Friday, July 1

Fun e-learning? #LCBQ

This month's big question comes from Jeff Goldman and the rest of the Big Question Thought Leaders.

Summer has begun (in the northern hemisphere) and summer means fun. And if you are from the southern hemisphere, my perception is that you have fun all the time - except maybe taking eLearning. So, the #LCBQ for July is:

How do you make e-learning fun?



We also would like to hear when e-learning should or should not be fun. Or is engaging really what you go after? And how does that differ from fun?

How to Respond:

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

Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ

We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.

Option 3 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.

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 4:48 AM 16 comments

Wednesday, June 1

Break Down Organizational Walls When It Comes to Learning #LCBQ

Thanks to Holly and the rest of the Big Question Thought Leaders for helping me to craft this month's question.

In many organizations, our learners are reaching outside of the organization to enhance their learning experience, through social networking/media and many other methods. In other organizations, the learning audience includes partners and customers, and the learning ecosystem expands beyond employees.

The #LCBQ for June is:

How do we break down organizational walls when it comes to learning?


How to Respond:

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

Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ

We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.

Option 3 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.

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 11:28 AM 8 comments

Monday, May 2

On-Demand Learning and Performance #LCBQ

Last month we asked how you can address the "I want it now!" demand from stakeholders. Jeff Goldman talked about the other stakeholder - the learner - who want their learning on-demand.

The #LCBQ for May is:

How do we need to change in what we do in order to address learning/performance needs that are on-demand?


How to Respond:

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

Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ

We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.

Option 3 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.

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 6:37 AM 15 comments

Friday, April 1

Addressing I Want it Now #LCBQ

I'm very happy to be working with the Big Question Thought Leaders on the questions each month.



For April the LCBQ is:

How do you address the "I want it now!" demand from stakeholders?


As one of the LCBQ thought leaders put it:

The other day I walked into an executives office and they had a site up about "Rapid Instructional Design." I spent quite a bit of time in discussion with this executive. It is a real tough balance of providing instructionally sound courses/events and providing it is an time frame acceptable by stakeholders.
How to Respond:

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

Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ

We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.

Option 3 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.

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 6:00 AM 14 comments

Tuesday, March 1

Assessing Learning Initiatives

I'm very happy to be working with the Big Question Thought Leaders. We've added some European perspective to the group with the addition of Kasper Spiro.

For March the LCBQ is:

How do you assess whether your informal learning, social learning, continuous learning, performance support initiatives have the desired impact or achieve the desired results?

As training organizations increasingly focus on improving performance with new kinds of learning/performance initiatives, how do we go about making sure they have impact/results? The focus here is what people are doing today and what makes sense to do. We'd love to hear examples.

By the way, if you have an idea for what all of this should be called, we would be curious to hear about that as well.

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 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ

We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.

Option 3 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.

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 5:58 AM 23 comments

Tuesday, February 8

eLearning Predictions and Plans 2011 #LCBQ

This is a month late this year, but I'm excited because the Big Question Thought Leaders are working with me around this question.

For February the question is:

What are your
Predictions and Plans for 2011?

The goal here is to here what people see happening for them this year.

  • What are your biggest challenges for this upcoming year?
  • What are your major plans for the year?
  • What predictions do you have for the year?

In your predictions and plans, don't try to look too broadly. Instead, what's always valuable is to hear from people about their specific area, or what's happening in their job.

You might want to look back at previous years:

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 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ

We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.

Option 3 -

Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.

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 6:00 AM 16 comments

Monday, February 7

Big Question Thought Leaders

I'm happy to announce that several thought leaders have joined together with me to revitalize the Big Question. We will likely be trying some different things over the next few months. What exactly, we aren't sure. We'll figure it out as we go.

The goals of the Big Question will remain the same:

  • A way to highlight thought leaders around topics of interest to eLearning Professionals
  • A way to stimulate different perspectives on questions that are of interest to eLearning Professionals.

We are definitely interested in having contributions from other Thought Leaders, so feel free to contact me: akarrer@techempower.com if you are interested in participating.

Glenn Hansen

GlennHeadshotGlenn has over 10 year's experience in the field of workplace learning and performance, and is currently the Learning and Development Manager at The Salvation Army Employment Plus in Australia. He has a particular interest in how communications technology can enhance and facilitate corporate learning and performance, and the creation of new opportunities for learning in and outside the workforce. Glenn holds a Master of Psychology degree, and enjoys Australian Rules Football, NFL and most other sports that involve a ball and action.

Blog: http://www.glennhansen.tumblr.com

Twitter: @glennhansen_

Thomas Edgerton

thomas_edgerton_venture_capital_consulting

Thomas Edgerton is a performance consultant, professional coach, instructional technologist, master swimmer, and perpetual optimist. Over the years, his award winning work traverses sneaker net to the present crossing diverse industries, platforms, pedagogy, and people. Let me warn you beforehand, I am more hopeful today than at any previous point in my life.

twitter: 4EFRSWM

linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasedgerton

website: www.skilledge.,net

Jeffrey Goldman

goldman_jJeff Goldman has 13+ years experience in the training and development field, including nine years designing and developing e-learning. He has a dual focus in both online learning and classroom training and has experience designing learning solutions in banking, healthcare, and for nonprofit organizations. Jeff holds a Master of Arts degree in Instructional Systems Design from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Blog: www.minutebio.com/blog

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/minutebio

Twitter: www.twitter.com/minutebio

Holly MacDonald

imageHolly lives on a small semi-rural island off the coast of British Columbia, Canada where she works as an independent learning strategist, advising clients thoughout their journey to e-learning. She's particularly interested in performance support and the rise of user generated content as growth areas for traditional workplace learning. Holly's been tinkering in the learning field for over 15 years in a variety of roles. After 12+ years in the corporate world, she decided that climbing the career ladder was not the only option and freedom 55 was someone else's dream. She's enjoying the diversity that consulting offers, even if the workload is daunting at times. She's a voracious reader (mostly snobby fiction), a fair-weather sea kayaker, enthusiastic (but not particularly skilful) downhill skier and a busy mom who seeks to find time to do it all.

Web: http://www.sparkandco.ca

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sparkandco

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/hollymacdonald

Blog: http://sparkyourinterest.wordpress.com/

Kasper SpiroKasper Spiro

Kasper has over 25 years of experience in the field of learning and user performance support. His learning experience goes from teaching, authoring textbooks, designing and creating e-Learning, knowledge management and user performance support. As a manager his experience ranges from being CEO of an early internet startup in the nineties to his current position as CEO of easygenerator.

He has a passion for learning, learning technology and innovation. With easygenerator he is on a mission to make it the best e-learning authoring system in the world and innovate e-Learning along the way. He believes that we should bring (e)-Learning to the workplace and that learning content is key in reaching that goal.

Blog: www.KasperSpiro.com

LinkedIn, Skype, Twitter: KasperSpiro

Web: www.easygenerator.com

Posted by Tony Karrer at 6:31 AM 3 comments

Monday, January 3

Big Question - Should It Continue?

I've been moderating the Big Question for more than four years at this point. For me, it's been a great way to foster conversation in the blogosphere.

In the past few months, activity (posts, comments, comments on posts) on the big questions has seen a big drop.

So - here's the big question for January 2011:


Should the Big Question continue?



And if you think it should but with changes, then what are those changes?

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 7:07 AM 20 comments

Wednesday, December 1

Learning 2010

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

The Big Question for December is:

What did you learn about learning in 2010?


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.

If you are not a blogger, please go read Should All Learning Professionals Blog? and
Top Ten Reasons To Blog and Top Ten Not to Blog and consider if this might not be the perfect moment to start.

If I still (after 3 years) can't convince you, then you should still take this as an opportunity to reflect on the year and come up with what you've learned. I can promise it's well worth the time.

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

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 5:41 AM 6 comments

Wednesday, November 3

Questions No Longer and New Questions

I just saw a great post by George Siemens - Questions I’m no Longer Asking where he lays out the questions that he no longer finds interesting or relevant. This is incredible stuff because it really points to what's changed over the past few years.

George is asking this more for educators, but I'd like to piggy back and ask about this for learning professionals (educators, trainers, eLearning designers/creators, etc.).

The November Big Question is:

What questions are you no longer asking? What are your new questions?



If you aren't sure what I'm asking, look at the post by George. It lays it out pretty well.

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 6:34 AM 9 comments

Monday, October 4

Examples of Big Impact from Technology

Whoops, October completely snuck up on me. I'm a couple days late posting this. And I have a bit different question this month.

One of the things that has always bugged me is that its very hard to find good case studies. A few years ago, we asked a big question Where are the Examples of eLearning? It resulted in finding some good examples such as: Elearning samples and eLearning Examples. There are a few more to be found via eLearning Case Studies on the eLearning Learning site.

But most of the time, these examples and case studies tend to focus on different styles of interaction in online courses.

I wanted to do something a bit different here. For most of us, we've worked on a few projects that use technology and have had a Big Impact on performance and the business. It wasn't just a check-the-box kind of training exercise. It was big and meaningful. I want to hear about those projects.

The October Big Question is:

Examples of Big Impact from Technology?



Brag a little, it's okay. If you can't name the company, just say "Big Box Retailer" or something like that. I want to know what projects you are most proud of in your life. But it does need to have technology as part of the solution.


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 1:37 PM 5 comments

Wednesday, September 1

Voice-Over in eLearning

Over the past couple of months, Dr. Joel Harband has been teaching me all about Using Text-to-Speech in eLearning. This has been a great way for me to learn about the topic.

However, there was a comment on one of my posts that made me realize that the discussion of the use of voice-over in eLearning was far beyond the conversation that Joel and I were having. The comment was:
Even the best Text-to-Speech can only do one thing - receive text and spit it back out. There is no substitute for a professional voice talent, who can interpret the meaning and message of your e-learning scripts. A good voice talent knows how and when to change up the tone or feel of a read when things are getting overly technical or have gone on a while. The most sophisticated text-to-speech cannot approach a real voice person for e-learning. Why do text-to-speech when the cost of a good voice talent will more than pay for itself with satisfied clients and learners?
If you step back, there's a set of broader questions that I've often struggled with:
  • When does it make sense to use voice-over in your eLearning course?
  • Given the range of solutions for voice-over from text-to-speech, home-grown human voice-over, professional voice-over: how do you decide what's right for your course?
  • How do you justify the budget and how does that factor into your choice of solution?
  • Are there places where text-to-speech makes sense?
  • Given relatively low-cost recording and editing solutions, does anyone use a studio anymore? When/why?
  • And, last but not least, I've read a lot of conflicting information about the right way to use voice-over in a course. How do you do it right? Can you have the same text on the screen? Can you have text on the screen or diagrams/animations only?

The September Question is:

Effective voice-over in eLearning?



This is one of the bigger big questions. I'm hoping that we can use this to collect up some pretty good information to help eLearning professionals to make smart choices about voice-over in eLearning.

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 6:00 AM 18 comments

Thursday, July 1

Brain Learning and eLearning Design

David Grebow suggested this month's Big Question (thanks David).

There's been a lot of discussion around cognitive theory and "how the brain learns." I've been to a lot of conference sessions around this and I've captured a bunch of really great resources below.

But even with all of that discussion there's a question of whether people are really making changes to the design of their online learning.

So the July Question is:

Does the discussion of "how the brain learns" impact your eLearning design?




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

Video Link and Posts so far (and read comments as well):

Top 32 Posts on Brain, Learning, eLearning Design

I used eLearning Learning to do some quick research to find top resources related to Cognitive Theory, Brain in combination with terms like Instructional Design, Online Learning, Learning Theory, Pedagogy such as: Cognitive Learning Theory, Brain Learning Theory, Instructional Design and Cognitive Theory, Brain and Learning Styles, Brain and Instructional Design, Brain Online Learning Design, Online Learning Pedagogy - this found 32 really great resources on this topic that I've listed below:
  1. The Science Behind Learning: Cognitive Tips and How Tos for Corporate Training, February 28, 2010
  2. Expanding On The Nine Events Of Instruction- The eLearning Coach, April 19, 2010
  3. Transfer of Learning - Theories and Implications- Designed for Learning, October 31, 2009
  4. Why are people so dumb? (Cognitive Biases), November 1, 2009
  5. Cognitive Load vs. Load Time, October 9, 2009
  6. Aging. Can We Enhance People's Cognitive Outcomes?, June 4, 2009
  7. Rob Barton: Reducing Extraneous Cognitive Load by Accounting for Individual Differences, January 12, 2009
  8. Push Your Brain! Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, January 26, 2009
  9. Discovering Instructional Design, Part 1- The E-Learning Curve, May 19, 2009
  10. Taxonomy of Learning Theories- E-learning in the Corporate Sector, January 12, 2010
  11. Game-based meta-cognitive coaching- Learnlets, October 15, 2009
  12. 20 Facts You Must Know About Working Memory- The eLearning Coach, June 2, 2010
  13. Start and End eLearning Courses with Methods That Facilitate Learning- Integrated Learnings, January 26, 2010
  14. Cognitive Psychology Anyone?- The eLearning Coach, January 25, 2010
  15. Inaccurate claims of brain training benefits- Lars is Learning, January 8, 2008
  16. Definition: Cognitivism- Kapp Notes, December 28, 2006
  17. Theory-informed design tips- E-learning in the Corporate Sector, February 9, 2010
  18. The science of learning- Clive on Learning, February 21, 2007
  19. Deeper Instructional Design- In the Middle of the Curve, November 13, 2008
  20. Brain Based Learning- eLearning Blender, September 28, 2008
  21. Understanding Learning Styles Research- Experiencing eLearning, September 1, 2008
  22. 4 ways to enlist the learners’ unconscious mind- Thinking Cloud, December 20, 2009
  23. Daniel Pink and Framing the Task, September 22, 2009
  24. Brain rules – where does that leave us?- Clive on Learning, June 22, 2009
  25. Brain Rules & learning- Informal Learning, June 13, 2010
  26. Brain changing technology- Learning Technology Learning, March 15, 2010
  27. The art of changing the brain- Clive on Learning, May 13, 2008
  28. Tools and our brain, July 10, 2009
  29. Be Skeptical of Brain-Based Learning, July 21, 2008
  30. Are you being fooled by claims of brain-based learning?, June 2, 2010
  31. That brain of ours, July 9, 2009
  32. 12 Brain Rules continue to stir interest with Instructional Designers, April 10, 2009
Posted by Tony Karrer at 6:37 AM 13 comments

Tuesday, June 1

Tools to Learn

I did an interview last week for the Frank Peters Show around my experience working as a Startup CTO. It was a lot of fun because I regularly list to Frank's podcast. Frank asked me about the disconnect (especially in Los Angeles Web Development) between the fact that it's hard to find really good developers and the fact that there seems to be a lack of opportunity for students to learn about programming. Most high schools don't teach programming. For me, that's when I was exposed. There was a great teacher, Mr. Thigpen, who taught me BASIC and then we worked together via independent studies for me to learn Pascal. It's what got me into computer science. Frank is determined to set up some kind of program for boy scouts locally so they can be exposed. I think that's a great idea. But it also got me to thinking ...

Last month - there was a wonderful set of posts looking at all kinds of things that might come to be Learning Technology 2015. A fair number of these posts suggest that to be a well rounded eLearning professional, you are going to need to know quite a bit about different kinds of tools. And, of course, there are issues like the possible Beginning of Long Slow Death of Flash that might have a big impact on what you should learn.

So the June Question is:

What tools should we learn?


Initially I was thinking - what tools should we be teaching? And I was thinking about the context of things like master's programs. But, it's also what tools should we be teaching to professionals at industry events or training programs?

And really, the reality is that you shouldn't rely on your educational institution, employer, association, etc. to decide what tools you should learn? The question is really about the specific tools that would make sense to learn today in order to be a valuable eLearning professional in 2015? There's also a question of the depth you need to know these tools.

If you really want to be helpful, you might point us to resources that someone could use to learn the tool at the level you are suggesting.

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 6:38 AM 12 comments
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