Seven (7) things about Online Learners

Let’s say you have a unique online course idea and the idea is awesome. However, taking it to the learner demands a lot more. You need to work on the framework, the layout, and probably talk to a subject expert. But the most important aspect is knowing your learner.

The success of online courses depends on the rate of retention and the rate of completion and also adding value to a learner’s profile. But an important challenge is to develop a framework that could meet the expectations of the learner. And the key to this is knowing the learner well.

To develop and deliver a successful online course we should consider following aspects:

 

1. The Learner

Knowing the learner, their ability, age, demography, gender, education level, professional status and reasons to pursue the course. The clearer the picture about your learner the better can you deliver and market your course.

2. Pricing

Ensuring that the pricing of the courses is within the budget of the learner is a crucial component of online course design. Over-pricing might end up to dampening the marketability of the course and under-pricing could impact the brand value. Pricing should be decided in relation to the market trends and demand for the particular type of courses.

It is all about push and pull concept, the price should be well balanced between convincing and attracting someone to pay. Convincing someone is tough to pay an x amount but the convincing becomes easy when it is attractive.

3. Time

Another important aspect, which is mostly overlooked while identifying the target audience, is the time your audience can devote. You have a rich and elaborate content, but, what if your learner does not have enough time to complete the sessions and submit the assessments? A targeted study of the potential learners and their time constraints is important in designing and delivering the course.

4. Support

While launching a course, adequate and appropriate support material and contact information should be provided so that touch points are maintained and the possibility of learners dropping out of the course is minimised. Whether learners select a course by choice or in order to fulfil an external compulsory requirement, they require support of various kinds such as accessibility of concepts, assignment, grading, and technical aspects.

Understanding the learner’s background and ability to access the course, facilities, the support guidelines and setups can be planned better to ensure quick resolution of issues that crop up for the learner.

5. Learning Level

While developing the course we often consider the eligibility criteria or basic requirements, but often we lose track of that as the course progresses. Subject experts and may make courses jargon-ridden, making it difficult for the learners to access the material or even complete the course.

Having details about the learner’s learning ability, and their academic and professional background helps us design the content in a consistent manner, catering to the needs of the specific audience and meeting the expectations of the learner while joining the course.

6. Challenge

Online education is over a decade old now. But motivating someone to join an online course is still a challenge, especially in an adult learning framework. Most of the learners are working professionals with a busy schedule.

The one significant factor that motivates a learner to enrol for an online course is the aspirational value it might give to a learner. Flexibility and the freedom to learn the in the way the one prefers to during hours that one is comfortable with are what make online courses desirable. If your course design forces someone to radically change their prior commitments and schedules, that is clear recipe for failure.

7. Outcomes

Presenting the outcome can only happen, once we have understood the challenges a learner face. Our objectives should be such that it serves the challenge, for example, make a learner feel confident about a skill, monetary raise at work, professional growth, status and achieving a life-long aim to complete studies.

Online learners are from several walks of life, a variety of backgrounds, and come with many different objectives in mind. A course should cater to such multiple audiences and their multiple demands. Accommodating the learner’s needs and the learners’ perspective are the very first steps in a successful course design.

Leadership: Conflict at Work

Working with people, bound to bring CONFLICT. The differences exists, a team cannot agree with each other or reach a consensus. The good news about any organization is that, people disagree and the same is the bad news. Disagreement brings new ideas and approaches to proceed, whereas it also creates a rift amongst the team. So, it becomes very difficult for a leader to handle such disagreements. A leader should be open to new things and ways, provided it does not adds the opportunity cost.

Many researches and theories have been postulated on resolving conflict and conflict management, which definitely gives you an insight to tackle such contingencies. But, working with people, doesn’t let you escape the disagreement and hence you cannot avoid the conflict. Leading people always creates conflict, both within the department and with others in the organization. This be taken as a challenge, communication can break the ice, speak to people to help them coincide on the decision. Getting deep into the logic behind conflict is difficult, but the end result will be peaceful. Leader cannot get rid of conflict or conflicted people, but, leaders help them to get through it.

You cannot keep everyone happy, and no one could. Maxwell says, there are no two good consecutive days in a leader’s life. The best a leader can do is to verify each argument that seeds the conflict.

Tighten your belt and be prepared for another disagreement soon!

Technology Tracking

Technology Tracking

We are getting smarter and smarter day by day, and so id pushed to our technologies. Less is being manual, in a way it is good as it condenses human errors. One way is to utilize smart technology into our learning and teaching pedagogies, so that, our teachers can focus on quality of content more than the assessment and tracking, for example, who did what and how.

We will have talk about SCORMs today, as an excellent tracking tool for learning and development.

Simply put, SCORM is nothing but, Sharable Content Object Reference Model, keep in mind this can be only used in conjugation with eLearning platforms or also called as LMS. The reason to be used with LMS is that, LMS is the place where the user participation will be tracked. SCORM will record the user id and will through the learning outcome, or the user score to the LMS and that’s how it reduces the  burden of teachers, and they do not have to sit for hours and identify the user counts.

SCORM is a typical in e-Learning that makes it potential to track the results of learners in a LMS. To use SCORM features, a course has to be a SCORM compliant and it must meet the requirements of the standards set by the ADL, Advanced Distributed Learning. It makes it possible to create an e-Learning course in any authoring environment and run it in any SCORM compliant LMS and report your learners results to that LMS.

How it works?

The basic set up of a SCORM compliant course is simple, here is how it works:

Create a course in an e-Learning authoring tool (like articulate storyline) or in a LMS, publish the e-Learning course as a SCORM package (something like save as SCORM), upload the SCORM compliant course in LMS and invite learners for participation. All results of your leaners will be stored in LMS.

What SCORM Tracks?

If a course is SCORM compliant it can store almost everything:

• End result of a quiz/ entire course (fail, pass and the end result)
• Number and type of Questions answered, correct or incorrect
• Answers given
• Pages viewed and for how long
• Total time spent
• Score per Learning objective
• Incomplete results and progress (so the learner can resume a course later)
• You name it, it can be registered and stored, requires customization.

Does SCORM compliant always means the same

No it doesn’t, as the last bullet above says, SCORM has some compulsory part (basically all the results) but also elements that can be added optionally. Bookmarks and results per learning objective are optional. This means that if you need to buy an authoring tool or a LMS you should check if that supports the elements that you need!

Report tracking. If the results are stowed in the database of LMS it does not mean you can get them out in an easy way. That depends on the report contribution of LMS. Some LMS have very detailed report or a possibility to create one. If you want to make sure that the LMS does what you need, must check the reporting function!

Version of Application

SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004

Yes there are two version of SCORM: SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004. The latest version is SCORM 2004 but both are still in use. In fact the oldest version (SCORM 1.2) is the most popular one. So what is the difference? The core variance between the two is that SCORM 2004 adds selections for complex navigation and sequencing. If you need that, choose make sure both your authoring environment and your LMS are both SCORM 2004 compliant. If you just need the learners results SCORM 1.2 will do as well.

Poise

Poise is a trait that is not often conversed.

It is one of the most significant characteristics of leaders. Psychologically explained, a state of mental equilibrium. This state may result to numerous consequences, good and bad both. A leader should possess this peculiarity having faith on oneself and the team he/ she leads. Poise is nothing but a calm and composed state while performing tasks.

It is said that an unruffled mind can find several substitutes to a challenge. Moreover, it is about the impression you make, on the team. Poise gives an ability to unearth and suggest solutions. Poise entices a leader to carry oneself in a dignified manner always, be it a failure or success.

Leaders should lead the team with an objective to always be consistently better. Success with colleagues or wins over competitors; they must express dignity and compassion to others. And as far as failures are concerned, they are bound to happen; success is to those who have practiced and learned from failures. As said, If you did not had a fall, you cannot be a good horse rider.

But, more than anything, it is the spirit, the positive attitude leaders carry, and the impression they leave over colleagues. Poised, or an equilibrium state makes a leader more confident to strike harder every time try and hit bulls-eye, this eventually sends a green signal to the team to be assertive and develop faith, on the leader and then the organization.

Moodle 3, a Review

Moodle generation 3 is out now. In case you do not know, Moodle is an Open Source software, used to create online learning environment. This version was not as desperately awaited as generation 2, reason being, Moodle2 (used as M2 hereafter) has already given a lot to the elearning sector and has drastically improvised academic and business institutions with stable wireframe, feature rich functionality and add-ons.

 

Technical Requirements:

Minimum Server, PHP 5.4.4. , PostgreSQL 9.1 OR MySQL 5.5.31 OR MariaDB 5.5.31 OR Microsoft SQL Server 2008, OR Oracle Database 10.2

Upgrade possible, from M2, Version 2.2+

Browser Support, Google Chrome 30+, Mozilla Firefox 25+, Apple Safari 6+, Microsoft IE, 9+

 

Moodle in elearning is no less to compare as Gmail in email world.

Moodle 3, (used as M3 hereafter), was released as expected in the month of Nov 2015. It has numerous add ons as compared to M2. The change in structure is not that evident, which is good, but functionality wise it is definitely an A+ for Admins and Executors. It has 100’s of improvement that will help you in your day to day work. Although it is not as striking as Moodle 2+, but definitely a feature rich version and a few but remarkable add-ons on operational level.

Operational Features:

Interactive Question World: M3 will help you create more of interactive questions with quiz activity pool. It has become more users friendly and adaptive. 4 new interactive question formats are the highlight of this version, which are,

1. Select Missing Word Option,

2. Drag and drop text

3. Drag and drop onto an image

4. Drag and drop markers

5. Workshop report is available within the activity itself, to view participation status if all users.

6. Database entries can be marked for authentication, a teacher/ moderator can approve the entries posted by users, helps verification of the content.

7. Allows moderators/ teachers to make the date visible to users, to let them know,the date a new resource is added to a course, as was in site pages earlier.

8. Categories are now known as GradeBook setup in M3 which is less confusing and more specific.

9. A brilliant filter option, on the enrolled user screen within the course to view the participation and access status.

10. Tags can be generated and plugged from the course edit page. These tags can be added to the courses and users can search a course using these tags.

11. Excellent Atto Editor, with lots of new features with respect to add colours and table functions.

12. Messages, any user can now delete personal messages from their inbox, this control to user end was much needed.

13. Moodle Mobile, better than ever, chat is the one thing that everyone was looking forward to, now M3 on Moodle Mobile will allow users to chat on moodle platform using mobile phones.

Administrative Features:

14. Editing a course has been streamlined without going into Edit options, it is all on the screen now.

15. Reset Dashboard Page, any change happened to the profile and dashboard page, will reflect to all new and existing users, unlike previous version. Helps admin to force the important blocks as and when required.

16. Safe upgrade of Version, now a key is required for admins to upgrade from GUI, this will prevent non-authenticated users to not destroy the code.

17. Plugin Upgrade, now a admin, can upgrade a plugin the from GUI itself, it is a major advancement to download and upgrade a existing plugin on moodle database, without going to the database.

 

M3 it’s not a whole new Moodle, it’s just a best Moodle Yet!!!

Ref Source: Moodle.org Moodle.com, Moodle Cloud, Code also available on AWS powered by Bitnami.

Learning, has it become smart? Is it called eLearning?

Don’t know much about it, don’t worry, the below text will make you understand it very well.

ELearning is the method of sharing information, primarily the learning content to the target audience through the digital media. This digital media is not constrained to computers only but stretched to smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices through the internet or through the file share mechanism. It is considered as the best practice to use the different form of technology to support learning.

Compared to the times earlier, we now have videos, interesting voice over explanations that strengthen our learning to the times we had paper, pen, a dense textbook and the board. Often it was like, losing the track or the interest by the time tutor was about to discuss the important points. But, these videos and interactive quizzes and voice overs binds our attention and enables us to keep on the required track as decided by the trainer or tutor. It is proven that such interactions helps in better visualize the concept and also deepens our thinking.

These interactive media not only helps us simplify the concept but to better retain them over our conventional pedagogy. It is scientifically demonstrated that 9-12 minutes is the maximum that an individual’s attention can be effectively captured. So videos within this time frame ensure smart learning with significant information transfer.

An individual learner can better absorb the learning concept when he/ she is aware of the know-how of the platform or the medium used. So, one Smart technique to use is to adopt the most familiar tool to impart smart learning or make the users aware of the play. For example, searching something on google is a lot easier than on dogpile. Hence, awareness and familiarity with the package is one amongst the important strategy to adopt.

Elearning is constantly rising not because of the trend but majorly because of the usability, flexibility and affordability. The learning exchange, collaboration and accessing the best learning material is the clicks away. Not only with academics but also very famous with corporates. The Training and Development cell can make the learning reach the far-off stationed employee at individual’s convenience and pace. Employing elearnig methodology has fanatically reduced the training and development cost to the company.

Digitizing your learning content, making them available on the flexible and usable platform can make your content reach to the maximum and utilized maximum with expected outcome. Elearning technology has made learning more interactive, effective, fun, controlled, interesting and economical as well.

For more on economic and most effective methodology, drop me an email.

Discipline

DISCIPLINE IS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN GOALS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS!

This is a fact, if I cannot disciple myself, life will not be relaxed or say peaceful for me. Life will be scattered and unprepared for both today and uncertain for tomorrow.

Discipline is maintained by strong commitment, it is not easy. It is an everyday activity, which must be performed and not be neglected. I have to be strong to accomplish these activities. It is like, I either get hard on myself to make life easier for me or I stay easy on myself and life becomes harder. Something or the other is going to get hard in this process. Something needs to be harder to make something easier.

Must be Disciplined

Discipline allows us to manage ourselves effectively and points focus on what we need to do. Discipline enables us to follow a set structure we must do, to accomplish what we want from our life. I always believe, there are two verges of everything we do in this world. There are two kinds of people in this world. First, person who waits to feel good before they do the right thing, and second the person who does the right thing and then they feel good

Those who are disciplined they do the right thing and they feel good, where as those who are not are not able to the right stuffs and that’s why fails to feel good in their life. So don’t wait start doing, chose your actions thoughtfully, structure your routine which will definitely set you right.

Don’t wait or ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you. ― Thomas Jefferson

Create an Impact; start small.

I presume, it is in thoughts of everybody, that, we have to do something, something great. We must do something big, to make an impact on people who know us and charm people who know them.

Giving a thought to do something is very good; dreaming about achieving something, visualizing your aspiration is excellent. But, we must also understand, to achieve our aspiration, we must start, we must start with something, let it be small. Mind the key, ‘if you want to make a Impact on someone, start with a small Impact on them’. One must also keep a tag of ‘clarity, consistency and courage’ and keep hitting towards the target with tiny objectives.

To Impact, start small.

Don’t wait for the time to come, work hard, work smart and the time would be in your stride. It is good to procrastinate certain decisions, but which ones, procrastination requires intellect. None of us know what will happen tomorrow, life is unpredictable, inevitable and nothing is permanent. Decisions that need you to pass judgments, evaluate performance, remark about other or the things that make you angry, better to procrastinate. It is advisable to analyse, give a deep thought, keep in pending tray for the time being and continue focus on most required instrument of the moment. Never procrastinate when you yourself are concerned, don’t delay. Hit the target, when you think it is right, go with it but be sure of it. Always remember, ‘you should know, what are you doing, how to control it to get it to path and how to come back to ground zero’, understand and kick-start.

All I mean is don’t wait; you think it is your day today to win the lottery. Don’t wait for the day; you think I should do something amazing. To give a good start, don’t try extraordinary things, do ordinary things with a dream, visualization and most importantly with a big heart. Anything that Impacts comes from heart. When you put all your energy with both mind and soul, surely it will Impact. Even a small deed or help ‘from heart’ to someone will create an Impact. Like helping old/ challenged person cross a road, being generous, reaching on time, kind towards neighbor if that were person next to your seat when you travel or person living next door.

I am, not in a favour of doing things for others to be praised or to make an Impact on other, it is how to make an Impact to achieve your goal and your own dream. Do it for yourself, do it what you feel good about. You may find a lot of people in your life that have done loads in your life, but, people who created an Impact on you are those who did it from their Heart, with all their energy, soul and best of their capacity in limited resources.

So, start small with big heart, then whatever you do and You Will Make an Impact!

Simplicity …

We, ….

very often in our personal lives, relationships and in business world, make things way way too complex. We load ourselves with things that we don’t require or not Essential. And, we restrict ourselves going far for the long journey. We forbid ourselves achieving the aims that we have set in our lives, because we carry a lot of scrap with us, around us that constantly brings distraction.

Each objective is achieved following several steps and some un-ignorable measures. We must choose the essentials, if not, we are worn-out after few steps and not achieving that is required. Most of us fail to miss the deadline, both personal and professional because of the clutter, because, we haven’t reduced things down, because we fail to differentiate the priorities for each objective. We must put things down to essential than keeping all in the plate, like a pile of BLT or a submarine sandwich, thinking they are important, but probably, we don’t need them.

People confuse, because, they make simple things complicated, most educators converts simpler into complicated, to show off themselves and people think they have learn something new, but they haven’t other than confusion and ultimately curtailing around unhappiness same as before. A good educator is one who picks a complicated thing, chop it down it pieces, chuck-out unimportant things from essentials and make it simple. Remember, how you were thought in your childhood about digits than numbers, letters, words than paragraphs.

Simplicity

All I mean is, in this complex, confusing world we live in, with so many options, choices and pressure, the important thing is to, look at oneself. We must look at our own lives, each one of us is different but with kinda similar issues; lets not run like headless chicken, let us filter out what we need and want, things that could make us not break us, and again, filter out the things that are essential and not important.

Better way, sit calmly, and ask yourself, ‘What are things that are essential to me and what are just not-that-important’. This will undoubtedly erase the confusion chapter from that particular step among many, to achieve the required objective. Get the load off your back, Just cut down the clutter, learn to be simple, simply funnel out the priorities to step up the ladder of success and happiness. As someone said it well, “you can go far if you carry light”.

Simple is Learning, simple is happy!!!

How are Businesses Operating Today …

Economy Today

Lets know about how the business economy is running today.

One day a tourist came to a debt-ridden town. Lays a $100 bill on the table and goes to inspect a room.

Hotel Owner takes the note and rushes to Pay his debts to the Butcher. Butcher runs to Pay the Pig farmer. Pig farmer runs to Pay the feed Supplier. Feed Supplier runs to Pay to the Sex Worker, who in hard times gave services on Credit. Hooker than runs to Pay off her debts to the Hotel Owner for the rooms she rented for her clients. Hotel Owner than lays the $100 note back on the counter.

How Businesses Operating Today…

The Tourist comes down, takes his money and leaves, as he did not like the rooms.

No one earned anything but the town is now Debt Free and looks forward for the future. And that is how the World’s economy is operating today!