Udutu Online Course Authoring

On principle, I'm leery of "simple" course authoring tools. They certainly have their place, but I've been disappointed with a lot of tools that end up restricting users into proprietary formats and systems.

Udutu is a Canadian company that offers an online course authoring tool as well as a hosting environment and a number of other things that I haven't fully sussed out yet. They appear to make their money from hosting elearning content ($1/screen per month...).

The core offering is a free to use authoring system that allows users to built simple self-paced elearning courses. What I like about the system is a) it's free and b) it allows you to export a SCORM package that you can import into your own environment.

As for the rest of the offerings (hosting, Facebook apps, etc.), I'll need to investigate a bit further. But it does look like a tool that could meet a need for rapid development of SCORM based courseware.

Sheriff's Dept Utilizes "Podcasting" for Training

Orange County Sheriff’s Dept. Tapping the Power of Podcasting.

An interesting case study from Apple on how the OCSD is utilizing Apple's Podcast Publisher software to create and distribute "podcasts" (primarily video, it appears) for training and information dissemination.

“Podcast Producer enables us to almost instantly create audio or video content and deliver it in several different formats,” says James. “That’s in contrast to the weeks it used to take for our video unit to produce training content or communications.”

The case study is mostly a marketing piece for Podcast Producer, and doesn't get into details about how and when the officers primarily access the content (one picture has sheriff watching a video on his cruiser's computer display... is that really typical?), what the user's opinion of the initiative is, how the content is mixed with other formats, etc.

I would be interested in finding out more about how this initiative was implemented, where it fits into their overall training program, and what has been most and least effective.

from elearningpost

Jane Hart's Review of 2008: 100 great articles

It's that time of year again, when people either look forward or look back in review.

The wonderful Jane Hart of C4LPT.org (Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies) keeps track of e-learning resources and tools across the web, and she has compiled a list of her favorite articles from 2008:

Review of 2008: 100 great articles

This is an awesome list, with articles from the likes of Jay Cross, George Siemens, Donald Clark, Stephen Downes, and many others.

Do yourself a favour and peruse this list.

JamStudio - Online Music Factory

JamStudio is a online "web 2.0" type tool for creating songs and music.

I thought this was an interesting site for a number of reasons. One, it looks like a fun gizmo to tinker with. Second, it looks like a great playground or sandbox to help teach kids (or anyone looking to learn music) about chord progressions and simple composition.

The tool is "free", but most of the useful features which make it more than a time-waster are available through a subscription. I like, however, that they have made the application available for free to teachers and their students (though teachers must apply for an "educational grant").

A tool like this that allows students to play and create, and then share the results with their teachers and fellow students seems excellent. Of course, like most useful tools, the challenge would be for the teacher to make the best use of it.

The interface is a little cluttered, but seems relatively intuitive... I got the gist of it in just a few minutes, and I'm not stellar musician by any means.

Got Web2.0 sussed yet? Check this chart out! | julian101.com

The article below links to a well laid out graphic that identifies the major features of Web 2.0:

Got Web2.0 sussed yet? Check this chart out! | julian101.com

EPSS - Performance Support Alive & Well ... as Web 2.0

Jay Cross has a great post examining the history of "Electronic Performance Support Systems" (EPSS) and how it relates to so-called Web 2.0 tools being used in organizations today.

In 1991 Gloria Gery described EPSS as:

…an integrated electronic environment that is available to and easily accessible by each employee and is structured to provide immediate, individualised on-line access to the full range of information, software, guidance, advice and assistance, data, images, tools, and assessment and monitoring systems to permit job performance with minimal support and intervention by others.

Sound familiar? It should. As Jay says:

Overall, what are corporate blogs, feeds, aggregators, wikis, mash-ups, locator systems, collaboration environments, and widgets, if not performance support?

Jay makes a clear distinction between Performance Support and traditional "e-learning" which is thought of as instruction. Providing just-in-time information is not instruction, but what difference does it make... as long as it gets the job done?

Web 2.0 tools focus not on perfecting the competence of an individual but producing a supportive network that sustains and builds organizational competence. Jay states:

We have given up the idea that competence must exist within the person. Competence exists within our collaborators and within the net.

The challenge for today's "training departments" (whatever they may currently label themselves) is how to create a cooperative interplay between traditional e-learning and Web 2.0 "Performance Support" systems.

Obligatory First Post

This blog will be a repository for items which catch my interest regarding online learning and training, and for my reflections on industry trends and the outlook on future developments.