New Platform Uses Social Features To Improve Online Education

From Mashable!

New Platform Uses Social Features To Improve Online Education: "

Buried within platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Wikipedia lies valuable educational content that can reinforce classroom lessons, help self-motivated learners teach themselves new concepts, and upend the way that the world looks at education. But it’s hard to separate this content from the cat videos, ads and uninformed contributions that share the same platforms.
Social learning startup Sophia, which launched its public beta Monday, aims to solve this problem by focusing exclusively on crowdsourced educational material and encouraging users to help sort the academically sound, engaging lessons from the sub-par lessons.
Anybody can compile a “lesson packet” on Sophia using slideshows, videos, audio clips and text that they either upload or pull in from sources like YouTube. About 200 private beta users have already covered lessons ranging from Camera Angles & Shots to Coordinate Geometry of Quadrilaterals.
The idea is to make it easy for students to find reliable knowledge on any topic quickly and efficiently. In the search options, for instance, students can even select specific text books to find corresponding packets. If students still don’t understand something after viewing a lesson, they can post a question to a Q&A board attached to each packet.
CEO Don Smithmier says one of the most common uses of the platform since the private beta that launched in November has been to curate the best content about a given concept from other social media platforms like YouTube.
“There’s a ton of good information on the web, but it’s hard to find,” he says. “And part of it is that if you don’t already know what you’re doing, it’s hard to evaluate the good from the bad.”
After a packet is submitted, Sophia has multiple ways to gauge its quality. When users sign up for the site, they have an option to identify themselves as subject experts, if they hold a degree in that field or teach courses on it. Three such experts need to certify a lesson as “academically sound” before it is labeled as such.
There is also a five-star user rating system similar to the seller ratings at Amazon.com, and lesson creators have lifetime “Sophia ratings” that gauge how successfully they’ve contributed to the community. Other rewards for providing quality content include earning followers via a Twitter-like feature and badges.



Sophia.org is free, and the company is committed to barring advertising, as well as the content manipulations that come with it, from the site. But the project isn’t purely a labor of love — eventually the company will sell a white-label version of the product to schools and universities that want their own private, white-label versions of the product. For now, the project is backed by an investment from online education company Capella.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, enviromantic
More About: edu tech, education, online learning, social learning, Sophia, startup

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It's Not the Weapon, but the One Who Wields It...

I have been spending some time on LinkedIn lately, specifically on group conversations. Recently the E-Learning 2.0 group got my attention. The discussion was based on what would be the most relevant eLearning technologies of the 21st century. Now I am a product strategist, learning technologist, and lacrosse coach...

Whenever it comes to discussing how to best use technology, learning systems, or lacrosse sticks, and whether using it will make a difference, it always comes down to the same thing... "It's not the tool, but the one who wields it" that scores the goal... That takes preparation...

This means that the future of Enterprise 2.0, social tools, mobile, or any other advances in eLearning will depend highly on whether those who implement these tools to make business critical and or academic information available - are mapping the right tools, to the right job roles, and for the right reasons. It all comes down to needs analysis and how providers design a set of learning and knowledge management systems around those needs.

 As a learning or knowledge management professional, what can you do?

• Conduct a needs analysis.
• Identify the organizations goals and business drivers.
• Identify critical job- and team-based tasks.
• Understand the parameters of the work environment and its context.
• Know your learners and knowledge consumers.
• Involve all stakeholders in the process (IT, HR, Operations, any business unit that may be "touched")
• Avoid the "flavor of the month..."do not implement a new technology just because everyone else is using it.
• Bring in experts when you need them
• Choose the right tools for the right jobs

New technologies are the weapons for success in the years to come, but remember, it's not the weapon, but the one who wields it...

Is mLearning Like eLearning?

Is mLearning Like eLearning? This is a question I recently responded to as posed by Janet Clarey, Technology Editor from ELearning! magazine from a LinkedIn group she moderates (The ELearning! Magazine Network). In one of Janet's comments, she thinks the key in in the "m," - I agree. It's an important question and because we've discussed mLearning several times in this blog, so I thought I would share my response...

Great question and to Janet's response, the "m" is very relevant right now. To answer directly, mLearning is a form of eLearning in that it's electronic but should otherwise be treated as a very different medium. At the same time, some are making many of the same mistakes made when eLearning first came out...

 
For instance, efforts and tools designed to convert and deliver PowerPoint and traditional eLearning into mLearning eerily parallel efforts to convert traditional classroom training and later PowerPoints straight to eLearning. We all now how that turned out... Why did they do it that way? Because it was new, shiny, and at least in the beginning, eLearning differentiated itself from classroom training as the latest and greatest... (and probably also because true instructional designers were not used to develop). However, it also resulted in very expensive and time-consuming development cycles along with content that often did not address the needs of its learners. Yet now, we are seeing new mobile products designed to develop and deliver "rich mobile media" that allow conversion of PowerPoints or include interfaces that are either not intuitive or are hard to use because they were really designed for use in a standard PC, Mac, or Linux browser. Some have come full circle...

 
For mLearning as with any medium, instructional designers and course developers need to ensure the medium will meet the needs of the organization's business context and learner. Mobile is useful when it is short, simple, and can be agnostically delivered to many devices. Think 2 minutes with content that's light to stream or download. Think MP3 for audio, think MP4 for video, think HTML or PDF for talking points, process diagrams, checklists, sales positioning, etc... As opposed a large PowerPoints or movie files that are large to download or stream, too long to maintain an attention span on a smart-phone, and are just plain not appropriate for the mobile learner. Mobile is meant to be augmentative and add value as part of a larger and blended learning path. It's for the learner on a plane, train, or automobile; for sales person on the way to propose a new product, for the field-tech who is making an on-site repair. Mobile is for the learner on the go. It needs to be designed, developed, and delivered that way.

 
So in the end, mLearning can be like eLearning if we make the same mistakes we did 10 years ago, or we can make it different... ;]

How to Play MP3s and or MP4s on a Mobile Device for mLearning: Part 3 - mLearning Playback from a CD

In Part 2, we reviewed how to transfer and play audio files and videos on MP3/MP4 players and smartphones. With updates of the Android platform, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Zune out, that was pretty relevant and timely material. For Part 3 however, “relative” is the key word…

During a recent needs assessment I was conducting in a discovery of learner profiles and required mLearning media types, I was surprised to identify a need for a transfer and route-to-play on of all things, a compact disk. We assumed we would be focused on the latest and greatest - playing mLearning on BlackBerries, iPods, iPhones, off the cloud…, but I discovered that some, and some in very high places (including an EVP of Sales who reported to the CEO), wanted to be able to take a CD with them so they could play it in their car stereo, laptop, or other CD-capable player. My first impulse was “wow, we need to upgrade some technology around here and train folks on how to use it,” but the reality is, that is what those learners needed and quite frankly, a little bit of training or job-aide assistance makes those baby-boomer execs equally capable of accessing the same mLearning media the typical millennial would access through more modern means. Bottom line, know who your learners are, know how they learn best, and know their work environments and the tools they use to do their jobs so that the solution you provide is relevant to the learner. The only way you can know these things and save time, effort, and pain is through a needs assessment. I love instructional systems design!…

That all being said, if a CD player is all you have handy and that is your preferred mode of learning, this tutorial is for you.

Part 3: Play mLearning on a CD Player

Play MP3 > Play on CD

The instructions that follow assume you have a CD or DVD burner and Windows Media Player installed as the default media application for audio. The instructions are similar for iTunes, or other CD burning software. See the instructions specific to your software or preferred application if you are not using Windows Media Player.

1. First, you want to save the MP3 or MP4 files to your laptop or workstation. Save as you would any file, but if you are accessing from a web page or email, click on the hyperlink provided (assuming you trust the source).
2. If prompted to display non-secure items, click Yes.
3. Click on the title-link you want to save.
4. Select Save Target As…
5. Navigate to the directory of your choosing from the Save As window.
6. Open My Computer.
7. Click and drag the MP3/MP4 file(s) from the directory to the CD/DVD drive in My Computer.
8. Right click on the CD/DVD drive.
9. Select Write these files to CD. The CD Writing Wizard opens.
10. Name the CD (optional).
11. Click Next.
12. Select Make an audio CD.
13. Click Next. Windows Media Player opens.
14. Click Start Burn (at the lower right).
15. Once the disk has completed burning, you can play it in any disk player that supports MP3 and or MP4 files for audio and video codecs.

In Part 4, we’ll review routes- to-play mLearning on the BlackBerry.

Guidelines for Selecting an LMS (Learning Management System)

I am often asked or pulled into conversations regarding the selection of Learning Management Systems (LMSs). Selecting and implementing an LMS is not meant to be simple, but there is a process model you can follow. It is important to note the process is similar for any learning technology. Here's a punch-list for ya':

• Identify your learning stakeholders. Think internal customers, external customers, internal partners, and executive sponsors. Include those who represent employees, business partners, and customers. Involve representatives of all areas who impact and are impacted-by learning. Especially include IT.
• Do the front end analysis:
  
• Identify your business objectives, learner roles, preferred delivery modes (synch, asynch, social learning, and knowledge management requirements), budget, projected ability to support from an operations and admin perspective (do you need to support internally or on a SaaS model), etc.
  
• Factor in current vs. future needs (look three years out); and translate all this into your learning learning management needs.
  
• Internally, you may want to classify those needs into two groups: 1) mandatory requirements and 2) "nice to haves."
  
• Scenarios typically involve deciding if the organization must consolidate disparate systems into one vs. integrating two or more systems.
  
• Remember to consider integration with other learning technologies such as SCORM/AICC tracking, self-paced eLearning, mLearning, virtual classroom, virtual labs, virtual sandboxes, immersive 3D learning, traditional instructor led class management, testing, certification management, eCommerce support, etc. Will the system need to be a slave to a larger human capital management system or ERP, or will it need to include talent management capabilities? Database connectors and Application Programming Interfaces help establish the connections between these systems; you will need to know if prospective vendors support these for your systems, present and future.
  
• Yes - you need to do some research with industry reports. You may want to identify trends or features your team has not thought about. Know whether your company is small to medium business, enterprise, or global enterprise in learner-reach and size. This will help to determine which companies to look at, as many specialize in markets and services based on these classifications. I have found the Bersin & Associates annual Learning Management System reports to be very accurate and informative.
• Make sure your needs are outlined in your Request for Proposal (RFP). Many will respond and promise you the world. Comb through each thoroughly with members of your group. Identify a list of vendors who best meet the requirements in your RFP.
• Create use-cases and and or test-scripts based on your RFP and the critical business functions you will require the LMS to perform. Include a criterion based ratings system and comments sections for each use case. Remember the raters who fill this out for each vendor should be those who represent the learning stakeholders you identified earlier.
  
• Have each vendor on the short list visit your organization on-site and demonstrate how they meet the requirements outlined in your RFP and use-cases. Most should do this willingly. If companies resist - move on to the next vendor. During the use case demos, document and rate performance of each. Do not be enamored by bells, whistles, and promised-features not yet available.
  
• Compile, compare, and report on the results evaluated from each vendor. Report this back to your stakeholders so they understand the implications and can select their preferred choices. Meet and debate as many times as required to work through issues and identify which can best meet your organization's needs.
  
• When you have narrowed down to a "short-list" of 2-3 vendors. Work with each on who best meets your needs and who can negotiate the best deal for your company. Make sure stakeholders understand they are not just selecting a system, but a vendor with whom they will be establishing a long-term relationship. The efficacy of trust and reliability in such a partnership are critical. Have each vendor on the short list come back to with an implementation plan and an ongoing maintenance plan, with requirements and proposed schedules for each.
  
• Remember to do the cost benefit analysis and account for the capital implementation expenses (CAPEX) vs. the ongoing/long term maintenance, hosting, and operational costs (OPEX). Work with vendors to re-prove and re-demo on capabilities as many times as required. Those on the short list will submit contracts that need to be negotiated. Make sure all promises are outlined in your contracts.
• When deciding which to select, advise your stakeholders to select a system that:
  
• Most closely demonstrates your needs out of the box;
• Requires as little "customization" from the vendor as possible (vs. "configuration" which your organization's people can implement);
  
• Best meets your functional, budgetary, and operational requirements.
• Once you decide on a system/vendor and sign paper - make sure you have an internal team ready to manage and support the transition to the new LMS and that the team itself can transition from implementation mode to admin/operations and or oversight modes as the technology evolves and you mature with it.

This set of guidelines is not all inclusive, but you get the idea. Got questions or want to chat about this - give me a holler.

Ron Ateshian - AKA Son-of-Fire
Learning Technologist & Strategist

Instructional Design and Technology: Where’s the Beef?

It's important to address the science behind instructional design. For reasons unknown, programmed instruction (PI) in eLearning seems to be all but abandoned in much of the learning content I review. In my opinion, this is a flaw in instructional design and worse, is only supported by popular eLearning development tools, because they omit this capability. Thus begging the question:

"Where's the beef?"

Gagne actually pioneered this mode of instruction in the mid 1960s. For those unfamiliar, programmed instruction models assess a learner's needs through some form of testing and loop back, branch-forward, or multi-path based on performance to pass/fail criteria. More robust PI models incorporate both pretesting an posttesting. The biggest advantage to this design model is that delivery of content is customized to a learner's needs because only filtered content is delivered (based on what the learner did not pass). In essence, a form of needs assessment is built into course delivery and the user experience. How cool is that?

Development tools like Authorware or KnowledgeTRACK were great at facilitating this mode of design. Unfortunately these tools are no longer available, (in all honesty - they were cumbersome to use.) I certainly don’t see this in most of the Articulate or Captivate content I’ve seen lately.

Meanwhile, social and Learning 2.0 suites are starting to bake PI functionality into learning path where not only a test can assess performance, but a virtual instructor or coach can pass or fail. Others even advance the learner automatically if they simply complete a task as instructed. More of such suites are capable of housing SCORM modules or acting as a friendlier front-face to what is typically presented in the learning path of a traditional learning management system (LMS). For an example, check this one it out by Q2 Learning at: http://www.q2learning.com/ . None-the-less, this is a methodology we should revive. Take another look at the process illustrated above and decide for yourself.

Have a comment or question? Leave one and I will get back to you.

Analysis and Planning: Technical and Media Specifications Analysis

A technical and media specifications analysis should identify the technical, graphical, and media-based requirements and constraints to assure eLearning delivery is compatible with the hardware and software requirements of the stakeholder’s learning base. Graphic look, feel, and specifications should be identified. Requirements should be mapped into courseware development. Summaries for technical and media specifications should be submitted. Data collected at this stage should:

• Identify infrastructure capabilities for courseware delivery
• Identify requirements for optimal delivery media
• Identify stakeholder standards for text, graphics, media, and branding

Risks if not conducted or conducted improperly:

• Graphics and media that do not meet the standards and satisfaction of the stakeholder
• Incorrect delivery formats
• Product failure due to incompatibility of delivery medium and/or components to the hardware and software requirements of the stakeholder and/or the stakeholder’s customers
• Missed deadlines and extended project plans that do not meet stakeholder expectations

In the end, all analysis data (organizational, task-KSA, learner, and technical/media specifications) should be used to design a learning solution that:

• Is based on the needs of the organization/department
• Addresses the gap between the required task-KSAs and what’s actually done by the learner on the job
• Is delivered using the appropriate mediums and technologies that map to learner profiles

Enough with Analysis. We move to the Design phase next.

What's in a name?

Son of fire... Where does it come from? It's how my last name, Ateshian, is translated from Armenian to English. Atesh meaning fire, ian meaning "son of." Thus the title of this blog and my nom de plume: Son-of-Fire.

The name is one that suits me as it reflects not only my name, but my passions. It's important to note that some of the blog I will post may originate from research, work, or other blogs I post to at work.

Speaking of work, I believe I have the coolest job in the world because I get to pursue my interests on behalf of my employer. Specifically, I research, test, and pilot learning technologies to support the business of one of the largest IT management software companies in the world. My learners include employees, partners, and customers. These include disruptive technologies that are not only changing today's learning landscape, but the learning landscape for tomorrow.

So expect some interesting dialogue on learning technologies and my other interests. Let's set the landscape on fire...