LearnNugget #386

Tony Karrer recently posted on his blog about browser keyboard shortcuts while conducting a workshop.

Some of these I knew as the File menu in the browser’s toolbar displays them. My new favorites are Ctrl+Tab (tab between open browser tabs) and Ctrl+Shift+T (open last tab you just closed). Didn’t know that – very cool!

I learned something new today…

5 Things I learned in 2008

The Learning Circuits Blog for December is titled, “What did you Learn about Learning in 2008? There’s about 10 days left and I’m still learning!

I learn something new everyday, however looking back at 2008, I broke my year down into 5 BIG things I learned this year:
1. Implementing an LMS
2. SCORM and eLearning Development
3. This blog
4. Getting connected!
5. Stretching beyond what I think I can achieve

1. This year was for the most part dedicated and focused on a Learning Management System. Our company implemented its first ever LMS! There is a plethora of decisions to make when deploying an enterprise-wide system such as this and I had no idea how much I had to learn in a very short time. I learned the administration of data is paramount to a successful system – hierarchy, legacy data, metrics, reports, etc. An LMS is as only good as the people who use it, and measuring activity and results play a key role in its success.

2. An LMS is just a fancy-schmancy piece of software if there is no content. I learned that just because I had some nifty web-based eLearning doesn’t mean it will work on the LMS. I had to take a crash course in SCORM and understand things like ‘LMS_initialize’ and ‘AICC_Lesson_Status’ and a whole new world of syntax. eLearning courses that actually communicate with an LMS was the real learning for me.

3. I attended two conferences this year. Both times I heard several times from general conference goers like myself to keynote speakers was to start a blog. Starting a blog will give you an outlet to get your thoughts, theories, concepts, etc. out of your head…and who knows, you may even get a reader or two. I learned that writing a blog is a huge commitment for it to thrive, although I’ve not been as consistent as I had initially hoped, I have at least one post per month. My re-commiment for ‘09 is one per week.

4. Getting connected = Web 2.0, period. Social networks, forums, blogs, twitting, tweeting, and whatever else I could explore. I’ve made so many new friends and relationships by simply joining on-line groups and organizations that it has opened my mind not only to the tremendous resource network, but how conversations with people all over the world can help formulate new ideas and concepts in your own projects.

5. Although I’ve been in the world of training for 25+ years in some capacity, my exposure to eLearning only goes back 5 years. For awhile I was so caught up in my own silo, that I couldn’t ’see’ beyond my own computer screen. Earlier this year I decided that stretching myself beyond what I think I can achieve is a new learning focus. Whether it be write a book, start a consulting business, freelance development work, or simply use the power of influencing skills to get Legal, HR, and IT open to the idea of new technologies in workforce learning. I learned if you properly present your ideas you may get more alignment and support than you originally had thought.

In summary, learning to learn is perishable. Every year about this time the I begin to think about New Year’s Resolutions. I never liked that phrase…a “resolution.” Something I must “resolve?” Why stop doing something and instead start something new? So every year I make three New Year’s “Revolutions.” What can I do new, what can I start, or what can I learn this next year?

I think my next post will be on New Year’s Revolutions…

AG|09 – A shape that occupies a space defines an object

Let’s take a journey – a journey through space. Not outer space but rather this physical universal space we’re in right now.

Consider for a moment that everything around you is billions of atoms that make up matter, and that matter is countless objects in our everyday life. The chair you’re sitting on, the computer in front of you, the simple cup you drank your morning coffee in is nothing more than matter. All that matter molded, sculpted, fabricated, constructed, etc. are (for the sake of argument) objects.

The idea is to fundamentally consider every object is first a shape that occupies space. That space defines the object by perspective, reflection of light, angle of perception, depth, shadows, color, etc. Every human being as the ability to imagine, and every human being visualizes images in their mind. The only difference is those who are open to learn tips and techniques to get them onto paper.

At AG|09 I’ll demonstrate with a few set of basic shapes and a few tips on perception that anyone can create any ‘object’ to support learning content or communicate a message in your eLearning projects.

I began working on my presentation this weekend. Yeah, I know my wife was a bit worried about me, too seeing as though AG|09 is four months away. Can’t help it…I’m excited and really looking forward to it. I started early because I can give an entire 8 hour workshop on this subject and I have a lot of material to go through.

In the coming weeks and months I’m going to try and explain more of my theory and concept here along with exercises. If you plan on attending AG|09 you’ll get a glimpse of what to expect and if you can’t or don’t plan on attending you won’t miss anything.

We are all in the learning industry in some capacity and we all know that when “The student is ready, the teacher will always appear.” If you’re ready, I’m ready!

AG|09 – an invitation to speak

I was recently informed that my submission to eLearning Guild’s Annual Gathering next year has been accepted. Whoohooo!!!

I presented a case study of our LMS implementation at this year’s Meridian Users Conference. I received many comments and it was suggested I submit a proposal to present the same case study at an upcoming industry conference.

Submission proposals for DevLearn were already over, so the next opportunity was the Annual Gathering being held in March ‘09. I submitted two proposals – one case study, but then I got to thinking to myself….”Self, why not speak on something else? Most folks don’t care what you go through, rather they want to learn tips, techniques, and strategies to get them through.” With that thought, I submitted a second proposal on a very simple topic – graphic communication.

We communicate graphically everyday in ways we probably don’t even pay attention to, but all those graphic symbols speak to us. The McDonald’s arches communicate fast food; The Nike swoosh communicates sports, and/or athletic apparel; an upside down white triangle with a red border communicates we need to yield. “See” what I’m saying?

That’s all fine but how does that apply to eLearning? What does a yield sign symbol have to do with a course I’m building in safe lifting practices? We spend thousands of dollars a year on clip art subscriptions, spend thousands on licensing fees for photo usage, or hire an illustrator to draw custom artwork. In this current economic climate, a penny saved is a penny earned.

“The 5th Language” presents just that – the language of graphic communication and how you can capitalize on some very simple yet effective techniques. This post dots, dashes, and lines explains some of these techniques.

More to come…