Posted 10:40 PM by George Siemens
Learning on the Go
Quote: "Once just a device to access online and offline data (contacts, calendars, enterprise sales), incredible leaps in technology are providing PDA users the opportunity to interact with data - from manipulating and transforming data through script-enabled web pages, to streaming video and real-time chat.

This ability to manipulate data through a PDA has been made possible by the advances in device technology. Faster processors, more RAM, and more robust applications have made the PDA superior to computers only four years old. With further advances in screen technology (from simple gray-scale to 64-bit color), PDAs have moved from "dumb" devices to multimedia appliances. Users now command a tremendous computing experience in the palm of their hand."

Comment: We'll hear a lot more about this over the next several years. Mobile learning (for more info see m-learning on elearnspace.org) will be significant. While this article promises to address learning, it focuses more on the technology (wireless, application, integration, etc.). One common complaint I hear about PDAs is that the screens are too small to study...I think the incredible convenience will far outweigh any negatives (and for that matter, have you seen the quality of some PDA screens lately?!? - very nice).

Posted 7:17 AM by George Siemens
Culture of Usability
Quote: "Now that most of us agree that usability testing is an integral investment in site development, it's time to recognize that the standard approach falls short. It is possible to do less work and get better results while spending less money. By bringing usability testing in-house and breaking tests into more manageable sessions, you can vastly improve your online offering without affecting your profit margin."

Comment: Usability is relevant in elearning design, and the approach this article suggests is useful. The author suggests four approaches to testing: 1. More frequent, 2. Smaller scale, 3. Internal ownership, 4. Immediate fixes. In online courses developed in our department, we've taken a similar approach - each course is tested by students, instructors, and industry. Frequent testing prevents us from going too far down the wrong road.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous
Quote: "The topic at hand in synchronous vs. asynchronous communication. In speaking with thousands of educators all over the world, as I have the privilege of having done and continue to do, I am always a little surprised when people speak of asynchronous communication as the necessary, but vastly inferior alternative to synchronous communication. Keep in mind, not everyone tells me this, but enough do that it caught my attention. It is their view that once the infrastructure and software for high quality synchronous communication is ubiquitous, asynchronous communication will go away. The only reason we use it now is because it is cheap and plentiful, and the bandwidth, software and equipment needed for synchronous is not quite there yet. I couldn't disagree more."

Comment: By Murray Goldberg (of WebCT fame). Good overview of the value of asynchronous communication in education - Murray states that asynch. communication (i.e. the notion of responding outside of time and place) is what has truly transformed education. I agree. However, I also think that synchronous communication has yet to be fully explored - tools are slowly being developed and improved. Asynchronous is great for deeper learning and reflection...while synchronous is important for connecting students to each other and to the instructor - the same way in which a telephone is sometimes a preferred for connecting/communicating versus writing a letter.

Info on Search Engines
Quote: "Online search engines are built to find information in seconds. But most leading sites appear to be taking their time meeting a federal request for more transparency on how money influences their display of search results...Google was the only search engine that appeared to meet all the criteria laid out by regulators."

Comment: I've heard Google described as the most valuable site on the Internet. Regulars users will agree.