Ready for mLearning?

mLearning you say? Yes. Mobile learning. I don't know of a person 6th grade and above who doesn't have a smartphone or tablet, honestly. Nevermind my personal feelings about it; it's just the reality of our culture. I am on my smartphone numerous times a day for a variety of reasons, so why not bring education in the picture too. Oh wait, it is already! So this week I tried out some HTML5 eLearning authoring tools that I have never heard of or used before. There were so many so I limited to 5 different tools that had differences among each other.

iSpring PRESENTER - I liked this tool because it can be integrated with your Powerpoint (and I love PP) which allows you to create mobile ready presentations, videos lectures, interactive surveys and quizzes.

COMPOSICA - This tool does not require installation of apps or players and can be accessed through desktop or mobile. You can view sample courses and a free trial is offered.

ELUCIDAT - This tool was pretty cool, in my opinion and can be used on any device. You pretty much have control over how you want the course to look and it was fun to do. There is a free trial available.

GOMO LEARNING - This was my favorite and since the website says it better than I can, "HTML5 eLearning tool, where you can create responsive and adaptive content from one single HTML code base, content works automatically on desktops, tablets, and smartphones". There is no software installation, the graphics were beautiful, and it was quite fun. There is a free 21 day trial, but it is a little pricy.

H5P - this tool allows you to create interactive HTML5 content directly in a browser for mobile usage. There are no plugins required and it is absolutely free!

There are still so many more mobile eLearning authoring tools available; which I plan on checking out. What technology has allows us to create and do on our smartphones; is it really used to make "phone calls" anymore?

to be synchronous, or not to be asynchronous...

As I was pondering what to write for this weeks blog, I realized there is so much I have yet to learn that writing about the basics of eLearning; a new topic or tool each week, would help myself to really focus on one element of eLearning at a time. So this week I am writing about synchronous and asynchronous eLearning to help make the decision of - to eLearn or not to eLearn...

which road to take?

Synchronous eLearning is an event delivered in real-time to remote learners. 

Asynchronous eLearning is an event which does not take place in real-time.

When designing an eLearning module, questions must be answered before choosing which road to take. What are the program goals, audience, and number of participants? Should a sense of community be embodied, or is self-paced learning more desirable? While both types may result in similarly learned material, which is more engaging to the learners should be of concern when deciding which eLearning tools will deliver the message best. Below are some examples of synchronous and asynchronous tools.

With so many eLearning tools available, selecting either synchronous or asynchronous may be a difficult decision. The good news is a course module can use both types of synchronous and asynchronous tools completely through eLearning or through blended learning; eLearning and face-to-face interaction. Deciding which synchronous and/or asynchronous tools to be used as part of a course module can drive the learners on the right road to success.

Personal Learning Network

Twitter

EdTech  focuses on K-12 and is a community based which shares information 
edutopia is inspiration and information for what works in education.
TED Talks because who couldn't use a little pick-me up or a good laugh?
INTEL Education just to keep up with technology.
Edudemic a community of educators and technologists looking to enhance learning. 

Pinterest

info.shiftelearning.com is all about eLearning as a professional and the direction of eLearning's future.
eLearning Infographic eLearning in education, technology, theories, MOOC's, etc...
eLearningindustry.com how instructional design and eLearning come together.
Education Minnesota  since this is where I live I wanted to start becoming connected. 
Favorite EdTech  EdTech resources for educators. 

Blogs

Free Technology for Teachers- this blog provides current technologies and uses for teachers.
Corporate eLearning Strategies & Development- this blog is focused on how instructional design can benefit corporations and the workplace.
Instructional design and Development Blog -this blog focuses on instructional design from the viewpoint of both teachers and students.
Upside Learning Blog- This is a good blog for those new to instructional design or just curious about the subject.
Flirting w/eLearning- this blog is a great resource for beginners and recent graduates who want to get a feel for the field of instructional design.

Google+ Communities

Teachers helping Teachers- discussions involving best practices, sharing ideas, or just networking with other teachers.
Instructional design-a community of professionals who connects other professionals in instructional design and eLearning.
Technology & Innovation in Education - A community for the intersection of research and practice relating to innovation in teaching and learning.
Educators on Google+ - Edtech, K-12, Higher Ed, English, Math, Science, Social Studies, History, Athletics, Music, Theater, Library Information Science, and anything about schools.
E-Learning and Digital Cultures MOOC- a community aimed at teachers, learning technologists, and people with a general interest in education who want to deepen their understanding of what it means to teach and learn in the digital age.

Facebook

Edudemic is k-12 and has tech information. 

Peer2Peer University - is an online community of open study groups for short university-level courses  which creates small groups of motivated learners, and supports the design and facilitation of courses. 

Instructional Design & eLearning Professionals Group- collection of eLearning articles, 

concepts, software & resources.

Adobe Captivate  - because I really like working with Captivate!
Udacity-builds relevant and engaging online courses in programming and data science.

 

Why I love eLearning

I am a perpetual student; I graduated 20 years ago from high school, and I am still in school. But this time it is different. This time I choose it. I am an online learner and I am proud of it. I used to think that online schools were for those who couldn't make it in the "real" schools. Try juggling school with a career and a family and then we'll see who can and can't make it.  I earned my MBA online, but it wasn't until I started my ILT program at University of Colorado that I came to an appreciation of just how powerful online education really is. But online learning is so much more than a balancing act; it's an experience. 

What I have learned in my courses thus far is that the design of an online course has the greatest impact. I experienced this during my MBA courses, only I did not connect the course material with the design of the courseroom at the time. I didn't think about it the way I do now. In fact, once a learner starts thinking of instructional design models; such as ADDIE, it's hard to stop. 

My husband thinks I have an addiction to synchronous and asynchronous tools. My "addiction" sure came in handy when I taught him how to use Adobe Connect, Skype, and Google Hangouts. After all, my kids didn't mind when I created fun games/stories for them with Adobe Captive, or Prezi, or GoAnimate. I just laugh and go right back to uploading a video of the kids on FB, Google+ and our family's website. 

Just think, this is only my 5th course in the ILT program so far...