Collaboration - Knowledge Management - Expert - Hot List

eLearning Learning Hot List - May 29, 2009 to June 5, 2009

Top Posts

The following are the top posts from featured sources based on social signals.

1. Adobe eLearning Suite: is it worth it?- Clive on Learning, May 29, 2009
2. Capture Examples- eLearning Technology, May 29, 2009
3. Mistakes made in Academic Blogs- Don't Waste Your Time, June 3, 2009
4. Time Spent- The Learning Circuits Blog, June 1, 2009
5. Presentation: Camtasia in eLearning- Don't Waste Your Time, June 4, 2009
6. Does Deliberative Practice Lead to Quick Proficiency?- eLearning Technology, June 3, 2009
7. Should you Care about Google Wave?- Social Learning and Communities of Practice, June 4, 2009
8. Favorite 10 Tools For Creating Learning- Business Casual, May 28, 2009
9. The Various Roles of Instructional Design (work in progress)- Jonathan's ID, June 5, 2009
10. #IeL09 Technology and the Next Gen Learner- In the Middle of the Curve, June 5, 2009
11. Discovering Instructional Design 8: Developing Material for Learning Programs- The E-Learning Curve, June 5, 2009
12. Webinars – A Cool Marketing Tool- ThirdForce Blog, June 5, 2009
13. #IeL09 The Social Web and Learning- In the Middle of the Curve, June 5, 2009
14. #IeL09 Successful Implementation of Online Collaboration- In the Middle of the Curve, June 5, 2009
15. Our Top 10 Learning Tools 2009- Upside Learning Blog, June 4, 2009
16. Firefox Bookmark Shortcuts- eLearning Technology, June 4, 2009
17. Technology in Education- Don't Waste Your Time, June 3, 2009
18. Discovering Instructional Design 7: Objectives Analysis- The E-Learning Curve, June 3, 2009
19. The When and What of M-Learning- Element K Blog, June 2, 2009
20. Web 3.0: yes, they went there- WISE Pedagogy, June 1, 2009

Top Other Items

The following are the top other items based on social signals.

1. 4 Simple Tips for Recording High-Quality Audio, June 2, 2009
2. Does Google Wave Mean the End of the LMS?, June 2, 2009
3. Micro-blogging at Work, May 30, 2009
4. The future is people, not technology, May 30, 2009
5. Price Ranges for Learning Management Systems in 2009, June 1, 2009
6. Collaborative Learning « Social Enterprise Blog, June 3, 2009
7. Organizing for Performance Effectiveness, June 1, 2009
8. Co-operation for Networks, June 1, 2009
9. Social tools for networks, June 1, 2009
10. Picky, picky, May 29, 2009
11. Case Study: Royal Bank of Canada, June 3, 2009
12. Grains of sand, June 3, 2009
13. ONLINE FORUM: Lights, Camera, Action - Using Media to Engage the Learner, June 2, 2009

Top Keywords

• Collaboration (38)
• Knowledge Management (15)
• Expert (16)
• Conversation (23)
• Management (42)
• Technology (60)
• Performance Support (16)

eLearning Learning - Best of May

eLearning Learning Hot List

May 1, 2009 to May 31, 2009

Here is the best stuff from May 2009 via the eLearning Learning site. Hope you enjoy.

Top Posts

The following are the top posts from featured sources based on social signals.

1. The Truth About Twitter- Social Enterprise Blog, May 11, 2009
2. Twitter Tips: for Teachers & Educators- Don't Waste Your Time, May 9, 2009
3. Twitter and Webinars- eLearning Technology, May 14, 2009
4. Presentation: Twitter in Education - Don't Waste Your Time, May 12, 2009
5. The Challenge of Training the PlayStation Generation- The E-Learning Curve, May 15, 2009
6. Adobe eLearning Suite: is it worth it?- Clive on Learning, May 29, 2009
7. Implementing New Learning Technology? Choose the Right Pilot Group- Kapp Notes, May 22, 2009
8. Presentation: Wikis in Education- Don't Waste Your Time, May 19, 2009
9. List of System Variables in Cp4- Adobe Captivate Blog, May 15, 2009
10. Presentation: Social Bookmarking with Delicious- Don't Waste Your Time, May 15, 2009
11. New Way of Learning- eLearning Technology, May 4, 2009
12. Discovering Instructional Design, Part 1- The E-Learning Curve, May 19, 2009
13. The Ten Commandments of eLearning- Upside Learning Blog, May 8, 2009
14. Avoiding the Virtual Ghost Town- Kapp Notes, May 6, 2009
15. Meeting icebreaker-How to get a group to acknowledge differences in perceptions.- Business Casual, May 16, 2009
16. Audio in eLearning: Cultural Differences?- Learning Visions, May 12, 2009
17. Overcoming Objections to Social Learning - One Week at at Time- Engaged Learning, May 8, 2009
18. Skype screen-sharing collaboration & feedback- WISE Pedagogy, May 28, 2009
19. MOBILE LEARNING - eLearning Tour Part 1 - Hosted by Corporate Learning Trends and Innovation- Discovery Through eLearning, May 21, 2009
20. How I use social media to learn- Adventures in Corporate Education, May 17, 2009
21. Lies, damned lies, and Wikipedia…- ThirdForce Blog, May 8, 2009
22. #ela2009 workshop George Siemens: social networking technologies for teaching and learning transformation- Ignatia Webs, May 29, 2009
23. More on Social Learning and the Military- Social Learning and Communities of Practice, May 28, 2009
24. Gaining Audience Attention >- MinuteBio, May 27, 2009
25. Twitterfall - letting the web work for you- eLearning Acupuncture, May 26, 2009
26. How Do You Build A Team?- Blogger in Middle-earth, May 26, 2009
27. Tips for Working with SMEs- Bozarthzone , May 21, 2009
28. Social Networking in Times of Stress and Personal Emergencies- Electronic Papyrus, May 11, 2009
29. Aligning Learning Theory with Instructional Design- The E-Learning Curve, May 21, 2009
30. Developing a PLE Using Web 2.0 Tools- Don't Waste Your Time, May 10, 2009
31. Informal Learning Technology- eLearning Technology, May 11, 2009
32. Capture Examples- eLearning Technology, May 29, 2009
33. Presentation: Blogs in Education- Don't Waste Your Time, May 22, 2009

Top Other Items

The following are the top other items based on social signals.

1. A List Apart: Articles: In Defense of Eye Candy, May 16, 2009
2. 9 Free Tools That Help Me Build Better E-Learning, May 5, 2009
3. Control and Community: A Case Study of Enterprise Wiki Usage, May 4, 2009
4. Facilitating Online | Centre for Educational Technology, May 19, 2009
5. 7 Tips for Better E-Learning Scenarios, May 26, 2009
6. The Eight Classic e-Learning publications? | Tony Bates, May 8, 2009
7. Are Your E-Learning Courses Pushed or Pulled?, May 19, 2009
8. 25 Tools: A Toolbox for Learning Professionals 2009, May 19, 2009
9. The End in Mind " A Post-LMS Manifesto, May 8, 2009
10. Micro-blogging at Work, May 30, 2009
11. Using Elgg as as Social Learning platform, May 2, 2009
12. Learning with 'e's: e-Learning 3.0, May 4, 2009
13. Does technology change the nature of knowledge? | Tony Bates, May 8, 2009
14. Learning 2.0 and Workplace Communities - 2009 - ASTD, May 18, 2009
15. Modern Corporate Training: The Enterprise Learning Framework, May 24, 2009
16. Learning 2.0, May 5, 2009
17. The future is people, not technology, May 30, 2009
18. Learning Management Systems 2009 - 2009 - ASTD, May 21, 2009
19. Engage Your Learners By Mimicking the Real World, May 12, 2009
20. Sensemaking, PKM and networks, May 17, 2009
21. The Mobile Learning Engine (MLE) for Moodle, May 18, 2009
22. Royalty-Free, Podsafe, and Stock Music, May 25, 2009
23. A closer look at using a social media platform ..., May 10, 2009
24. Learning as a Network, May 7, 2009
25. Become a chief meta-learning officer, May 3, 2009
26. Modernize Corporate Training: The Enterprise Learning Framework, May 24, 2009

Top Keywords

• Learning Management System (28)
• Social Learning (52)
• Social Media (56)
• eLearning (172)
• Mobile Learning (27)
• Knowledge Worker (9)
• Instructional Design (52)
• Free (105)
• Knowledge Management (23)
• eLearning Tools (58)
• Trends (40)

Expert Level Answers via Social Networks

I've been really enjoying the discussion around Does Deliberative Practice Lead to Quick Proficiency?  One of the interesting points raised via the discussion:

If you can get an expert level answer by asking for help through
social networks how does that compare to being an expert?

I regularly use LinkedIn for Finding Expertise and Searching for Expertise - LinkedIn Answers.  I will have conversations with people who are experts in their area and get their answers and even ask them about other answers I'm getting.  I just did this to get help with an upcoming presentation about the use of Web 2.0 Tools inside insurance companies with fantastic results.  Granted you need a base level of knowledge to understand what you are getting, but you certainly don't need to be a true  expert.

Side note: Are you reading this and not currently linked to me on LinkedIn – please read: My LinkedIn Connection Approach.

Now consider how we Evaluate the Performance of Concept Workers by looking at signals such as:

• Process - They went through a reasonable process to arrive at their conclusions.
• Reasonable - Their conclusions are reasonable in your opinion (if you can formulate one).
• Compare - If you took what they did and compared it to what you would expect from other similar performers, would they have arrived at the same result.

This raises the question:

By going to outside experts with the appropriate base knowledge
doesn't that constitute a good answer based on this criteria?

In fact, Sue Waters said in a comment that being a Connector (well connected and knowing how to leverage those connections) is really what it's all about:

I don't need to know the answers because my personal learning network is so extensive, and extremely diverse, that I know who can help me with the answer. This also means I can normally get them answered before most people can. Which means people also turn to me because they know 1) I will help them find the answer 2) they know I will be able to find it quickly.

Sue does caution us:

It is a huge danger that people are confusing online presence with being an expert.

The other danger is to take online information at face value without questioning if the information is true.

I would point out that the first danger is akin to the danger of confusing confidence with expertise.  That happens all the time and is made even harder by the fact that confidence level about answers is inversely proportional to expertise (see Vic's comment in Social Media Conversations).  Similarly, just because you find someone everywhere online doesn't mean they are an expert.  And certainly, you can't just talk to one person or read one blog post and assume you have an answer to anything.  It's always more complex than that. 

I believe there's really something here in terms of Leveraging Networks is Key Skill that allows us to get expert level answers via social networks.  This is the most important Knowledge Worker Skill Gap.  And it makes a lot of the discussion around Network Feedback, Using Social Media to Find Answers to Questions, Learning through Conversation very important topics.

I welcome your thoughts.

MindMapper 2009 USB Edition Shipping

When I went to pick up my mail this week I was surprised and delighted to to see a package from Simtech Systems, Inc. in my mailbox. When I opened the Priority Mailbox, inside was a beautiful purple jewelry box with the word MindMapper emblazoned on it. I opened the box an inside was a shinning gold USB MindMapper 2009 USB Edition of their mind mapping application. The 4GB MindMapper 2009 USB Edition is a portable version of their standalone application MindMapper 2009 Professional that can run on any PC by plugging into the USB Port and requires no activation to run. MindMapper 2009 USB Edition ships on a swivel USB drive which makes it really small and can easily fit on your key ring. Once you plug MindMapper 2009 USB Edition into your USB port MindMapper 2009 Professional automatically brings up a dialog box allowing you to jump right into the program. MindMapper 2009 USB Edition is an ideal tool for those individuals that need another license to run the program for home use or for those business people who travel and may not bring their computer with them but may access to a computer in an internet cafe or at another office location. It is an ideal way to store and save your mind maps that can then be used in a business presentation by simply plugging in MindMapper 2009 USB Edition and opening the map up from the drive. The MindMapper 2009 USB Edition allows the user to store and save your mind maps on the USB drive giving you access to your stored information.

For those of you who have not taken a look at MindMapper 2009 in awhile now is the time to do so. MindMapper 2009 Professional is a significant upgrade from MindMapper 2008 and now includes the familiar Fluid Ribbon Interface along with a number of powerful new features that can easily turn this mind mapping application into a presentation and project management tool. In the project management arena MindMapper 2009 Professional includes: task scheduling, Gantt charts, Resource Allocation, and integration with Microsoft Project. It is easy to assign Resources to tasks as well as dependencies and view them in a Gantt Chart. By default MindMapper 2009 sets up Finish to Start dependencies which can not be changed. You will find it easy to change the percentage of the task completed which can be easily visualized in the Gantt Chart. In the Gantt Chart View you can also have MindMapper 2009 USB Edition to track Actual versus Projected Costs. MindMapper 2009 offers a Scenario Mode which lets you use MindMapper 2009 in a Presentation Mode by isolating each of your branches. Once in the Presentation mode you can view your mind map in a presentation manner, in Full screen mode and moving through the slides by clicking or setting up a time delay before advancing to the next slide.

MindMapper 2009 USB Edition is a powerful mind mapping application with a built in Gantt Chart and Presentation Mode. It is easy to use and having access to MindMapper 2009 USB Edition makes it easy to work with the application- wherever you are as long as you have access to a Windows based computer and a USB port. So give it a try and let me know what you think.

Firefox Bookmark Shortcuts

I had asked in Blog Post Updates - Effective Pattern? how to update a previous post. I'm still not sure I have the answer. I wanted to add something to Browser Keyboard Shortcut Basics. Since the title of the previous post is a bit different, I'm going to create a new post that is just about this one thing and then I guess I'll cross link. By the way, if you are not sure what Ctrl+T does, then go visit the previous post.

Firefox allows you to add a "Keyword" to any bookmark. This becomes a string you can type in the address bar in order to launch that bookmark. For any of your common bookmarks, it's worth your time to set keywords so that you can launch it in a new tab without having to click on anything.

Ctrl+T

elt<enter>

Opens the page.

Internet Explorer offers a similar capability with hot keys.

It Doesn't Get Any Easier than with Inspiration 8

I have used many mind and concept mapping applications in the last couple of years and it is always refreshing to revisit Inspiration, where I first learned about the power of visual thinking. I'm not sure what version of Inspiration I initially worked with but it was probably version 2 or 3. When I first saw a demonstration of Inspiration it was an epiphany for me. The light bulb turned on and I never looked back. You see for me, when I am thinking about organizing my ideas, or working on a new project one of the first tools that I look for is Inspiration 8.

Inspiration 8 is easy to use and all the tools you need are there in front of you. Over the years more features have been added but the program has always been true to its mission allowing the user to think visually about the topic at hand. You see for me, the true test of a software application is that it fades into the background and doesn't interfere with the work at hand. In this respect Inspiration 8 with its powerful RapidFire feature makes brainstorming and getting your ideas out on the page easy and elegant. For the the visual thinkers the Library of pictures adds to the appeal of the program but the same can be said for the linear thinkers who have access to a powerful outlining tool with the click of a button.

Today I had the opportunity to work with a student with a learning disability and I asked him if he had been using Inspiration as I had recommended to his teachers. The student said that he had been using it and when I put Inspiration 8 in front of him he quickly created a map of his favorite activities. Within minutes he had mapped out his favorite activities and if we had more time he would have been able to add note cards and transfer the information to Microsoft Word. I had a chance to speak to this student's Language Arts teacher and she reinforced how important it was for this student to use graphic organizers in the writing process. She shared that for this student, being able to visually see his ideas and the connections was an important and essential part of the writing process for him.

As we all work with students to develop their skills, it is important to give them life long tools that they can use even after they finish their formal education. I for one am a big proponent of teaching all students how to use visual thinking and mind mapping skills-which are essential in helping students to think, create and present information in a graphical way. As the amount of information expands exponentially the ability to use tools like Inspiration 8 to help students organize and visualize information will become more important and certainly one of my priorities as a 21st Century skill set.

Does Deliberative Practice Lead to Quick Proficiency?

In Social Media Conversations, I posted the story of how this post came about.  Briefly, I sent Ken Allan the following question:

Any thoughts on how deliberative practice relates to becoming something less than an expert. It seems like it should be applicable to all levels of achievement, but everything I'm reading is the study of becoming an expert. Is that just aspirational, or is deliberative practice also studied for quick attainment of proficiency?

And he responded with Proficiency and Deliberative Practice.

The best way for me to process something like his post, is for me to walk through it and take notes.  In this case, I'm going to create a post out of it.

Ken starts with some foundation around terms of 'expert' and 'proficient' and it is really a spectrum:

all according to where the benchmarks lie for ‘proficient’ and for ‘expert’.

Then he gets at the crux of where my question comes from … expert status is more difficult to achieve these days:

It is becoming increasingly more difficult for expertise to reach expert level. The matter of change, which can arrive every 6 months to a year, or even more frequently in technology, will limit the efficiency of any aspiring expert in reaching true expert level.

This is the reason that I wrote the question.  I think of myself as being proficient at learning new subjects quickly, maybe even getting to an expert level at aspects of that.  But I'm not an expert in any of these subjects.  Jack of all trades.  My core questions were:

In this time of rapid change, is expertise really the goal anymore?

Does Deliberative Practice Lead to Quick Proficiency?

Ken landed on the same alternative goal, "quick proficiency" …

Here were some of his strategies:

• identify the required base-knowledge/skills, foster strategies for these to be recognized as key, and provide avenues for their appropriate acquisition and practice
• cull redundant and/or recursive procedures or procedural loops in workplace routines
• provide incentive for revisiting and refining/updating key knowledge/skills/procedures (used to be called ‘training’) to clarify current understanding
• foster a culture where its acceptable to ask questions to do with key knowledge/skills/procedures - in other words, it's OK not to be an expert.

Good stuff.

It's interesting to see how these relate to and enhance the core elements of Deliberative Practice:

• Deliberate practice identifies specific, defined elements of performance that need to be improved and works them intently independent of actual performance.
• Goals are set around each element of performance.
• Feedback and coaching is continuously available.
• Deliberative practice is hard, not fun and separated from actual performance.

In reading studies on deliberative practice, it's pretty clear that there's a nice body of research showing that this works.  And the reality is that likely you've seen this with your kids – think improving soccer skills, study skills, etc.

However, do these same elements hold true when we are talking about a world where expertise is not the goal?  Where quick proficiency is the goal?  Where most people will be in a role for only a few years?  Where they need to get up to speed immediately?

I'm also trying to figure out how this relates to Work Literacy.  I believe that some of the methods described in the Tool Set series are actually part of a core set of work skills where concept workers should develop expert level.  However, even there, with the rapid change in these tools and methods, rapid proficiency might be a better goal.  And the use of these work skills are often about rapid proficiency or leveraging the expertise of others to act like an expert.

I don't expect that there's a simple answer to any of this and the great thing about social media conversations is that they can take their time.

I hope you will contribute your thoughts to this conversation.