Why Do We Have an LMS?
Warning, this is a bit of a rant written mostly for my own need in sorting through how I really feel about learning management systems (LMSs). If you work with the average LMS you probably understand.
I have worked numerous different LMSs, some good and some not so good. I don’t think I have used any considered “user-friendly” on either the admin or the user end. Currently, I am getting to know another LMS and trying to be patient with its quirks and illogical design. To give it some credit it is not much quirkier, or designed much worse, than most other LMSs (most are drek). As in the past, once I get used to the peculiarities of the system I am sure I will begin to tolerate it and even be able to do what is needed. However, learning to get it to do what you want it to does take quite a bit of hair pulling and shouting many nasty phrases at it. I also have received great deal of help from my coworkers who also work with the system, in which I am extremely grateful. If you are reading this, thank you.
Now, why the heck do we even use these things? Here are the crazy reasons we keep hearing in the corporate training world.
- “Auditors are going to ask for reports showing everyone took the compliance courses.”
- “We need to give assessments and see that learning occurred.”
- “We need a way for staff to enroll in classroom training.”
- “So staff can access their transcripts.”
- “We have to track EVERYTHING!”
Some of these reasons are valid to a point, but do we really need a cumbersome LMS for all this? First off, we do not need to track everything. We should be more concerned that staff are learning and applying what they learned than if they have the word “completed” next to their name. In the case of assessments it may demonstrate learning, but not the application of what was learned or the results of its application. It is very important that learning occurred, but please do not assume they did anything with it. As far as classroom enrollment and transcripts, I am confident there are cheaper, easier alternatives for those tasks.
Yes, there is some practicality in the fore-mentioned list and I am not naive enough to think we can simply write off the LMS so quickly. And yeah, I know the auditors want to see a report that has the word “completed” next to each person’s name. However, in my perfect world we can offer courses that are accessible outside the LMS and our audience take courses because of their thirst to learn not to get the word “completed” placed next to their name.
For the record, I see the value in having an LMS, but I also see its limitations, hindrances, and how it can be when overused. I guess you could say I have a love-hate relationship with it.
What value do you see in an LMS or what do you see as reasons we do not need one?
Thank you for allowing me to vent on this subject. I have to get back to completing a bulk enrollment and then run a couple of reports.
What I Would Like to Say About HTML5 and Flash
There has been plenty of buzz about HTML5 and it being a “Flash killer.” I think HTML5 has great potential and will be a welcomed improvement to the web, but it is still in its infancy and does not show any signs of being able to compete with Flash anytime time soon. I think some of the confusion comes from the fact that it currently has the ability of embedding video and audio, which makes it a viable alternative regarding those commonly used features. However, if you have looked at animation and interactivity in HTML5 it does not compete with Flash at all. Here are some examples and another, which support my argument. FYI: My intent is not to demean these examples. They are good considering what the creators had to work with, a working DRAFT of HTML5 and are a sign of better things in the years to come. So, will HTML5 compete with Flash in the future, maybe but keep in mind it has a very steep climb and Flash will not be standing still waiting. I do think HTML5’s edge will be that Flash is not on all mobile devices including the iPhone and its larger version, the iPad. I also think the appearance of the iPad has greatly increased the buzz on HTML5 and may boost its demand.
Something that has also been confusing is its availability. Yes, a working draft is available today and browsers are starting to support it. However, the W3C candidate recommendation stage is expected in 2012 and will reach W3C recommendation in 2022, possibly later. No, that is not a typo, it does say 2022. See more on the estimated timeline here and also here. We will see advances and improvements over the next few years, but they will still be working drafts.
It will be very interesting in how e-learning authoring tools adopt and adapt to HTML5. I am sure many are exploring that now. As far as web development, Dreamweaver is already offering an extension so you can start exploring it now. The video below provides information on Dreamweaver and HTML5 along with an opinion on the “HTML5 and Flash” issue.
Bottom line, don’t put all your hopes in something that has yet delivered. Learn about it, keep an eye on it, even play around with the working drafts if you have the time and patience. Right now Flash is the best and most powerful tool in an e-learning developer’s toolbox and HTML5’s current draft can’t touch it. Will that change? Maybe, maybe not, but if it does it will be quite a while before HTML5 is a true competitor for Flash. Until HTML5 offers the same level of quality as Flash I will stick with Flash and still recommend it for any e-learning developer’s toolbox.
Baltimore’s Bid for Google Fiber
Baltimore has put in a bid for Google Fiber, which is Google’s experiment to select one or more trial locations for a ultra high speed fiber network.
Here is brief description from Google of what they are planning to build:
Google is planning to build and test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. We’ll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We’ll offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.
Of course I am biased as a resident of the Baltimore area, but I truly believe Baltimore is a fantastic location for this special opportunity. It is the location of superb higher educational institutions, research facilities, science and technology industry, and highly creative and innovative residents. Baltimore has a website that supports Baltimore’s bid and it includes community support via videos and Google Maps.
You can also provide support for Baltimore’s bid, if interested. The deadline for submitting your support for Baltimore or any of the other towns’ bids is March 26, 2010.
Interactive Surfaces (Multitouch) at the Museum
This weekend I visited the Maryland Science Center and was very impressed with an interactive table that had a computer screen projected onto it. Navigation was controlled by tilting the table and you could zoom in on objects by twisting the table. See the video below to see the interactive table screen in action. Forgive the quality of the video, lighting was not in my favor.
Here are some more interactive surfaces being used at museums around the world.
Emakhosini Museum, South Africa
The Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tennessee
Australian Museum
Coimbra’s Science Museum, Portugal
Here is also an interesting video by Adobe on the future of multitouch.
Pecha-Kucha
Perhaps I have been living under a rock, but until today I have not heard of Pecha-Kucha. I am not a big fan of PowerPoint mostly because of the abusive use of the tool itself. After all, PowerPoint does not bore people to death, presenters (or e-Learning designers) WITH PowerPoint do. Upon being introduced to the term Pecha-Kucha, I Googled it and was intrigued by the concept.
In a nutshell, it is a presentation that contains 20 images each displayed for 20 seconds (20×20). It was originally designed to reign in presenters who needed to be more concise in their presentation. Here are some examples. The first explains the concept further. You can also learn more about it at http://www.pecha-kucha.org.
Another good example of Pecha-Kucha is Failure by Bob Berkebile.
Oh, Pecha-Kucha is a Japanese term meaning chatter. It is pronounced “peh-CHAK-cha,” here is a video that helps with the pronunciation.
Adobe Design Achievement Awards
Adobe has announced it is now accepting submissions for the 2010 Adobe Design Achievement Awards. These awards celebrates higher education students who are creating amazing art with Adobe technology. Here is Adobe’s description:
The Adobe® Design Achievement Awards celebrate student achievement reflecting the powerful convergence of technology and the creative arts. The competition - which showcases individual and group projects created with industry-leading Adobe creative software - honors the most talented and promising student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers, developers and computer artists from the world’s top institutions of higher education.
To learn more about the awards go to http://adaa.adobe.com.
Video on SixthSense Technology
Here is a great video about the potential of sixth sense technology. It will be very exciting to see this technology take hold and certainly exciting to think about all the potential it will have in e-learning.
This was presented at TEDtalks, which after seeing this, I will be watching more often.
Wanna Read Some e-Learning Horror Stories?
Over at the PLS Online Course Development blog they have been posting e-learning horror stories and they have had some doozies so far. These stories are not only entertaining, but also valuable ways to learn directly from the witnesses of such ghoulish e-learning events.
Christy from the PLS Online Course Development blog was nice enough to include my horror story, but worked her magic and transformed it into a poem in the style of Poe’s “The Raven.” Thanks!
You can read the poem here. And read their other horror stories here.
Here is the original of my horror story. Although it may be more funny than scary, it was a horror to me went it happened.
Seven years ago, when e-learning was still new to my company, I launched an online course. My company, which provided health care to military personnel from North Carolina to Maine, had service centers throughout its footprint. Of course geographical distance was no obstacle to me, for I was a Distance Educator. Well, actually they called me an e-Learning Designer, but just the same.
As always, I marketed the online course. I included the title of the online course, who should take the online course, what they will learn
from the online course, the benefits of taking the online course, and how to access and launch the online course.Several days later, while sitting in my cubicle in Baltimore, someone came a tapping. As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my cubicle door. Why is a co-worker from the far reaches of our Virginia service center here at my door?
She said, “I am here for my ONLINE COURSE.”
Searching Screenr
I am still exploring Screenr. While exploring, I wanted to find Flash tutorials… I can never learn enough about Flash. Am I missing something? Believe it or not, there is no search function on the Screenr site. Luckily, I eventually found a Screenr tutorial on how to search Screenr. Thescreencast is below and was created by onEnterFrame.
Remember, if you are looking for Screenr tutorials, just use a search engine to conduct a site search - site:screenr.com yoursubject. And yes I know one could search Twitter for Screenr tutorials, but keep in mind many companies still do not allow access to Twitter.
Thank you onEnterFrame for sharing this simple solution.
My Top 10 e-Learning Tools
Jane Hart is gathering top ten lists for e-learning tools. Thus far, 203 people in the e-learning field have submitted their list. I have posted my e-learning toolkit in the past, but not what I necessarily consider my “top e-learning tools.” So, here are my top 10 e-learning tools. They are not stand alone e-learning tools, but together allow me the ability to create effective e-learning courses. I have included how and why I use these tools.
- Adobe Flash - An essential tool for creating highly interactive elements, including animation, games, immersive learning simulations, and almost anything else you want if you can manage writing or finding the actionscript.
- Adobe Fireworks - It is my choice for editing graphics because it is user-friendly to non-graphic artists like me. And it worked very well with my Macromedia Flash when I was getting started in e-learning… old habits are hard to break.
- Adobe Captivate - Fantastic for creating simulations (software sims and branching sims), plus it does a good job recording audio for your sims. Being able to add quizzes and publish SCORM/AICC compliant courses is a big plus too.
- DHTML authoring tool - My preference is OutStart Trainer (TrainerSoft). Being able to create SCORM/AICC compliant courses that imports Flash SWF files and plays well with the LMS makes my ability to implement e-learning much easier.
- WordPress - I am using it right now to get my blog posts out. Writing my blog is a great way share, learn, and connect with others in the e-learning field. It gets me out of my e-learning vacuum.
- Adobe Dreamweaver - Still the best tool for creating web pages (I occasionally have to do that) and jerry-rigging the HTML in courses.
- Windows MovieMaker - Editing videos prior to using them in courses.
- Twitter - Another way for me to share, learn, and connect with others in the e-learning field. I expect either it or Yammer to play a larger role for informal learning at my company.
- Notepad - Editing XML, which is extremely useful in working with DHTML courses and sometimes Flash courses.
- SnagIt - Extremely helpful when making software sims or getting screenshots for courses.
