An e-Learning Tool Revolution — from Allen Interactions by Ethan Edwards, chief instructional strategist

Allen Interactions had a highly visible presence at the [DevLearn 2010] conference, announcing the official Private Beta Program for a new authoring system, currently under development and code-named Zebra.

The experience of using it has really illustrated for me in a fresh way why current authoring systems always fall so short. The challenge of designing instruction for computer delivery is how to craft an experience that engages the learner and creates unique opportunities for that learner to solve challenges.  Instructional interactivity is at the core of this design process.  Ideally, an authoring tool ought to put the designer at the center of manipulating interactivity.

What is so exciting to me about the possibilities that Zebra suggests is that for the first time in my recollection designers will be able to directly and easily manipulate those design elements that define instructional interactivity–Context, Challenge, Activity, and Feedback–in a seamless design environment.  Of course, we’re just beginning this journey and there is much unknown about the significance that Zebra might have, but for the first time in a long time, I feel optimistic about authoring potential, which has been rather stalled in its tracks for almost 15 years.  I can imagine this dramatically increasing the influence that instructional designers can have in the overall creating of outstanding e-learning applications.

50 new, free, high-quality icons sets — from SmashingMagazine.com

Icons-111 in 50 New Free High Quality Icons Sets

.

Icon-195 in 50 New Free High Quality Icons Sets

.

Icon-115 in 50 New Free High Quality Icons Sets

Tagged with:  

Getting ready for a job interview — Noupe.com by Justin Johnson

As web designers and/or developers we have a certain luxury afforded to us with the location and times; where and when we work. Ours is an industry that allows us to sit at home and work at whatever times (and in whatever conditions) are convenient to us. However, in today’s economic times it can be harder to find enough contract work to support a comfortable lifestyle.

If you’re a recent college graduate or a freelancer looking to transition into work as a full-time designer/developer at a company, the following tips in today’s post will help you ace the interview and land the job. Note that a lot of the tips listed below are for larger scale companies. Whether small or large scale, most companies tend to interview in a more “standard” method — so we’ll stick to exactly those kind of guidelines.

Presentation from Nancy Duarte, HOW, and PicScout:

Mac version- http://bit.ly/9qhWTK
PC Version- http://bit.ly/aubGb3

Also see:

.

That Resonates with Me! From Nancy Duarte.

.

From DSC:

This was a great presentation by Nancy Duarte that is very much worth checking out for anyone who regularly communicates information to others. I especially appreciated the slide on the need for all of us — in our organizations as well as for each of us as individuals — to constantly reinvent ourselves.

Here are some example slides:

.

.

.

.

.

.

‘Action!’ Student-generated video web site teaches visual communications skills — from The Journal by Denise Harrison

Teachers have free access to virtual field trips and other digital educational resources through Meet Me at the Corner, a repository of educational videos that’s moderated to ensure relevance and educational value. It also helps train kids to produce their own video podcasts and create documentaries they can share with their peers around the world.

We use Lynda.com and the feedback has been excellent. Back in 1997, I took a 1-day seminar from Lynda Weinman out at SFSU’s Multimedia Studies Program. I learned more from her in a few hours then I have in many courses. She knows how to make things very understandable…and she’s a great teacher. If she doesn’t know the topic, she selects people who know how to explain that topic in easy-to-understand terms.

So when I saw this item — Connect@NMC: Panel Discussion Led By Laurie Burruss of Lynda.com – Implementing Lynda.com Campus-Wide — I felt that I should pass it along.

.

30+ informative typography related blogs — from 1stwebdesigner.com

Typography is one of the crucial part of designing, specially web designing. Like the good ingredients can make food delicious; same in the case of typography, good typography can enhance the grace and beauty of your website.  You can bring creativity, simplicity and elegance to your design just by constructive use of type in it. If we say “You can’t design without Type” then it wouldn’t be inappropriate.

As a passionate typography lover, I’m always in search of great resources for fulfilling my needs of typography related news, articles, inspirations and new development in world of type. Today I thought to share some great blogs and websites, from my collection, related to typography to fulfill your “Type Need”. So pick the best blog of you interest from the list I have compiled below.

Draftboard.com -- for designers by designers

How Magazine's Top 10 websites for designers -- July 2010

Tagged with:  

From DSC:
For those of you involved with creating learning labs, smart classrooms, group study areas, etc. — or for those who want to enable more efficient group collaboration within your classrooms — you need to check out Steelcase’s Media:Scape product line.

One of the pieces of this configuration that I love is that they have created an easy-to-use interface in a puck-like device. What I want to see happen is for students to pull up to a movable/reconfigurable table, connect their device, and click the puck to “play” their media for the class (without interrupting the flow of the class).

Also, one monitor on the “totem” can be used for one set of information/data — or even a remote speaker via videoconferencing for example — and the other monitor can be used for someone else’s data/desktop.

Here are some images for you:

Also see the Media:Scape ad/video:

This product line is also available through Custer Workplace Interiors.

Custer Workplace Interiors

http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/PhotoshopCS5Tools.gif

Tagged with:  

From DSC:
What a great example of thinking outside the box!

solar coco

solar coco

solar coco

Tagged with:  

Introducing the Photoshop CS5 “Knowledge Panel” — from Terry White’s Tech Blog
Photoshop CS5 quietly delivers the Knowledge Panel

Tagged with:  
© 2025 | Daniel Christian