Tag Archives: mobile learning
Mobile Learning: More than just Mobile + Learning

Mobile Learning: More than just Mobile + Learning

by on February 24, 2012 in mobile learning

Mobile learning seems to be creating a lot of excitement in the learning community these days. A quick Google search turns up lots of interesting information about the topic. For example, according to a report published by Ambient Insight Research, the US market for mobile learning products and services reached $958.7 million in 2010. They project that revenues will reach $1.82 billion by 2015.

They cite a “perfect storm” of catalysts that are driving the adoption of mobile learning, including:

  • The increase in number of content distribution channels (such as App stores)
  • Rapid evolution of wireless handheld devices
  • Growing number of mobile learning tools and platforms
  • The sharp increase of new learning content and apps
  • Growing number of buyers and users

So everyone wants mobile learning.  But… what is it, exactly? Defining what constitutes mobile learning seems to be a topic for more discussion than one might think.

Elliott Masie’s …

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Do You Walk To Work or Carry Your Lunch? Putting Content Into Context. Part II.

Do You Walk To Work or Carry Your Lunch? Putting Content Into Context. Part II.

by on November 21, 2011 in performance support

Kristin Ford is Owner and President of PC Training Source, an independent consulting firm that specializes in premier learning industry products and services.  She is also President of the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. Kristin has known Dashe & Thomson for many years and is very excited to contribute a two-part guest post to the Social Learning Blog.

When verbally describing performance support I have referred to it as a Microsoft-Help- that-actually-works.  I don’t know about you – but I have used Microsoft Help only a couple of times and it is a very frustrating exercise.  You cannot print it out, and it often does not give you the steps you need to complete the task, the steps are not clear or they are incomplete.

When you access a solution that does not work the first time, or the second time, or, bless-your-heart-for-trying-again, third …

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Impressions of the Masie Learning 2011 Conference

Impressions of the Masie Learning 2011 Conference

by on November 17, 2011 in mobile learning, Uncategorized

Last week I was fortunate to attend the Learning 2011 conference, organized every year by Elliott Masie.  So in this month’s blog I wanted to talk about some general impressions I had there.

The conference sessions ranged from topics of strategy to individual case studies, including organizational success stories, discussions structured around key learning topics and challenges, as well as sessions by thought leaders from business, learning, technology, and media backgrounds providing insight into current and future states of learning.

First of all, I noticed (again) a certain amount of disconnect between the strategists and theorists, or ”dreamers” (in the best sense), and the doers, or “worker bees.”  Theory, as usual, seems to outpace practice. For example, the sessions I attended seemed to be split 50/50 between those touting mobile learning as the “next big thing,” and those where the presenters responded that their companies didn’t “do” mobile, but nevertheless advocated “device-agnostic development.”…

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Unearthing Diamonds in Twitter

Unearthing Diamonds in Twitter

by on September 23, 2011 in Collaboration Tools, Informal Learning, mobile learning, performance support, social learning, Social Media

First, I have to confess that I am not a Twitter pro. It was only about six months ago that I set up a “business” Twitter account, and I have only a few tweets and followers to my name. My monthly Twitter stats are embarrasing, at best. I’ve had several conversations with colleagues about Twitter that end in “I just don’t get it.”

I am starting to get it, though. Partly because I haven’t given up (I skim my Twitter feed almost daily). Partly because of a few Twitter users that I’ve been following.

My Twitter breakthrough came about a month ago — along with a surprising social learning lesson. As I was preparing a talk on the trends in social learning, I promptly turned to Twitter. It was at that point that I realized Twitter was my primary source for social learning and social media news. Within few daily tweets, I was beginning to understand the impact social learning and …

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Virtual Boot-Camp: Games and Learning with the U.S. Military

Virtual Boot-Camp: Games and Learning with the U.S. Military

by on May 19, 2011 in Gaming Theory

Think game-based training doesn’t have anything to offer your organization in the way of savings?  The Department of Defense disagrees with you.  What’s more, they don’t just mean by saving money or time (although their games are doing that, too).  They mean by saving lives.

The New York Times recently featured a fascinating article by Andrew Martin and Thomas Lin that details the shift in thinking within the military that may soon take it to the forefront of virtual training.  In addition to the use of video games for recruitment purposes, which have been available for some time, the Department of Defense has begun embracing the use of combat simulators, culture-based eLearning, avatars, and even cell phone apps, all designed specifically for military use.  The Army even recently held a contest for soldiers to develop the best military-applicable smartphone app.  The results included apps for bugle calls, a body …

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