Archive for February, 2010
Ragan webcast: My window into distance learning
February 28th, 2010
So there I was, sitting at home with my laptop computer, watching Social Media guru live from the Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta talking about the future of social media. And I wasn’t just watching and listening, I was engaging in conversation with dozens of people through Twitter, discussing his presentation as he delivered it – and making new connections. It was my first complete “distance learning” experience, and it was awesome.
The 3rd Annual Social Media for Communicators Conference was held Tuesday and Wednesday of this week in Atlanta. It included three tracks, with nearly 30 speeches, discussions and workshops. For the cost of just the conference fee (no travel, no hotel, no meals), I was able to watch every Track 1 workshop live. And Ragan is going to send me a DVD of all three tracks within a couple weeks, so the learning continues. (I participated in the live conference from home rather than the office to avoid all the distractions – phones calls, walk-ins, “crises” – of office work.)
Yes, attending a conference in person has its advantages. You meet people face-to-face, you connect, interact and network in a very personal manner. But this is the age of social media, and I found a way to do that, to at least some extent, without being there. The conference employed the hashtag , which allowed all of us Twitter users to develop a live online community where we could communicate our thoughts and reactions to what we were seeing and hearing. Not only did I enjoy reading the Tweets from others who were in the audience and participating from home, like me, I “followed” everyone who Tweeted a comment that interested me. As a result, I now have developed more than 40 new ongoing Twitter connections – people interested in the same topics as me … people who have expertise in the area of social media and regularly share information with me, educate me and stimulate me to keep learning and adapting. As a result of these quality connections, I learn something new – or find a link to valuable information – every time I check in on my Twitter page.
Of course, distance learning is not new, but it is moving rapidly into the mainstream. Every school and institution of higher education is at least toying with the use of distance learning, and many have developed extensive distance learning programs.
Attending this conference online, I found great value in distance learning. Yet, I recognize that being a professional attending a conference through a webcast is very different than being a student attending a public school class.
Many of you have had extensive experience with distance learning, both as providers and consumers. What do you think? To what extent will schools be employing distance learning 10 years from now? What will our public schools look like? What are the advantages and opportunities, and what do we need to watch out for?
skyper-active learning
February 28th, 2010
When I was in high school, distance learning was a brand new technology. One or two of our classrooms did some trial courses, but in my experience it was more annoying than useful. Although is based on the same idea of connecting classrooms remotely, I think the technology surrounding Skype–particularly faster connection and integration of the SmartBoard– is what has turned it into an effective educational tool for the 21st century. I can’t help wondering how long it will be until we are able to virtually visit other countries and classrooms in complete 3D. With how fast technology is progressing, I wouldn’t be surprised if my kids are able to do so.
Anyway… back in real time. I’ve been brainstorming (and Googling) ways in which I could use Skype in the English Language Arts. Connecting cultures is what intrigues me the most–being able to meet people from various countries as we study world literature. Talking directly to authors seems like a great way to enrich the study of contemporary literature. And the opportunity for students to present creative projects such as skits, poems, and songs to another group of students, either in a neighboring town or half-way across the globe, seems like it would be a huge motivator for active learning.
A really great example from that I think is worth re-posting:
“I have been using Skype in the classroom for three years now and would highly recommend it. There are so many benefits as students make global connections to others around the world. My students’ most recent Skyping experience was with a school in Coulee Dam, Washington on an Indian Reservation. Our initial collaboration was done via wiki where the students shared their writing, but we then extended it to skype sessions where my students had the privilege of experiencing live traditional dances that are a big part of the Native American culture. My students saw many styles of Native American dance as well as the traditional regalia that is worn. This was not only a very memorable experience for my students but it gave them greater insight and appreciation for a different culture other than their own. It also covered our 5th grade theme of “perspectives” and how attitudes or beliefs can change through various experiences.”–Kim Trefz, retrieved from this on classroom20.com
If you want to stuff your workplace with
February 27th, 2010
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7. Increased productivity
SOS II offers insight into each of these areas. Your next step is to use Step One Survey II® next time you hire. Call Clear Choice LLC at (502) 561-3451 or visit us on the web at
Sikkim Manipal University - Distance Education
February 27th, 2010
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| for a successful career! For information on eligibility, scholarships and admission criteria, visit or call us our toll-free number: 1800 2667 788. |
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| Established in 2001 and a part of Manipal Education’s 50-year heritage in education, SMU-DE is a leader in distance education, with over 3 lakh students and 6500 mentors delivering 1 lakh counselling sessions across 700 learning centres in India and 20 countries abroad. |
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Banking/FinanceA triumph of democracy?
February 27th, 2010
Rumors are unavoidable when new employee
February 27th, 2010
Rumors are unavoidable when new employees arrive, even in the healthiest of work cultures. Keep in mind that experienced employees may feel threatened by the new person. Business leaders should make the new person’s arrival a normal event, keep details of the compensation package private and tell the “star” that he is working among many other stars.
Rumors are unavoidable when new employee
February 27th, 2010
Rumors are unavoidable when new employees arrive, even in the healthiest of work cultures. Keep in mind that experienced employees may feel threatened by the new person. Business leaders should make the new person’s arrival a normal event, keep details of the compensation package private and tell the “star” that he is working among many other stars.
80% is produced by 20%
February 27th, 2010
80% is produced by 20% – your top performers. Non-performers stand out because they produce so remarkably little – the exact opposite reasons our stars stand out! Have you ever wondered if you don’t get more than your fair share of these folks?
Attend our seminar CORNERSTONES OF SALES PERFORMANCE on 1 April 2010 at 10am on University of Louisville Shelbyhurst Campus Delphi Center for Teaching & Learning to learn more.
Price: $75 All Attendees Receive Complimentary Assessment Worth $200
80% is produced by 20% - your top perfor
February 27th, 2010
80% is produced by 20% – your top performers. Non-performers stand out because they produce so remarkably little – the exact opposite reasons our stars stand out! Have you ever wondered if you don’t get more than your fair share of these folks?
Attend our seminar CORNERSTONES OF SALES PERFORMANCE on 1 April 2010 at 10am on University of Louisville Shelbyhurst Campus Delphi Center for Teaching & Learning to learn more.
Price: $75 All Attendees Receive Complimentary Assessment Worth $200
Why do front-line managers fail and what
February 27th, 2010
Why do front-line managers fail and what can be done to avoid failure?
We polled our experts to identify our top five most common management derailers. Attend our seminar on 31 March 2010, 1pm at University of Louisville Shelbyhurst Campus Delphi Center for Teaching & Learning to learn more.
Price: $75 All Attendees Receive Complimentary Assessment Worth $200
