Don't Play Video Games: Make Them

Screen capture from Scratch an MIT project that involves a simple to great game design software.
Here is an interesting article that discusses how the creation of video games can be an excellend tool for teaching students. The article Computer games as liberal arts? provides some interesting insights into how creating games can teach a number of subjects.

[Making video games]...turns out to be perhaps the ultimate form of liberal arts. In order to create a computer game you have to think about the content. You have to write a script. The programming involves logic, math and science. And to understand how you distribute a game you have to get into issues of marketing, sociology, and Internet culture. Panelist Rafael Fajardo, a professor at the University of Denver, says that his program, which teaches teachers how to teach kids to make games, is working to "change the culture of education." The National Science Foundation has contributed funding.

What a wonderful "constructivistic" concept.
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Future of Digital Music--The Future of LMS Content

Recently, I spoke with a reporter from The Vancouver Sun about the future of the music industry and digital music. I have written before on the topic in my post New Music Distribution Model: Video Games.

The music industry is still struggling with creating a new revenue model and how to handle the disaggregation of content. I told the reporter:

"I think they (CDs) will go the way of 8-tracks,” he said. “Basically, what the music business is having is a disaggregation of content.

“Rather than a CD or album, you have to find multiple distribution channels for [today’s] music. Before, there were limited distribution channels and purchasing channels.

“There are bands that are bypassing labels and going straight to their fans,” Kapp said. “You can do it all with software, you don’t need a huge recording studio, and it is also now easy to sell your music and distribute it.

“You are always going to have the Britney Spears and Christina Aguileras, the huge stars that need the machine behind them. But there are far more artists that can make a decent living [who] are never going to be superstars.

Plus I said that new channels...like any web enabled appliance can become a channel for musical content and that micropayments might be the future of the music industry.

Check out the entire article: Digital downloads kill music on discs

The music industry is a model of how I think training content is headed. The idea is that the content within the LMS can no longer live in the LMS trap. Like music used to live in the trap of albums or CDs. You liked one song but you had to pay for the entire album or CD. The same way in learning, you want one piece of content but you have to go through the entire course to find what you need. Instead, information needs to be free and people need to find it more easily than loggin into an LMS, finding the right course, navigating to the right spot and then learning what you wanted to learn ten minutes ago.

Disaggregation is the future of the music industry and of training content.
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Irish Learning Alliance Visit

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate it enough to travel to see the Prime Minister of Ireland and hear about the Irish Learning Alliance.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to go to Ireland, instead I traveled with some friends up to New York to visit with the Irish Learning Alliance.
Tom, Michelle & Dave take a break from at the ILA learning session.(taken with my iPhone)

In addition to hanging out on the train and in New York with a great group of folks who are really doing some forward thinking about online learning, virtual worlds and knowledge media, I also was able to hear the the Prime Minister of Ireland, Brian Cowen speak.
The An Taoiseach of Ireland, Brian Cowen (taken with my iPhone).

The event was attended by learning leaders from KPMG, Diageo, UBS, Citi, CitiCards, RiskTrain, Deloitte, Astra Zeneca, Morgan Stanley, Tiffany and Sun Micro Systems. And the keynote was my co-author for Learning in 3D, Tony O'Driscoll (who was born in Ireland...the perfect keynote event and he did a great job!).

You can see Tony's keynote slides and all the information from the meeting at the blog for the Irish Learning Alliance. You can access information from these speakers and subjects.

NetWORKed Learning - Redefining Learning in a World Gone Web
Dr. Tony O'Driscoll, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University

Informal Learning Becoming Formal
Al Johnson, Senior Advisor, Bersin & Associates

ILA ELITE 2009 - Tools for our Times
Jonny Parkes, Chairman, Irish Learning Alliance

The visit was on March 16th, one day before Saint Patricks Day. One of my most authentic St. Patrick's days ever!! eLearning and St. Patrick's day, a great combination!!
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Why Today's Learners are Attracted to Virtual Learning World

While technology is enabling the creation and usage of 3D virtual worlds, the appeal of these worlds is being driven by a new generation of learners. A generation of learners who have grown up immersed in technologies like text messaging, social networking and video games. This generation is entering educational and business institutions with a different focus, mentality and learning style than any previous generation.

A mentality and learning style forged by playing video games and interacting in 3D worlds with names such as Nicktropolis, Whyville, Club Penguin, Runescape, Mokitown,ToonTown and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Each of these worlds is inhabited by kids, some as young as six, who are spending time interacting, making friends and navigating 3D virtual worlds. And these virtual worlds are inhabited by millions of kids, tweens and teenagers. Nicktropolis, a virtual work created by Nickelodeon, a division of Viacom, has over 8 million citizens which is bigger than the population of London.

The incoming generation of learners and workers blurs the line between the virtual and the physical world. It is not that they can’t see the difference between the two. No, it is just that the new generation of learner is equally comfortable in either world—real or virtual. They bring a technology comfort level unachievable by generations who have not grown up with video games, gadgets or the internet.

These learners and workers have grown up in an age of the Internet where they are able to create their own content, become an avatar and create their own realities electronically. They interact in 3D worlds comfortably and expect business and learning applications to have 3D aspects as well.

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Iowa ASTD and Some Definitions

In a few short weeks I will be doing a workshop at the Central Iowa ASTD chapter. The topic will be "Gadgets, Games, and Gizmos for Learning” and I will be presenting on Friday, April 3rd from 8:00am-Noon at the DeWaay Capital Managment complex.

In honor of the presentation, I have posted a list of definitions of some common game, gadget and gizmo terms. You can check them out on the ASTD Central Iowa Program blog in my entry titled Games, Gamers and the Workplace.
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Description of 3DTLC Conference Program

In April I will be facilitating a panel at the 3D Training, Learning and Collaboration Conference.

You can check out a quick overview of the conference in this video created by the host of the conference (and the co-author of the Learning in 3D book) Tony O'Driscoll.



For text-based learners, here is a description from the conference web-site.

3D Training, Learning and Collaboration (3D TLC) taking place April 20-21, 2009 in Washington, DC, is the leading event for businesses seeking to understand and maximize business strategies using virtual worlds. 3D virtual worlds have broad implications for business not the least of which is cost savings and energy conservation. Companies who are using 3D environments can also strengthen their communication internally with employees and externally with customers and business partners. 3D TLC takes place at the Kellogg Conference Hotel located on the historic, gated campus of Gallaudet University.

The 3D Training, Learning and Collaboration conference focuses on best practices for large-scale enterprises adopting 3D virtual worlds for such efforts.

Topics range from the general use of virtual worlds in the workplace to specific examples of applications for e-Learning, onboarding, sales training, collaboration, meetings, and more. Attendees will hear valuable insight, information, and best practices about what innovators and early adopter organizations are doing right now, including what works and why.

Hope to see you there!
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More Advantages of 3D Learning Worlds

Here are some more advantages of 3D worlds for learning:

The first is that these worlds allow the learner to explore places he or she could not visit in the physical world. Traveling around a giant drill would not be possible or would be prohibitively expensive in a physical space. With virtual worlds, learners can explore outer space, stand on a beach during a tsunami, walk through the veins of a heart patient or witness a building explode and spring into action. Virtual worlds make the inaccessible assessable.

The second advantage of learning in 3D, and an almost opposite benefit, is 3D virtual worlds allow learners to be immersed in a learning environment as close to the actual performance environment as the learner can get without actually being there. These worlds can be highly realistic as the building of the product displays for the Model Z drill. Three-dimensional learning environments are more realistic than page turning e-learning and even more realistic than a classroom environment which is typically nothing like the actual environment in which a desired behavior must occur.

The third advantage is when immersed in a 3D environment, a person is cognitively encoding the sounds, sights and spatial relationships of the environment and is behaviorally engaged. The person becomes emotionally involved and behaves and acts as they would in the actual situation. When this happens, it allows the learner to more effectively encode the learning for future recall and provides the cues needed to apply the experience from the 3D world to actual on-the-job performance. It is learning by doing.

Fourth is that virtual worlds provide the opportunities for learners to be online in the same place at the same time looking and interacting with one another. This is far different then simply being logged into the same screen looking at the same slide. The 3D world provides a sense of “being there” which, again, ties to visual and mental cues which makes the recall and application of the learning that occurs in a 3D world more effective.

A visual version of the advantages:

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Deja Vue All Over Again. More Lawsuits

Remember a few years ago when Blackboard claimed to have invented e-learning. (Who invented e-learning? A patent dispute shakes up academic computing) and when Al Gore claimed to have invented the Internet (although this seems to be up for some debate.)

In that spirt of "hey I invented..." another crazy is claiming to have invented virtual worlds and is suing everyone to prove they are right (you know it's the principle not the money.)

Worlds.com is suing because they "invented" virtual worlds. (no they weren't born out of MOOs or MUDs, they weren't the next obvious step in the evolutionary process of online interfaces...it was totally invented by World.com...oh thank you Worlds.com for your wisdom and for initially sharing virtual worlds for free...can I now send you a check).

Here is a quote from the article: Worlds.com CEO: We're 'Absolutely' Going To Sue Second Life And World Of Warcraft

Worlds.com CEO Thom Kidrin is putting the entire virtual worlds industry on notice: His company claims the idea of a scalable virtual world with thousands of users is its patented intellectual property, and Thom told us he intends to sue anyone who refuses to enter into licensing negotiations -- including giants such as Second Life and World of Warcraft, a property of Activision Blizzard (ATVI).

So the interesting thing is this kind of hubris upsets many people and some with deep pockets. In fact, if you can show that virtual worlds existed before World.com, you can get a cool $50,000. All you need to do is offer proof in the way of "prior art" substantiating the idea that the virtual worlds idea existed prior to 1995. Not a bad return for a little research project.

For more details see...$50,000 Reward Offered For Proof Worlds.Com Patent Lawsuit Is Bogus

Finally, and I hate to do this, but...since I invented Learning...yes no one learned anything before I was born...I am suing everyone who ever learned anything. As proof, e-learning, problem-based learning, and hand held mobile devices designed for learning all appeared after I was born...A coincidence, I don't think so. Therefore, please send me money to avoid a costly law suit...you'll be hearing from my lawyer as soon as he catches that ambulance.
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Tentative 3D Book Outline--Based on Your Input

A few weeks ago, I posted a request for feedback on a book I am working on with Tony O'Driscoll tentatively called Learning in 3D asking what was needed in such a book.

The post called Book on 3D Learning Environments: What Do You Want From It? got some awesome responses from Guy W. Wallace, Carol, Catherine Lombardozzi, Jacob Everist, Geeta Bose, Rachel, and Dave Ferguson.

I'd like to thank them all for their valuable and thoughtful comments. So, here is the rough outline for the new book. Let me know what I am missing and if the sequence and order make sense? Tony and I look forward to more great feedback!

Chapter One provides definition of terms, the context in which 3D learning is coming to the field and the basic knowledge required to understand 3D worlds for learning. The remainder of the book builds upon this framework demonstrating how learning professionals can utilize the lessons learned from virtual world pioneers to inform their own design, development and delivery of education in 3D.

In Chapter Two, discusses the need for 3D learning environments and the advantages and value of learning in an immersive environment. The chapter discusses how 3D environments encourage certain types of interactions and engagements not possible with traditional synchronous 2D learning events. It also features information on overcoming typical objections to virtual learning worlds.

In Chapter Three, the discussion turns toward effective methods of fostering learning within 3D spaces. This is accomplished by designing virtual world learning around certain learning archetypes. The archetypes inform the design, development and instructional interactions that occur within 3D worlds.

Chapter Four outlines the best method for designing a virtual learning experience. The chapter discusses how to determine if a 3D environment is right for the desired learning outcome and highlights the design, development and evaluation processes involved with 3D learning worlds. It provides a step-by-step road map for developing the instruction.

Implementation is the topic covered in Chapter Five where the concepts of enterprisewide adoption are discussed and methods for choosing a pilot group and gaining organizational buy-in are discussed. It also provides basic steps that are essential for successful implementations of virtual worlds.

In Chapters Six through Ten, case studies are provided. These case studies each outline how a virtual world implementation has impacted learning within an organization. Additionally, sample lesson plans for virtual world learning will be included.

Chapter Eleven discussed the Return-On-Investment that can be achieved through virtual learning world implementations.

The book concludes in Chapter Twelve with a discussion of the future of 3D learning worlds and outlines methods of preparing for that future. The book also contains a comprehensive glossary to provide a quick look up of terms and concepts discussed within the chapters.

In each chapter academic and corporate implementations are highlighted. This section describes how the concepts discussed in the chapter can be applied in both academic and corporate settings to be successful and what ideas introduced in the chapter mean when they are applied in a 3D world.

In addition, we are going to create a web site with Machinima examples of 3D learning events and excercises and, in deference to Jacob Everist, we'll try really hard not to have the book suck.

Feedback, as always, is welcome.
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Survey Says...

One article that I wrote seems to get more attention than any other, it is called How Long Does it Take? Estimation Methods for Developing E-Learning and while the formulas and ideas in the article are up-to-date (written in 2003), one section really needs to be updated. That is the section on Industry Standards.

I have a feeling some of those numbers may have changed but I'd like to seek confirmation. So, if you are a designer or developer of e-learning, please take a moment to complete a survey that will help update those numbers.

Your participation will help the field and provide some much needed update to the original article.

I am teaming with Robyn A. Defelice, MSIT of DishingDesign and we have put together a survey to obtain input on the topic of development time for learning materials for a planned publication for a major industry e-zine. We are seeking to determine industry averages based on complexity of the delivery method.

Here is a link to the survey.

We appreciate your assistance and look forward to your responses. When the article is published we will be certain to provide the link here and at other places!

PS. I know there is rich debate about whether or not we can really measure "one hour" of instruction and if this is a viable measuring stick. And those are good arguments but lacking other objective standards this is just one way of comparison that is helpful for determining level of effort.
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Michael Allen's E-Learning Annual

The other day I received my copy of Michael Allen's E-Learning Annual for 2009. It is a great collection of very interesting articles/essays about the future of e-learning.

I have just started to read it and have found the "dueling articles" by Mark Prensky and Ruth Colvin Clark especially interesting. Good old fashion academic disagreement carried out in the page of the annual. Good reading. And for me, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle of the two arguments.

Additionally, the article by Clark Quinn does a great job of bringing together different concepts related to organizational learning, performance and community under a concept he calls performance ecosystem (I like the term.)

Jay Cross reminds us that e-learning is not a kid any more but is also not an adult. He claims it is in its adolescence and we need to focus on performance and teaching people to deal with complexities instead of breaking them into small pieces called courses. He quotes Verna Allee as saying "Cut a cow in half and you don't have two cows. You have a mess." Great image and message.

Saul Carliner and Margaret Driscoll write an interesting piece titled Who's Creating the E-Learning: Paradigms for content creation that exclude the instructional designer. They describe how more learning is designed, developed and made available without the instructional designer and how instructional designers should effectively market what we do best and promote our unique value proposition within organizations.

The other authors rounding out this group are of impressive authors are Dennis Brown, Ed Cohen, Lance Dublin, Larry Israelite, Jef Moonen, Betty Collis, Bob Mosher and Chris Frederick Willis. Plus I was able to sneak in with an essay about virtual worlds.

My piece is titled Real-World Instructional Design for Virtual World Learning . The article discusses methods for creating instruction within virtual worlds and techniques for encouraging collaboration and transfer of learning gained from my experience teaching graduate programs in virtual worlds.

All in all a really great collection of articles and insights and I recommend it as good reading for anyone interested in what is happening in e-learning. Here is a link to the publisher's description of the 2009 Annual.

Also, if you missed last year's annual, you still might want to pick up last year's annual. Here is the publisher's description of the 2008 Annual with a PDF excerpt from the Annual.


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Putting Technology Into Perspective

Just in time for Monday Morning.

Here is a link to a funny video that puts some of our modern gadgets and gizmos into perspective and, as someone who travels a bit, I think the airplane story is very funny.

The video is by Louis CK on the Conan O' Brien.
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