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Today was a good day.
We started off attending the opening session at the ASTD TechKnowledge conference. The open speaker was Joe Miller, Vice-President, Platform and Technology Development Linden Research, Inc — i.e. creators of Second Life.
I don’t want to give the wrong impression, I think the potential future uses on 3-d worlds is interesting and could be very useful. I think that right now for many of the organizations I have talked to the idea of using something like Second Life isn’t an option – for a lot of different reasons. I’ve stated before I am a bit of naysayer – even though I keep many of the Tech trends – but I am trying to critically think of how it can be used. I guess the Second Life bug just hasn’t bit yet. And I’m still struggling to see it’s niche.
I guess its like a lot of things – as instructional designer I try not to get beholden to any one tool. I think like like many other positions the instructional designer needs many tools, so that the right one in the right situation at the right time can be used effectively.
Oh – and I think the presentation would have been more convincing if the avatars in the images used during the presentation weren’t large busted, scantily clad females. I mean, really, are those the only ones they could find. I suppose for some folks that’s the fun right – but when you’re talking to a group of professionals that already have to do a lot of work to justify tools a lot older and more standard than Second Life – couldn’t you help us out a little by at least not making it look like its spring break in Florida on the beach? [sigh.]
On a different note, Ryan Eash (Instructional Designer from TechSmith Corporation) and I presented another session on Camtasia Studio. It went really well. It was funny, I mentioned Second Life and got lots of laughs. I think some of the feelings I have we’re mutual.
The session was really good. We tightened up some of our presentation and felt pretty fluid. Still some more we can do, but teaching Camtasia Studio in 1 hour and 15 minutes is pretty tough.
After the session we received some really nice compliments. In fact, one gentleman mentioned that he has been to the conference for 3 or 4 years and this was the best session he has ever attended. WOW!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! That is quite the compliment, and I feel its safe to say that Ryan deserves most of the credit.
I do have to mention thanks to ASTD for having us — it’s been a lot of fun….
One last note: I showed a few people the Camtasia Studio video I have on my iPod Touch – and everyone is blown away how good it looks. The screen is crystal clear, the text is very readable, it just looks amazing – and I didn’t even add any zoom-n-pan key frames. Man, I love what I do!
So today has been a very full day. We started off with David Pogue’s presentation. Poor guy woke-up to a dead hard-drive. He said he had to throw together the presentation – and minus some small technical issues, it was a great presentation.
David Pogue focused on a few technologies that are going to be big or bigger. There was Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) or the idea of using a phone through a wireless connection – it already exists, but he sees a lot of potential. He talked about some other technologies – one in particular that is here and now is what Google is doing with information on the phone.
If you’re not familiar with Google SMS – I’ve made a quick Jing video to shows of how it works and how you can use it (Check out the Jing Project from TechSmith). http://screencast.com/t/NTesNX2a10o — Oh yeah, and it’s free (both Google SMS and Jing)
I also like Google 411. You dial 1-800-goog-411 (1-800-4664-411). You say you’re location, what you’re looking for and they will connect you. You can also get a business address as well. If you want you can get a text message of the information as well – super handy if you don’t want to write down the number.
Check out the Google video:
Ryan and I taught a Camtasia Studio session that went pretty well. We’ve talked about tightening up the presentation a little, and making sure we dig into the content faster – even if that means we pause at regular intervals to present information we normally give up front.
We also participated in one-on-one sessions. It’s a good opportunity, although pretty limited since we are only doing 2 sessions, with each session having two people participate.
It’s interesting to hear what different folks in the industry are doing. Of course there is a lot of buzz about simulations and needing to do simulations. I heard this at the e-Learning guilds DevLearn conference last November as well.
It’s funny in Grad school 4 years ago I was looking at this. So I was on the bleeding edge, looking at this opportunity coming down the pike… and I actually walked away from it. Partly because I was worried it wasn’t going to be something that I could build a career on, and honestly partly because I had family and friends that ribbed me about the games side of it (What? You’re playing games in grad school?)
So I probably missed one of those opportunities of a life time- but then again – is the simulation trend here to stay, or is it another tool that will go in the tool boxes and only pulled out when the hammer and duct tape won’t cut it?
I have to admit, I am a naysayer about a lot of technology and the role that it plays in learning. Not because it can’t help people learn, and not because it doesn’t have a role in learning. I am just skeptical, maybe because of training and an understanding of the history of using technology in training.
At one point in the history of distant learning the radio, the television, the internet have all been proclaimed as heralds of education – the tool to bring learning to the masses – great equalizers. While it is true that each has played a role, from one degree to another, and each has helped prepare a foundation for great opportunities to provide more knowledge and information. None of these has actually become the holy grail that we in distance learning are looking for.
Granted I believe that many, many opportunities still exist with the internet, especially as bandwidth becomes cheaper and more available, and as the ability to create materials is easier and faster to do for the the knowledge experts. We still have a long way to go though.
I bring this all up, not because I think the iPod touch is the holy grail– at this point far from it. I do think it points to an interesting entry point, and provide possibilities that are quite amazing. Will it solve all learning problems? No. Will it be an answer for every problem? Not even close.
Here’s what I see: Right now I can carry a device that I can slide into my pants pocket, and from it I can access audio, video, and if I’m in range of a hotspot – internet content. I do not need to have a 4 – 6 pound laptop, I don’t need special keyboard, or anything else. Theoretically I could have interactive learning content available at my fingertips (literally).
Now, there is still a long way to go – the interactivity of the iPod touch is limited (no Adobe Flash content yet…) I can’t watch any video type through the internet. But the current limitations are not the point – the point is that its getting there and soon I we as industry will have a small powerful visual tool that we can deliver content through.
The interface is clear, it looks clean, and if a user has used the internet – its not a difficult step to access content on the Touch. Think about the possibilities.
Scenario 1) I work in a manufacturing plant, I am going through a machine set-up process and need to access a procedure. I click on to the internal wireless network access the printed version and maybe see a interactive Flash version that will take me step-by-step. Maybe there are options, maybe not – but I can make sure I get the answers I need fast.
Scenario 2) I’m learning a graphics program like PhotoShop, Illustrator, or something else. I can’t remember how to make a curved line (or maybe I never knew how) – but I have a subscription to a tutorial site or have been reading a tutorial blog. I bring up the web or have used iTunes to download content that I want to watch. Boom – if it’s designed well, maybe it walks me through the process step by step – maybe it pauses at smart points so I can perform the function. I don’t have to really stop what I am doing on my computer. I have a separate screen and can follow along. Following the tutorial, the generator of the content asks for some instant feedback – whether a star system, or written comments. And because it’s right there, if its easy, I can provide instant feedback about the learning experience, which will hopefully inform the designer to be able to make better choices about content, format, etc…
I’ve never really pursued mobile learning – I know its out there to a small degree, I know its coming and could be huge… I think its less about the mobility (I could take some learning with me for a long time now — it’s called paper), I think its about the features and interactivity, the immediacy of it all. Again, I don’t think the iPod Touch is everything -but wow! I think it’s a good start and opens the doors for a lot of potential!
I’m at the 2008 ASTD TechKnowledge conference this week. I am presenting on Tuesday and Wednesday with Ryan Eash, my co-worker about Camtasia Studio.
The show starts in earnest tomorrow, and we’re looking forward to a full day. Along with presenting in a creation station, Ryan and I will be having some one-on-one conversation with participants at the conference (these sessions are open for sign-up, so I’m hoping we get to talk to some folks.
I am still pouring through the conference guide to see if I can find some sessions that I should attend. I am excited to hear David Pogue’s session. You can hear from David Pogue through the Ted talks: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/7
We’ve been joking around about inviting him to dinner… David if you’re reading this, the invitations open- we’d love to sit and talk with you….
Looking through the session list, there are a lot of options — although I see several sessions that we’re at ASTD International last year. Also, a lot of sessions look very consistent with other conferences I’ve seen. It seems lately there is an obligatory session on Second Life, the sessions on integrating to an LMS, and so forth. Not that this is bad, though I’m hoping I can find a few sessions with ideas that really stoke the fire and get my ideas going.
Honestly, I think that the best thing about conferences is the stoking of knowledge and ideas. Granted I haven’t been attending sessions to learn software, so outside that realm– I hope I can walk away with great ideas. Also, hopefully I can meet some great folks who are open and wanting to dialog about the industry and how to make it really awesome….
In this month’s issue of Fast Company, they named Google as the most innovative company.
I have mixed feelings about Google. I think they create a lot of cool software, and I am a frequent user of their products.
Regardless of whether I use the products, or have some thoughts about why they really offer so many benefits (and the type they do). Why I bring this up, and why I can admire Google is something that came out in the Fast Company article.
I think there is something to their willingness to take huge risks. This willingness to take risks has let them to some great innovation and great ideas.
While probably most organizations could benefit from some more risk, probably a lot feel like they can’t afford to risk. And while I think that businesses obviously need make decisions that make sense for them- I think that as learners we all could afford to a few more risks in learning.
How often do we really take a risk to learn something new?
Especially in business settings, are we afraid to try to learn something new — or do we hold back because the settings we’re in dictate that failure, even in learning something is a negative?
Tomorrow I give a presentation about what we can do to be awesome as an organization… and I think I am going to put forth the idea that we need to take more risk… at least in learning.
What do you think? How does your organization do? What areas do you feel would be helpful to take more risk in?
How can we risk more in our processes to Learn?
What effect does play have on the brain?
Well the answer to that question probably depends on who you talk to. The New York Times posted an article a few days ago about play. There’s a lot to it – 10 pages to be exact, but all very interesting and relevant to those of us with children and interested in play for the purpose of learning.
Unfortunately it doesn’t really help those of interested in determining the learning value of play – at least not for adults. It how ever does take a good look at the need for play and some scientific consequences (at least in animals) of not getting enough play.
There were a lot of interesting points, one that is made early on in the articles is the fact that play can quickly become an expendable commodity when things start getting rough. Animals will tend to eliminate play when under stress – whether that is do to drought or lack of food. Yet interestingly enough, in humans, play will continue to arise even in bleak circumstances.
One of the definitive questions that isn’t answered those is this:
So play can be risky. And, under stress, it tends to disappear. What then would justify, in evolutionary terms, the prevalence of play?
Is play for complex learning? Is it a type of motor training for later life? Does it help children determine work through how to interact with a complex and ever shifting world?
I am not a neuro-scientist, I am not an expert on play, my education is in learning though – and as I watch my kids play- heck, even as I watch my colleagues play I see a bit of all these things… I even see the release of working and living in a stressful world… it takes the brain away from those things and allows, if nothing else, a momentary distraction from those things that are stressful and otherwise consume us.
The end of the article I thought put the notion of play into great perspective:
“Watch children at play, and the benefits are so obvious: just look at those ecstatic faces, just listen to those joyful squeals. Stuart Brown alluded to it in his library talk last month. ‘‘Look at life without play, and it’s not much of a life,’’ he told the audience. ‘‘If you think of all the things we do that are play related and erase those, it’s pretty hard to keep going.’’ Without play, he said, ‘‘there’s a sense of dullness, lassitude and pessimism, which doesn’t work well in the world we live in.’’
Then the author concluded:
“In the end, it comes down to a matter of trade-offs. There are only six hours in a school day, only another six or so till bedtime, and adults are forever trying to cram those hours with activities that are productive, educational and (almost as an afterthought) fun. Animal findings about how play influences brain growth suggest that playing, though it might look silly and purposeless, warrants a place in every child’s day. Not too overblown a place, not too sanctimonious a place, but a place that embraces all styles of play and that recognizes play as every bit as essential to healthful neurological development as test-taking drills, Spanish lessons or Suzuki violin.”
So regardless of my kids learning complex interactions and motor movements (or as my wife said – our youngest who is turning two is learning about the properties of gravity — what goes up must come down), I think we’re going to let our kids just play.
Heck, I can’t wait to join them.
Is it interesting that learning occurs all around us, but if we’re not semi-conscious of the opportunity to teach we can miss it.
I was thinking about this when I read the following article on 43 folders: http://www.43folders.com/2008/01/28/its-not-bug-its-kung-fu
In the article Grant talks about using his kids desire to help, turning their desire to be a tool for good to keep them from getting in the way- sort of martial arts style “I’ll use your strength and energy to defeat you.” I’ve done this with my own kids at times but not nearly enough.
But think of this– each of these opportunities is an opportunity for learning, exploration and growth. If a child (or heck, even an adult) is willing to work, and we use what they bring to multiply and enrich what we’re already doing it seems like a no-brainer. But it is also in that moment that we need to take what ever enthusiasm that they have, and turn the opportunity into a chance to learn.
Don’t misunderstand me– the learning must be authentic, it cannot be contrived or the whole momentum and using that enthusiasm to be involved can backfire quickly. Just imagine if you are working with a colleague who asks to get involved in a project. You know it will be more work to get the individual up and running. Nothing would kill that motivation to get involved like some coming down hard on the lecture, and forcing the learning to occur (maybe through force feeding of information?) Yes more work stinks for everyone – but what about on the next project that has similar qualities- that individual be more ready to take it on, and hopefully allowing you room to work on other necessary activities.
Maybe I’m forcing the point and over simplifying- but I like this idea as a concept. Difficult to employ for corporate learning, or maybe even outside the home- but maybe we’ll be a bit surprised.
