E P I C T H I N K I N G
Issue 27: February 2004
This month:
1. New white paper: Usability in e-learning
2. Show report: ELearnExpo Paris
3. Book reviews: Learning Theory, David Wood
4. Case study: Kimberly-Clark blends for cat man training
5. News: Blending workshops at Epic, new Epic site
launches!
WHITE PAPERS
1. The learner as user
‘Well designed objects are easy to interpret and understand. They
contain visible clues to their operation. Poorly designed objects
can be difficult and frustrating.’
This definition, from Donald Norman’s ‘The Psychology of Everyday
Things’, can equally well be applied to e-learning. An object that
enables us to interact easily with the functions it is designed
to perform - whether it be a coffee pot, a mobile phone, or an online
interface - makes itself invisible to us. We use it effortlessly.
However, things that are difficult to use impose an extra ‘cognitive
load’ that moves us away from the task we originally intended to
accomplish - in this case, to learn.
Learners faced with a frustrating interface, or a counter-intuitive
menu structure, are distracted from their learning experience. You
shouldn’t have to waste time learning how to use the e-learning,
when what you really want to learn is how to fix a gas boiler, say,
or put out a fire on an aeroplane.
This new white paper by Mark Abedour and Rachel Smith of Epic synthesises
the work of major writers on usability such as Neilsen and Norman,
applying their work specifically to e-learning, and adds insights
and methodologies derived from everyday practice. What emerges is
a learner-centric approach that can help any e-learning content
developer significantly increase the likelihood of producing a successful
and highly usable program.
White Paper: Usability
in e-learning
To get your free copies contact
us
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SHOW REPORT
2. ELearnExpo Paris, January 2004
‘First major conference of the new year in misty Paris, the 9th
E-learning expo, the fourth held in the City of Light (not very
light at this time of year). This was a small conference in a big
conference hall: was it worth attending? Only if you were after
buying a Saba or Docent LMS, as the conference was dominated by
LMS sales piches (it’s quicker to call them up: that way, they come
to you!)
‘Very much smaller than Berlin Educa, far less useful in terms
of breadth and depth of content – and it’s been years since I’ves
seen such overt selling in the conference hall...'
Donald Clark finds isolated points of interest in an overall rather
disappointing show.
Read the report
Selected presentations:
British
Telecom
Cable
and Wireless
Royal and Sun
Alliance
Schindler
Group
Best of the
rest - B&Q, Tim Neil, LMS fever, Andy Sadler
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BOOK REVIEWS
3. How Children Think and Learn
Blackwell Publishers 1988 (second edition: 1997)
Author: David Wood
Review by Donald Clark, Epic
‘This is no objective overview, neither is it a book on psychology.
It’s really a Vygotsky-led mixture of psychology and sociology.
Now if, like me, you regard the oft-quoted but little read Vygotsky
as a theorist whose thoughts on language belong to the first and
not the second half of the century, you’re likely to find this book
rather annoying…
‘Having got my gripe out of the way, let’s turn to what’s good
about the book. First, it’s well written. This is no small achievement
in a book on educational theory. Secondly, it has some excellent
chapters..’
Donald Clark finds David Wood’s influential text on theory in child
development and learning a game of two halves.
Get
the full time score
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CASE STUDY
4. Blended learning case study: Kimberly-Clark, category
management
Category management within Kimberly-Clark has to address the needs
of both new starters, who might have little knowledge of category
management, and experienced category managers, who might need more
‘fill-in’ learning. Teams were also of different size in different
territories, again leading to different needs.
Blended learning provided an ideal way to meet this challenge.
Online learning content could fulfil the need for instruction in
the core knowledge and skills of category management, freeing up
specialist staff to provide a more consultancy-based service to
the learners…
Learn how Kimberley-Clark used blended learning to leverage the
time and knowledge of the company’s subject matter experts more
effectively.
Read
the case study
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NEWS
Epic’s acclaimed thought leadership programme takes two big paces
forward today with the launch of the new Epic website and the introduction
of a practical face-to-face workshop in blended learning.
5a. Blended learning workshops
Held at Epic’s South Coast headquarters, this hands-on, practical
workshop in creating optimal blends is designed for learning and
development professionals within both public and private sector
organisations.
The workshop provides a step-by-step methodology for designing
blends, with plenty of hands-on exercises and real-world examples
to draw on; takeaway tools to help with blend definition (including
Epic’s Blended Learning ROI Calculator) and guidance in using these
tools.
It is, of course, a blended solution itself; with pre-reading and
post-course discussion/learner support provided online.
As an added bonus, the ROI calculator, an invaluable tool in scenario-modeling
and building business cases, which you will be trained to use during
the workshop, is given away free to every delegate.
Current dates scheduled are:
30 April
2 July
3 September
5 November
Standard delegate rate: £415
Numbers for this unique course are limited to 8 per session, so
competition for places is expected to be fierce! To request full
content details, or to reserve your place(s) now, email
courses@epic.co.uk, specifying the date in which you are interested.
5b. New website launched
The new Epic website is launched today at: www.epic.co.uk
This redesign has been prompted largely by the substantial increase
in web visits from readers of this newsletter (currently around
13,000 visits per month), and provides a fitting home for the Epic
Thought Leadership programme. Visit the resources page for white
papers, case studies, Epic Think Tanks, show reports, book reviews,
etc.
The new site also features clearer navigation, increased usability
and accessibility, and a downloads
page where datasheets and selected white papers can be accessed
directly, in pdf form.
Feedback on the changes from our most highly valued group of stakeholders
(i.e. you) is warmly welcomed! feedback@epic.co.uk
5c. And finally… For those who can never get enough Microsoft bloopers,
read about some of technology’s dumber moments from 2003 at the
link below, including a new Microsoft product called the iLoo -
an Internet-enabled toilet equipped with a Wi-Fi broadband connection,
a plasma flat screen, a waterproof keyboard, and sponsored toilet
paper festooned with Web addresses…
read more...
Other news this month:
New
hires boost consultancy at Epic
Growth
Company Investor: Epic Leaping Ahead Online
People
Management praises Prime
Interim
results for the six months to 30 November 2003
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EPIC SPEAKS
18-19 February
Elearn International
Edinburgh International Conference Centre
19 February
Accessibility and Inclusion in e-Learning
London Novatel Euston
Contact: Jeff
Ross, Broxbourne Solutions
RETURN OF POST
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* a response to any of the points raised here
* a suggestion for a topic you'd like to see covered
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