Posted 10:52 PM by George Siemens
One of the challenges of living in an information-rich society is to be able to see which information has value...and which is clutter. Simplicity is the greatest challenge. How do we navigate through the many conflicting view points and perspectives and focus on the important issues. This is a real concern in a new (rapidly growing) industry like elearning.

Apparently, every industry has a series of (usually 5 - 7) "critical success factors" (CSF). These are things, which if done consistently, will result in the success of an individual or organization. So, do the CSF's right...and it doesn't matter much what you do wrong...your activities are focused on the tasks that create results.

If the concept of CSF's has merit, what are they for elearning? What should we focus on in order to succeed (and use as a decision making criteria to turn focus away from "distracters")? Here's my list:

• Learner focus - the learner is the reason we provide learning...design programs and processes with them in mind
  
• Instructor - educated, skilled online facilitators are the difference between "good" and "great" learning experiences for learners
  
• Instructional design - educationally sound resources, developed through careful selection of content presentation, learning activities, and evaluation
  
• Development - user-focused, usability, variety, brain-compatible (i.e. developed for how the brain processes info), learning styles, etc.
  
• Content management - if we create all these digital resources...we might as well manage them...and make them "findable"
  
• Delivery - this is where technology plays its greatest role - technology as a tool...used to achieve a task.
  
• Meta-cognition - experience collection, reflection, and evaluation...and then integrated into future activities (sort of like knowledge management and continual improvement)
  

Finally, the entire process is ensconced in an atmosphere of "perpetual experimentation"....where the "fringe" elements of technology and learning (where all true innovation occurs) are fostered and integrated with organizational practices.

Posted 10:41 PM by George Siemens
Grounds for Identity
Quotes: "A year ago, identity was mostly the concern of privacy and crypto guys. The only company taking much public interest was Microsoft, which was busy scaring everybody with its Passport identity management system...I don't want any organization having control of my identity. I don't trust enterprises. I don't trust the government. I want to be the center of my identity."

Posted 7:31 PM by George Siemens
Developing an Interactive Web-Based Classroom
Quote: "Creating a successful interactive web-based learning environment can be a challenging task. There are many issues to consider in the design, development, and delivery of a web-based course. Instructors must rethink the way that they teach to create an interactive learning environment in a web-based format."
Comment: Nice article for new online instructors. Covers: designing, developing, delivering, and evaluating online learning. As the article states: "Instructors who are novices in online instruction often assume that all they have to do is transfer the content of their traditional course into a few web documents, post it on a server, and then a web-based course is created." Online learning is much more than moving content online. The heart of the online experience is the learner, the content, and the instructor. Everything - from technology to instructional design - is utilized to improve the quality of this experience.

Posted 3:31 PM by George Siemens
Glossary
Quote: "a layman's guide to speaking geek'
Comment: Great glossary...book mark it!

Posted 1:41 PM by George Siemens
Institutional Challenges in the Creation and Delivery of an Online Degree Program
Quote: "There are extensive issues within an institution that must be resolved for innovative online programs to succeed. Frequently program developers must address internal politics while convincing administrators that a new program will benefit the institution. Extensive teamwork throughout an institution is also necessary. In order to illuminate these issues, we will describe how we and our colleagues designed and delivered an online social sciences bachelor's degree in liberal arts..."
Comment: Details the process of moving a program online, including: getting approval, marketing, student services, and faculty issues. I'd like to see more of a focus on the actual processes of moving content online...this is where most of the issues arise. Most colleges/universities are good at creating and building courses/programs (after all, this is what they do). The real challenge is designing for online - because that is the part of the equation that is still new to many institutions. Broad generalization: the area where most course development goes "wrong" - not utilizing an instructional designer or ID process.

Posted 1:23 PM by George Siemens
Asynchronous Discussions: Importance, Design, Facilitation and Evaluation
Quote: "Should you use asynchronous discussions in your course? What will they accomplish? How can they be effective? The answer to these questions is important for every online facilitator to investigate. Although you may believe online teaching and learning is in its infancy, there is enough research reported in the literature to establish asynchronous discussions as one of the most significant factors in effective online courses.
Comment: Great resource for discussion questions, including: why use them, characteristics, organization, facilitating, and evaluation.

Posted 1:04 PM by George Siemens
Follow Up Site - TechLearn
Quote: "On this site you can find the presentation slides, audio recordings and video streams from several hundred presentations that were given at TechLearn 2002. If you do not see the session you are looking for, please make sure to check back, as we will be adding content as we get it."