Monday, December 1

Learn about Learning - 2008

We are going to continue a tradition in the Big Question ...

The Big Question for December is:

What did you learn about learning in 2008?


If you are a blogger, I would highly recommend taking this as an opportunity to go back through your blog posts over the year and looking for any "aha moments" or highlight the posts that you think were the best/most interesting.

You might want to look back at some discussions going on during the last two yearly recaps:

January's Topic:

Predictions for learning in 2009

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below.

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnology

Posts so far (and read comments as well):
Posted by Tony Karrer at 7:00 AM 37 comments

Sunday, November 2

Network Feedback

This month's question comes out of part of the dialog that occur during the recent Work Literacy course. While discussing social networking for personal learning, the question came up around being able to reach out and get help from people or find expertise in the form of a person / conversation.

Thus, for November we are exploring:


Network Feedback


In Getting Help, I discussed some aspects of the central question being raised. I've got a question about a work task and would like to get feedback from someone (a person, hopefully with some level of experience and expertise on the topic). Or paraphrasing Colin in Blogging to ask for Help:
If you need input from people, where's the best place to ask?
My larger claim is that this is one of the most important, fundamental shifts in New Work
and new work skills that include being able to:
However, the question overly simplifies the problem. Different situations will require different answers. There's no "best place". And the landscape is shifting all the time. And while I discussed a couple examples this recently in LinkedIn for Finding Expertise and Searching for Expertise - LinkedIn Answers, my belief is that it is really hard right now to know enough about enough places to make good choices about:
  • Where to go in what cases?
  • What works and doesn't work?
  • How do you effectively work within a given context?
  • What do you need to have done to effectively get help ahead of time?
  • Are there places you can go if you are relatively new and needing to ask questions?
In addition to your thoughts on the above, it would be really great if people who answer this could provide specific examples.
  • What was the question you were facing?
  • What did you consider using?
  • What were the steps you took? How did things evolve?
  • What was the outcome?
  • What could you have done differently? Better?
I'm also certain there are lots of resources out there that could help someone learn about this. I'd appreciate pointers to any of those.

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be a good question to leave a comment.

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnology

Posts so far (and read comments as well):
Posted by Tony Karrer at 8:49 AM 12 comments

Wednesday, October 1

First eLearning

This month's question comes from a series of questions I've received recently on my blog all asking some form of, "I'm interested in eLearning. What should I do first?"

Thus, for October we are exploring:


First e-Learning


An example is shown in my post - First Authoring Tool.
I am an educator in Arizona about to graduate with my Masters in Instructional Design. I wish to apply my experience designing courses for online learning; however I've searched and don't know where to begin to actually learn how to use the LMS and course design software available. I came across your blog and thought you might be able to offer some suggestions.

I have great computer skills but am not experienced in creating web courses. I've seen all sorts of elearning software- Dreamweaver, Lectora, Captivate, Flash etc etc mentioned in job ads, but don't really know which ones to choose in order to get a well rounded working knowledge of how to build a course. Do you have any suggestions where to start? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Now, several people took the opportunity to politely bash their masters program for not giving them this experience as part of their education. Let's avoid this here. Instead, let's focus on the real point of the question.

So, what advice would you give to someone new to the field. Where do you start?
  • Particular tools you should explore?
  • Resources you should read? Videos/screencasts you should watch?
  • What would your To Learn List look like?

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be hard given the complexity of the topic.

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnology

Posts so far (and read comments as well):
Posted by Tony Karrer at 8:00 AM 18 comments

Tuesday, September 2

To-Learn Lists

This month's question comes out of something that Catherine Lombardozzi wrote pointed me to:

Jim Collins, in an essay in Learning Journeys, wrote, “A true learning person also has a “to-learn” list, and the items on that list carry at least as much weight in how one organizes his or her time as the to-do list.”

Thus, for September we are exploring:


To-Learn Lists


I personally, do not have a formal to-learn list. Instead, my exploration via work, blogging, speaking, I seem to find ample learning opportunities. But it does seem like a very good idea to be a bit more directed. So, more specifically, I'd like to hear:
  • If you have a to-learn list and are willing to share, and willing to share how you work with that list, that would likely be helpful information.
  • As Knowledge Workers, work and learning are the same, so how does a to-learn list really differ from a to-do list? How are they different than undirected learning through work, blogging, conferences, etc.?
  • Are to-learn lists really important to have? Are they as important as what Jim Collins tells us?
  • Should they be captured? Is so how?
  • How does a to-learn list impact something like a Learning Management System (LMS) in a Workplace or Educational setting?
  • What skills, practices, behaviors do modern knowledge workers need around to-learn lists?
This has been discussed a bit out there, but I'm not that familiar with good sources on this topic, so feel free to provide links to sources. I look forward to seeing responses.

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be hard given the complexity of the topic.

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design : eLearning Technology

Posts so far (and read comments as well):
Posted by Tony Karrer at 6:52 AM 21 comments

Wednesday, August 6

No August Big Question

Just a quick FYI that due to my vacation, I will not be holding a Big Question in August. See you back in Sept.
Posted by Tony Karrer at 5:09 AM 1 comments

Tuesday, July 1

Lead the Charge?

I'm trying something a little different this month. I'm taking a bit more of a position in the question (maybe you could even call it a rant). I'm hoping this will spark some discussion ...

Karl Fisch - wrote the Edublog post of the year in 2007 with Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher? - a wonderful post that concluded with:
In the first few years of the 21st century, you can still be successful if you’re technologically illiterate, but it’s getting harder (and those that are literate have many more opportunities available to them). And by the end of the next decade, I think there will be very little chance of success for those that are technology illiterate.

In order to teach it, we have to do it. How can we teach this to kids, how can we model it, if we aren’t literate ourselves? You need to experience this, you need to explore right along with your students. You need to experience the tools they’ll be using in the 21st century, developing your own networks in parallel with your students. You need to demonstrate continual learning, lifelong learning – for your students, or you will continue to teach your students how to be successful in an age that no longer exists.
Back in March - we asked about the Scope of Learning Responsibility and received a lot of response. Most (if not all) respondents felt that we have fairly broad responsibilities that go beyond formal learning opportunities.

So, if we have responsibility for informal learning, social learning, eLearning 2.0, long tail learning, etc. then ...
Don't we have to conclude that learning professionals must be literate in these things?

If so, then what should learning professionals do to become literate?
I personally see this as much bigger. Work Literacy is trying to figure out how knowledge workers can be helped to improve their skills to take advantage of things like social media and new forms of informal learning. This leads me to ...
Should workplace learning professionals be leading the charge around these new work literacies?

Shouldn't they be starting with themselves and helping to develop it throughout the organizations?

And then shouldn't the learning organization become a driver for the organization?

And like in the world of libraries don't we need to market ourselves in this capacity?
To me, these are substantial issues facing all learning organizations and workplace learning professionals. It is THE big question today. It represents a shift in responsibility. A revolution in workplace learning. We can't be training organizations. We must become learning organizations. As learning professionals, we must lead the charge by being in front.

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design : eLearning Technology

Posts So Far:
Posted by Tony Karrer at 7:00 AM 38 comments

Saturday, May 31

Second Life Training

This month's question came from a reader the June 2008 Big Question is:


Second Life Training?


More specifically:
  • In what situations, do you believe it makes sense to develop a learning experience that will be delivered within Second Life?
  • If you were to develop a training island in Second Life, what kind of environment and artifacts would you consider essential for teaching?
  • Just as there are considerable differences in blended learning and virtual classroom training, what are some of the major differences (surprises) in training within virtual worlds?
This has been discussed a bit out there, but I'm not that familiar with good sources on this topic, so feel free to provide links to sources. I look forward to seeing responses.

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be hard given the complexity of the topic.

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design : eLearning Technology

Posts so far (and read comments as well):
Posted by Tony Karrer at 5:16 PM 22 comments

Thursday, May 1

Learning Design Differences for Digital Natives?

Karl Kapp helped me with the May 2008 Big Question which is:

Learning design differences for Digital Natives?


In other words:
  • Do you believe that we have to design, develop and deliver instruction differently for the so-called Digital Natives?
  • Are there differences in learning expectations and styles or can we just design good instruction and know that it meets all generational needs?
  • If you have an audience that includes natives and immigrants, how can you effectively design instruction without breaking the bank?
This has been discussed a bit out there, but I'm not really sure where I stand on it. So, some background reading:
How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be hard given the complexity of the topic.

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - LMS

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - LMS : eLearning Technology

Posts so far:
Posted by Tony Karrer at 12:01 AM 28 comments

Wednesday, April 30

Big Questions

This is the new home of the master list of Big Questions:
2007

2006

Posted by Tony Karrer at 4:48 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, April 1

Do Better

Virginia Yonkers inspired the April 2008 Big Question which is:

What would you like to do better as a Learning Professional?


Simple question, but I'd expect some interesting answers.

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment. This may be more attractive this month since the answer might be relatively short.

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design : eLearning Technology

Please note that I will not be moderating roughly from April 5-12 this month. Thus, it may take a while to copy the posts up.

Posts So Far:
Also see the comment below for additional thoughts.
Posted by Tony Karrer at 7:01 AM 33 comments

Monday, March 3

Scope of Learning Responsibility

Karl Kapp helped me with the March 2008 Big Question which is:


What is the Scope of our Responsibility as Learning Professionals?


This question comes from several recent experiences. One was a Chief Learning Officer panel discussion where it seemed that supporting informal learning or communities of practice was not something they were considering. There was also discussion on my blog around the fact that in corporations there is a limit to what we can do as a training organization (see Corporate Learning Long Tail and Attention Crisis and Long Tail Learning - Size and Shape). All of this makes me wonder:

  • Do educational institutions and corporate learning & development departments have responsibility for supporting Long Tail Learning? Do they have responsibility for learning beyond what can be delivered through instruction? If so, what is their responsibility? Where is the edge of responsibility?
  • Similarly, does the instructor have a responsibility to help students make sense of or deal with content he or she did not teach the students? In other words, if a student finds information on the Internet or some other place, how much time and attention should the instructor allow for the discussion of such content? Should it be discussed at all if it is non-conventional or generally thought of as not credible or contradicts the instructor? Who determines credible research? Is all non-referred research questionable?
Karl and I feel this is an important question for all of us to think about and as a community to begin to address.

How to Respond:

Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment

Option 2 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design

or you could also include your blog name with something like:

Tony Karrer - Safety Training Design : eLearning Technology

Posts So Far:
The learning professional can never be 'responsible' for anyone's learning, but they help to create an environment in which learning takes place in every context.
Posted by Tony Karrer at 6:18 AM 29 comments

Thursday, January 31

Instructional Design - If - When - How Much

Cammy Bean helped spark and work through the February 2008 Big Question with me.


Instructional Design - If, When and How Much?


In a bit more detail, the critical question seems to be:

For a given project, how do you determine if, when and how much an instructional designer and instructional design is needed?
To help you get started, I would recommend looking at some of the thoughts in the following posts:
The more that Cammy and I have explored this topic, the more questions we feel we have:
  • What value do we really offer beyond a SME with a tool? How do we distinguish the cases where we are needed?
  • (Reuben Tozman) What skills/knowledge do instructional designers bring to the table that is unique to our profession that other trades do not? Is our value in wielding the latest and greatest rapid development tools? Not if our SME's are using them also? Is it our knowledge of psychometrics when we create assessments? Nope. Is it our writing abilities? Is it our knowledge of communications?Do you think instructional designers should be able to use the tools?
  • Do you think instructional designers should go away and leave the rapid tools to the SMEs?
  • If we want SMEs to use rapid eLearning tools to create content, do they need training in ID? What training?
  • If someone without a background in ID is told to "create this course" - are they doing instructional design? Or is it something different? Is there some kind of range of ID capability? How do you explain the spectrum?
  • How can I really tell if there was good ID work? Could I have done as well by producing something far less?
  • If it takes more to create something "better" - do I really need to do that? How about when up-front knowledge of return on investment is not really known?
  • How is this different in academia vs. corporate.
Cammy's thesis - and I agree - is that ID is widely varied. But with that variety comes a big question of the value of ID as compared to a SME with a Wiki or rapid eLearning tool.

How to Respond:

Please post on your blog or put thoughts in a comment and I'll put a link to your post. You will get bonus points for:
  • Including a link to this post and even better include the Big Question logo.
  • In your comment, provide an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste. In other words - please include an HTML anchor tag in your comment. PLEASE.
Posts So Far:
Posted by Tony Karrer at 3:05 PM 40 comments
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