Digital Dialogues

Polycom rocks....

Yeah - my Polycom camera and software arrived on Friday - yippeeee! (Thanks Steve!!!)
Haven't had a chance to load it all up yet - have allocated Thursday for that!

And right as my camera arrives - here's a great case study about Polycom technology: Video Conferencing and Music Performance Education - Around the world with the Manhattan School of Music. 

"We initially explored videoconferencing technology to accommodate the touring schedule of world-renowned violinist, conductor and MSM faculty member, Pinchas Zukerman, so that he could teach his students while concertizing around the globe. The program proved so successful that Manhattan School of Music decided videoconferencing presented great opportunities for the conservatory environment. We have since expanded our program to include master classes, workshops, clinics, one-on-one teaching, education and community outreach, professional development, coaching and the creation of a new elective class, 'Videoconferencing for Performers & Educators,' designed to expose students to the virtual learning environment.

...our staff faced technology limitations with videoconferencing. Most systems proved inadequate for the high fidelity sound and acoustical requirements of music instruction. Finding a suitable system involved a long search for the best sound quality and greatest flexibility. In the past, videoconferencing provided only monophonic sound, which was unacceptable for delivering the superior quality necessary for music education. In addition, vendors did not allocate extra bandwidth necessary for high quality audio. Since sound is a paramount requirement, the school thought existing systems were unacceptable.
Then we discovered the Polycom VSX 8000, which offers 14kHz StereoSurround capability that can allocate 96 kbps of sound quality, including full-duplex stereo echo cancellation. The VSX series also maintains unsurpassed video quality, allowing students and teachers to see the minute details of the physical performance such as fingering and bowing. "

This is really amazing! I've seen videoconferencing used to teach dance students - but music? Fantastic!
My only concern is...well, as a budding cellist...my cello partner and I have a deal - we call it "bow synching"- that means when you get stuck or lost, you just...well...bluff it until you catch-up again! BUT if the Polycom videoconferencing is this good - they'd find us out....wouldn't they!!!
Just makes you realise, that the use of technologies to enable learning is only limited by your imagination .... NOT the technology!

Contemporary Online Teaching Cases

James Farmer shares a really nifty project pulled together at Deakin Uni - Contemporary Online Teaching Cases.

"It features the work of over 70 Deakin University staff in developing and using new media and online technologies to foster student learning. The site was developed through University strategic teaching and learning innovation funding. It has been designed to help teachers work creatively and productively in their online teaching.

Each of the cases locate new media and online technologies in the context of broader views of what it means to teach and learn effectively in different disciplines and professional fields in tertiary education."

I haven't had the chance to explore all the areas but it looks like some great ideas and implementations - would be great to see more of this sort of sharing happening! - Thanks James!

Qantas game plan

It's great to see LTUG members making page 3 - of the SMH Technology feature!
There is a half page article (in the paper-based version) highlighting the benefits of the new QF safety compliance training that has been developed by Tata Interactive Systems in India.
Typically this type of complaince training can be rather..ummm...dry - but the QF gang have added some fun and prizes by converting the content into a board game that earns them "Frequent Learner Points" (hope they're easier to redeem than the other FF points!)

As one of Australia's first e-Learning implementations it's great to see the Qantas College getting some recognition for all their hard work - well done guys!

Read the story online here: "Online fun, offline prize is Qantas game plan"

Virtual Success

Jenny O'Farrell - Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API)

How people could learn in small chunks and be actively invovled in learning - so - Jenny bought some virtual classroom software.

Jenny's learning philosophy - Winston Churchill: "Personally, I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught."

Jenny recommends:

• virtual classrooms as part of a blended tool - initially she believes she over-used them...
• Before you run the first session - ensure the participants are comfortable with the systems...(good advice - even the most computer literate participants).
• Trainers need help to become Virtual Trainers - even voice control from acting classes (interesting idea)
• short sessions - with less than 10 participants....
• follow-up with any additional form of learning - or - use it as a follow up to a f2f session
• make it highly interactive with varied activities - learners need to be kept actively involved.
• use 2 computers sitting next to each other - then you can view what the participants are viewing ...(hmmm - not sure about this one...bit complex)

Where web-conferencing fails:

• assumption that the environment is the same as a real classroom
• lacking of training for presenters
• lack of time for participants'familiarity with the process
• technology and hardware problems - suggest logging on 30 minutes in advance
• lack of variety in presentations
• long sessions with little interactivity
• used as the only learning tool

Common mistakes and how to avoid them:

• do you really need a virtual classroom? Perhaps Skype is a good alternative....
• buying more licenses than you need
• keep IT informed!
• not allowing your audience to be really comfortable with the technology
• when purchasing, find out who offers technical and educational support and if it is included in the package
• takes a couple of hours to create a really good presentation
• trainers need lots more innovation than f2f

Great presentation session Jenny - highlighted some of the key resistance factors by not just the learners but also the trainers who aren't committed to online envirnments!

Overcoming Learner Resistance

Bob Spence - St George Bank

Managing Expectations:

• many promises are made: saves money & reduces costs, reduces classroom facilities, reduces facilitators, more effective, from paper to "e" is easy etc

Learner Expectations: (most important component in the equation!) - of course!

• they want relevant learning, time to complete, quality learning, be able to use the knowledge, recognition for learning.
• Gen Y - different expectations - aware of real time access, instant digital gratification, expect personalisation, large diverse social networks - this will change the way we design learning - ABSOLUTELY!

Learning design skills are lacking - right across the industry! Another great point BOB!
Spending big and blowing the budget on technology - yep, got it in one Bob!

Success at St George has definitely come from linking learning to the business objectives.

St George is moving from structured to unstuctured learning - things are moving outside of the LMS now - it's about access and respecting the learners  - instead of having to go through cumbersome log on processes.

Implementation strategies at St George:

• change management processes - included an orientation pack for learners with head phones and other goodies
• expectation management - ran internal sessions on the introduction of e-Learning
• stakeholder management

Never forget to respect, encourage, and support learners!

Cost savings - 85% in 1/3 of the expected time - measured against the traditional approach of classroom, facilitator costs.

At St George, their learning centre is called the "Learning Zone" !

Quote of the day: Did anyone ever ask you if you wanted to use email?

Apart from evaluating learning from the 4 stage Kirkpatrick approach they are now using a Learning Transfer System - from Holton & Bates 1998:
4 main areas: 1) learner readiness to transfer, 2) learner motivation to use learning, 3) Learner ability to use learning, 5) work environment.

Online Courses as Video Games

Here's an engaging case study on the use of video games, role-plays and education....make sure you link through to the case study and then the link to the example of a RPG educational video game!!!

From Campus Technology

Online Courses as Video Games

By Dr. Rodney P. Riegle, Professor,Illinois State University

Online course offerings are becoming increasingly more common in education. Nearly 3 million U.S. students are currently taking university level courses online and more than half of all higher education institutions see online education as critical to their long-term strategy. The competition for online students will continue to escalate as more and more institutions realize that online education is a fast-growing, multi-billion dollar market.

Clearly, education is becoming a commodity and many educational institutions are looking to online education to improve their revenue stream. The competition for online students is bound to become more and more intense. The marketing of online courses, however, is still in its infancy. Courses designed like video games are one way to win this competition by appealing to the target demographic in a way that they embrace. A recent study found that 70 percent of U.S. college students play video games (32 percent even admit to playing video games during class without the knowledge of their instructors).

In addition to being one of the most popular video game genres (along with adventure and sports), RPGs are perhaps the most appropriate video game genre for educational purposes. RPG stands for Role-Playing Game. A role-playing game is a game in which each player takes the part of a character and participates in an adventure. The popularity of online role-playing games is staggering--there are currently more than 25 million people playing MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) such as The Sims Online, Runescape, City of Heroes, Dark Age of Camelot, Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Final Fantasy, EverQuest, Lineage, and Ragnarok.

Click here for the full story and the link to the RPG!

Webinar software

An example from Webex on the use of the synchronous webinar software in an educational setting!

The Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in Amsterdam is using WebEx for collaboration with students and lecturers  - creating a virtual classroom for remote students.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041201/sfw046_1.html

Learning Circuits 2004 Survey results

Rather than review a specific case study this month, I thought it may be of interest to LTUG readers to review the survey results from Learning Circuits - ASTDs (American Society for Training & Development) e-zine. In August and September of 2004, Learning Circuits ran two separate online surveys. The first survey, Learning Circuits Annual Trends Survey, asked LC readers about their general use of e-learning. It focused on respondents’ current level of involvement in e-learning and budget dollars dedicated to e-learning. The second questionnaire, Learning Circuits E-Learning Readiness Survey asked respondents about specific tools they were using and to indicate management and employee support levels for e-learning.

There are some interesting results:

eg. under the "Organisational perception of e-Learning" heading - 41.9% of managers report not preceiving e-Learning as "real" learning - not that's a challenge for us! With the cost to implement e-learning as the number 1 concern for 52% of managers responding to the survey.

From the employees perspective - the 2 highest ranking issues were time commitments and technical competence.

To review the results, go to:

http://www.learningcircuits.org/2004/nov2004/LC_Trends_2004.htm

Knowledge Sharing

Informal, joined up knowledge sharing using connected weblogs in pursuit of Mental Health service improvement
While I'm focusing on blogs (when am I not?) I thought this might be of interest! Lee Bryant from Headshift - a UK-based internet technolgies company that focuses on social and communication technologies has integrated blogs and wikis into the Mental Health Services in the UK to provide a bottom-up knowledge management system.
I saw Lee present at BlogTalk2.0 in Vienna and this innovative use of blogs is another demonstration of the power of blogs and also how practitioners can adopt technology to design solutions to needs that enhance process - rather than complicate them!
http://www.headshift.com/archives/001823.cfm

Virtual George!

While the internet, LMSs and email have provided so with so many alternative ways to communicate with and manage are students or learners, I've always been challenged with managing student queries that flood through onto my emails...but... looks like George Mickhail, a lecturer in accountancy at the University of Wollongong has come up with a special answer!!!
Virtual George - a web-based, artificial-intelligence version of himself which is based on a chat engine program that uses a database of linguistic terms to interact with users!
Students can't believe that it's not the 'real' thing!
Sounds like a perfect way to answer those desperate queries from insomniac students madly trying to complete their assignments on the all night marathon!
Read the full story from the Sydney Morning Herald