According to Rod Sims (2008) there are six factors are essential to achieving engaging, interactive and memorable learning experiences (see Figure 1). The 3PD Model supports these factors by establishing the build-enhance-maintain process as core to successful project implementation. 

Figure 1. Six factors influencing e-learning design (after Sims, 2008)
[Click to enlarge]

Sims called this model Proactive Design for Learning (PD4L): the six factors  that enable the design of effective online teaching and learning are:

1. Theory-based, ensuring that decisions are based on contemporary approaches to teaching and learning.
2. Innovative and relevant (incorporating elements of proactive evaluation documented by Sims, Dobbs & Hand, 2002).
3. Team-based, with team members having the relevant and appropriate competencies to engage with and complete the design tasks (Sims & Koszlaka, 2008).
4. Emergent, allowing (where appropriate) the interactions between course participants to establish and introduce course content (Irlbeck, Kays, Sims & Jones, 2006).
5. Interactive, enabling participants to actively explore the relevance and application of the course content (Allen, 2003; Sims, 2006).
6. Personalized, such that participants are able to apply their own context and situation to the learning outcomes (Sims & Stork, 2007).

People (and organizations) do not adopt new ideas at the same time. Some adopt ideas when they are first introduced; others wait for varying periods of time; some never adopt an idea. In The Diffusion Process (1957), Bohlen and Beal maintain that

…the time span over which people adopt ideas will vary from practice to practice.

(p.4).

The authors’ research indicated that complexity of practice is a significant factor in determining the value of a diffused idea or technology in organizations. They defined the following categories of complexity:

• Change in material and equipment
• Improved practice
• Innovation
• Change in enterprise
• Cost

Three-Phase Design and it’s subsequent iterations are representative of educators’ responses to the challenges and opportunities afforded by the introduction, diffusion, and adoption of Web-based technologies in education: traditional approaches to instructional design do not necessarily fit the requirements of online learning. Of particular note in this context is the emergence of Constructivism as a theoretical framework for the development of online learning programs. In the PD4L Model, for example, Sims cites

theories including the social formation of the mind (Vygotsky, 1978), meaningful learning (Ausubel, 1968), situated cognition (Clancey, 1997), constructivism (Driscoll, 2005) and connectivism (Siemens, 2004).

(p.9)

He continues:

Together with a pragmatic, interpretivist epistemology, the PD4L model focuses on creating teaching and learning environments where relevant, meaningful knowledge is constructed by the individual.

When compared to the purely Functionalist (in the anthropological sense of the term) methodology of ISD, we can see that models like Sims and Jones’ are attempting to accommodate the power and flexibility afforded by digitally mediated technologies in the context of acquisition of skills, knowledge construction, and a more experiential view of learning, that the traditional systems-based approach.

More…
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References:

Bohlen, J. M., Beal, G. M. (1957). The Diffusion Process, Special Report No. 18 (Agriculture Extension Service, Iowa State College) 1: 56-77. [Internet] Available from: http://www.soc.iastate.edu/extension/presentations/publications/comm/Diffusion%20Process.pdf [Accessed 3rd November 2008]

Malinowski, B. 1990. A Scientific Theory of Culture. Reissue edition. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Rogers, E. M. (2003) Diffusion of Innovations, (5th ed.). Simon & Schuster International.

Sims, R. (2008). From three-phase to proactive learning design: Creating effective online teaching and learning environments, In: J. Willis (Ed), Constructivist Instructional Design (C-ID): Foundations, Models, and Practical Examples.

Sims, R., Dobbs, G., & Hand, T. (2002). Enhancing quality in online learning: Scaffolding planning and design through proactive evaluation. Distance Education, 23(2), 135-147.

Sims, R. & Jones, D. (2003). Where practice informs theory: Reshaping instructional design for academic communities of practice in online teaching and learning. Information Technology, Education and Society, 4(1), 3-20.

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This session will cover:

• Why use audio in e-learning?
• Using non-linear editing tools
• How to record audio
• How to produce audio
• How to integrate audio into commonly-used rapid e-learning applications

 

Here’s the agenda for the full two days of the Lights, Camera, Action: Using Media to Engage the Learner event.

Opening General Session
Thursday, June 4 — 8:30a to 9:45a

•     Selecting Media for Learning: Thinking Inside and Outside the Box
  • Patti Shank, Learning Peaks LLC

Concurrent Session Block 2
Thursday, June 4 — 10:15a to 11:30a

• 201 | Integrating Audio into E-Learning Courseware
  • Michael Hanley, Cúram Software, Ltd.
• 202 | Rich Media on a Poor Budget
  • Jeff Tillett, T-Mobile

Concurrent Session Block 3
Thursday, June 4 — 12:00n to 1:15p

• 301 | Finding, Hiring, and Directing e-Learning Voices
  • Harlan Hogan, E-learningvoices.com
• 302 | Rapid Video and User Generated Video
  • Mark Chrisman, T-Mobile

Concurrent Session Block 4
Friday, June 5 — 8:30a to 9:45a

401 | Creating Interactive Learning Experiences With Video in Flash

John Crider, Intuit, Inc

402 | Storytorials: An Instructional Strategy for e-Learning

Kevin Cassel, James Kinnamon & Pete Safran, SAI Global

Concurrent Session Block 5
Friday, June 5 — 10:15a to 11:30a

• 501 | Sometimes a Video Isn’t Just a Video
  • Stephen Haskin, S  Media
• 502 | Immersive Simulations that use Voice Technologies
  • Paul Howe, Allen Interactions

Closing General Session
Friday, June 5 — 12:00n to 1:15p

• Cool Tools: Spice Up Your Training with Web 2.0 – Legally
  • Michelle Lentz, Write Technology

If you’re participating, I hope to see you there (metaphorically speaking), and best of luck to all presenters as well as the backroom team of organizers and moderators who have worked so hard to make this event happen.

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Here’s what the Forum will cover:

It wasn’t long ago that e-Learning developers thought that putting a simple Flash animation and a small sound file into their e-Learning offerings was really leading-edge stuff. But today much more advanced technology, like higher bandwidth, gaming, and immersive learning techniques, is easily available. And, ever-more-sophisticated learners, who are demanding more effective and absorbing e-Learning programs, are pushing for adoption of advanced media techniques.

This Online Forum will show you how to use audio, video, animation, and other technologies to enhance the engagement and “stickyness” of your e-Learning offerings. You’ll see real-life examples, and learn various design approaches for effectively using media. This Online Forum is your best chance to focus on improving the e-Learning you create for your organization, and to…

• EXPLORE how using different media tools and processes can enhance your e-Learning offerings,
• DISCOVER how better use of media enhances a wide variety of topics and formats,
• EXAMINE the design and development of media-use techniques to achieve specific goals,
• LEARN how other organizations are using media to build engagement into their e-Learning programs, and
• ENSURE that your e-Learning meets both your learners’ and your organizations’ goals.

I’m pleased to announce that I will be presenting the Forum session on using audio in e-learning. Called Integrating Audio into E-Learning Courseware, session participants will learn the audio production lifecycle, see examples and demonstrations, and get hints, tips, and tricks-of-the-trade to enable you to produce high-quality audio for your courseware. You’ll  learn how recording subject matter experts as they describe a process, task, or activity, when well-recorded and produced can, in most cases, be integrated into courseware without taking the extra steps of hiring a professional voice-over artist to re-record the narration. This can lead to considerable savings in time and money, as well as reduce the time-to-market of courseware.

In this session, you will learn:

• Why use audio in e-Learning?
• The uses of non-linear editing tools
• How to record audio
• How to produce audio
• How to integrate audio into commonly-used rapid e-Learning applications and podcasts

When learning with multimedia, research shows that visual imagery is better retained when accompanied by verbal information; that learners are better able to integrate information via multi-modal instruction. Called the Six Principles of Learning, it describes how information encoded and transmitted using both visual and auditory channels reduces the cognitive load on the learner, so their working memory can process information more effectively.

However, most e-learning professionals perceive that creating and integrating high-quality audio is a highly-specialized activity outside of their expertise. But now more than ever, e-learning technology and content production skills are a key requirement for learning professionals who wish to interact with their audience.

So join me on Thursday by clicking here to register for the event. if you haven’t already registered, I’ll be delighted to see you there.

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Here’s what they say about Educate:

Featuring inbuilt lesson planning, student tracking, teaching strategies and eLearning tools, Educate provides teachers with a holistic approach to engaging students in 21st century learning environments. 

While the iApp is not yet available via the iTunes Store, you can check out their website for more information about Educate in action. 

According to their website, Educate’s key features include:

	Lesson planning	Educate’s inbuilt weekly planner keeps all your planning in one place. Personalize your weekly timetable and plan for individual lessons all from a single interface
	Effective teaching strategy implementation	Access easy to follow strategies for engaging students in your lessons. Choose from a variety of individual or collaborative activities directly aimed at improving learning outcomes.
	Student attendance and progress monitoring	Quickly and easily track student attendance or performance in all your classes via ready made scales. Update records as you teach and export to your PC, Mac or Learning Management System
	Collaboration with other Educate users	Use your Facebook account to connect with other Educate users to discuss pedagogical practice, suggest application features and seek support
	Engage with eLearning	Post content to your Moodle learning space, anytime, anywhere. Also, access critical tools such as a voice recorder for anecdotal notes, a camera that allows you to tag images and a stopwatch for time-critical tasks

This short video outlines the product’s features.

(Alternatively the video is available on YouTube here)

I think that this app has a lot of potential for educators, and I’ll be following its progress with interest. I’ll certainly review it when it becomes available.

More on instructional design tomorrow.
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 Figure 1 A Snapshot Of Enterprise Mobility Today (after Forrester Inc., 2008)

The ubiquity of mobile devices ensures that there is a ready market for m-learning content. I would assert that learning designers should take advantage of information workers’ experiences as consumers of content in other domains to successfully implement e-learning on mobile devices.

Now read on…

Forrester’s BlackBerry: An Emerging Platform For Mobile Collaboration study states that two-thirds of companies have fully deployed wireless e-mail, calendars, and contacts. Another 16% of firms are in the process of implementing wireless e-mail. That means over four-fifths of enterprises are using mobile messaging applications. This near-ubiquity of support for converged media devices (CMDs) puts a potentially very powerful learning channel literally in the hands of hundreds or thousands of employees today.

We can say that mobile phones and wireless e-mail are central to the activities of organizations. With the right mobile content and collaboration applications, most information workers could be both productive and in an always-on learning environment – imagine people learning while walking down the hall to a meeting, cramming in a little work before bedtime, or waiting for the train. CMDs are more valuable to information workers if they support:

Access to file systems, team workspaces, or intranet portals. It’s frustrating for organizations to invest heavily in content management systems and workspaces, only to find that the information is locked away, available only to desktop workers in an office environment. On-the-go information workers would save time if they could find and view information on their CMDs. The importance and effectiveness of mobile access to content is easily demonstrated: we live in a world where the President of the United States has firmly asserted the he is

…still clinging to my BlackBerry. They’re going to pry it out of my hands.

New York Times

A mobile browser that brings the Internet into learners’ hands. Devices like the iPhone, with its touchscreen, gesture-based interaction model, and Safari browser make the mobile Internet almost as functional as the Web on a desktop. Having access to on-demand information and learning on a device is a powerful plus for all information workers.

Instant messaging and ‘presence’. Virtual and ad hoc teams need to quickly connect, engage, and move on. Subject matter experts need to be available when needed. Presence means that a person’s availability is always known.

Training sessions that can be done while waiting for the bus, train, or in an airport boarding lounge. If learning content is packaged appropriately, hosted on a mobile learning management system, and delivered to a CMD, information workers can learn in their downtime.

M-Learning on the iPhone

As we chart the rise of non-formal, informal, and social learning, my view is that media, information, and communications applications will emerge that make learning fun. RSS feeds, updates, video, games, and social networks are just some of the engaging and effective ways that information workers (in their other life as consumers) already get their information.

With the lines between work and personal time disappearing, learning applications should have the friendly face of regular consumer applications. According to Drego et al (2009) of North American CMD owners with a job, 60% use their devices to access the Internet, 43% to read the news, 33% to check RSS-delivered information, and 28% to download or stream music and podcasts. This is a huge ready-made market for m-learning content.

M-learning’s strongest capability is its timeliness. The relative effectiveness of mobile data channels is device- and software-dependent, but the ability to make contact any time, any where is a universal strength. Although the iPhone and other  devices won’t replace those with a larger form factor any time soon, these devices benefit from the advantages of portability and ubiquity. 

iPhone websites excel at providing information in multichannel contexts. Although the iPhone can access almost any Web site, many organizations choose to tailor sites for the iPhone’s small screen and strip them of Java- and Flash-based content. The best mobile sites support targeted, mobile-specific browsing behaviors such as search and content delivery. For example, YouTube enables viewers to search for content, read user ratings and reviews, and of course easily stream content.

More…

__________________________________

References:

Drego, V. L., Rogowski, R., & Zinser, R. (2009) Match iPhone Capabilities To Customer Goals [Internet] Available from: http://www.forrester.com Accessed 17 February 2009

Schadler, T. (2008) BlackBerry: An Emerging Platform For Mobile Collaboration. [Internet] Available from: http://www.forrester.com Accessed 17 February 2009

Zeleny, J. (2009) ‘Obama Digs In for His BlackBerry’ In: The New York Times [Internet] Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/us/politics/08berry.html?_r=1&em Accessed 20 February 2009

Low-cost mass learning. The mobile phone is the only information device available to citizens in many parts of the world. This has prompted experiments using basic phone facilities, such as voice and Short Message Service (SMS), to support educational initiatives.

Low-cost education as a service. According to Gartner’s Nick Companies such as Nokia are piloting low-cost educational services in emerging markets, such as India. These services exploit a simple interface on the phone, which delivers information and lessons using lowest common- denominator data contracts — for example, avoiding even the need for general packet radio service.

"Edutainment." Combining education and entertainment using games and simulations is a powerful learning technique. This can also leverage the substantial mobile application development experience of the gaming industry. Examples include a mobile augmented reality simulation game that tracks environmental pollution, and a mobile phone game to reduce the impact of culture shock when students arrive in a new country that’s very different from their home countries.

Surveys, exams, questionnaires, data gathering and feedback. Mobile devices can provide an excellent platform for simple surveys, examinations, questionnaires and real-time feedback. Examples include lecture feedback, real-time surveys and simple multi-choice tests (for example, teaching vocabulary when learning a new language). At their simplest, these can be delivered as SMS messages asking the user to choose and option and respond, possibly with a deadline.

Performance support through instant information. Generally reference material (not learning) including simple media such as text, as well as richer media taking advantage of 3G connectivity. An example of performance support via a mobile phone is the wide range of dictionaries available for PDAs, covering a wide range of languages, law, medicine and other professional topics.

Creating learning material. Mobile phones are the most numerous audio, imaging and video capture devices available, and will play an important role in the creation of learning material as the facility to edit content and distribute material to YouTube-like nodes increases in sophistication. iPhone users can already author blog posts via the WordPress app.

Task/role-specific tools. Some organizations in have created specialized tools to allow access to specific learning and simulation material using a mobile device. SalesForce have build an iPhone app that enables customers access information through the iPhone’s touch screen. 

Learning support and administration. Many organizations experimenting with m -learning have explored mobile support for learning management and administration. Examples include reminders that assignments are due; flash-card applications to aid learning; and organizer applications to assist new students with their lecture timetables and finding the locations of lectures.

More…

_______________

References:

Jones, N. (2008) M-Learning Opportunities and Applications. ID Number: G00163293 Gartner Research [Internet] Available from: http://www.gartner.com (Subscription or purchase required) Accessed 17 February 2009

Kineo and UFI/Learndirect (2009) Mobile Learning Reviewed. [Internet] Available from: http://www.kineo.com/documents/Mobile_learning_reviewed_final.pdf Accessed 17th February 2009

According to how we measure the calendar in other words, yesterday was the first day of Spring.

Now read on…

As the country experiences the worst snow storm for nearly two decades, according to Irish national broadcaster RTÉ’s website:

The cold snap has resulted in widespread disruption to road and air traffic and the closure of dozens of schools. Sub-zero temperatures and snowfalls in parts of Ireland and most of Britain have led to flight cancellations and long delays for motorists.

So I’m still sitting at my desk at 7.00pm catching up on some paperwork, as the road out of my office is gridlocked and has been for some hours now…

Assuming this traffic clears, I still have to find my car (which is somewhere under all that snow)…

…and I still have to make it home.

It occurs to me, that e-learning is resistant to all of this weather, and traffic.

Normal service resumes tomorrow (as I hope will the weather!).   

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