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HTML5 Demos from Apple

June 5, 2010 in Development | No comments

If you’re interested in learning more about what HTML5 can do, you should definitely check out the demos Apple just released. (I shared some demos in my article on HTML5 and elearning but these are… let’s say… better curated than most collections.)

Now, Apple did choose to put up a browser sniffer directing you to download Safari if you don’t happen to be using Safari when you visit. I personally think Safari’s worth using for the anti-aliasing alone, but if you just want a casual glance, go to the developer section instead… The demos are easier to get to and most of them work just fine on Firefox.

And authoring tool vendors, please visit the developer section for the code. I would love for someone to make it easy for me to make really pretty HTML stuff. Just sayin’.

3 AM Update: I have no idea why I’m up this late, but I went back to the demos and the site has changed; now there are browser sniffers on each demo in the developer section, in addition to the one blocking the main section. And in all cases, they don’t just warn you that the demos won’t work… they prevent you from seeing the demos unless you’re using Safari. Way to show that HTML5 is a web standard, Apple.

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Beyond the Hype: Understanding HTML5 and its Potential for e-Learning and mLearning

May 31, 2010 in Articles | No comments

Learning Solutions Magazine just published an article I wrote on HTML5’s potential for elearning/mlearning.

Enjoy! And here’s the permalink (requires free subscription to the magazine).

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What I’m Missing at Learning Solutions, Part 2

March 24, 2010 in Just For Fun | No comments

Jealous! (Did you know that orange was the color symbolizing jealousy in Shakespeare's day?)

I enjoyed peeking in to the #ls2010 backchannel today! And I realized that yesterday I didn’t even mention anything that wasn’t a concurrent session… lots of stuff going on in the ID Zone sounded really cool, too, but I’m way too tired from my week to make this post any bigger than it’s already shaping up to be. I’m kind of glad I didn’t have to decide what to actually go to. Here are my picks for tomorrow…

The Top 10 Must-Do’s for Developing Successful e-Learning Programs – Having spent the last 3 years building an elearning initiative from the ground up, I have to wonder what I missed. There must be something.

Giving Voice to Your e-Learning - Okay, selfish choice. Since I do a little voiceover work on the side, mainly for elearning, I might figure out a few things about how to market my services in this session. :D

Designing Continuous Learning: Leveraging the Power of a Learning Continuum – Again with the movement away from learning “events”…

McGyver e-Learning: Creating e-Learning with Open-source and Common Tools – Even if you weren’t a proponent of open-source tech (which I am, don’t get me wrong), who could resist something called “McGyver e-Learning”?

The Evolving LMS/LCMS:  Their Role in the World of Learning 2.0 and Social Learning – While I’ve heard of several LMS/LCMSs that support social learning, the ones I have the most experience with definitely don’t fall into that category. It would be nice to get more education there.

Rapid Deployment Leveraging Social Networks and Google Wave – Or maybe it would be better to see some concrete tools and examples along the same lines…

Case Study: Converting a Live Workshp to e-Learning – This just sounds good. Lots of us grapple with converting ILT to elearning and the decisions that must be made in that design process; I’m always interested to see how others do it.

Visual Design Essentials: Practical Techniques for Designing Better Online Courses – I had to reread this description before I “got it” that when the writer says “design” he means “visual design”, and that made me chafe a little (that confusion being something that bosses and clients often fall victim to, as well). Having said that, visual design is important and it’s always something I’m up for learning more about… particularly when it relates directly to what I do.

“Don’t Make Me Think”: Creating Effective e-Learning with User Testing – I reread Steve Krug’s book recently because I hope to step up some of our user testing at work; this session would be relevant. And I like that they’re recognizing how relevant web design/development is to elearning design/development…

New Applications for Mobile Games and Simulations – mLearning has never been a huge interest for me, but I’m currently doing some research on HTML5 and therefore wish I could peek into just about every mlearning session I hear about…

When Worlds Collide: Social Media and the Learning Organization – Again, interested in how social media and collaborative tools can affect learning.

Don’t be shy! Tell me what I missed… even if it’s not listed above.

Edit: I have to say (as if there are people out there who are going to get offended) — there are a few sessions that sound really cool, but I might have caught the same speaker doing what sounds like a similar topic at prior conferences. So I pretty much didn’t list those here. No offense! And from the tweets coming in about Michael Allen’s session, I might be wrong about that anyway. Again, wish I were there…

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What I’m Missing at Learning Solutions, Part 1

March 24, 2010 in Just For Fun | No comments

Jealous!

Looking ahead to the conferences happening this summer, the one I’m probably most sorry to be missing is Learning Solutions Conference and Expo 2010.

But just because I can’t go doesn’t mean I can’t window-shop! So, completely ignoring my word count, here are the sessions I would be trying to decide between if I were in Orlando today:

Using Web Analytics to Track the Use of Formal and Informal Learning – Lots of us try to avoid our LMSs, but then we don’t get good tracking on how many customers we’re serving. Analytics could bridge that gap and I do use Google Analytics for websites I manage… but I don’t know a lot about using it inside a company’s intranet, which it seems like you would have to do.

The Role of Standards in Supporting Innovation in e-Learning – This might be a little basic for me, but I’m really interested in the work that LETSI is doing.

Creating Game-like Engagement without a Game Designer’s Budget – I’m a big believer that it’s the creativity behind the game — and the understanding of what makes a game good — that makes it exciting… not the multimedia. It sounds like this session is aimed at the right ideas.

Assessing e-Learning Results: Fundamentals, Myths, and Special Opportunities – I like that Will Thalheimer focuses on research-based solutions, so I tend to be interested in pretty much anything he has to say.

Project Management for Rapid e-Learning Projects – Project management has always been a challenge for me… not so much because I’m bad at it (hopefully), but more because I’d like to be better so that I could spend less time doing it.

Improving Systems Training by Adding Informal Learning – See comments on Will Thalheimer’s session above.

Distributed Learning: Rethinking Design to Encourage Advanced Performance – I’ve spent a lot of effort over the last year trying to change from designing learning “events” to designing solutions that meet learners’ needs over time. Interested in what Clark Quinn has to say on the topic… his perspective is usually a very interesting one.

Creating Media Like a Pro: Tips and Tricks for Audio and Video Development – And as much as I like to contemplate theory and learning strategy, I’m part of a very small shop and that is just getting its feet wet in video development. Some nitty-gritty tips would be good, and I always pick up good stuff from Diane Elkins’s presentations.

Advanced e-Learning Technology Architecture: Moving Beyond Course Delivery – Again, just interested in how technology supports — and limits — learning delivery.

Creating Value in e-Learning Design through Effective Instructional Feedback – I also usually learn a lot from Allen Interactions’ classes and sessions, though this one might not be much that’s new after taking both of their Elearning Instructional Design classes from ASTD.

On the upside, I guess I don’t actually have to decide between these, since I won’t be there. Did you pick any of these? How were they?

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Beth and the Mermaid

March 19, 2010 in Graphic Design | No comments

A quick look at some new images that have come onto the elearning scene recently*:

"The perfect elearning host" according CS. I concur.

Cheers: Cartoon Solutions has released Beth, a smart-looking, non-Barbie™-proportioned character that’s great for learning agents. I have to admit, though I’ve used their art in the past, sometimes I’ve changed the body proportions to be more realistic. The marketing behind Beth shows that Cartoon Solutions is paying attention to its elearning audience.

She's not bad... she's just drawn that way.

Jeers: Trivantis included a — sorry to say — salaciously drawn mermaid in the Lectora X media library. Can’t say I’ll find much use for this in elearning… even if I needed a mermaid, I wouldn’t opt for Jessica Rabbit’s long-lost oceanic kin. And that’s a pity because elearning is Trivantis’s whole business. That being the case, it’s pretty disappointing to find something this off-the-mark. Hat tip: Marc Shecter.

*Wordpress tells me I started this blog post almost three months ago. I haven’t posted it because I’ve had an issue with Lectora X’s media library on my company’s network… not Trivantis’s fault from what I can tell, but it’s taken some time to get resolved, and I wanted to be able to say that in all fairness, the rest of the media library is at least work-appropriate. It is, and otherwise I’m pretty darn keen on Lectora X’s improvements. :)

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The E-Learning List

November 2, 2009 in resources | No comments

elearninglist I keep seeing a very cool new resource pop up lately: The E-Learning List. It’s a directory of service providers and resources, so for those of you who have services to provide, get your name out there!

(Even if you aren’t full-service, take a look… I don’t freelance for whole elearning development, but I do freelance voice work, so I just signed up in the Voices and Audio Services category. Maybe someone looking on the site will need an American voice at some point.)

And for those of you who buy elearning services, there are some great resources for you,  too… including a guide to buying elearning services and a guide to writing an RFP for elearning. Check it out!

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Arial vs. Helvetica

October 3, 2009 in Graphic Design | 6 comments

Small part of a visual comparison by Raynor

Small piece of a visual comparison by Raynor

Even though instructional design is not synonymous with graphic design (contrary to some employers’ beliefs), graphic design is obviously a pretty big part of what we do. Even those among us who have the luxury of not doing our own graphic design have to judge and vet others’ work. So it seems like it behooves us to at least talk the talk and spot differences in design and type, to what effect on the overall product.

I’m working on my graphic design and typography chops informally for the time being, which is why I’m grateful for bloggers, among them John Gruber at Daring Fireball, who recently posted:

So You Think You Can Tell Arial From Helvetica? Quiz

and Arial Versus Helvetica

Extra credit: Not new, but very interesting… Helvetica (the documentary). Enjoy!

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Great Minds in Action

August 3, 2009 in Recommendations | 2 comments

Photo: brunkfordbraun via Flickr

Photo: brunkfordbraun via Flickr

Just something to share…

I’ve found that IDs love to learn; not only is it sort of part of the job description, being exposed to others’ brilliant ideas can help foster your own creativity, as well.

A few days ago, Mashable.com posted this list of the “Top 7 Places to Watch Great Minds in Action”. You’ve probably heard of TED, but I’d bet at least one of the others on the list are new; they certainly were to me.

Keep learning!

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3 Things About Storyboarding That You May Not Have Seen

July 9, 2009 in Development | 2 comments

I’ve had a lot of storyboarding inspiration lately…

1) Notebook, purchased at Muji

2) Pretty amazing example, seen at MoMA:

Storyboard for The Civil Wars: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down, an opera by Robert Wilson.

Storyboard for The Civil Wars: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down, an opera by Robert Wilson. (Photo by Scott Unrein)

3) Video on storyboarding, posted on MinuteBio

I’ve been reflecting on how much these notions of storyboarding really relate to e-learning. Most of the e-learning storyboards I’ve seen focus much less on the visual design than these do, and much more on which words need to appear on screen and which words should be spoken.

I generally do the kind of storyboard that just communicates which words the developer needs to put on which screen, but only in “development”, after the interaction itself has been designed through a prototype. That way Word or PowerPoint or whichever tool I’m using doesn’t force me down a completely linear path; the tool has to accommodate the interaction I’ve designed.

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E-Learning Uncovered: Lectora Version 9

July 6, 2009 in Recommendations | 1 comment

I get asked fairly often whether there is a “book or something” on Lectora, particularly from people just starting out with the software. And until now, the pickings have been slim.

lectora_version_9

Thankfully, Diane Elkins and Desirée Ward, two very talented instructional designers*, have recently released E-Learning Uncovered: Lectora Version 9 (also on Amazon).

The book does an excellent job of teaching the software and the underlying concepts, such as inheritance, SCORM and AICC publishing, and how and when to use variables. It includes useful references, such as a guide the elements in the new Flash Media Library (with further examples on their website). And this is all in less than 250 pages.

The book is ideal for beginner to intermediate users, but power users could pick up some good tips, too. Download a free chapter and check out more resources on their website.

* Full disclosure: I’ve worked with them in the past and most likely will again in the future.

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Open-Source Gaining Wider Acceptance…?

July 2, 2009 in Big Picture, Tools | No comments

Thanks @sahana2802, for twittering this story; the full report is worth a read, too. The gist: Open-source software (OSS) is gaining wider acceptance now, mainly due to economic challenges.

opensourceAt work, I use Firefox, Audacity, and FreeMind, but still battle OSS objections, particularly when recommending software that would affect many users (*cough* Moodle).

From my perspective, I can’t see how Moodle has a less certain future than NameBrand LMS, which is part of a suite that was bought by another company, which has its own LMS and isn’t so interested in supporting NameBrand any more. Just sayin’.

At your company – or among your clients – has OSS reached a point where you can compare features without having to discuss open-source philosophy? Is OSS, in fact, preferred? At my company, the answers are no, but I’m optimistic — and hopefully rightly so.

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…And Finally, Learning Agents Part 6: Get Your Own (Using Illustrations)

June 30, 2009 in Design | 1 comment

Illustrations deserve their own discussion; they’re my recommendation because they’re highly editable.

Angela, one of our recent stars. $18 for her files and 100% worth it.

Angela, one of our recent stars. $18 for her files and 100% worth it.

You can use clipart (and if you do, check out Tom Kuhlman’s now-classic post on clipart editing). For learning agents, though, one or two on-screen personas get a lot of focus and need to represent a wide range of behaviors, so clipart may not cut it.

For my money/time, I buy pre-made illustrations. The regular stock photo sites have illustrations, but the best collection I’ve found for learning agents is cartoonsolutions.com.

Most of their characters are elearning-appropriate and they come with various poses and mouths (meant to animate speech, but I also use them as facial expressions). I buy Flash versions and use Illustrator to edit them for stills. Add audio from a popular CSR, and you’re golden.

I’m still looking for more collections — any recommendations?

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Hello, Google Wave!

June 29, 2009 in Tools | No comments

Time for a break in the series…

Perhaps most of you have seen Google Wave demonstrated already, but if you’re a slacker like I am and have been meaning to get around to watching that 80-minute video of Wave being demonstrated in May at Google I/O, try this instead… the 10-minute, edited version:

And if, like me, you’re interested in being one of the first commoners to try it out, sign up here.

Props to Cristy Tucker for sending it out to the blogosphere. It’s much appreciated in the post-vacation doggy-paddle through my RSS feeds.

And thanks to phonedog, the poster (and apparent editor) of the video. Maybe if we all ask nicely, we could get them to do the same with the ASTD ICE videos…?

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How Long Does E-Learning Development Take?

June 19, 2009 in Development | 2 comments

Best way I’ve heard to keep from saying it depends: “That’s like asking how much a house costs.”

However, a realtor would be able to estimate that cost for you based on what you want, and an instructional designer should at least have a starting point to do the same. If you don’t, here is a short document created by Karl M. Kapp, EdD and Maria Plano.

howlong-excerpt

An overview, but the whole document is well worth the read.

It shows both 1) how variable the process is based on main factors, and 2) that it’s time-consuming, no matter what. For those reasons alone, it’s a useful place to start for departments just starting their e-learning efforts. In terms of its accuracy… every shop is different, so you tell me! And which other major variables affect your development times?

Props to the Chicago Lectora User Group for posting this resource on their website.

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