3D StoryCraft Blog Magazine by Jacqueline Jones

A Great New Rapid e-Learning Authoring Tool

2012-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, you were limited to rapid e_learning tools that could cost you a pretty penny. The cost factor restricted many instructional designers from building a home e-Learning development studio. It is important that instructional designers have these tools available away from the workplace to sharpen their skills and keep their portfolios updated.Anyway, enough chit-chat. Trivantis, the makers of Lectora, have a new product with a mere $99 price tag. Hey! Don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself:

Here is the link to the website:
http://www.trivantis.com/snap/rapid-e-learning-software-for-a-PowerPoint-presentation-in-Flash

Using Games to Teach - Intro

2010-11-29T07:27:00.000-08:00

IT EXPRESSIONS offers a library of FREE Online games that teach basic skills such as time management. I challenge Instructional Designers to go to their website examine how games might be incorporate in your current curriculums to enhance learning. Web site: http://www.itexpressions.com/Look for a revisit to this topic as we further explore and research the use of games in the corporate setting.

Taking Training Beyond the Traditional Slideshow

2010-08-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

Have you ever sat through a training course that had rich content only to be lost in never ending PowerPoint slides? In essence, there were too many slides jammed with too much text. We use to call it "death by PowerPoint." Now do not get me wrong. I really like PowerPoint. It still provides the basic foundation for some of our most fascinating e-Learning creations. And, PowerPoint 2007 is the bomb. But, as a professional instructional designer, I am always looking for inspiration to take my courses to the next level. This is especially true when developing courses to be delivered in a virtual classroom with a live Instructor.

I was very inspired by what PREZI has to offer. But, don't take my word for it. Check out these two videos below. The first video was created by a satisfied user. I thought it would be a great introduction to the official Prezi intro video.

OK, I couldn't just stop at introducing you to this unique Web 2.0 tool. I found a great video created by a devoted user sharing 5 reasons you should use Prezi. I liked this video because the author rightfully compared Prezi to concept mapping and explained the benefits of the tool so well. At the end of this video, he shares potential challenges, which really won't be challenges at all for instructional designers or seasoned training professionals. He also shares some good advice. Check it out:

To learn more, go to http://prezi.com/explore/

Lifestream Blog Reviews SmallWorlds

2010-08-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

If you have been reading my previous blog postings featuring Web 2.0 tools that will support role-playing in the virtual learning environment, then you will not be surprised by this posting. I discovered Mark Krynsky's blog posting about SmallWorlds and thought that other learning professionals would find the information useful. His posting includes a well done YouTube video demonstrating the lifestream functions included in SmallWorlds. I just ask one favor! Read the post, view the video and share your ideas of how you might use these features in a learning environment.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MARK'S BLOG POSTING:

Citation:

Screenshot of blog captured August 4, 2010, from http://lifestreamblog.com/small-worlds-brings-innovative-lifestreaming-to-the-virtual-world/

Acrobat.com_Meetings

2010-08-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

My excitement about Acrobat.com can be attributed to the web-conferencing function available on the same platform with the file collaborative tools discussed in the previous post BP13. The web-conferencing function available with your the Acrobat.com account is actually Adobe Connect Now product. We actually use Adobe Connect at an enterprise level at the office where I am currently contracted to work. The platform is absolutely wonderful because we actually hold regular meetings with more than 10 attendees on web cams at one time.

Well, with your FREE Adobe Connect account you can host a meeting with two (2) other people on web cams at the same time. If you upgrade your account to the next level, 5 people can be visible on web cams in a virtual meeting. And, upgrading to a premium account will allow you to train up to 20 people on web cams in a virtual environment.

Take a look at the following pictures to see the functions available to the meeting facilitator and view the interface.

Acrobat.com_Files

2010-08-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the BP12 posting, Acrobat.com is a collaborative portal made available by Adobe. Clicking on New gives you access to Buzzword, Presentation and Tables. These are the type of files that can be created and shared with others for team collaboration.

When I clicked on Buzzword, a new word processor document opened. I was able to type in the document as expected, add an image and add a table. I also added comments and a link.

The saved document can be exported as a PDF, Word and other file types as shown in the photo below.

Presentations can be created using Acrobat.com using a nice selection of very professional looking templates. Again, others with access to the workspace where the presentation is stored can collaborate within Acrobat.com to make individual contributions.

Acrobat.com is currently offering access to a beta version of Tables, a collaborative spreadsheet function. I recommend taking the four “Getting Started” videos available to get a sense of the full functionality of this tool.

Acrobat.com

2010-07-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Previous blog posts examined Web 2.0 tools that would support role-playing in the virtual classroom. In this post, Acrobat.com is being introduced as a potential virtual classroom platform to facilitate the learning experience as part of my Action Research Project: http://web.me.com/jacqjones/JJonesActionResearch/Welcome.html

Your Acrobat.com account is a portal of tools with the the following collaborative capabilities:
• Set-up and manage a personal online workspace
• Store and share documents
• Convert files to PDF online
• Create rich documents in online workspace
• Collect, update and analyze data
• Manage projects
• Deliver live presentations
• Facilitate learning live to on-camera participants

And, it is FREE! Finding one resource that offers a personal and collaborative workspace that includes live web-conferencing almost seemed too good to be true. I couldn’t help thinking, “This is going to be perfect for my Action Research project.”

After setting up my FREE account, I received two emails. The first email was to verify my email address. The second email contained the URL for my own private meeting room using the Adobe Connect Now platform. So, I logged into the Acrobat.com website and discovered that the interface includes two types of collaborative workspaces– FILES and MEETINGS. Once you logon, the FILES collaborative workspace is displayed as the default launch page.

I really like that the getting started tutorials are available in your workspace for immediate access.

The first thing I did was download the “10 cool things you can do with Acrobat.com” PDF document that was displayed in my Acrobat.com workspace. Now, I have started watching the Adobe video tutorials and will share what I have learned in the next two blog postings. In the meantime, feel free to go to www.Acrobat.com to check it out.

Virtual_Worlds

2010-07-24T02:41:00.000-07:00

In Week 3 of the Full Sail University ETC class, I reviewed several virtual worlds in my quest to find tools that would allow the implementation of role-playing in the virtual classroom. This one minute video summarizes limited uses but will prove to be powerful when applied to a learning environment.

Comments to Jolee

2010-07-24T02:11:00.000-07:00

Jolee reviewed this unique software solution called "Edistorm." To follow my comments on blog, CLICK HERE.

You might want to also check out this YouTube video:

Comments to Nereyda

2010-07-24T01:46:00.000-07:00

Nereyda reviewed Forvo. To review my comments on her Blog, CLICK HERE

ToonDoo

2010-07-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Comic strips have always been a favorite for young readers. It was not unusual to see young boys walking around with their comic books. And, as a young girl, Betty and Veronica was one of my favorites. The love of comic books and strips is not limited to young readers; adults love comics too.

As I continued on my quest to find ways to implement role-playing in the virtual classroom as part of my Action Research, it dawned on me that comic strips were a perfect media to achieve the tasks at hand. So, I started investigating the various Web 2.0 comic strips available and was amazed at the variety. I decided to feature www.Toondoo.com because not only does this tool allow users to create comic strips online for FREE, it also offers a collaborative and social networking component.

Once you decide to create a comic strip in Toondoo, you become what they call a “Dooer.” As a Dooer, you get to create your own Avatar like mine shown above. Then you are ready to start creating just like the one you see here:

Wait a minute! You are not finished once you have created the comic strip. Once you have created a comic, you can now:

Grab the embed code and post it on the Web.
Email your creation to your friends via email.
Print your masterpiece.
Download it to your computer.
And, even Tweet it.

One of my favorite ToonDoo functions is your ability to make a comic book by just dropping and dragging your strips into the BookMaker.

When your friends receive your comic strip, they can:

ReDOO your comic strip if you select that setting in your account.
Pass it along to other friends and spread the word.

I can see using the comic as an assignment for the students to create a comic that would demonstrate how they would handle a certain type of situation in the workplace. This can be done individually and also as a team project. The ReDOO function makes ToonDoo a great collaborative and role-play building tool for any learning environment.

For more information, go to: http://www.toondoo.com/

GoAnimate

2010-07-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

My favorite Web 2.0 tool reviewed this week was GoAnimate. The iMovie below is comprised of GoAnimate movie clips I created to show the versatility of the GoAnimate tool. The movie was uploaded to my personal YouTube account for convenient viewing. Enjoy and share your ideas of how you might use GoAnimate in your learning environment.

Comments to Kiylise

2010-07-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

Kiylise Crutchfield Reviewed Twingr

To follow my comments on Kiylise's Blog,

Click Here

View the Twingr Video:

Comments to Bruce

2010-07-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

Bruce Kramer Reviewed Schoology

To follow my comments on Bruce's Blog,

Click Here

View the Schoology Video:

BP4_Virtual Worlds

2010-07-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

The focus of my action research is on the virtual classroom where new skills are required of education and training professionals. Specifically, the action research project will examine how to incorporate role-playing in the virtual classroom. Murthy, Challagalla, Vincent, & Shervani (2008) state that “Role-play training, which has a theoretical base in behavior modeling (i.e., observation, practice, and feedback), is widely accepted as a training technique for improving performance” (p. 384). In a previous post, animation software was introduced as a potential tool to execute role-playing in the virtual classroom (BP3_GoAnimate, 2010). In this post, we are looking at virtual worlds as another viable collaborative platform to support role-playing.
The Flickr poster (2008) displayed here presents many players in the virtual world arena. Some were short-lived such as Google Lively and There.com while others such as Kaneva, Twinity and IMVU are considered newcomers. I investigated most of the virtual worlds on this Flickr poster and selected four FREE virtual worlds that have the most potential in different ways to support
role-playing and other educational interactive activities.

The featured virtual world for young people is SmallWorlds that is built on a game platform and is 100% web based – no downloads. That also means it is available to both Mac and PC users. Although it is promoted as a game, SmallWorlds has some great features that support a safe collaborative environment for students over the age of 13 such as:

• Ability to form a closed Group environment only accessible by your students.
• Ability to Chat and interact with others in private and public spaces.
• Ability to create missions for students to complete and monitor results.
• Platform for individual creativity.
• Promotes team participation on a multi-player game platform.

Check out the SmallWorlds video:

IMVU is really a 3D chat room (with audio & text) within a virtual world. You can hold down the TALK button (like Wimba) to interact with others in IMVU or change the settings for open conversations, which will work well when interacting in your IMVU apartment that comes partially furnished. The average IMVU user is 18-24 years old. I was not the only older person in the world and I could see why. Unfortunately for Mac users, IMVU is built for a PC platform. I found the performance to be very fast. Every enhancement – a new face, avatar skins, hair, furniture, animations, etc. – are available through an extensive catalog, which also includes free selections. The graphics and catalog selections in IMVU are so amazing I think it is impossible for two Avatars to look alike in this world. The audio feature and the ability for all members to create their own worlds make IMVU a great platform for role-playing scenarios. Here is the IMVU introduction video:

There is a physical environment in Second Life to support any kind of role-play situation imaginable. There are meeting spaces for corporate teams and virtual campuses for major universities. You can take classes in Second Life, buy land, build a house, start a business or just “chill.” Take a look at the Second Life video:

The final virtual world reviewed was Twinity. Although access is limited to PC users, I had to include it because Twinity virtual worlds are replicas of actual major international cities – Berlin, London and Singapore. If you ever thought about owning a flat in London or going shopping in Berlin, here is your opportunity. Your Avatar can visit real historical landmarks and famous restaurants in Twinity that actually exist in the real world. Role-playing in these cultural centers support learning opportunities for first time international travelers and for diversity training. Take a look at the Twinity video:

The attributes of each world presented here supports an assessment made by Nebolsky, Yee, Petrushin, & Gershman (n.d.) when they pointed out that virtual worlds present facilitators, subject matter experts (SMEs) and trainees with a collaborative platform to practice the skills required for on-the-job (and real-time) problem solving.

References

IMVU Video. Retrieved July 16, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYbqcgd97NQ

Murthy, N., Challagalla, G., Vincent, L., & Shervani, T. (2008). The Impact of Simulation Training on Call Center Agent Performance: A Field-Based Investigation. Management Science, 54(2), 384-399. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from Business Source Premier: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=112&sid=33cf6c00-a70d-4db0-a968-f10fed592a00%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=buh&AN=31206714

Nebolsky, C., Yee, N.K., Petrushin, V.A., & Gershman, A.V. (n.d.). Corporate training in virtual worlds. Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics 2 (6). 31-36. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www.iiisci.org/journal/CV$/sci/pdfs/P674230.pdf

Second Life Video. Retrieved July 13, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3gHCupXSMs

Small Worlds Video. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX9D5Kb_slg

Social Virtual Worlds Logos. (2008). Retrieved July 14, 2010, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/garyhayes/3059934552/

Twinity Video. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtmpgazKyPk

GoAnimate

2010-07-03T07:24:00.000-07:00

Instructional Designers are always looking for ways to engage the student while making sure learning takes place. Role playing has always been an excellent way to make training content come alive. Web 2.0 allows learning professionals to take role playing to another level through the use of animation.

Go Animate is a great Web 2.0 tool to build scenarios and have characters role play various options within a given situation. For example, a manager can be taught how to conduct a performance evaluation with an employee by building scenarios in Go Animate to role-play best practices. In other words, animation is a great way to demonstrate the desired employee behaviors in the workplace.

There are several ways I would use the actual animation movie. In a classroom setting, the movie can be strategically included in the content to create a blended learning environment. Of course, animation movies are a natural fit for courses published to the Web, CDs and even mobile devices.

I am recommending Go Animate because it is easy to learn and use. While many Instructional Designers might be skilled animators using more complicated tools, Go Animate allows you to do it faster, which is crucial from a project management perspective.

Watch the You Tube Go Animate Demo video below to spark your imagination about how animation might be used in your learning environment.

Reference
GoAnimate Demo. (2010). Retrieved July 3, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j6a0pXbhJM

Google Reader

2010-06-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

In this constant changing world of technology, staying current is just as much part of your profession as learning a new software program and delivering a project on time. These blogs were selected because they serve as valuable resources to support the paradigm shift taking place in the world of instructional design.

Rapid-eLearning blog is the popular “tricks and tips” portal for instructional designers. I have been using this Web site for over five years as an owner and expert user of the Articulate software. The blog is really a great design resource for anyone developing courses for the Web using any type of authoring tool. Although I use so many other tools such as Adobe Captivate, Lectora and Udutu, this is the Web site I go to first for design tips, best practices, development models and new approaches.

http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/

While many educational institutions are still trying to catch up with the use of technology, mobile devices might be a more reasonable approach for even newcomers in this arena. The mLearning-world blog is a great resource to help teachers and other learning professionals make the use of mobile devices a reality. From an instructional design perspective, this Web site shares best practices to help develop courses for this platform.

http://mlearning-world.com/

Designing Digitally is a development company servicing clients in the areas of graphics design, e-Learning, virtual worlds, and web design. In the past, these disciplines were viewed as four different approaches to a solution. I chose to follow this firm’s blog because of their ability to integrate all four disciplines to meet increased client demands to ensure performance improvement on the job using state-of-the-art technological platforms.

http://www.designingdigitally.com/

The Tech & Learning Web site includes Webinars, articles, newsletters, videos and so many other resources to assist educators interested in integrating technology into the classroom. Research results are also reported on this site that can help both students and teachers.

http://www.techlearning.com/

Chief Learning Officer (CLO) is a magazine servicing and connecting training executives around the world. The typical subscriber of CLO Magazine is concerned with making sure employee development efforts align with business strategies. As a project manager servicing corporate clients in an instructional design and development capacity, it is easy to limit your focus to the technological aspects of projects. I have been a subscriber for several years and have found that the writings in the CLO magazine foster “big picture” thinking that helps you keep each development milestone in perspective as it relates to company goals.

http://www.clomedia.com/

Copyright Statement: Image of women writing on wall from Microsoft Office Clipart Gallery.

iGoogle Screen Shots

2010-06-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

Home Tab

FSO Tab

AR/CBL Tab

ETC Tab