LearningTimes Green Room

In this show, Susan and Dan explore self-paced, non-facilitated learning.

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Show Notes:

Susan and Dan explore self-paced, non-facilitated learning in this episode. The impetus for this exploration came from the learners in Susan’s instructional design class and the need to see common elements of design despite very different delivery methods.

Dan first talks about how units are sometimes outsourced for development and the determination of “seat time,” and gives a walk through what might be included in such a self-paced unit. Other companies might develop in-house with tools like Camtasia, Articulate, or Captivate.

A team might include Subject Matter Experts, an instructional designer and developers. Together they write very explicit storyboards and the instructional designer often negotiates the differences in approaches to learning.

Dan thinks when designing a facilitated course in higher education, there are more pieces to consider (e.g. discussion and assessment). He also considers how this changes when companies look to incorporate social networking tools.

Susan asks about measuring outcomes, which further highlights the benefit of self-paced delivery. You can distribute training to the masses more efficiently, and all you need is a score (example of compliance training). When used with a blended strategy, you can use self-paced learning to establish a consistent knowledge base for richer discussions and interactions when face to face or live.

On the con side, because the range of learners might be quite diverse, sometimes designers are forced to keep content too simple. Also, there is a lot of weight on getting it “right” since you cannot correct misconceptions (lack of interaction). You have one opportunity to present the content and have it stick. Also, information becomes dated rather quickly in the business environment.

In comparing/contrasting self-paced and facilitated learning, the best quote came from Dan: “The principles of learning are still the same. It’s still a matter of what you do with those thirty screens that you have.”

Dan also introduces a new term, the “evergreen topic;” the part of content that won’t change just because the business changed its strategy. Susan and Dan’s evergreen topic is how people learn.

Listeners, come back and share your experiences and insights on working with self-paced learning!

You can offer your thoughts using the “Comments” link below or talk to us in LearningTimes. Or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). Join us!

In this episode, Susan and Dan talk to Carol, a "wired" senior citizen, about her use of the Internet for learning and recreation.

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Show Notes:

In this episode, Susan and Dan talk to Carol, a “wired” senior citizen, about her use of the Internet.  This interview was inspired by an older report entitled “Wired Seniors” from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

We should first note that Carol is a little unusual in that she moved online because her son houses servers in her basement.  She has a better understanding of the technology than most seniors.

Currently she uses the Internet to look for information and communicate with friends.  She talks about the quality and quantity of information she can find online and how that benefits her personal research, but also recognizes the inordinate amount of time she spends online.

In reflecting about her friends’ use of computers, Carol points now that none of them prefer synchronous communication (text or IM), and all are adamant about not receiving junk.  They do not like silly forwarded messages.

Following the interview, Susan and Dan bring out additional themes that should be considered with seniors.   Not understanding how the system works can lead to frustration for seniors.  Physical limitations such as typing speed or reading screens can prevent seniors from participating online.  Susan notes the difference in the type of reading online versus linear processing that we use when reading a book.  Dan also points out that while seniors might be very motivated to learn how to get about online, there are costs involved.

The Pew report points out that seniors who move online often do so as a result of the encouragement of their children so that they can share information and photos. Susan tells about the computer program her Dad uses for mental acuity.  She wonders about seniors and online courses.

We invite listeners to tell us what’s going on with seniors, what resources are available, and what new programs or research are available.

You can respond using the “Comments” link below or talk to us in LearningTimes. Or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). Join us!