Monday, December 19, 2011

ASTD National 2011 State of the Industry Report

The findings of ASTD’s 2011 State of the Industry Report show that organizations are just as committed as ever to learning and development (L&D).

This report, ASTD's definitive review of workplace learning and development trends, includes data from ASTD BEST Awards Winners, ASTD Forum members, and other organizations from 2002 to date.

The 2011 State of the Industry Report is free for ASTD national members.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Free Webinar: Hands-on Training: Creating an HTML5 course using Adobe Captivate 5.5 and HTML5 converter

Topic: Creating an HTML5 course using Adobe Captivate 5.5 and HTML5 converter

Date and time: Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM US/Pacific

Description: Join Vish and Dr. Pooja Jaisingh to learn how to create a good looking eLearning course which can be published as HTML5 output. In this Hands-on session, we will also look at using HTML5 converter for Adobe Captivate 5.5. While doing this, we will discuss creating content slides and question slides as well for the course.

Registration Link: http://adobe.ly/unYi0Y

Monday, December 5, 2011

eLearning industry stock media site

eLearningStock.com has royalty-free images and caters specifically to the eLearning industry.

With over 10 million images, selling for as low as 90¢ per image, and many specialty images, templates, and animations, eLearningStock.com is the go-to resource for the eLearning industry.

Check it out:  http://elearningstock.com/

Dec 8 Free webinar: Ten Technology Musts for 2012

Ten Technology Musts for 2012

Social. Mobile. Cloud. Virtual.

75% of enterprises are leveraging virtual solutions to serve customers, train staff and engage suppliers.  35% are leveraging social media for recruitment, marketing and collaboration.

Which technologies should you embrace? What is the impact? Where should you start?

Check out ELCE Encore and discover the ten technologies your enterprise must have to drive results in 2012. From Mobile, Social, Cloud Solutions and Engagement Tools, you will see the best in class solutions.

Sessions Topics: Dec 8th, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM PT:
•Best Engagement Tools: Mobile, Social, and Video
•Best Virtual Solutions: Web Conferencing, Virtual Classrooms and Environments
•Best Learning & Talent Systems: Development, Performance Management, Measurement
•Best E-learning Development Tools: Rapid, Engaging, Interactive Solutions


Register now:  http://events.unisfair.com/registr_form.jsp?eid=630&seid=814&language-code=en&country-code=US&page=1&no-login=false

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Free Houston Seminar: Technical Training: A Leveraged Application (Part 2)

University of Houston, College of Technology, Human Resource Development Program, Brown Bag Series

Date – Dec 9th, 2011
Time – 11:00 – 1:00 PM
Location – University of Houston, Cameron Bldg., Room 109
Directions: 4200 Wheeler, 77204 (we will provide parking tags)
Please RSVP with Consuelo at cwaight@uh.eduor 713-743.4086


The Challenge
Redesigning technical training is a mandate for many companies. Where does the redesign start? How do we create alignment?  Where does accountability for change and learning occur?  What are our lenses? How do we value our adult learners regardless of background? How do we create learning experiences that lead to performance?

The Opportunity
A free, brown bag discussion will engage the experience of industry and academic professionals regarding transforming technical training to achieve strategic results.  Please come prepared to share your experience, ask questions, and extend your learning.

 The agenda:
  • Welcome
  • Panel discussion highlighting strategic models, templates, and research
  • Round table discussion:
    • Personal observations
    • Your organizations' activities towards transforming technical training
  • What help/support would be useful?
Speakers:

David Demski, Training and Employee Development Manager, AtwoodOceanics, Technical Training: Achieving Competence

Jorge Luero, Global Competency and Employee Development Manager, Halliburton, Technical Training: Achieving Competence

Consuelo Waight, UH, The Role of Front-End Analyses in Creating Results-Oriented Technical Training

NB: The last 15 minutes will be used to introduce the New Executive Masters in HRD (alignment with technical training will be showcased).

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Early Bird Discounts for Immersive Learning University (ILU) Conference

NexLearn is hosting the inaugural Immersive Learning University (ILU) Conference at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, LA January 18-20, 2012. I think it will be an interesting, hands-on experience and worth the cost. Plus you get the software as a bonus.

The Immersive Learning University (ILU) is chartered to educate the learning development industry with practical and advanced knowledge in the science of creating, producing, and deploying interactive learning courseware. The ILU is staffed with professionals possessing the highest level of experience and expertise in the industry of immersive adult learning. The ILU attracts students from corporations, educational institutions and government agencies that envision taking their current training and development initiatives to a state of the art next level.

January 18 - Pre-Conference all day training workshops

Attendees can choose to attend the Project Leadership Training workshop OR SimWriter Simplicity training workshop for $195.

January 19 & 20 - Main Conference

The two-day main conference is a destination to learn theories behind immersive learning, investigate simulation authoring, and look deeper into the practice of using immersive learning in the real world. We will discuss why, how, when and with what to simulate.

All Conference attendees will receive a FREE copy of SimWriter Simplicity – a value of $1495!

The regular conference fee is $695 – $100 discount to those that register by December 31st.

Check it out: http://www.immersivelearninguniversity.com/

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Top Ten Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People – FREE Seminar

We design to elicit responses from people. We want them to buy, read, register, and take action of some kind. Designing without understanding about people is like exploring a new city without a map: results will be haphazard, confusing, and inefficient. From her book, 100 Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People, Dr. Weinschenk has picked her top 10 “things” that you need to know in order to design intuitive and engaging websites, applications and products that match the way people think, work, and play.

Date and Time: Monday, November 14, 2011 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM CST

Note:  I think the information in the book and the webinar is of value to learning and development professionals.  Some things we should already know but there are hidden gems.  One takeaway that I found interesting was the meaning of colors vary by culture.   For example, in the U.S. white signifies purity and is used at weddings, but in other cultures white is the color used for death and funerals.

Check out the David McCandless Color Wheel that shows how different colors are viewed by different cultures.  http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/colours-in-cultures/




Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Need a good video transcoder?

Handbrake is an open-source program (free) that converts video.It is available for PC, MAC and Linux platforms.

I discovered Handbrake when I was converting PowerPoint presentations to video for iPAD distribution. The PowerPoint Save and Send as Video function converts the PPT to a WMV file. I used Handbrake to convert the WMV to MP4 format.

Start by selecting your source file (or files). Handbrake scans and sets up the GUI for the selected source file. Select your destination and configure the output settings. Choose a preset from the Preset list. This will automatically set up the all the required settings. Press the "Encode Video" button. If you have a source with multiple titles, you can queue these up using the "Add to Queue" button.

 Check it out:http://handbrake.fr/index.php


Monday, November 7, 2011

Apture - free pop-up glossary

Apture is a free browser extension that works with most major browsers. 

When you highlight a topic, a "Learn More" bubble pops up but you don't leave the webpage you are viewing.  Click the bubble to get a pop-up window with more information. 

Check it out:  http://www.apture.com/

Free Webinar 11/8 - E-learning Trends: Learning & Talent Systems & Services

Tue, Nov 8, 2011 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM CST

This webinar will deal with the latest trends around Learning & Talent Systems and Services. They will share a portion of a clip from the ELCE show, where they asked the “founding fathers” of the LMS industry, “With the growing trend towards social and informal learning, what do you think the role of the LMS will be in the future.”

Who were these “founding fathers” and CEO’s? You know them all: Bobby Yazdani of Saba Systems; Alan Todd of KnowledgePlanet/Mzinga, now CEO of Corporate University Xchange; and Frank Russell, the former CEO of GeoLearning, and now the CEO of Prositions.


Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/970415786

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Screen Captures using Office 2010

Did you know that there is a screen capture tool built into Office 2010? 

Access the tool in any Office application (Word, Excel etc.) by clicking the Insert ribbon and then clicking Screenshot
  1. Available Windows will allow you to capture a screenshot of an entire window you already have open
  2. Screen Clipping option will let you draw a box around an area so you can pick and choose your screenshot area

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

View and show PPTs on iPAD via free app

SlideShark is a free app that allows mobile professionals & educators to view and show PowerPoint® presentations on the iPad®.

If you're an iPad user, you may have noticed that there isn't a PowerPoint or Microsoft
® Office app for viewing PowerPoint files available in the App Store. In their absence, mobile professionals & educators have had to come up with "workarounds" that end up falling short.  With SlideShark, you can easily and reliably convert PowerPoint into a high fidelity iPad-optimized format that keeps animations, fonts, colors, and graphics intact. That way you can view and show PowerPoints on the iPad the way they were meant to be seen.


Check it out:  https://www.slideshark.com/default.aspx

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

16 Free Tools to Create Media for Learning


October 26th, 1:00pm ET
Space is Limited
Reserve Your Webinar Seat Now At:
http://www.rapidintake.com/free-tools/


As a training developer, you're no stranger to budget cuts. Companies everywhere are turning to e-learning and mobile learning as a solution to improve performance while cutting costs. But how do you create engaging, high-quality content for your online training courses? How can you make simple adjustments to images and recordings without having to spend thousands of dollars on a suite of products?

In this complimentary webinar, learn about 16 different free tools that can help you with your media creation and revision. Edit videos and vector graphics, mix audio tracks, sharpen your images, and record tutorials; all without spending a dime. Tools covered will include:

• JayCut
• Video Spin
• The Aviary Suite of Tools
• Audacity
• GIMP
• Jing
• Kuler
• Inkscape
• More


The presenter will show all 16 tools and give a brief description on how they can be leveraged to create professional-quality assets for your online training courses.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Monthly free e-book from The University of Chicago Press

About once per month, The University of Chicago Press offers a free e-book. This month's book is "Revel with a Cause: Liberal Satire in Postwar America".  "Before there was Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, or Bill Maher, there were Mort Sahl, Stan Freberg, and Lenny Bruce—liberal satirists who, through their wry and scabrous comedic routines, waged war against the political ironies, contradictions, and hypocrisies of their times. Revel with a Cause is their story."

Enter your e-mail address and click "Get E-book." You will receive an e-mail confirmation with a link to download your free e-book, as well as a link to Adobe’s Digital Editions software, used to display the book.  Once you get the e-mail, click the link in your device to load.

Please note: iPhone, iPod, and iPad readers: You will NOT need Flash. Please visit the download link on your iOS device in Safari. You will be able to open the ebook from there directly, into the Bluefire Reader app.

Check it out:  http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/freeEbook.html.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Learn languages online through your local library

Your local library (Houston Public Library for me) may have access to the online Mango Language program.  If so, you can probably access the training classes for free.

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept 19th). HPL will let you access the pirate lessons for free without a library card - http://www.mangolanguages.com/try-it.php?course_id=224

To access any of the other courses at the Houston Library website, you will need your library card.  http://www.houstonlibrary.org/home

Go to Research, click Alphabetical Database Listing, and then M for Mango Languages.  Mango immerses you in real, everyday conversations in multiple languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Arabic or learn ESL for Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic and more.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

API Oil and Gas Interactive Examples


The American Petroleum Institute (API) has a number of cool interactive games.
  • Road Trip offers something new - an entertaining gaming experience with helpful do's and don'ts for better fuel efficiency!
  • In Exploration Nation, you will have to balance your time, money, Mother Nature and unexpected factors while you search for resources.
  • Think you know your facts and figures on energy? Put them to the test with the Energy IQ.



Monday, September 12, 2011

Using the Internet for Scavenger Hunts - Adapt for Corporate Training?

There's a website designed for kids that you should explore for interactive exercises for corporate training.

The mission of the USA-SOS Internet Challenge is to promote cyber citizenship among students by engaging them in a fun, age-appropriate, competitive online program where they learn how to safely and responsibly use the internet.

One of the activities is a scavenger hunt. Use the Scavenger Hunt Document to help you find important tips. Click an icon to open a new web page with information. Then take the Post-Quiz.

Note: You could create fake web pages with the information so you can control the content.

Check it out: http://usa-sos.org/index.cfm?Page=3rd_Grade

Free Webinar: The Truth About Social Learning 9/14

Speaker: Jane Bozarth, Ph.D., eLearning Director of the State of North Carolina

Session Description:

"Social learning" and "informal learning" are among the training industry's hottest phrases these days. But there's so much confusion over what they mean, and what they mean to those of us in the business. A few truths:
  • Social learning isn't new.
  • Social learning isn't necessarily ‘managed', ‘launched', ‘controlled', or ‘measured'.
  • People in the workplace are learning all the time - without us.
  • Those people likely don't think of what they're doing as "learning".
Check it out:  http://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/welcome/janebozarth_sept14

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Free Webinar: Creating eLearning Stories and Exercises with Articulate Storyline®

Interested in the new product from Articulate?  Attend this free webinar!

Speaker: Ray Jimenez, Ph.D., Chief Learning Architect of Vignettes for Training, Inc.
Date: Thursday, September 29, 2011
Time: 10:00AM Pacific / 1:00PM Eastern (60 Minute Session)
REGISTER: http://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/welcome/RayJiminez_sept6

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Search Cube - An Alternate Search Method

One of today's tips from the  Smart Workers Guide to Social Media online programme: http://c4lpt.co.uk/the-smart-worker/.

search-cube is a visual search engine that presents web search results in a unique, three-dimensional cube interface. It shows previews of up to ninety-six websites, videos and images.

Check it out:  http://www.search-cube.com/

Other Search Engines:  http://c4lpt.co.uk/directory-of-learning-performance-tools/search-engines-discovery-tools/

 

Monday, August 29, 2011

Google Tips: Google Guide and Quiz

Smart Workers Guide to Social Media online programme:   http://c4lpt.co.uk/the-smart-worker/

Google Guide
Google Guide is an online interactive tutorial that helps make searching easier.  If you don’t have time to work through the whole tutorial, try the Cheat Sheet, which is also available as a printable PDF.

A Google a Day
A Google a Day – agoogleaday.com- is a daily puzzle from Google; there is no right way to solve it, but there’s only one right answer

Further reading
How to use Google, WikiHow
Become a Google expert in minutes
How to use Google search like a professional user, Ismail Ghazi, (YouTube video)

Activity
Put your new Google skills to the test? Try the PlentySmart Google quiz

Share & Learn

I'm enrolled in a program called "The Smart Worker’s Guide to using Social Media – in 30 days (Autumn programme)".  I'll be sharing tips from the program - and how I've been improving my use of Social Media.

This program is a part of the Share&Learn platform - a collaboration platform (set up by Jane Hart of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies [C4LPT]) where members can share links, resources, ideas, experiences, tips, etc about the use of learning and performance trends, technologies and tools, and learn from one another – both informally and formally!

You can join the group for free.
Check it out:  http://c4lpt.co.uk/shareandlearn/

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Online Global Business Resource Tool and Training

This web-based tool provides quick and easy access to extensive knowledge on how to conduct business effectively with people from countries around the world.
The program includes:
  • Rich, country-specific information related to the practice of key global business skills in 65 countries — available online, in printed report format, or on-the-go from your mobile device
  • A simple, validated, self-assessment questionnaire, available in 14 languages, that instantly creates an individual’s profile of work-style preferences
  • Video scenarios and interactive exercises that illustrate core cultural dimensions that play out in the work place
  • Audio recordings of key names and phrases, spoken in the local language of the country
Check it out:  http://www.globesmart.com/

Friday, August 19, 2011

Get your Geek on for a Free Houston Event: August 25, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

This free event will highlight the latest in IT Process Management, Adobe, Cisco and Microsoft Technologies.  You'll be able to choose your own learning path by attending educational breakout sessions that are relevant to your specific needs. Also enjoy a complimentary lunch and be eligible to win terrific prizes!

Topics covered include:
  • Microsoft Office 2010
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • SharePoint 2010
  • Exchange 2010
  • And more
Agenda:  http://www.spectechular.com/houston/agenda.html
Register: http://register.nhcomputerlearning.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?eventCode=8771429

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

OSHA Heat Safety Tool - Available for Android OS. Others coming soon

Living in Houston, the heat index is always a concern - especially for those who work outdoors.  The OSHA Heat Safety Tool allows workers and supervisors to calculate the heat index for their worksite, and, based on the heat index, displays a risk level to outdoor workers.

You can get reminders about the protective measures that should be taken at that risk level to protect workers from heat-related illness—reminders about drinking enough fluids, scheduling rest breaks, planning for and knowing what to do in an emergency, adjusting work operations, gradually building up the workload for new workers, training on heat illness signs and symptoms, and monitoring each other for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.

Check it out:  https://market.android.com/details?id=com.erg.heatindex&feature=search_result

OSHA's Heat Illness website - http://osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Free webinar 8/16: Mobile Learning & Augmented Reality


Heard the term Augmented Reality and wondered how it could be used in learning?  Attend this free webinar hosted by Rapid Intake and featuring Craig Weiss, author of the E-Learning 24/7 blog

Date: Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
ime: 1:00pm-2:00pm ET
Register at:  http://www.rapidintake.com/augmented-reality-webinar/?utm_source=rapidintake&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=110816


Augmented Reality can take any situation, location, environment, and experience to a new level of edutainment. In this day and age, people want to be informed, engaged, and entertained in an immediate, pro-active and social way.  In this webinar, you will learn how this emerging technology is changing the way people engage and learn. It will present you with possibilities and mobile devices best suited for this new technology.

How Augmented Reality Works: http://www.commoncraft.com/video/augmented-reality

Cool example: http://ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid/

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

free, Open Source eBook: Learning Strategies!

Here is a free, Open Source eBook from The MASIE Center:

 Learning Strategies!

Including articles from CNN, CIA, Farmers Insurance and others.

104 Pages - Edited by Nigel Paine.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Webinar - Creating eLearning with Adobe Captivate for Android Devices

Tuesday, Aug 2, 2011- Time: 11:00AM Pacific / 2:00PM Eastern (60 Minute Session)

Joe Ganci will discuss the factors involved with creating or repurposing eLearning for handheld devices and show how to use Adobe Captivate with Adobe Device Central (both included in the Adobe eLearning Suite) to create, test and deliver excellent eLearning. Users will be able to access interactive, media-rich learning experiences wherever and whenever desired

http://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/welcome/joeganci_aug2

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Top Trends in eLearning: 9/15-16

I'm presenting - eLearning Guild Online Forum on 9/16.  My topic is "Is HTML5 Ready for eLearning?"  Hope you will join me!

In this Online Forum, you will review many of the top trends in eLearning. Is learning through play still on the rise? What about alternate reality, simulations, and visualization? Social learning? eBooks? Storytelling? What will HTML5 mean to eLearning? What business, economic, and cultural trends will impact how, when, and where we deliver learning? Attend this Online Forum to discover the trends that will impact what and how you develop and deliver eLearning in your organization in the future.

Check it out:  http://www.elearningguild.com/online-forums/content/1853/2011-olf---sept-15--16/

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Free Webinar 7/28/11: Mobile Learning Basics + (Free) Mobile Learning Guide

Speaker:   Judy Brown, Mobile Learning Strategic Analyst,   Advanced Distributed Learning
Date: Thursday, July 28, 2011
Time: 10:00AM Pacific / 1:00PM Eastern (60 Minute Session)

The ADL Mobile Learning Team recently released a mobile version of their mLearning Guide on the web and in various mobile platform stores. Join the webinar for discussion on the single development for deployment on multiple devices and choices made in development. Lessons learned will be shared.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Computer Security Games for Download (includes Flash source files)

Social Networking

OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information. 

The website has lots of great games that can be downloaded and included in your training - the download includes both published and source files!

The Internet Education Foundation, through GetNetWise.org, has contributed video tutorials for OnGuardOnline.gov. These video tutorials show you step-by-step how to change the preferences in your internet software to enhance privacy, safety, and security.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Thinking Web : Voices of the Community - Free eBook

Check it out:  http://blogs.sitepoint.com/thinking-web-voices-of-the-community/

Preface - Sarah Hawk (Community Manager)

Chapter 1 - Anatomy of a Website by Ralph Mason
Ralph's chapter looks at the building blocks of a website, from hosting through to favicons, with everything in between. If you are new to the world of web, then this is the article for you.

Chapter 2 - Designing in the Dark by Alex Dawson
Alex examines the ideas of web accessibility and talks you through the process of identifying your audience and ensuring that your sites meet their needs and expectations.

Chapter 3 - Everything Must Go by Alex Dawson
Alex is back, this time discussing the concepts of web accessibility in more detail. If you want some practical advice to ensure that your sites work for everyone, then this is a must read.

Chapter 4 - Going Freelance by John Borda
You might be the best web developer in the world, but if no one knows that then it's of very little use to you. John looks at some of the things that a freelancer can do in order to make a successful career in the cutthroat world of web development.

Chapter 5 - Successful PSD to HTML Freelancing by Paul O'Brien
In this chapter, CSS expert Paul talks about the intricacies of quoting on and carrying out a PSD to HTML conversion job. He points out some of the pitfalls and explains how to avoid them.

Chapter 6 - Write Email Markup That Doesn't Explode in the Inbox by Coyote Holmberg
If writing electronic newsletters is something that is on your radar then this article by Coyote will be invaluable. In it she discusses the dos and don'ts of writing HTML emails from the design stage right through to the sending.

Chapter 7 - Make Your Website Stand Out from the Crowd by Ursula Comeau
Social media has become so commonplace that it can't be ignored if you want your business to succeed and Ursula explains how important social media and blogging can be to your website and your online marketing strategy.

Chapter 8 - Information Organization and the Web by Sherry Curry
You might have the most valuable information on the planet on your website, but if it is hard to navigate then the chances of people giving up before they ever get to it are great. Sherry talks about good strategies for organising and labeling your information so that it is accessible and easy to find.

Chapter 9 - Using Vector Graphics to Build a Noughts & Crosses Game by Clive Wickham
In this tutorial, Clive outlines how you can easily build a simple game of Noughts & Crosses using interactive vector graphics and explores two ways of presenting it, via SVG and HTML5 Canvas.

Chapter 10 - Efficient Actionscript by Christian Snodgrass
Christian examines a selection of some of the more useful Actionscript tips, tricks and techniques for use in mid-to-large projects.

Chapter 11 - Databases : The Basic Concepts by Nuria Zuazo
Databases are a must for any dynamic site and some basic knowledge is necessary to make the most of your database. In this article, Nuria looks at some of the intricacies of the modern day database and how you can harness its power in your own sites.

Chapter 12 - The Iceberg of TCP/IP by Robert Wellock
Robert skims the surface of the massive subject that is TCP/IP and looks at a selection of protocols focusing on what is most relevant to
web design or general home computing.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Snakes and Frogs - Did You Know?

You might not be able to teach a snake to fetch your paper, but people do keep them as pets. People keep other reptiles, too, like turtles – as well as frogs and other amphibians. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says reptiles and amphibians can carry Salmonella bacteria – and thousands of people a year get infected from them.

Check it out:  http://www.cdc.gov/Features/SalmonellaFrogTurtle/

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse

Get A Kit,    Make A Plan, Be Prepared. emergency.cdc.govThere are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for. Take a zombie apocalypse for example. That’s right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens you’ll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency.

To learn more about what CDC does to prepare for and respond to emergencies of all kinds, visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/cdc/orgs_progs.asp

To learn more about how you can prepare for and stay safe during an emergency visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Partnering to Heal - Excellent Example of Scenario-Based Learning

"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health  released Partnering to Heal: Teaming Up Against Healthcare-Associated Infections, an interactive computer-based video-simulation training program.

Healthcare-associated infections harm many patients, causing injury and raising costs. On average, 1 in 3 patients admitted to a hospital suffers a medical error or adverse event and at any given time about 1 in every 20 patients is affected by an infection related to hospital care. On average, 1 in 7 Medicare beneficiaries is harmed in the course of care, costing the government an estimated $4.4 billion every year.

To help address this public health challenge, the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health developed Partnering to Heal. This training program permits viewers to "become" one of five characters who can make decisions that impact health risks, and then view the results of those decisions and learn from the outcomes. It is designed to be used by students in the health professions, early-career clinicians, and other healthcare personnel, as well as patients and families to help prevent infections acquired in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Available online at no cost, Partnering to Heal promotes a team-based approach to reducing preventable infections and deaths in the United States."

Check it out:  http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/hai/training/

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Download Hundreds of Free eBooks and Whitepapers Directly to Your Mobile Device

Receive a constant stream of free business and technology related resources such as eBooks, white papers, downloads, magazines, and analyst reports. All are absolutely free!

Check it out:  http://www.tradepub.com/?p=main&page=mobile

Friday, May 13, 2011


What is Snap! by Lectora?
Snap! by Lectora is a rapid eLearning PowerPoint plug-in that enables you to use content you’ve created in PowerPoint to deliver a self-paced, interactive Flash presentation that can be easily posted online.  Your Snap! by Lectora course or presentation publishes to a single SWF Flash file that you can post it on the web, to CD, or any other LMS.  Supports AICC and SCORM.
  • Flash – Insert SWF files and publish your course or presentation to Flash .
  • Narration – You can record, import and edit narration. You can also synchronize your audio and animations
  • Video – Record yourself and allow that video to play during your presentation.
  • Web Windows – Include a Web window that the learner can interact with right there in the course or presentation.
  • YouTube Video – Include a YouTube video that plays in your presentation.
  • Quizzes and surveys – Create a quiz or survey with multiple question types. Test learner knowledge right in the sequence of your course.
  • Attachments – Add additional files and links to include more references and resources outside of the course or presentation.
Click here for 15% off the $99 price - http://Refer-A-Friend.Trivantis.com/a/clk/rYCcK .

Monday, May 2, 2011

Free ebook - WINDOWS ON THE WORLD

Get a free ebook copy of the book written by Andrea White (former Houston mayor Bill White's wife).

WINDOWS ON THE WORLD is science fiction set in a post-apocalyptic world in which an orphan girl, Shama Katooee, is summoned to an elite military academy in order to travel back in time to New York City on September 11, 2001, to save the future.

 http://www.namelos.com/blog.php

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Free learning community for managers

TalkingVillage Management is a free community allowing managers to learn from each other. You can join for free and post any content related to management education. Have a problem to solve? Just ask the community. Do you have a solution or an idea? Just post it for everyone to see!
 
 
 

Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Story of Bottled Water - In Honor of Earth Day

The Story of Bottled Water, released March 22, 2010 on storyofbottledwater.org, employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap. Over seven minutes, the film explores the bottled water industry’s attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call to ‘take back the tap,’ not only by making a personal commitment to avoid bottled water, but by supporting investments in clean, available tap water for all.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Free PowerPoint to Flash Converter

iSpring Free lets you easily create web-ready Flash presentations preserving every aspect of your original PowerPoint content.       

Check it out:  http://free.ispringsolutions.com/free_powerpoint_to_flash_converter.html

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

PPT courses to the iPAD - Which way to go?

I recently experimented with various methods of getting a PPT course developed with Articulate Presenter to the iPAD.

HTML Articulate player from eLearning Enhanced: Works great. Just wish they had a quiz component (it's in the works). http://elearningenhanced.com/products/html-articulate-player

Flash on iPAD from iSwifter– works ok.  It executes the Flash content in its own data center and then sends video down the pipe to the user’s iPAD, which has to be connected to a Wi-Fi connection.  http://iswifter.youwebinc.com/     

PPT2Video from Wondershare – strip out all the Articulate elements and insert audio on the page.  Don’t try doing anything else while the program translates the file into video.  http://www.wondershare.com/pro/ppt-to-video.html     

mLearning Studio from Rapid Intake - Can't wait for this to come out! Like the idea of create once - and let the program decide how to display.  http://www.rapidintake.com/products/mobile/mobile-learning-studio/


Friday, April 1, 2011

New Gmail Option - Gmail Motion

I'm really excited about the new Gmail feature - Gmail motion.  Now you can control Gmail with your body. Check it out at http://mail.google.com/mail/help/motion.html.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

MS PowerPoint Slide Awards Festival - Funny Videos and Great Examples

Visit the first PowerPoint awards festival, where you'll find everything you need to create blockbuster presentations.  Take a look around, watch the videos and learn the tips and tricks. Then enter your best presentation for a chance to win a 2010 Microsoft Office Suite, a new Xbox 360 with Kinect, or a trip to the next TEDActive conference in Palm Springs, CA.

Check it out:  http://www.microsoft.com/office/powerpoint-slidefest/do-and-dont.aspx

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Lots of Upcoming and Free Webinars

March 31, 2011- Automating Compliance-Based Training Through Just-in-Time Learning
Register

 April 6, 2011- Instructional Design for Live, Online Learning
Register  


 April 7, 2011- Outsourcing vs. Outtasking Content Development: Which Is Right for You?
Register

April 14, 2011-How to Measure Informal Learning and Engage Managers to Optimize On-the-Job Impact
Register


April 20, 2011- Great Webinars: Crossing the Chasm from Classroom Training to High Performance Virtual Delivery
Register

April 21, 2011- Preparing Your Workforce for Tomorrow’s Challenges
Register


May 12, 2011- The 5 Secrets to Deploying Effective Training at Warp Speed
Register

Thursday, March 24, 2011

What I'm Reading This Week

ASTD - Best of T+D: BluePrints for Success:  http://t.co/OqfGhwg
The Best of T+D: Blueprints for Success offers some of the most searched for articles from the highly popular Fundamentals and Learning Blueprint columns. Includes an article on Scenario-BasedLearning.  Some articles are old – but if you missed them, this is a great way to read them in a consolidated format.  Free to National ASTD members.

Our Flag:  http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/sd109-18/sd109-18.pdf
Everything you wanted to know about the Star and Stripes.

Facebook and Beyond White Paper:  http://pages.lithium.com/facebook-and-beyond.html
Effectiveness of a Facebook brand

100 Resources for Interactive Training Designers:  http://www.raptivity.com/100-elearning-resources.html

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

e-Business Now - Online information for technology-enabled applications

SCORE, a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small business start, grow and succeed, today announced the launch of e-Business Now, a new website providing small business leaders with "how to" knowledge to successfully use technology-enabled applications. The website provides free on-demand workshops "how-to" guides, connections to technology mentors and more—a full range of tools for learning how to leverage technology to fuel the future success of small businesses. 

Register to access the free training and information.  Workshops are developed using Articulate Presenter.
Check it out:  http://ebusinessnow.org/

Monday, March 21, 2011

Mobile Learning and Social Learning for Sales Readiness - Free Webinar 3/24/11

Thursday, March 24, 2011
10:00 AM PST | 11:00 AM MST | 12:00 PM CST | 1:00 PM EST
Both mobile devices and social media are having a profound effect on how sales training takes place. Traditional methods of sales training include classroom instruction and role playing, supervised calling of prospects, and practice selling with more experienced sales staff. With the rapid growth of social media, buyers are now much more able to communicate with each other and exchange opinions and stories about you as a salesperson, and about the good and bad aspects of your product. This exchange is not happening from a fixed place, but from any location where a consumer is texting or blogging and is inspired to offer an opinion of what or how you are selling. These comments can be amplified by others offering additional comments or passing the information on to others. At the same time, a mobile salesperson is better equipped to answer questions as they are asked, with instant information available anytime, anywhere. Learning to sell requires a new set of competencies that includes blogging, tweeting, and attracting lots of “friends” or “followers.” As well, new technology is being developed that allows live mentoring in the field and the ability to educate potential customers with mobile video presentations in the process of closing a sale. In this one-hour presentation by Dr. Gary Woodill, learn how mobile learning and social media are transforming the world of selling and sales training.

Sign up for webinar

Friday, March 18, 2011

Creating an interactive YouTube video - video-based scenarios

Have you checked out interactive YouTube videos and wondered how they were created? How it works: while the video plays, it offers options through links embedded in the video, which take you to a different place on the timeline or to a different video, which offers new options, and so on.

The combined effect is a seemingly infinite number of choices, but for interactive YouTube videos it is in fact very finite: a separate video has to be created for each choice. The interactivity is created by overlaying annotations on top of the video. Annotations were previously used solely as captions or speech balloons leading viewer to another site for more information related to the video. Now they are transforming YouTube from a static video player to a tool for engaging the audience.

The YouTube Annotations Editor is a creator tool that lets you layer text, hotspots and links over your video, thus enriching experience with information, interactivity and engagement.

Examples:
Hunter shoots a bear - http://www.youtube.com/user/tippexperience
Blend Your Own Adventure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcJFwy7KPBA
The Time Machine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rJ1WML60Y
How to make an interactive video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMrMEydnFFA
Annotation Man:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqzlqPK0VVY#t=19

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

"The Learning eXPLOSION"

"The Learning eXPLOSION" by Matthew Murdoch and Treion Muller will help you with moving corporate training to the virtual classroom. It’s packed with lots of great tips, tips and links. If you are thinking about a blended learning approach or have been tasked with creating virtual classroom events, you will find this book a valuable resource. If you are already using virtual classrooms, I am sure you will still find good information including checklists to make your classrooms run smoother and make training interesting and interactive.


As I read "The Learning eXPLOSION", I found myself highlighting parts, using sticky notes to mark pages and mentally agreeing with the information in the book. My favorite chapters are "The Rule of Overcoming Bias" - how to address and overcome prejudice against virtual classrooms - with really life examples and what to say to leaders and "The Rule of Personal Practice" - especially the list of common technical watch-outs. The website (http://www.franklincovey.com/tc/solutions/books-and-audio/learning-explosion/) has all the action plans from the book for download. This book is worth adding to your library.

ASTD Houston will host a webinar on May 18th with Matt and Treion - http://www.astdhouston.org/en/cev/539. Register and attend for your chance to win a copy of "The Learning eXPLOSION".