Ramblin' Cowboy

eLearning 2.0 Tools

2006-05-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

My impression of the different tools:

Blog - A modern diary that is public and can be annotated by its readers.

Wiki - An electronic white board, that can be erased and written on by everyone.

RSS Reader - A handy way to see what has changed at sites of interest. Modern ticker tape.

Collaborative Learning

2006-05-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

Where could collaborative learning fit in my organization?

We've been using collaborative learning at SCE for a hundred years. It happens every day, from safety tailgate meetings in the mornings to brainstorming sessions in the afternoon, to work crews getting the power back on in the middle of the night. We work in a team-oriented environment. Keeping the lights on is not a one-person job.

But what of the future? Where do we go from here? I would like to see the new tools and processes increase our collaboration. I would like to see a wiki-like environment where everyone's ideas are listened to and no one has a lock on improving the status quo.

What are the primary barriers?

One of the barriers to expanded collaboration is our traditional command-and-control culture. We have specific rules and procedures, which we follow to prevent tragic accidents. But those same safeguards can become straight jackets, preventing us from trying out new ideas. Approval processes can become drawn out, and decision-making can bog down.

What are the possibilities?

The new technologies hold great promise. Blackberries, which were looked at suspiciously a few years ago, are now an accepted feature in the landscape. Lotus Sametime meetings can be set up in seconds. Doc libraries make it easy for teams to share documents.

What Did I Learn from the Assignment

2006-05-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

I learned a few facts from the links about the advantages of this type of learning. I also reviewed how my company has used these tools in the past.

Since there was no collaborative portion of the assignment, I did not experience any collaborative learning. The only tools I used were Internet links and entering text into this blog.

Collab201 Team Assignment

2006-05-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

My answer to Question 3

Blended learning's three most valuable features:

- You can tailor the delivery mechanism to meet the needs of your audience adjusting the timing, audience size, and geographical distribution.

- With a full range of learning tools, you can use the right tool for the right job:
classroom training, web-based training, webinars, CD-ROM courses, video, EPSS systems, simulations, books, job aids, conference calls, documents, and PowerPoint slides.

- Blended learning can be less expensive and more responsive than other types of training.

My answer to Question 5

What are the best techniques for my company?

The techniques depend on the assignment. We have tried a variety of techniques including these:

- To reach across IT on a topic that may be of limited interest: held several brown-bag virtual classroom sessions and then offered the recorded version on our LMS.

- To provide required fire extinguisher training: Developed a CBT and put it on the LMS, and followed up to make sure everyone took it.

- To offer timely information to people about new topics: Used Camtasia to record PowerPoint presentations and then linked to the Flash version of the recorded presentation on an intranet site devoted to the new topic.

Social Networking Inside the Corporate Walls

2006-04-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Social networking could prove quite useful in our company. The key will be to use the categories. We have several Communities of Practice, that could benefit from such a networking web. In addition, we have been wondering how to provide on-demand experts for certain topics.

For example, our Help Desk does not offer assistance on how to use Excel or MS Project. Yet there are times when a deadline looms and you just can't get that spreadsheet to behave itself. It would be helpful to go to a category of Excel Gurus and pose a question. It's also possible that combining the social network with a parallel discussion group would give the best results. Then one could send out a call for help on the discussion group, whereas the social networking would be better for setting up a lunch discussion about how to use software (or any other topic).

McKinsey evidently has a large binder of contacts within its company showing who knows what in which location. This could be set up with a social network as well, and would be much more easily maintainable.

What Internal Commitments Can You Let Go of?

2006-04-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Today I had a valuable learning experience on my son's Cub Scout hike. We hiked two miles up to a waterfall and two miles back. Each way, we had to cross over a large creek about seven times. We had to pick our own crossing strategy, and faced rocks that were slippery and wobbly. There was a lot of stress involved in trying to cross without falling in. And falling in could have resulted not just in wet clothes, but a landing on very hard rocks.

One of the Cub Scouts, "C," began the day by jumping into the water and splashing around. He proceeded to walk around in the water at each of the crossings. We all thought he was a little nuts to want to get wet in the water. But he had no trouble crossing the creek. In most places the water was only 6-12 inches deep, and he simply walked from one side to the other.

On the way back down the hill I realized that by simply accepting that he was going to get wet, C had freed himself from worrying about jumping from one rock to the next and how to get across without falling in. It didn't matter, since he was willing to get wet, and already was wet. So he did not run the risk of falling off a slippery rock.

Tonight I reviewed David Allen's book, "Getting Things Done," and opened the book to page 12 about internal commitments. I realized that what C had done was to remove the internal commitment the rest of us had accepted -- we had to cross the creek without getting wet. Drop that commitment, and the experience became much more enjoyable.

Finally, if I ever go on that hike again, I will try to take some knee-high wading boots. That way, I can combine C's approach and mine. I can walk through the water, and stay dry as well.

I see now what those internal commitments do to my peace of mind. I am going to try to find more ways to accept that on life's journey, I might get my feet wet.

How to Keep All Those Sites Organized

2006-04-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

(click to expand)

I created a little cheat sheet for myself -- it might help you too.

I made a folder on my desktop named Collab201.
I inserted links to the sites we are working with.
I prefaced each link with reminder text about what the link does.

This is helping me keep it all straight.

How to Choose Virtual Teams

2006-04-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

Virtual teams are chosen much the way we assemble regular teams: each person on the team needs to bring special skills and competencies. In addition, the personalities and roles need to be "normed," so that the team works together efficiently.

Selecting the right team members can be challenging in a workplace where people have known each other for some time. It is even more difficult when people have little knowledge of each other. When setting up a virtual classroom for busy medical doctors, for example, the University of Tennessee brought the class of students together for a week so they could get to know each other.

For our little Collab201 class, we could use an "arranged marriage" approach and take the luck of the draw. Or we could develop some type of questionnaire or activities that would help us size up the other students and their competencies and personalities.

I once had to try to direct a scene in film school with two actors. The first day of rehearsal I discovered they were living together. I was never able to control that situation, since the personal dynamics between them was too powerful. I would recommend that we mix up the teams as much as possible.

Do not let people who work together on the job be on the same team. They will introduce a skewing dynamic.
Distribute the geographic locations across the teams. Each team should have the opportunity to work with people in a different time zone.

References:
The Discipline of Virtual Teams by Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith,
Ending the Emotional Friction of Virtual Teams,
Teams That Span Time Zones Face New Work Rules.

eLearning Technology: Web 2.0 - One Crucial Idea

2006-04-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

In his blog, eLearningTech, Tony Karrer refers to an important article about why blogging can be so powerful -- eLearning Technology: Web 2.0 - One Crucial Idea By using this new type of communication, we can take advantage of the Wisdom of Crowds.

I would add that this realization dovetails nicely with the ideas of John Seely Brown in his book The Social Life of Information.