Tools for Learning – Page 5

mobile learning

e-Learning, News, Tools for Learning / April 5, 2009by /author/wambeke/

Mobile voice and data communication is more and more accessible and affordable in developing countries. Only in Africa there are more than 280 million mobile phone subscriptions. People who had never access to a phone landline, a computer, or a car own now a mobile phone. Organisations take this communication channel serious and start to connect :

– The UN Foundation recently published an inspiring report on m-Health for Development titled: The opportunity of Mobile technology for Healthcare in the Developing World.
– Unicef Innovation launched a platform for data collection, logistics coordination and communication allowing any mobile phone to interact with the web.
– Kiwanja.net specialises in helping out organizations to use mobile applications for social change. Frontline sms and NgOMobile are good illustrations of this.
– MobileActive is a growing community that documents interesting practices on how to effectively use mobile phones for social change.

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Facilitation method: participatory 3D-modelling

Tools for Learning / March 24, 2009by /author/wambeke/

Participatory 3D modelling is a relatively new communicative facilitation method designed to support collaborative processes aimed at facilitating participation in different areas (problem analysis, decision making, collaborative planning, …). The 3D models can be used to visualize knowledge and ideas among participants.

“Originally they were used to assist practioners in enhancing the capacities of marginalized, isolated, and frequently natural resource-dependent communities to deal with spatial data and to communicate with the outside world on a peer tot peer basis” (source: IAPAD). The general principles of this method can be transfered and adapted to our own learning and training context. In a recent training Crash Course for new-comers we used 3D design to model the planning phase of a facilitation process.

3dmodelling1

map your mind

Tools for Learning / March 2, 2009by /author/wambeke/

Mindmapping has been mentioned several times in this blog. This blogpost wants to go a bit more in depth based on several requests we got from colleagues. It is a method for learning in which participants utilize a specific process to recognize both the content and the structure of their thinking. Let’s explore some concrete uses of mindmapping in a ITC-ILO context.

Picture: mindmap technique used in a course on wage policies

wagepoliciymindmap

Facilitate a Fishbowl Discussion

Tools for Learning, Training / February 16, 2009by /author/wambeke/

I. What is it about?

A fishbowl conversation is a form of dialogue that can be used when discussing topics within large groups.

Fishbowls involve a small group of people seated in circle and having a conversation (fish). They are surrounded by a larger group of observers, seated in an outer circle (bowl). The facilitator or subject matter expert gives a short input of 5-10 minutes which sets out the general outline of the discussion and after that the inner circle starts to discuss. The outer circle usually listens and observes. Whenever someone wants to participate and move to the inner circle, a participant from the fishbowl must free a chair and move to the outer circle.

fishbowl1

The ADDIE Instructional Design

e-Learning, Tools for Learning, Training / February 9, 2009by /author/wambeke/

Needs analysis, training evaluation, designing a training session, selecting training methodologies and tools, facilitating a training….etc. Have you heard those expressions lately? Do you wonder what they imply and how they fit together into an integrated process? The ADDIE instructional design model provides a step-by-step process that helps training specialists plan and create training programs. The ADDIE design model revolves around the following five components:

· Analysis

· Design

· Development

· Implementation

· Evaluation

Microtraining

Tools for Learning / November 30, 2008by /author/wambeke/

This blog reflected a while ago on the importance of informal learning. A relative new concept called ‘microtraining‘ might be a concrete answer to integrate informal learning in the learning structure of your organization. It is about a learning arrangement of more or less 15 minutes for each learning occasion. An e-learning paper from De Vries & Brali defines the microtraining as a learning arrangement of about 15 minutes for each learning occasion. Each session contains elements like an active start, demo or exercise, feedback or discussion and a shared view on how to proceed. The delivery of a micro-training can be blended combining face-to-face and on-line.

The concept of the microtraining is now part of a European Leonardo Da Vinci project. To understand the concept better we highlight their project case:

Due to day-to-day work demands companies are often unable to free up time for knowledge transfer. This is a problem. Because knowledge transfer on the shop floor is key to promoting sustainable development the environment and safety. Within this project the current situation in the construction, chemical and machine-building sectors is being analyzed in order to develop a Microtraining Support System that helps companies to put this training method into practice. The project is particularly aimed at the further development of the existing method and the evaluation of its effectiveness.

If you want to know more about microtraining, click here. After reading the entire article you might be able to answer our poll whether microtraining could be valuable in your learning and training activities. Let us know what it could mean for you.

[polldaddy poll=1153829]

E-mail management

Tools for Learning / November 9, 2008by /author/wambeke/

After two short on-line surveys on communication for the upcoming Lifelong E-Learning course it seems that for the majority of people e-mail is still the most important communication tool. At the same time I hear a lot of colleagues complaining about e-mail overload. For that reason, the L&T blog has assembled this list of eight email management tips to help you reduce inbox congestion and frustration:

– spend less time and get more done; instead of visiting every message two or three times, turn off automatic mail checking and turn to email when it suits you best. Don’t answer your email at your most productive time of day.
– write short messages in the Subject Only
– learn really how to use your email program.
– keep your inbox manageable (delete)
– maximize the use of folders (archive) In order to keep things organized, it’s critical to set up folders to archive your messages. Choose the right variables that reflect the daily base on which you operate.
– respond immediately or generate an action from it
– keep e-mails short
– Set a Reminder/ Add to Calendar. If the email requires action at a later date, set a reminder – or if the action has to occur at a specific time of the day, add the event to your calendar

The critical point, as ever, is to focus on action and not on the administration and housekeeping.

Audience response systems

Tools for Learning, Training / October 22, 2008by /author/wambeke/

How to interact with a huge audience in a lively way? Audience response systems are used a lot nowadays, either through handheld transmitters (clickers) or through mobile phones. Through an input device participants express their views in complete anonymity, and the cumulative view of the group appears on a public screen. You can either introduce statements, multiple-choice questions, opinions or open text inputs from your participants. The collective feedback is immediately available to everyone and can be the start of a lively discussion.

If these systems support active learning approaches and improve learning outcomes further research still needs to determine.

According to EDUCAUSE two important features we might take into consideration:

Clickers or mobile phones:

– provide a mechanism for participants to participate anonymously.
– integrate a “game approach” that may engage participants more than in a traditional classroom discussion.

Also for evaluation of learning events or courses they might be useful. The immediate results are visible on screen and can be the input of a more in-depth discussion that might generate more qualitative input for your evaluation.

Try it out with a small group for free: Live audience polling : http://www.polleverywhere.com

Audioblogging ?

e-Learning, Innovation, Tools for Learning / October 20, 2008by /author/wambeke/

A lot of colleagues expressed their interest in blogging lately but had some concerns on the ‘time’-issue. I do agree that time is always a challenge and will integrate in the future blogposts some ideas that take time into account. The first idea is audio-blogging. Writing an article is time-consuming but what about recording audio-posts? Some ideas:

– interviewing subject matter experts who come to our Centre as resource persons
– document best practices and success stories of participants in their own words
– create mini audio sessions which are related to the course content
– let participants record mini audio journal entries with lessons learned from the training
– have people introduce themselves with a small audio file in the beginning of our on-line courses

(ideas inspired by Michelle Martin)

Audioblogging might be something to consider, especially if recording is even possible with your own mobile phone. This week we have planned to interview Marc Steinlin who will be facilitating the Open Space at the upcoming LED-conference. This audio blogpost will be available soon.

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mission to learn

Tools for Learning / October 13, 2008by /author/wambeke/

Professionals not only keep track of to-do lists but also of to-learn lists. This new concept is explored in the Learning Circuits Blog and it might be an interesting question to explore whether to-learn lists could engage people into continuous learning. There are some of the learning-circuit questions that could serve as food for thought:

If you have a to-learn list and are willing to share, and willing to share how you work with that list, that would likely be helpful information.
As Knowledge Workers, work and learning are the same, so how does a to-learn list really differ from a to-do list? How are they different than undirected learning through work, blogging, conferences, etc.?
Are to-learn lists really important to have?
Should they be captured? If so how?
How does a to-learn list impact something like a Learning Management System in a Workplace or Educational setting?
What skills, practices, behaviours do modern knowledge workers need around to-learn lists?

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