Tools for del.icio.us

Constantly updated list of tools for using del.icio.us, the social software/tagging service.

11:42:59 AM    

Getting ahead of the trends.

Don't get too excited by the "rising sharply" language in the headline below. The numbers are still in the single digit range for actual use of weblogs, social software, and newsreaders. But there is change, in the upward direction, and it pays to be up at the front of a movement.

Forrester: Consumer Use of Blogs, RSS, and Social Networks Rising Sharply.

11:38:57 AM    

Chasing our tails.

I saw this over on Elliott Masie's weblog today: Development Time Poll Results. This was simple quick survey of his readers about the amount of time they require to develop e-Learning and the level of satisfaction they feel with this time. While there are a number of problems with any "insta-poll" (like, are they all talking about the same thing?), it was interesting to see that 65% of the responders say they average more than three weeks to develop an e-Learning course, and 65% also say they need to be faster. Do you suppose that was coincidental?

[Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie]

11:33:57 AM    

What is connectivism?

George keeps trying to explain this to us. "It's not what it is, it's what it enables." [Connectivism Blog]

11:26:26 AM    

Cheap tricks with Google's Sidebar.

Watching for high-priority email without being distracted by Outlook's constant "ding"ing.

GTD and Google Desktop, Part 2.

By Bob Walsh

11:22:10 AM    

Podcasting is not an automatic winner for e-Learning.

Maybe this should go in the Dept. of Not News. The signal-to-noise ratio in many podcasts is ridiculous. Finding ones that generate more learning than noise is tough to do. Maybe we/someone needs to figure out best practices for educational podcasts vs. best practices for marketing podcasts vs. best practices for entertainment podcasts. Bet they aren't the same.

Podcasting for learning.

Podcasting for learning (.pdf) (via Portals and KM) - overview of podcasting benefits and "how to do it". I still wax and wane in my view of podcasting adoption. I think it has huge potential...but lacks the "survey-ability" of text (which means that learners have to select a few high-value podcasts, rather than broad-based approach - for example, I currently track 242 blogs daily (give or take 50)...at best, I could track 6 - 12 daily podcasts).

11:08:55 AM    

Dept. of Not News.

Well, at least it's documented in a study: We all know interaction is important, but we don't do it much because we'd have to change how we teach and how we learn.

"Results show that instructors perceive the learner-instructor and learner-learner interactions as key factors in high quality online programs. While online students generally perceive interaction as an effective means of learning, they vary with regard to having more interaction in online courses. Such variations seem to be associated with differences in personality or learning style. The present study also shows that instructors tend to use technologies and instructional activities that they are familiar with or have relied on in traditional classroom settings. When it comes to learning more sophisticated technologies or techniques, instructors vary significantly in their usage of new approaches."

The Importance of Interaction in Web-Based Education - Bude Su, Curtis J. Bonk, Richard J. Magjuka, Xiaojing Liu, and Seung-hee Lee; JIOL. Though interaction is often billed as a significant component of successful online learning, empirical evidence of its importance as well as practical guidance or specific interaction techniques continue to be lacking. In response, this study utilizes bot [Online Learning Update]

11:04:12 AM    

RSS and e-Mail.

Great series by Ros Hrastnik.

RSS and E-mail #1: How They Can Work Together

RSS and E-mail #2: Delivering Your E-zine via RSS [The RSS and Marketing Diary]

10:46:41 AM    

"Non-formal" learning.

People learn all the time. They can learn how to do something, how to avoid something, and they may also learn the wrong things. They can do this in a classroom (real or virtual) or not, with or without a teacher or an expert to guide them, and even in dreams. No wonder we're confused about our business.

Information or knowledge and the nature of non formal learning.

Interesting exploration (or definition) of learning - formal, non-formal, and informal - Information or knowledge and the nature of non formal learning: "Informal learning: learning resulting from daily life activities related to work, family or leisure. It is not structured (in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support) and typically does not lead to certification.

10:36:40 AM