I am an Training specialist in my the training unit of my company and have been involved in eLearning initiative since 1997. I have developed elearning courses, conducted classroom training and coaching as well. Although I have been involved for sometime in training, I still consider myself a learner and learning new ways and method to deliver training.
His blog: http://chrischewcorner.blogspot.com/
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Gaming a serious indstry, but are we serious about it
20 years ago, if you had thought about becoming a professional gamer, your parents would have thrown you out of the door or laugh their head off. Today gaming is a serious business worth over millions and projected billions by 2011. Gaming is no longer a laughing matter but a serious industry. And why not? It is fun! My wife said she never like playing games, then I downloaded a tetris like game called Gem and next thing I know I could not get my mobile phone back from her. She was hooked!
Look at these few examples, the military using the hours simulation games to train new soldiers, flight simulators, NASA, there are world wide gaming tournaments almost as if the Olympics have been computerized- football, forget about next week when you can watch your favourite team but you can now play the game as if you were the player yourself, and the list goes on.
Gaming in learning industry- education, corporate training. That's something new... is it? Training is also another million dollar industry and people these days sitting through hours and hours of "lecture based" training- I wonder if they ever fall asleep. There are some companies I heard using games like Warcraft to strategy and communications- don't ask me how,I have't played the game yet. Simulation training people for systems are available today and it is simple to create. Software like Adobe Captivate or Macromedia Breeze or free softwares like Jing are available to capture systems simulation.
So who's laughing now? Isn't it time for you to jump in and play a game?
Look at these few examples, the military using the hours simulation games to train new soldiers, flight simulators, NASA, there are world wide gaming tournaments almost as if the Olympics have been computerized- football, forget about next week when you can watch your favourite team but you can now play the game as if you were the player yourself, and the list goes on.
Gaming in learning industry- education, corporate training. That's something new... is it? Training is also another million dollar industry and people these days sitting through hours and hours of "lecture based" training- I wonder if they ever fall asleep. There are some companies I heard using games like Warcraft to strategy and communications- don't ask me how,I have't played the game yet. Simulation training people for systems are available today and it is simple to create. Software like Adobe Captivate or Macromedia Breeze or free softwares like Jing are available to capture systems simulation.
So who's laughing now? Isn't it time for you to jump in and play a game?
Monday, April 28, 2008
No Gamer Left Behind: Virtual Learning Goes to the Next Level
Initially I was doing my MBA assignment which is like due in a couple of weeks time and I came across this very interesting video which I thought was worth having a look at how we teach children and adults. Maybe it is time to rethink some training models and look at other possible ways to engage and motivate learners to learn. Take a look at the video.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Virtual Classroom Lecturers- my best experience
Well, with the worst experience off my chest now I can talk about the best experience. Just really the opposite, this lecturer can talk, discuss and even joke. He opens up and seeks ideas from people, advices and also is not afraid of people, lots of people talking at the same time. He gets used to scrolling up and down, keeping with topic and all and talking to you as if you are an individual and as a group as well- which is hard to do (I know because I have done virtual classroom before).
What really is a good example is that he leaves us with the feeling that we want to get started on our assignment. Makes it fun. Makes us learn.
What really is a good example is that he leaves us with the feeling that we want to get started on our assignment. Makes it fun. Makes us learn.
Virtual Classroom Lecturers- my worst experience
I am currently doing my MBA and it's mostly eLearning where I attend a 2 day course (or rather one and half days) then I am given 6 weeks of doing an assignment and every Wednesday night, I have to attend a virtual classroom session to discuss (I emphasize- discuss) about the assignment.
Past 3 weeks I have attended what I can only say is my worst experience in virtual classroom as a learner. The lecturer does not like people to interrupt his sessions, he prefers it to be under his control. When someone interrupts like "hi", he burst out and say "Keep quiet". I seriously think this lecturer although he is supposed to be very an "e-friendly" person, this guy needs a lesson in how to how to facilitate and how to create an environment to learn. What he is doing reminds me of my secondary (or high school) strict-no-nonsense-with-a-cane type of teacher that all children tremble with fear and counts down the time that the class is over.
Probably what is so disturbing is that I m not sure how many people shut off during his session except when he says OVER like you can now speak and then we all suddenly turned on and answer his question. I just watch TV and copy everything he says and then wait for his OVER signal for me to really pay attention. This to me is a turn off and turn on type of teaching which maybe applicable to children (and I don't like it anyway) but in adult learning- it is the worst but the best case to show that this is NOT to be done.
Past 3 weeks I have attended what I can only say is my worst experience in virtual classroom as a learner. The lecturer does not like people to interrupt his sessions, he prefers it to be under his control. When someone interrupts like "hi", he burst out and say "Keep quiet". I seriously think this lecturer although he is supposed to be very an "e-friendly" person, this guy needs a lesson in how to how to facilitate and how to create an environment to learn. What he is doing reminds me of my secondary (or high school) strict-no-nonsense-with-a-cane type of teacher that all children tremble with fear and counts down the time that the class is over.
Probably what is so disturbing is that I m not sure how many people shut off during his session except when he says OVER like you can now speak and then we all suddenly turned on and answer his question. I just watch TV and copy everything he says and then wait for his OVER signal for me to really pay attention. This to me is a turn off and turn on type of teaching which maybe applicable to children (and I don't like it anyway) but in adult learning- it is the worst but the best case to show that this is NOT to be done.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Livelier eLearning
Excellent slide on creating eLearning courses. Changing the traditional snoring boring courses to creative, simple courses that everyone would like to take.
eLearning 2.0
This is a good slide on where eLearning is moving towards to eLearning 2.0. Picked it up as I browsed through slideshare.
What I liked about what Karrer shared was on slide 14, the movement from eLearning 1.0 to 1.3 and eventually about 2.0. This something I was planning to enhance to but need a plan to introduce eLearning 2.0 into the company. The best part I liked was eLearning 2.0 is free and immediate- cuts a lot of process and procurement to introduce it.
What I liked about what Karrer shared was on slide 14, the movement from eLearning 1.0 to 1.3 and eventually about 2.0. This something I was planning to enhance to but need a plan to introduce eLearning 2.0 into the company. The best part I liked was eLearning 2.0 is free and immediate- cuts a lot of process and procurement to introduce it.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Creating eLearning Course- the FUN way
To create a really good elearning course, it will have to engage the learners in a whole new way of learning. Think out of the box. Use unconventional methods- as long as they learn. Think about it, people are glued to the TV for long hours because they are so engrossed with the program. Kids are stuck to the computer games, comics, etc. We can use this same media to teach, train and learn ourselves.
Jokes, video clips, even songs can be used to teach. With elearning, it gives you the flexibility and the power of media. Wouldn't you rather be playing a game or watching a movie than being stuck in a training room with a long winded trainer who seems to go on and on?
I am not actually fond of using quiz to test whether people understand because I find it boring and usually I find people giving me the quiz questions are really ridiculous- you can close your eyes and answer the question without much thought process. It's takes a very long time to create a very good question. A good question does not give away the answer, it makes us think about the correct answer.
0 comments Jokes, video clips, even songs can be used to teach. With elearning, it gives you the flexibility and the power of media. Wouldn't you rather be playing a game or watching a movie than being stuck in a training room with a long winded trainer who seems to go on and on?
I am not actually fond of using quiz to test whether people understand because I find it boring and usually I find people giving me the quiz questions are really ridiculous- you can close your eyes and answer the question without much thought process. It's takes a very long time to create a very good question. A good question does not give away the answer, it makes us think about the correct answer.
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