Practical Learning

Just finished Karl Kapp's gamification for learning certificate program.  I can definitely vouch for the practicality of this content.  Enjoy!

This looks so totally awesome.  I can see it being used for all sorts of corporate training: sales, compliance, engineering, etc.  At least what can be put outside the firewall.  The possibilities are endless to be cliche! So easy.  So practical!  Enjoy.

If you're looking for research articles about social media in learning environments, this is a great start.  Volume 1, Issue 1.  Can't get any newer than that.  I perused the article on social learning graphs.  Very interesting but I have to admit, I'm struggling with finding a practical way to implement anything.  It's always a struggle translating research into practical applications.  But, you gotta' have the research first.  Enjoy!

First, I love infographics for just about any topic.  The fact that this shows how one of my interests impacts a realted area is even better.  Enjoy.

I recently completed (on the for fee track) one of the Coursera's most popular MOOCs on gamification taught by Kevin Warbach from Wharton.  I'd tried it before (non-fee track and started late) but couldn't get "in to" it.  I also tried another of theri MOOCs on digital life and elearning but it was way to esoteric for me.  I didn't even understand the first assignment, let alone compete it.  I chalked it all up to my not being in the academic mindset.

By trade and training I am an instructional designer.  I also specialize in creating elearning, or as I like to call it, technology delivered learning.  So I feel I can weigh in on the pedagogical/effectiveness discussion.

First, let me say that I enjoyed the course.  After I got "in to" it I had a great time.  Kevin was a great presenter and his videos used a great tool that showed his face as in various locations on the screen as well as text that he was able to annotate. He was also able to draw things.  That and the relatively short segments kept the content interesting.

The activities were relatively easy as were the quizzes.  The final was tough though.  Calling on more synthesis and evaluation than recall. 

I also enjoyed the for fee authentication technology.  For every quiz/assignment I submitted I had to do the following:

Check a box that stated I and agreed to the Coursera Code of Conduct.

Submit a typeing sample that had been previously "recorded"

Take and submit a picture of myself.

Now, this is hardly an absolute authentication.  I could have had anyone answer these two things and just done the authentication but for $39 (the fee) it wasn't worth the hassle.  If I "failed" then it was my fault and no one elses.

BTW, I passed and am now the proud owner of a completion certificate from Wharton (which I am still trying to figure out how to put on my LinkedIn site). 

Anyway, back to learning:

Where the quizzes and activites Wharton worthy?  I'm guess not really.

Was the final Wharton worthy?  Not knowing for sure, I was plesantly surprised that it wasn't all about recall.  And no, I didn't study enough.

Did I learn stuff - heck yeah.  I've also recently completed a university-based certificate program in gamification for learning and I learned a whole lot more and different stuff in the MOOC.  The two were very complimentary.

Would I have learned as much in his class?  Probably.

Would I have been able to do attend class in my PJs at 2 am in the morning (I'm a night owl)?  No way.

Did I have questions?  Not really but there were office hours with Kevin (notice I didn't call him Dr.- he never referred to himself as that so I never have either) and more forum threads than you could shake a stick at.  So, if I had had questions, I had numerous ways to get the answers.

Pros:

Great technology for content delivery.

Content was pretty well chunked up and progressed logically.

The presenter made the content interesting with lots of examples and even some interviews with thought leaders in the area (something you probably couldn't do with a live course!).

Consumption was convenient (I watched the videos - I never would have read all that - and took notes in Penultimate on my iPad - shades of my college days).

There were places in the videos that asked recall questions and many more that asked reflective questions that you could respond to in the the forums.

Cons:

It was a very academic model even with the social collaboration possibilities.

The forums were too large to deal with.  If you didn't uncheck the "follow thread" box you were inundated with emails - one for every person who responded to that thread. And with several thousand (paying and non-paying) attendees responsing, well...it was overwhelming.  I didn't find them worth my time to read.  I answered and left.

I would have made included many more options to rehearse learning using the questions embedded in the video.

More pros and cons.  It was what is was.  A courseoin gamification.  I got the basics and it streatched my thinking to consider all angles. 

The funny thing is that I think about, and even get to apply, some of that stuff everyday.  So it was totally worth the $39.

Sorry for the long  comment but thought it was worth relaying my experience as a L&D professional.

Besides the awesome shape and pretty colors this is an amazing compedium of ed tech tools and taxonomy.  This one is going on the wall for sure!  Enjoy!

This model seems to have stood the test of time AND it aligns with other community models I've seen.  Love infographics that give you a snap shot and a place to leap from to do deep dives.  Enjoy!

What he said.  David is a very accomplished curator especially for learning purposes.  Follow him anyway you can!

This appears to be a simple screen capture / video output tool.  Might be something that could be shared with SMEs to help them create content quickly and easily.  Of course, as IDs, we still need to help them organize their content!