U-Blog 3

Nintendo Wii in the Classroom?

One of the more unconventional uses for the Wii that was made popular is for physical rehab in hospitals. Now the gaming system might be gaining popularity in something even more remote for consoles: the classroom. In the Cumberland Elementary School in Indiana, three Wii Systems are the new tools for education.

By incorporating the technology of video games (not to mention the fun factor) the school hopes to engage the students on a more powerful level than traditional methods. The consoles are currently being used to teach Geography, Math and English and the students are getting really into it.

The teachers in the school believe that the potentials for such interaction are unlimited. They even express that the biggest challenge is finding time to incorporate it into already packed lessons. Wii therapy has already spread in hospitals across the U.S. Perhaps the classrooms will follow suit?

U-BLOG 2

What's the Best Way for Senior Citizens To Learn Computers ?

A lot of seniors feel very challenged or even intimidated by computers.

It seems to me that computer classes for seniors (or anyone for that matter) are not always the best way to learn basic computer skills. Aside from often being inconvenient to get to, classes aren't always the best way to learn at all.
People learn best in short lessons (less than 30 minutes is ideal, according to scientific studies) and it's easier to learn if they have lessons that:

1. show them step by step how to use the computer, so they can watch how it's done before they try it themselves
2. have simple, plain English explanations that don't use a lot of technical terms  -- they're not dumb, but they know they want to keep it simple so they can learn easily
3. have an easy, no-pressure, comfortable format that lets them learn at their own pace, on their own time, instead of being forced into a class schedule which might not be the time of day when they're the most sharp and have the most energy
4. Let them go back and review whenever they need, quickly and easily, without derailing the class

Obviously  senior computer classes, or senior citizen computer instruction of any kind in a classroom environment doesn't empower them with computers in the way they really need. So what can they do?

My suggestion is to take a look at video computer lessons on CD and online -- with the right instructor, they may be the easiest way to learn computers. These lessons are time-tested to work with seniors and anyone who is computer challenged, and are available for Windows or  Mac computers.

Chose one of the links below to find out more about these easy lessons:

 Computer basics for Windows PCs
or
Computer basics for Mac

U-Blog 1

There was much to celebrate on January 20, 2009. Many firsts were accomplished. One of those were: the largest crowd to ever show up for a presidential inauguration, not counting the people that got turned away. There were many other records set, but we have no tool for accurately counting them due to their recent emergence. For instance, many reports state that TV viewership was much lower than expected, and that Ronald Regan's inauguration still holds the record for most eyes glued to the screen. But we simply aren't technically equipped to quantify the viewing of this 21st century inauguration (yet) with the 21st century tools we have of accessing it. Firstly, there's no way of knowing how many people watched the event in groups (which in this time of community involvement, may have seen more gatherings than the 1981 inauguration) but more importantly, we have no way of counting each pair of eyes that watched by way of Internet streaming options on computer screens. There were many more online options than there were for any previous inauguration, and it amazed me that I even had the option of watching it on my iPhone.

  Two other tools we didn't have in at a past inauguration are Twitter and Flickr. A simple Internet search would have prepared the "tweeter" or Flickr user to tag their captures/posts with the hashtag"#inaug09". Collectively, we have probably had the largest documentation of any inauguration by "the people" than ever before. You can view Twitter captures about the inauguration easily here and Flickr photos here. Or head over to the "Inauguration Report" site, brought to us by NPR (with Andy Carvin and in conjunction with CBS News and American University) that collected all of this and made it easy for people to document their inaugural experience by supplying them with tools for their phones.

  We live in an exciting time. No longer do we rely just on big media to report on events; we are increasingly looking to "small" media, such as Twitter and other social media tools to tap directly into the pulse of folks who are there, watching it with their own eyes, reporting it with their own tweets, text messages, photos. Is watching this flood of reporting any less significant than watching it on TV? Is the fact that more people watched Regan's inauguration on TV a record that holds any significance now that the media tools have transformed so much?

  If records are important, then we celebrate that this was "The First True Internet Inauguration". Internet bandwith and cell phone networks took a big hit, and yet held in there, so that's cause for celebration too --things worked "okay"-- but the infrastructure is clearly straining. Part of the stimulous plan presented by the Obama team is slated to improve this infrastructure. A lot can happen in the next four years. Perhaps by the next inauguration, we'll have a way to accurately count the true viewership and participation, with more of a balance between "big" and "small" media.

"Workplace Learning"

Why E-learning?

The digital economy places a premium on new business models, customization, and innovation. To guarantee success in this environment, individuals and organizations must remain flexible, acquire new skills continuously, and identify new ways of managing knowledge and information. Although technology is driving much of the change in business and work environments, it also serves as a key tool for keeping pace with rapid change.

The benefits of e-learning -- defined as instructional content or learning experiences delivered or enabled by electronic technology -- rely on the dynamic relationship that links learning, people, and organizational performance. There is a strong economic incentive for business to embrace e-learning. High quality e-learning can improve speed to capability by significantly reducing the amount of time it takes to train workers on new products and processes. According to Fortune Magazine, training that typically would take 6 to 9 months can be compressed to 2 to 3 weeks, thereby guaranteeing faster time-to market for products.

Additionally, e-learning can reduce the costs of workplace training. After the initial infrastructure and development costs are met, the marginal cost of serving additional students is close to zero. For example, Cisco Systems' e-learning manufacturing programs have produced savings of $1 million per quarter, producing an 80 percent increase in speed to competence.

Economic considerations are not the sole reason for embracing e-learning. At a time when public concern persists about the economic disparities among different segments of the population, e-learning holds the potential to diminish the skills and income gaps by expanding just-in-time access to high-quality training opportunities. This in turn can contribute to income growth at all levels.