http://www.ltgreenroom.org The LT Green Room is a podcast for Renewal, Retooling and Conversations about Learning. It is co-hosted by Susan Manning and Dan Balzer and its show topics are often drawn from members of LearningTimes.org, a free online community of education and training professionals from across the globe. The LT Green Room gives listeners (and ourselves) an opportunity to reflect on what they're doing behind the scene that results in an effective learning experience. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:29:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 en LearningTimes Green Room 2006-2007 info@learningtimes.org (LearningTimes Green Room) info@learningtimes.org Education Renewal, Retooling and Conversations about Learning. The LT Green Room is a podcast for Renewal, Retooling and Conversations about Learning. It is co-hosted by Susan Manning and Dan Balzer and its show topics are often drawn from members of LearningTimes.org, a free online community of education and training professionals from across the globe. The LT Green Room gives listeners (and ourselves) an opportunity to reflect on what they're doing behind the scene that results in an effective learning experience. LearningTimes Green Room LearningTimes Green Room info@learningtimes.org no http://www.ltgreenroom.org/images/ltgr_144.jpg http://www.ltgreenroom.org 144 144 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/89 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/89#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:06:02 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/89 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/89/feed/ 00:17:26 LT GreenRoom In this episode, Dan Balzer and guest co-host Jonathan Finkelstein of LearningTimes, interview Susan Manning and Kevin Johnson, co-authors of the all new book Online Education for Dummies. They share some tips and highlights from their new work, and invite listeners to join them for their live online session during IOC 2010. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: There's a new book out, and it was co-authored by LearningTimes Green Room's own Susan Manning together with Kevin Johnson. The book is Online Education for Dummies. It's a practical hands-on guide for anyone involved in learning online -- from admission to graduation. NOTE: Susan and Kevin will be featured speakers during the 8th Annual International Online Conference [2] (IOC) for Teaching and Learning (March 17-19, 2010). Join them online! During this virtual book launch podcast, Susan and Kevin describe how useful the book is for online instructors and anyone creating online learning programs. It might be thought of as a manifesto for online learning. What do you need to do as an online facilitator to ensure your learners are having a meaningful experience? Some online instructors have already put the book on their course reading lists to serve as a guide for learners on how to get the most out of their online classes. The authors talk about some of the tips they share, the process of collaborating to write the book, and how the fun, informal style associated with For Dummies books fit with their personalities. From the book jacket: "Online Education For Dummies explains the ins and outs of attending a virtual classroom, and provides you with the tools you need to hone your skills or obtain additional certification and degrees. This practical reference not only helps you get the most out of an online course, but also offers a wealth of advice to help you pick the one that matches your interests and needs." Listeners, what advice would be on your top 10 tips for new online learners? Share one tip, share two, or share ten! Let's make a community-generated tip list to help the uninitiated. Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [3]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-075.mp3 [2] http://www.internationalonlineconference.org/register [3] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/88 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/88#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:01:17 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/88 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/88/feed/ 00:08:15 LT GreenRoom In this special edition, Susan and Dan speak with Nancy White about some provocative views on the use of communities for learning. The conversation continues during Nancy's keynote presentation at the International Online Conference 2010. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: Susan and Dan are joined by Nancy White who offers a compelling preview of her IOC keynote [2] (March 17th, 2010). The topic: We are navigating a tumultuous and very interesting transition of how we think about learning. We are stepping beyond the boundaries of "course," questioning the continuum of formal and informal learning — all in a time when technology is fundamentally changing what it means to "be together." From this context, the idea of using the social structure of "community" for learning has come center stage. Community has shown to be valuable in some contexts. But should it be the structure? Is structuring our educational frameworks around community central, or does it deserve a different place along the continuum of individual–community–networked learning. When is community the sweet spot? When is it the trap? Susan, Dan and Nancy invite listeners to register for the 8th Annual International Online Conference [3] on Teaching and Learning. Nancy will open the conference with her March 17th keynote. LTGR listeners: use this discount code upon signing up for a special $10 discount: gr45z Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [4]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). You can also find us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom [5]. [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-074.mp3 [2] http://www.internationalonlineconference.org/program/ [3] http://www.internationalonlineconference.org/register [4] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes [5] http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/87 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/87#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:55:58 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/87 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/87/feed/ 00:13:40 LT GreenRoom Susan and Dan welcome Dan%26#8217;s mother, Elfrieda Balzer. Mrs. Balzer was visiting Dan from Canada and reflected on technology development when she was a kid. Dan asked her to talk about some of the things she experienced growing up in the 1930s and 1940s. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: For her first experience with educational technology, Elfrieda recalled the process of making copies. On Friday afternoon, her teacher would fill a cookie sheet with gel, apply and image with indelible ink, and eventually press paper onto the gel to transfer the design. That was the technology prior to mimeographs and photocopiers. There were times Elfrieda’s family had a phone and other times when they didn’t. The trio talked about party lines and privacy. When her sister had a baby, she had to run to the grocery store to use the payphone to call the hospital. In 1940-41, her father purchased a short-wave radio, which was a bit of a secret in her house. This was his way to stay informed about World War II. Otherwise they got their news from the newspaper. Our expectations of how and when we get our news is dramatically different these days. A few numbers: the radio may have cost $100, a car cost approximately $1000 and her house cost $3000. Elfrieda was being introduced to computers on the job she had. However, it was when her children were all abroad that she learned to use the computer to send her weekly emails. She reflected that they’ve lost that now that phone calls are more affordable. Other than television, most technology was accepted by Elfrieda’s generation and not resisted. However, she commented that advances did not progress as rapidly. The speed makes it harder to adapt. Dan asks listeners to tell us your first memories of technology and how you make decisions today about whether to embrace new developments. Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [2]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). You can also find us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom [3]. [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-073.mp3 [2] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes [3] http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/86 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/86#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:22:27 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/86 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/86/feed/ 00:08:47 LT GreenRoom In this episode, Susan and Dan make resolutions as instructional designers. They talk about changes they%26#8217;d like to make in the coming year, and ask you to share yours. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: Happy New Year! Susan and Dan are making resolutions as instructional designers. They talk about changes they’d like to make in the coming year. Susan is going to revamp, refresh or retool any course older than 18 months. Dan is going to write an executive summary of the learning outcomes and activities from the prior year, pulling together data and feedback. He will interpret the value training has added. Both will look at how they assess learning. Susan would like to focus on “what difference this will make in 3 years,” but she wants learners to have that sense as they move through the course (not in 3 years). Both will concentrate on alignment of objectives, activities and assessment. Dan is going to try to do one thing at a time. Good luck, Dan! This involves time management and time for reflection. Susan will be going simpler with activities, looking at the tools she’s asking students to work with. Dan is going to sort through his “stuff” and decide what he needs to keep. Here are a couple links Susan recently sent Dan: Two postings on the qualities of instructional designers from Connie Malamed. http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/10-qualities-of-the-ideal-instructional-designer/#respond [2] http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/35-more-qualities-of-the-ideal-instructional-designer/ [3] Clark Quinn’s blog that Dan appreciated: The Great eLearning Garbage Vortex [4] Listeners, we’d love to hear about your instructional design changes or initiatives for 2010. Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [5]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). You can also find us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom [6]. [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-072.mp3 [2] http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/10-qualities-of-the-ideal-instructional-designer/#respond [3] http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/35-more-qualities-of-the-ideal-instructional-designer/ [4] http://blog.learnlets.com/?p=1374 [5] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes [6] http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/85 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/85#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:45:17 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/85 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/85/feed/ 00:03:26 LT GreenRoom This is a special episode in which Susan asks listeners to help her with some research. As part of a conference session, Susan wants to address "what's hot in instructional design". However, she wants to use social networking to collect ideas. Listen to her explain to Dan what she's up to and then respond to her on Twitter at smanning2 using hashtag #freshIDtrends Download MP3 File [1] Listeners, share your thoughts! Continue the discussion by posting to Twitter (using hashtag #freshIDtrends), at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [2]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-071.mp3 [2] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/84 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/84#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:58:40 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/84 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/84/feed/ 00:12:25 LT GreenRoom In this show, Susan and Dan talk about %26#34;Iterative Design%26#34;, and help Dan's brother think through how to approach course design. They are joined by special guest Jane Bozarth. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: What is Iterative Design? We’re helping Dan’s brother, Dave, think through how to approach course design. Susan starts with a textbook search and the big question of what the learner should know or be able to do 5 years down the road. Susan tends to be a minimalist. Textbooks do shape the course. Try to see your course in the context of the program or where they go next. That will help you determine what you need to teach. Dan has been thinking about chunking content and has a sense online instructors have a better sense of this. Albert Camus: “Those who write clearly have readers, those who write obscurely have commentators.” Online instructors can relate! Susan likes to use movies to explain processes. Susan thinks content experts put too much in, and thinks there should be repositories for additional resources. She uses delicio.us for this. Susan was recently in a workshop given by Jane Bozarth, author of E-Learning Solutions on a Shoestring and Better than Bullet Points: Creating Engaging E-Learning with PowerPoint. “Design is done when there’s nothing left to take out.” Jane explains this (by way of Skype). She also looks for the 2 or 3 things the person must be able to do after training. All in all, Dave has some ideas of where to start. Listeners, what other advice would you share? Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [2]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-070.mp3 [2] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/83 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/83#comments Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:20:32 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/83 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/83/feed/ 00:10:30 LT GreenRoom Dan surprises Susan with the topic of the day: Twitter. The duo talk about the social networking tool and how it is used, and interview a special guest, author Jane Bozarth. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: Dan surprises Susan with the topic of the day: Twitter. The pair talk about the social networking tool and how it is used. Susan is not a hardcore user, but she does check and occasionally tweet. She said she only posts once a week, but truth be told, she tweets more often. Kevin Johnson is using the tool to promote their book, Online Education for Dummies [2] (available January!). Dan follows a couple people and is figuring out the code language. Susan tells the story of a contact who uses Twitter big time. He uses Tweet Deck to keep message organized. Susan needs the Twitter for Dummies [3] book. Should we jump on board with new technology? Susan thinks out loud about how to use the tool. Dan thinks linking an expert with a novice is one good use. He doesn’t like when experts tweet where they’re going next. Dan and Susan then interview Jane Bozarth (author of From Analysis to Evaluation: Tools, Tips %26 Techniques for Trainers [4] and Better than Bullet Points: Creating Engaging E-Learning with PowerPoint [5]) about how lrnchat [6] works. The group meets Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. eastern. Search for #lrnchat and you’ll find the group and the blog link, too. It’s fast and crazy and centered on learning. Do it when you’re on a computer, not on your phone. Big names attend! Jay Cross, Ray Jimenez, and Jane! So Dan and Susan now need to get serious. They have established a joint account … find them on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom [7]. They’ll be tweeting more regularly to see if listeners have something to say. Listeners, tell us about your thoughts on and use of Twitter! Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [8]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-069.mp3 [2] http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2%26tag=httpwwwlearnn-20%26camp=1789%26creative=9325%26location=/gp/product/0470536209 [3] http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2%26tag=httpwwwlearnn-20%26camp=1789%26creative=9325%26location=/gp/product/0470479914/ [4] http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2%26tag=httpwwwlearnn-20%26camp=1789%26creative=9325%26location=/gp/product/0787982016 [5] http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2%26tag=httpwwwlearnn-20%26camp=1789%26creative=9325%26location=/gp/product/0787992453/ [6] http://lrnchat.wordpress.com/ [7] http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom [8] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/82 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/82#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:05:52 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/82 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/82/feed/ 00:16:05 LT GreenRoom In this episode, Susan and Dan revisit a universal topic: how to motivate learners. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: Susan and Dan revisit a universal topic: How to motivate learners. They base their discussion off of Learning Solutions e-Magazine article "Five Strategies to Enhance Learner Motivation in e-Learning Design" by Joe McCleskey. This newsletter is available through E-Learning Guild as an associate member (free). To put this in context, McClesky is mostly talking about self-paced elearning courses. Strategy 1: ARCS model - Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction. Susan spends a good deal of time boosting confidence. Dan resonated with the idea that intrinsic motivation lasts longer. Extrinsic motivation is not inherently bad. Dan describes a baking activity as an example, and Susan questions the assessment. Strategy 2: Think structure. Nine to 10 minutes at a time! This relates to the cognitive science about changing activity, and the ideas behind accelerated learning support this, too. Strategy 3: Increase visual interest. Photos, video, graphics. Images must directly represent the content. As for video, Joe writes that today’s audience has high standards, but Susan thinks about youTube. Strategy 4: Emotion. The advice is to take a light approach, however. Too much emotional edge will bury the learner and could backfire. Strategy 5: Tell a story and use the narrative. Put these 5 together and you have a checklist that can apply to any design. Book review at the end of the article: Visual Language for Designers by Connie Malamed. Connie also hosts a blog [2], and in one of Dan’s favorite entries, she shares a tip for building curiosity called progressive revelation. Listeners, tell us what you find most compelling and what motivates you. How much do you think about this as you design? Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [3]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-068.mp3 [2] http://theelearningcoach.com/learning/temple-of-the-progressive-revelation/ [3] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/81 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/81#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:37:18 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/81 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/81/feed/ 00:13:39 LT GreenRoom How do we learn best from conference participation? In this episode, Dan and Susan talk about what they do when they go to conferences, and invite us to share how we get the most out of our own conference attendance. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: Dan and Susan talk about what they do when they go to conferences. How do we learn from conferences? Dan goes to more face to face conferences whereas Susan attends more online conferences. Both tend to go to sessions they know something about or that will have direct pay-offs. We are economists of time and money! Susan saves time online. How do people network when at an online conference? Additional resources, discussions, or side conversations within chats. Susan also follows people on their blogs and finds other contacts through blog rolls. Dan has struggled with how to follow up and managing what to do? Maybe this is something conference presenters should do in their sessions: creating opportunities for networking. Susan points out that with online conferences, it is easier to leave a room if the sessions isn’t what you want. Plus she can follow recordings. She’s learned not to multitask. Dan has been given the opportunity to leave sessions in face to face, too. He sees that more and more the conferences are about networking and not just about getting information and tools. Their friend Kevin Johnson recently twittered about a conference, and Susan followed the entire conference. Dan will be a panelist in November in San Jose at a conference on how to create good educational videos. October 7-8 Susan will be at the Jossey-Bass Online Teaching and Learning Conference at with big name speakers like Curtis Bonk, Sharan Merriam, Patricia Cranton and Edward Harris, Randy Garrison and Norm Vaughan on Blended Learning. Listeners, tell us how you get the most out of your conference attendance. Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [2]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-067.mp3 [2] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes No No Episodes, http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/80 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/80#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:23:18 +0000 LT GreenRoom Episodes http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/80 http://www.ltgreenroom.org/episodes/80/feed/ 00:16:49 LT GreenRoom To kick off their fourth year of the LTGreenRoom podcast, Susan and Dan explore the science of learning. Download MP3 File [1] Show Notes: The highlights of this episode include: Susan reviews Daniel Willingham’s Why Don’t Students Like School? She picks out the highlights of the importance of background knowledge and making meaning. Dan relates this to Bernice McCarthy’s 4MAT System [2]. He asks about relevancy. Again, meaning is an aspect, along with questions such as what, why, and how. Dan also read The Book of Learning and Forgetting by Frank Smith, and Susan read The Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerlein. From blogs, Dan gets a sense of new directions emerging in the field of learning. A recent USA Today article [3] summarized three dimensions learning is computational, learning is social, and learning is driven by brain circuitry. Also, a blog concerning what makes an expert’s brain different came from Connie Malamed [4], author of Visual Learning. Experts become more efficient when face with new problems because they can rule out paths not worth exploring because of their experiences. All this leads to a sidebar about the struggle of teaching straight content. And that is where Ruth Colvin Clark and Richard E. Mayer do an exemplary job in their text, e-Learning and the Science of Instruction. That book and Connie Malamed’s [5] are on Kineo’s Back to School Reading List [6] at William Horton’s Elearning by Design. Also on the list is Michael Allen’s Guide to eLearning. Listeners, we’d love to hear what you’re reading and thinking about the science of learning. Please share insights and examples, too! Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes [7]! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). [1] http://media.libsyn.com/media/learningtimes/ltgreenroom-066.mp3 [2] http://aboutlearning.com [3] http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-07-21-education_N.htm [4] http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/designing-for-experts/ [5] http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/designing-for-experts/ [6] http://www.ltgreenroom.org http://www.kineo.com/bookshop/back-to-school-reading-list.html [7] http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes No No Episodes,