Online Learning 03 Monday

Gloria Gery is once again our interpreter and master of ceremonies.

RIchard Saul Wurman gave the keynote this morning. I'll let him speak for himself:

"I'm 68, short, fat. That's the personal stuff. Let's get into it. I'm not that smart but I'm incredibly curious. I love it. all. I'm also an ego maniac. Users? I don't give a shit. I don't kinow what's in their heads. I only know what's in mine. I only write about what I understand."

"What is it like to understand what it's like to not understand? The disease of familiarity....


UNDERSTANDING

"I sell my desire to learn about things. That journey is what you take people on."

Someone else's joke: I thought my brain was the most important organ in my body and then I thought, hey, look who's telling me that.

Gettting at perspective, Saul tells a Steve Wright joke that "Everything is in walking distance ... if you have enough time."

It's one of the most important things we do, but no one receives training in how to converse.

Saul looks for patterns to help us (him) understand. He's very into maps.

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Michael Allen: "I love the potential for eLearning move than what we've been doing with it"

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M-learning (mobile learning) is bigger than I'd realized. A panel walked us through a sea of pocket PCs, tablets, video players, smart phones, and more. Takeaways:

• You can buy a pocket PC with wifi, long battery life and a Flash player,

• Online learning can use SMS for support or knowledge nuggets.

• Hasbro has a handheld videoplayer for $50. Buy three movies on a chip for $8.

• Storage is trending toward the free. 1 gig devices. Mobile does not necessarily mean connected.

• Goal is develop once; deliver many -- automatically.

M-learning Drivers

disconnected users
modular content
wireless (not not necessarily)
automated delivery
convenience
instant on
performance
on demand/pervasive
responsive

Meta-message: It's not just PCs any more.

M-learning will force people to get their learning house in order: chunks, rapid delivery.

The air spotter in Afghanistan, calling in air power.

DoD Job Performance Tech Center in Alexandria

because performance on job is #1
also used by IRS, CIA, etc.

GPS+PDA= context-based learning

Personal area network.

More to come on hacking your car and hacking the establishment.

Visit http://collab.typepad.com/mlearning

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Clark Aldrich's book is out! I'm waiting for Amazon to deliver my copy.

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Expo
Hats off to Docent for the coolest exhibit: 3 heavy-duty motorcycles.

How bad is it?

In 2001, vendors had contracted for 80,000 ft2 of space
9/11 cancelled travel plans and only 40,000 ft2 showed up.
This year? About 12,500 sq ft2 total.

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Over dinner, "Cool is dead." People are looking for the pragmatic and practical. I suggested Flash be renamed Dull.

Jacques told the story of watching a new learning program for pharma propogate around the world.

Posted by Jay Cross at September 22, 2003 11:27 PM | TrackBack