trendy tools of 2010

Tools of 2010

This is my second posting covering last weeks Learning Technologies conference. The biggest UK conf' for e-learning types to sell their wares, and prospective customers to zoom around obtaining intial ideas of what's hot or interesting, in the middle of the deepest recession in our time!

 This posting covers some of the tools we can use to improve distance learning/training. Whether they are platforms, authoring tools, or content.  There's something here for all. I either visited these stands or watched presentations. So on with the show.  Before I move on, the training zone have an excellent video that also does this, well worth a look. And I'm glad to see Clive Shepherd (elearningnetwork.org) thinks that 2010 will be the year for webinars, whether DimDim, Webex, or Elluminate, they offer VFM.  and let's not forget the micro chunking of learning into mini courses.  Elliot Masie also advocates this trend. I also bumped into Rob Hubbard who has created the most excellent Rapid elearning Development course (RED) - take a look, then sign up - it's bang on the quality rapid e-learning agenda.


Platforms

• http://twitter.com/ - microblogging platform - good for networking and knowledge sharing and finding out what a random stranager had for lunch!
• https://www.yammer.com/  - like twitter but can be just for your organisation - knowledge sharing is the key
• http://www.huddle.net/ - see above
• http://etherpad.com/ - real time collaborative text editing - like a wiki - but in real time. This is now Open Source.  I was given an alternative by Andy Black from BECTa - i'll chase that up.
• http://wetoku.com/ - record short vids for your blog - or use it to meet up online using a web cam - like OovoO or ??
• Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro - when you join Macromedia with Adobe only good things can happen - and this Learning management system/authoring/live presenting doodah - has it all (for a price!)
• Moodle - Kineo offer some good support solutions
• www.xyleme.com/LT  - collaborative authoring platform using open standards. A neat approach.

• http://www.thinkingworlds.com/  - 3D engine to create immersive worlds - good for games based learnign and mor realistic scenarios/simulations
  
• http://www.myknowledgemap.com/ - a capable assessment based eportfolio platform, that's being reworked into a PLE - expect more from me on this in the near future -as it's in alpha at present.
• http://learn.gotomeeting.com - online webinar tool - like dimdim
  
• http://www.seminar.co.uk/ - manage your training provisionfrom this platform - simple, and very effiicient.

I recently created a mind map covering some of these tools on offer - see below - click on the links in the map to visit the websites.





Authoring (rapid is the buzz word)

See also Brighton's Brightwave for their useful case studies on rapid elearning tools, and so do Kineo - check out their rapid e-learning page.

• http://prezi.com/  - create engaging zoomy type flash presentations (with videos), A steep learning curve. Alternatively use Buzan's imindmap - much easier.

• Adobe Acrobat Acrobat 9 Pro(extend) - a bit of a mouthful! But.. this version allows you to create PDF documents with ease, including embedded videos and assessments. If you get this version, you automatically get the PowerPoint plug-in, that gives the same functionality as Adobe Presenter.    - like Articulate or Lecturnity

Content

• http://www.datpresenter.com/  - synch video with slides - like viddix
• http://animoto.com/ - create simple video slide shows - like MS Photo Story
• http://www.xtranormal.com/ - create simple 3D movies/scenarios
• http://www.comicbrush.com/ - create fun strip cartoons - like http://stripgenerator.com/
• http://www.e-learningwmb.co.uk/ - green screen video production technology, creates high quality video training vignettes. Quality product at an affordable price.
• http://wwww.videoarts.com - high quality video training clips/course from an industy giant - now they can be streamed into your VLE
• http://www.trax-uk.co.uk/ - they scan paper based hig hstakes assignments into digital format for further analysis, storage, etc. A neat solution.
• http://goodpractice.com/ - provide toolkits for work based learning - looks V useful
• http://www.dtvuk.com/ - digital training videos - good quality
• http://www.digitalpublishing.de/de/press-releases.html - language learning solutions
• www.bitesizeltd.com - as it suggests - excellent nuggets of self paced , self contained tutorials on how to use most Microsoft products.  Quality stuff.

• Don't forget I have a wiki page entirely dedicated to the use of video in education. Case studies and technical aspects  are all covered in some depth. Please  take a look

(in)formal learning

Download the Towards Maturity Impact Indicator report

The learning technologies conf' was very interesting - sponsored by Kineo.  Expect a few blog posts on some of the tools I heard about.

Looks like LMS' (VLEs) are in gradual decline in the business arena as well as education! No one really "likes" them, tho' they all feel that the LMS is here to stay, but will be part of a larger collection (cloud) of e-systems (incl' plenty of Web 2.0 apps). The word free application seems to resonate with our cash strapped training/learning and development dept's.  Strangly tho' not many seem to understand that eportfolios are part of the answer!!  Most seem to be gravitating towards informal learning or Presonal learning Environments (PLEs ) - aggregated social networks, etc,  as an anitdote to shrinking training budgets - but not really  understanding far reaching implications. And no mention of underpinning pedagogies/scaffolding.

There seems to be a collective thought that, "if we find the right tools (Yammer, Huddle, etc), they will come - and all learn informally hapily ever after!!  Tho' many cite internal communities of practice - and knowledge of,  are needed to drive business efficiencies. Another Web 2.0 / elearning bandwagon is being jumped on, with little thought as to why - apart from most of these tools are free!

But some are more cautious tho' - citing our frivolous trends in this rapidly changing web 2.0 world, i.e. friends re-united was hot, now it's not - is that what will happen to Facebook in a couple of years time? One company blocked access to Facebook @ work and reported an  immediate 11% increase in productivity .  And plenty of talk about what impact e-learning is having on business upskilling and driving efficiencies. No one seems to be evaluating past e-learning successes, to their peril, as senior managers still don't "get it" - as the strong businesses cases are not being promoted. The age of BS "smoke and mirrors" selling e-learning to business is well and truley over. Strong tangible business benefits is what SMT are only (and have always been) interested in.

Laura Overton (see my doctored image above) did talk about a very revealling benchmarking research study Towards Maturity enterprises conducted recently.  Analysing perceived and tangible impacts of e-learning had on business' bottom line.  Unsuprisinlgy not many had really analysed these business savings as a result of implementing previous VLEs/LMS'.

IMPACT is the new mantra.  Implement, anaylse, and evaluate, or die trying.  If you don't do this, the bean counters are more likely to say, "why sould we pay for a new microblogging platform" when we've got email?"  Unless e-learning companies or inhouse dept's can present quantitave data clearly illustrating improvement in business efficiences and cost savings, those bean counters, are quite at liberty to say.

"No thanks, we'll stick with our intranet, email, free web 2.0 tools, and less (more focussed) F2F training. "

And who could blame them? That goes for UK education as well. "Will this new web 2.0/ Open Source tool save us money ? If so how much?"

A recent report will help to convince some about potential costs savings for OS tools

Informal learning, internal knowledge transfer, eliminating travel to training, Communities of practice are "trending" - but very few have cracked it - apart from BT's "Dare2Share" social networking portal. See also the vid below:




That's the main feeling - but e-learning business is still strong - as training dept's are being forced to use e-learning due to reduced budgets and reduced personell -and they are doing it well! Blended and distance training (webinars) are looking stronger - with good reports of trainees really taking to these new methods.  Pricewaterhousecoopers ran an excellent presentation on their global training stratgey - drastically revamped to use primarily webinars. So, at last, it's taken a global recession for business to start being forced to use e-learning to make significant training and devleopment savings. With the added benefit of employees actually taking to it!!  There's hope for us all, maybe the education sector is next - considering cuts in funding are iminent. HFECE has announced serious cuts today - and it's splashed all across the news.  Time to blend learning UK HEIs , time to give some serious thoughts to integrating "e" solutions into F2F delivery, rather than ignoring it/us, and hoping we'll go away to play with shiny ipads - we wish!

e-Portfolios and Education for the Professions

Creative Commons cleared image

This is the title for an event I attended last week in Bristol. And very informative it was too. A full on day choc-a-block of informative presentations. I've attached the programme (with abstracts) at the bottom of the page. All presentation resources will be available from RSC SW at URL: http://eportfoliorscswbuevent.ning.com

I'm going to run thro' the day with some snippets &  reflections I took from the sessions.

• First up was Dr Cheri Logan. Dr Logan ran through their 2008/9 eportfolio research study: http://evolve-e-learning.wikidot.com/del2-archive . Very interesting stuff in regards to how both staff & students perceived the usefulness of eportfolios. There were tensions abound in terms of being given "space" (blogs and eportfolios), but not sure whether this "space was fit for purpose. The imposition of a semantic ePortfolio structure was the main gripe – and rightly so. . While others jumped at the chance to use them (pebblepad). It seems that the general consensus in art & design that the traditional portfolio is now a hybrid beast. This portfolio now contains traditional (digitised) creative pieces to display to peers (to receive crit's), but is now a place to shoe development of ideas, and receive formal tutor & peer feedback. And just as importantly, a place that can be used to show prospective employers their creative ideas. Some are seeing the eportfolio as a "bridge" between undergraduate studies &  the scary world of work. This aspect of art & design students adopting a professional online status (using tools like blogs & Facebook) is very real in these difficult economic times. Eportfolios and blogs are being viewed as an important showcase medium by net savvy undergraduates. These students are acutely aware of the range of "external audiences" to their work. An ePortfolio/blog just makes it that much easier to do. Apparently http://www.formfiftyfive.com/ is the place to create an arty bloggy thingy :O)
  

• Next up Lisa Grey (JISC) talked about latest developments and additions to the JISC ePortfolio infokit , and she also mentioned the 5 threshold concepts of understanding/exploiting eportfolios. These are:
  

1. Purpose – closely aligned to concept
   
2. Learning activity design – meaningful (= assessed or not bolt on)
   
3. Process – e.g. the technical and pedagogic support for all involved.
   
4. Ownership – is owned, portable, choice of tools/skins
   
5. Disruptive in nature – new pedagogies need to be understood.
   

• 
  Following Lisa, was Dr Sue Martin who talked about how they (Bath Uni) were using eportfolios to help develop critically reflective learners (trainee teachers). The small scale optional study gleaned some very positive results. All staff & students involved in the ePortfolio pilot extolled the virtues of sed method and platform. Tutors reported higher levels and quality of engagements in reflective assessments. It seemed that the most important aspect was that busy trainee teachers could add reflective comments up to their blogs very soon after each session. And this enabled a much more reflective & self critical/aware internal & external discourse. Fundamentally this ensured that the 'folios were being created during study/placement and not left to the end – usually handed in & forgotten about. This echoes the work Julie Hughes as done at University of Wolverhampton with her trainee teachers. The tutors also set up a simple template to ensure all recorded work could be easily mapped against the professional standards. A general consensus that an ePortfolio is more dynamic than the (boring/dull/tedious) old paper version.
  Easy really – now why isn't everyone doing it this way?? Paper based portfolios should really be banished from all spheres of education and PDP.
  
  
• 
  
  
  Next up Catherine Gormley of RSC NI discussed a large scale teacher eportfolio pilot project that spanned many aspects of education right across Northern Ireland. The project was that big the proof of concept took from 2005 until now!! http://tepni.com/project-history/policy-context.html . Main findings = that a cultural change was need to fully understand and exploit the potential of such tools and processes –across the who province. A positive message was received by many participants, who took part in the proof of concept. And a reflective circular model of (Reflect & identify & develop) – similar to Kolb experiential cycle, has been developed as part of the pilot. A centralised ePortfolio system (in all schools) is being touted as the way forward, plus support & licence costs remain an issue. Much works still remains to be done from current findings.
  
• 
  
  
  The next two speakers Martin Leveridge (Teeside Uni) &  Dr Alex Furr (Southampton Uni), both talked about projects where a bespoke "ePortfolio system" had been developed. Each was in early evaluation stages, but both were reporting very positive findings. Again the Teesside Uni project used trainees teachers to use the new PDP system to record &  reflect. Piloteers were given new shiny netbooks to help them out. The Southampton Uni project took a similar bespoke route by mapping PDP / ePortfolio requirements into existing Uni systems. The resultant gap analysis revealed that there was a niche for a bespoke system that communicated directly with existing VLE + registry + other electronic learner data systems. This is really very clever work by Dr Furr, and proves that if you look closely enough at your existing systems, you'll find that in most colleges &  certainly all Unis' existing systems can be utilised by building middleware app's to stitch them (read exchanging data) together.
  
  
  
  Well it all sounds simple!! But it took them a while (last summer) to prove the concept; introduce a couple of Open Source tools , and then build a few more bespoke apps. Resulting in a "platform/ePortfolio" that uses existing Uni IT architecture + learner data, then mashes it with customised is OS apps ( wordpress + Tikiwiki), finallly chuck in a few little home grown apps. All developed using user centred design principles. Everyone is happy – well apart from the students who did not really understand the purpose of reflective writing!!! The early research data is looking positive, but they've got a long way to go. As it seems that old chestnut – expecting staff & students to RTFM did not work, coupled with little understanding or scaffolding reflective writing.
  
  Effective, targeted support is needed – for both system (interface), and pedagogy. But it looks good, as very elegant and pragmatic solution to a problem others would have just chucked money at and purchased and off the shelf model. Perhaps Dr Furr & his team need to have a look at those 5 threshold concepts above? Anyhoo, they're definitely heading in the right direction. Dr Furr & his team are ones to watch - praps they should set up a company on the side offering these types of solutions to other learning providers, like ULCC have done with their Moodle services?
  
  
  

• Following lunch Tricia Ellis from the NHS (Swindon) discussed the adoption of an existing NHS developed ePortfolio tool for junior doctors to help reflect upon, collate and maintain evidence during their two years of intensive training. Again very positive results have been recorded ,with comments cited upon the ability to continually record, reflect, its portability, and its application to a life time of CPD, and how it cannot be lost!
  
  
• Next up, Dr David Croot from Plymouth Uni discussed the initial findings of a series of eportfolio projects covering work based learning development in local authorities (firemen, police, etc). The HE5P project: http://www.recordingachievement.org/employers-cpd/he5p/articles.html . This is a huge project covering many areas of the UK. Initial findings were again very positive from the Plymouth. End users found PebblePad to be very intuitive and easy to learn, and found to be effective for mediating learning across the sectors. Colleges are seeing the value of a PLE NOT a VLE for these types of busy professional learners. Plymouth partner colleges are now seeing the value of the projects and are purchasing ePortfolio licences. One issue seems to revolve around advocacy of the personal ePortfolio, in regards that everyone values the importance of these foundation degrees, but senior managers need hand holding to engage with the value of continual reflection. Sounds a similar issue to the Northern Ireland wide scale project above.
  
  
• Alan Howe (Glos' Uni) delivered an interesting presentation on how the use of eportfolios in social sciences has been developing. Again a series of smaller pilot projects that worked on replacing the traditional paper based folios. Alan and his team have reported a tremendous amount of positive feedback from students and assessors over the old paper based system. Similar findings to the trainee teachers were uncovered, in respect of the eportfolio allowing for continual reflection, ownership, improving self critical awareness, and improved learner autonomy.
  
  

e-safety

http://www.o2.com/TheCybernuts/

E-learning and E-Safety (safe-guarding)

I've been keeping half an eye on this topic for a while now. And it's getting to the point where I really cannot just keep ignoring it!  Apparently most colleges are not sure how to handle the rise of web "learning/information platforms" such as Twitter, facebook and blogger!  Do they ban them all, or work out a policy for acceptable use? It's a real mess out there I can assure you.  And there's plenty of scaremongering going on.  All this is resulting in drastic  knee jerk reactions from schools, HE & FE to lock out the world of Web 2.0 until someone tells us all how to handle the torrent of Web 2.0 app's that staff & students want to use. 

RSC UK are in the process of pulling together a set of resource/links/blogs, etc, that will be the definitive RSC viewpoint. In the meantime have a look at RSC Wales blog posts on the subject, whilst RSC SW have some useful links to recent presentations & webinars, and RSC East Mid's have an entire Moodle course  they've loving crafted for your perusal.

As you may already be aware the government announced a 'Green Cross Code' for internet safety recently: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8398763.stm.

And it's also a good idea to keep tabs in JISC Legal as they are our definitive reference on all things legally e-learning.  Their section on legal aspects of Web 2.0 covers some of this remit (blogs, wikis ,social networks, etc..).

Whilst at a conference last week there was plenty of discussion on how employers now routinely use facebook accounts to screen prospective graduate applications. So, just ensure you look at those privacy settings before you post an image of yourself dancing semi naked in the pub on Saturday night - just to impress you mates! It could cost you a job/contract?!?!?

In fact art /design graduates are now using social media like face book and blogs to build a professional profile of themselves and their work during their degree studies, to get a head start in the tough job market. It seems that the magic word "EMPLOYABILITY" is starting to become very important when applying to Uni' and studying these days?

Moodle mootings

RSC WM customised Moodle theme

A few notes and resources for those Moodlers out there in e-learning land.

Firstly you will see from the image above we've been playing around with some themes for our Moodle.  We've (Colleen our IT guru) managed to combine the simplicity of the custom corners theme with the snazzy icon set from the chamelon theme.  Simples!?  So for those of you who want a quick win to pep up you tired looking Moodle, go for a new theme.  Very little "tweeking"  involved.  Dload free themes from http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?id=6552

• Still on the subject of themes, we also considered the flex page theme (free) from Moodlerooms.  This offers quite a significant change in the look of "course" formats.  Again, useful to revamp the normal topic or weekly view.  Access a useful tutorial on using Flex page here : http://michaelpenney.blogspot.com/2008/07/presenting-google-docs-inside-of.html
  

• I was passed this from our accessibility advisor. An excellent report advising the do’s and don’ts for visual impaired and blind users, for Moodle please keep this in mind when creating style sheets or content http://randall.test.opensourcery.com/clients/cannect/
  
  
• And this webinar (2nd half) covers innovate use of Moodle in the South West: link to the recording is on their website here:   http://www.rsc-south-west.ac.uk/index.php?p=11
  
  
  
• These links will be added to our Moodle wiki page which hosts many other useful Moodle resources: http://wiki.rscwmsystems.org.uk/index.php/Moodle 

• Finally.... the next UK Moodle Moot is April 14th - 15th in London . go to http://moodlemoot.org/ for full details. I attended one of thes a few years ago. They're well worth attending to get the lastest Moodley news.
  

evaluate or fail?

Robin courtesty of FlickrCC

 I'm embarking upon a large scale eportfolio project very soon, and as part of that I'm giving advice on evaluating an eportfolio pilot.  I'd though I'd share this list &exemplar matrix with you. essentially I'm giving local learning providers a chance to "try before you buy" a selection of Open Source eportfolio tools.  

• Go to this wiki page to get the full skinny : http://wiki.rscwmsystems.org.uk/index.php/Eportfolio-platforms

BTW, the matrix was provided by the talented Kirstie Coolin of the very successful LEAP Ahead project in the  East Midlands. Thanx for sharing the matrix Kirstie.

Typical evaluation matrix

Name of project and institution
Purpose/Context	Process	Information capture	Information retrieval	Planning	Reflection	Feedback	Collaboration	Presentation
Assessment
Personal Development Planning/ Continuing Professional Development
Work Based Learning/ Employment
Transition/ Application
Other purpose

Sources of information regarding elearning evaluation & criteria:

• http://electronicportfolios.org/blog/2009/12/motivation-and-selecting-eportfolio.html
• http://epac.pbworks.com/Evolving+List%C2%A0of%C2%A0ePortfolio-related%C2%A0Tools
•  http://kev-brace.blogspot.com/2009/10/eportoflio-evaluation-survey.html
•  http://kev-brace.blogspot.com/2009/11/eportfolio-book-review.html
•  http://edtechpd.blogspot.com/2008/11/eportfolios-finding-tool.html
•  http://www.wlecentre.ac.uk/cms/files/occasionalpapers/op5_eportfolios_models_and_implementation.pdf
•  http://www.wlecentre.ac.uk/cms/files/occasionalpapers/evaluation_of_online_courses_25th.pdf
•  http://edtechpd.blogspot.com/2008/10/eportfolios-where-to-start.html
• http://www.qmu.ac.uk/eportfolio/documents/finalreportqmu2007.pdf
• http://www.franklin-consulting.co.uk/LinkedDocuments/framework_for_evaluation.doc 
• http://www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm

review of the year

(dead web 2.0 companies!!)

Happy new year everyone. Whilst I'm a bit too busy to write something of my own this week, I'd though I'd share the top 125 elearning'ified blog posts of 2009 with you. I've read a few of these, and I think you should too. :OD

http://www.elearninglearning.com/wpblog/top-elearning-posts-2009/