and the detailed combinations of style results are powerful.
2. The Hay Group has developed the robust “Kolb Learning Style Inventory,” based on David Kolb’s ground-breaking thinking, doing, experiencing, reflecting. The inventory and detailed individual and group feedback reports cost $15.00 per participant. This inventory is empirically validated and is widely used among corporate training groups. Check out the PowerPoint pdf they have on their information page.

3. A free quiz offered by AES does a very nice job of targeting participants’ learning styles and offering concrete action steps to help optimize learning.

4. VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic) is an often-used system that provides good feedback and tangible recommendations. A very detailed and more instructive feedback report is available for $28/participant. Whether you use VARK or not, the FAQ page (http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=faq) on the vark-learn site has some useful answers to common questions your participants may be asking.

One suggestion, regardless of the inventory you choose…

“Map out” participants’ results on a chart the whole class can see. People love to compare their own learning styles to that of their peers. This referential data provdes an answer to the eternal “how do I fit in to this human puzzle?” question. I have used PowerPoint slides to map out peoples scores as data points. You also can take a sheet of newsprint and draw a grid to map out scores using participants’ initials. It can be instructive for trainers to see any trends that a particular group might demonstrate.

I would be delighted to visit with you further about learning styles if you think it might be useful. Feel free to contact me at any time to discuss.

Take care, and happy learning!

Susan Hendrich 

 

 

 

Crowdsourcing

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

My 3 favorite crowdsourcing sites:

 

http://www.cambrianhouse.com/

http://www.crowdspring.com/

http://www.innocentive.com/

 

A fun and semi-related site: http://www.ask500people.com/. I enjoy flinging random questions out there and seeing how people respond.  Try one now!

Update:  How cool is this—I posted my 3 favorite crowdsourcing sites at 10:00 am. By 10:10, the co-founder of www.crowdspring.com adds his comment to this post.  That’s the world we live in…everyday is a New York minute!

Learning maps

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

How do you enable strategic organizational change?

More and more these days, I’m being asked to find ways of facilitating meaningful and successful change in organizations.  Invariably, leadership needs a strategy for bringing about desired change. And there are millions of strategies out there (just google “Change management strategy” and you’ll see). So, I try to keep a pulse on change management efforts that are working out there. Today I came across Root, a forward-thinking group making interesting use of learning maps.  Their concept is simple. Their process is fun. Their results are amazing.

What is a Learning Map?

The gist of these Learning Maps is that they use visual mapping to enable rapid communications within organizations about new strategy execution. These visual depictions of a new process or strategy tap into a collaborative process and help every employee to see beyond their own job functions to the bigger picture that is “where we are going.”  These learning maps engage their workforces by communicating an understanding about the industry and internal business.

Let me see this for myself

Take a “look” at ROOT’s Learning Maps and let me know what you think: http://www.rootlearning.com/www/index.htm

Susan Hendrich

Visual storytelling

/ Susan Hendrich / 5 Comments

Connect Using Visual Storytelling

It’s time for another golden e-Learning design tip! Today we’ll focus on visual storytelling. 

We’ve heard over and again that the power of visual imagery is unbeatable in instructional design. Yet, we struggle to find and use images that accurately capture and evoke the kind of emotion that connects audiences with the story we are trying to tell.  Perhaps you’ve seen the famed YouTube video series, “In Plain English,” where the CommonCraft geniuses show us (rather than tell us) the essence of Web 2.0 technologies. It is this kind of visual storytelling that captures our attention and ignites our imagination.

So, how can you show, rather than tell, your story?

Now, here’s your homework:

Take a look at Veronica Rusnak‘s Article on “Visual Storytelling and Moments in the Human Condition.”

“Remember: story, not data. Rather than talk about your topic, find a way to show it.”

Looking forward to your ideas!

Susan Hendrich