2009 Top Posts and Topics: Kapp Notes

The ASTD Big question this month is an annual question: What did you learn about learning in 2009?
So one of the tasks I will do to answer this question is to see what posts were the Best of 2009 from several different sources.

First from eLearning Learning, Here are my top posts.

1. Online Games for Teaching Business Concepts and Ideas. This entry was made because I was doing a presentation on the topics and I wanted to use my blog as the platform for presenting the information and as a "leave behind" resource so that the teachers could reference and find the games all in one place when they wanted to use them for the classroom.
2. Random Web 2.0 Statistics. I was researching some statistics for use in a presentation and I wanted to keep them all in one place so I figured my blog was the best place to keep those statistics. I frequently use my blog as a place for storing my notes for presentations.
3. How Long Does It Take to Develop One Hour of E-Learning-Updated for 2009. I had done some work in this area in 2003 and wanted to see if any information had changed. So, I teamed with alumni Robyn Defelice at Dishing Design and updated the article for ASTD.
4. Alternatives to Second Life (continued, again). With my new book about Learning in 3D about to be released, I am always looking for new virtual 3D environments and worlds and wanted to keep track of ones that I have found with more a business focus. This is one of a three-part series and a continuing effort to find these types of applications.
5. Educational iPhone Apps to Make You Smarter. From time-to-time I get emails from web sites about long lists of items they have compiled to drive traffic to their sites. I decided to combine a few of those lists and find some of my own and link to educational applications for iPhones because I think gadgets are a great way to facilitate certain types of learning.
6. Resources for Researching Virtual Worlds. When researching Learning in 3D, I used a lot of resources and I wanted to share some of those resources in their various forms with whomever was interested.
7. Implementing New Learning Technology? Choose the Right Pilot Group. In my consulting practice, I get asked a lot about how to pilot test new technologies within an organization. This posting is some of that advice that've found to be effective.
8. The Higher Educational Bubble Continues to Grow. I grow increasingly frustrated with bubbles in the US and world economy. We should be able to see them coming by now. With a son a few years away from college, the Higher Education Bubble is really hitting home and being employed by a university, I am a little concerned about what will happen when this bubble bursts.
9. Learning Statistics. More notes to myself that I posted on the blog so I could find them easily (if you've seen my office or desktop on my laptop, you'd know why I need a good place for stuff).
10. Audio in E-Learning. The Metro DC ASTD chapter asked me to do an interview about audio in e-learning and I linked to the interview and shared some of my notes.
11. Video Games, Education and Entertainment Statistics. More statistics for use in my presentation located in a handy place.
12. Presentation Resources. I think presentation skills are highly valuable for designers and wanted to share some resources with students and others who are interested in becoming better presenters. This is a continual process and we can all work to become better.
13. Avoiding the Virtual Ghost Town. Sometimes a client will come to me and complain that no one is visiting a virtual space they have established. This post attempts to provide some tips for avoiding that fate. It generated some good discussion about objectives in virtual spaces and helped to clarify some of my thinking in that area.
14. Save Yourself Time and Money--Before Implementing a Virtual World, Do an Analysis. Sometimes in the field of instructional technology, whenever a new technology comes along we throw away everything we know and do dumb stuff. This posting is a reminder to do an analysis before being seduced by the technology.
15. Technology Adoption Continuum: Types of Adopters. Not everyone loves technology and we need to understand that different people approach technological innovations different (especially if we have a leaning toward new technology). This posting reminds me of the need to consider other views of technology before I become all impassioned about some new technology.

Visit here to see more of the Best of Kapp Notes from eLearning Learning.

The post this year with the most comments was What Sports Teach Our Kids and Why Video Games are Better. It had 24, when I made the post I kinda thought it would stir up some discussions. It really made some people mad while it resonated with others. It was mostly tongue in cheek and I hope it made my point. I enjoy sports and video games but one or the other is not inherently good or evil.

Here are my top posts via Google Analytics for 2009.(I'll comment on the ones that are different than eLearning Learning.)

1. Bored?-Try Dissecting a Frog. I have no idea why this continues to be my most popular post on Google even thought it is over a year old.
2. Learning Statistics
3. How Long Does It Take to Develop One Hour of E-Learning-Updated for 2009
4. What Sports Teach Our Kids and Why Video Games are Better.This post had a lot of play outside of the learning community.
5. It is All Fun and Games...And Then Students Learn.Another posting done to support a presentation.
6. Diffusion of Innovations. Information on to help an organization adopt technology.
7. Definitions: ABCD Objectives. This 2006 entry continues to get attention. 
8. Help, I have an Instructional Design Master's Degree and I Can't Create E-Learning. This person needs their money back and should focus on a program with a solid foundation and good instruction that prepares a designer for the field...Bloomsburg University's Instructional Design program comes to mind.
9. What Learning Professionals Can Learn From the Steelers. What's not to love about combining Steeler Football with Instructional Design?
10. Sitting in the Airport. Another mystery to me as to why this posting is popular. I think because people who are literally sitting in an airport Google those words. Just a theory. (although the average time on that page is 1:51.)

So there are my most popular posts for 2009. I've learned a lot this year, especially about virtual worlds and I continue to learn so much from my involvement with all the wonderful folks in the blogosphere. So whether you agree or disagree with some of my comments, become a follower, lurk on the page or stop and leave a comment, I thank all of you for your engagement and interactions.

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