Using Google Plus Hangouts

Some good thoughts on using Google+ in training/eduction.

As more people join Google’s new social network, Google+, they’re figuring out how to take advantage of some of the innovative uses for the site.

One obvious use for educators is to boost their personal and professional network, particularly as the service offers more granular controls for privacy and sharing. Within these Circles, as each designated group is called, educators and students can create discussion groups without having to worry about the awkward or troubling “friend” or “follower” relationships that come with Facebook and Twitter.

But beyond that, Google Hangouts opens up another realm of possibilities for educators.

via How are Educators Using Google Plus Hangouts? | MindShift.

Google Moderator in training and e-learning

We’ve recently started using Google Moderator in conjunction with e-learning courses as well as in a classroom setting.  Students can add and vote on ideas/suggestions/comments via a very simple site created by Google.  You can also create a ‘series’ of related items for feedback.

A simple solution to what in the past has been a bit messy; the collection and analysis of student feedback.

Google Moderator.

Scrap boring IT lessons

Wow, what a week it has been for IT related announcements for UK education:

Michael Gove to scrap ‘boring’ IT lessons

Schools to be given freedom to run cutting-edge computer classes under plans for open source curriculum

via Michael Gove to scrap ‘boring’ IT lessons | Politics | The Guardian.

A wiki curriculum

Gove proposes ‘wiki curriculum’

Education secretary, inspired by book on military, calls for collaborative approach to developing new curriculum

A “wiki” approach to designing the curriculum that would allow teachers and experts to collaborate in tailoring lessons for schools is being proposed by the education secretary, Michael Gove.

Read more: Gove proposes ‘wiki curriculum’ | Politics | The Guardian.

Let’s use video to reinvent education

This is a truly inspirational video looking at how the Khan Academy is using video to transform education.  This is relevant to anyone in the training or education sector.

Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education | Video on TED.com.

Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy, a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects. He shows the power of interactive exercises, and calls for teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom script — give students video lectures to watch at home, and do “homework” in the classroom with the teacher available to help.

Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education | Video on TED.com.

Using Google Plus with your learners

Here’s a great set of blog posts for the more adventurous amongst us who want to explore using Google+ with learners.  I have linked to Michelle Stephen’s Google category on her blog so you can explore all the articles.

I’m inspired to write about our Google+ usage, so watch this space!

Free e-learning resources

I’m pleased to share two new free resources.  After working hard over the weekend (no rest for the wicked!) we’ve made available an e-learning strategy guide and template along with an e-learning roi calculator.  Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for future versions.

Demand for e-learning rivalling instructor lead training

I’ve just come across a press release from a company called The Project Agency who specialise in project management training (a topic I know well after 10 years of blue chip project management!).  The Project Agency are seeing their new e-learning offering is quickly becoming as popular as the standard instructor lead training.  Here’s an exceprt from the press release:

Project Agency, the project management training and development specialist, has experienced an ‘encouraging’ level of interest in its ‘Perfect Project’ e-learning materials.

Less than six months since the e-learning materials were launched, demand is rivalling that for the company’s well established training course of the same name.

The e-learning materials are based on the contents of Project Agency’s two-day training course. Over 14,000 delegates have successfully completed this course since it began running in 1997 – so, on average, some 1,000 people each year, or over 19 people every week during that period, have completed the course.

Ron Rosenhead, managing director at Project Agency, explained: “We developed the e-learning course for those who want to deliver projects effectively and with a high degree of success – and who prefer to study at a time and in a way that suits them best.

News like this is inspiration for all training companies out there looking to establish an e-learning arm to their business.

Checklist for strong elearning

Bookmarked by Scott Gavin:

Shared by Scott

Here’s a really good checklist by Cathy Moore looking at the evaluation of e-learning content.

Do you want a checklist you can use to evaluate elearning? Here’s my contribution (PDF).

I’m calling it a checklist because several people have asked for one, but it’s not really a checklist. Instead of checking a box to say, “Yup, got that covered!” you choose a spot on a spectrum between “action-oriented materials” and “information dump.”

There are 14 items to evaluate. Once you’ve rated them all, you can glance down the “spectrum” column to see which items are closest to the dreaded “information dump” and therefore need the most work.

This range-finding approach acknowledges that we’re all facing forces that push us toward information dumps. My goal is to suggest specific items to assess and discuss as we move stakeholders closer to the “action-oriented” side of the chart.

The tool can also be used to clarify what I intend to be the end result of action mapping. For example, if a client asks for an “action mapped” course, show them the chart. If they say, “Yes, I want everything on the left side of the chart,” then they understand the goal of action mapping and will probably buy in to the design process.

Please feel free to share the checklist. Please also post your suggestions for changes in the comments section below or send them to me at the email address shown in the About page of the blog. Thanks!

Go to the source article

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