Take an e-Learning Break

Free Webinars - Working with Adobe Captivate

2012-02-27T09:28:00.000-06:00

Topic: Creating Quizzes with Random Questions in Adobe Captivate 5.5
Date and time: Thursday, March 1, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM US/Pacific
Description: Join Dr. Pooja Jaisingh and Vish to learn how to create quizzes with random questions using Adobe Captivate 5.5. They will show you how to create a question pool, create a quiz with random questions, reuse question pools created for other projects, and create a quiz with questions coming from various question pools.
Registration Link: http://adobe.ly/zbZNGy

Topic: Best Practices for Working with Objects in Adobe Captivate 5.5
Date and time: Thursday, March 15, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM US/Pacific
Description: Join John Daigle, Pooja Jaisingh and Vish to learn about the best practices of working with standard and interactive objects in Adobe Captivate 5.5. These objects include text captions, images, rollover images/captions/slidelets, animations, click boxes, buttons, and highlight boxes. They will also be sharing some quick tips on troubleshooting common issues you can face when working with objects in Adobe Captivate 5.5.
Registration Link: http://adobe.ly/zEFBGA

Free Webinar Series: Learn to Use Articulate Storyline

2012-02-24T10:13:00.000-06:00

Buildinginteractive eLearning usually means you have to have programming skills or ateam of programmers at hand. Today, that’s no longer the case. With ArticulateStoryline you can experience the simplicity of working in a familiar interfaceand the power of creating more than click-and-read eLearning…all at the speedof business.

Attend"How to" workshops - free to members of Training Magazine Network.Registration will be limited to the first 2,000 to sign up. To access handouts,access links, etc, participants will need to register as members of TrainingMagazine Network.

TUE, April 3: GettingStarted with Articulate Storyline

THURS, April 26: CreateInteractive Software Simulations with Articulate Storyline

THURS, May 31: InteractiveE-Learning Made Easy with Articulate Storyline

WED, July 11: How to Create Interactive Scenarios inArticulate Storyline

Internet Safety: Educational programs for parents and kids

2012-02-10T14:44:00.000-06:00

I recently read a Facebook entry by one of my “tween” relatives that disturbed me. She probably thought it was an innocent remark but to a predator it could have been interpreted differently. I wanted to find the right words to convey what I thought and provide some good education resources for her and her mom. In surfing the web, I found a website with some interesting statistics:

Did you know that..?

26% of children report having a public social networking profile.
Children of all ages are lacking digital skills –confidence is often not matched by skill!
12% of 9-16 year olds say they have been bothered or upset by something on the internet… however, 56% of parents whose child has received nasty or hurtful messages online are not aware of this.
One in eight parents don’t seem to mediate their children’s online activities…while 56% of parents take positive steps such as suggesting to their children how to behave towards others online.
44% of children think that parental mediation limits what they do online, 11 per cent say it limits their activities a lot.

Here are some safe Internet resources I found - please share them with your children, family and friends.We all have a role to play in ensuring that every child is safe online.

A Parents' Guide to Facebook a soup-to-nuts guide to Facebook privacy settings, profile settings, group settings. http://bit.ly/90P9P3

NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children^® (NCMEC) that provides age-appropriate resources to help teach children how to be safer on- and offline. The program is designed for children ages 5-17, parents and guardians, educators, and law enforcement.
http://www.netsmartz.org/Parents

PBS Kids offers the Webonauts Academy in which elementary school students can learn about safe online behaviors. http://pbskids.org/webonauts/

Through the Wild Web Woods games teach children about potential dangers online and how to avoid them. http://www.wildwebwoods.org/popup_langSelection.php

AT&T's Safety Land is a nice game through which kids learn and practice recognizing danger on the Internet. http://bit.ly/1aqjjz

Own Your Space free, 16 chapter ebook designed to educate tweens & teens about protecting themselves & stuff online. http://bit.ly/ohTkIq

Microsoft's Safety & Security Center - videos, PDFs, & PPTs for learning about & teaching computer & web safety. http://bit.ly/ffNhD1

The Army OneSource Virtual World

2012-02-08T17:06:00.000-06:00

Explore the new Army OneSource Virtual World and stay connected to Family and friends! This virtual environment allows you to collaborate, learn, socialize, host or attend training sessions, and participate in daily events. By using a customizable avatar, a virtual self-representation, participants can access a variety of Army services by simply exploring the virtual world. Army OneSource programs are also at your fingertips in this three-dimensional environment. The Army OneSource Virtual World was built specifically to serve Soldiers and their Families and features each Army Resiliency in their own virtual region.

As part of Army One Source Virtual World, the Virtual Resiliency Campus offers Community members engaging and enjoyable ways to build strength in the five areas of Resiliency: Spiritual, Family, Social, Emotional and Physical.The Army OneSource Virtual World regions are open to Army Soldiers, staff, volunteers, Veterans, Family and friends. All you need is an existing Army OneSource login!

https://www.myarmyonesource.com/CommunitiesandMarketplace/VirtualWorlds/ArmyOneSourceVW/default.aspx

Free Webinar: 2/10 - Litmos "Love your LMS": Experience the world's most user-friendly Learning Management System

2012-02-08T09:22:00.000-06:00

February10th, 1:00pm ET
Space isLimited
Reserve Your Webinar Seat Now At:
http://www.rapidintake.com/webinar

Litmos is the Learning Management System (LMS) that people love to use. Easy to assemble courses, assign them to learners and watch the resultscome in.

The best part is Litmos is a hosted training system, which means you'll neverneed help from the IT department to set up. You can literally get started inminutes.

Key features in Litmos:
· Hosted/SaaS LMS
· SCORM 1.2 Certified
· Accessible via Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad and Android
· Themes/Brand Customization
· API - for integration with other systems
· eCommerce and self sign-up
· Certificates
· Course Library
· Automatic compliance reminders
· No software to download
· No long term contracts

Real time reporting makes it easy to track learner results and get ROI for youronline campaign. At any time you can see if your students have completed theirtraining, how long they took and what scores they achieved. Plus, all of thisinformation can be instantly exported to Excel or PDF.

ASTD Houston Membership Mixer: Use the power of KINECT for Windows to transform training

2012-02-06T09:33:00.000-06:00

Register at: http://astdhouston.org/en/cev/647

Come and Join the Fun!Kinect has changed the way people play games and experience entertainment. Now, Kinect for Windows offers the potential to transform how people interact with computers and Windows-embedded devices in multiple industries, including education, healthcare, retail, transportation, and beyond. We’ll discuss how the Kinect technology will change the face of training. We’ll also provide a demo of Kinect working in the Windows environment.

Join or Renew your Houston ASTD Membership
Take $25 off your General Membership fee if you join or renew your membership at this event.Membership in the Houston ASTD chapter creates the professional opportunities you need to compete in today’s rapidly changing marketplace. Whether you are a professional in the field, a student just starting out, or you are transitioning into Training and Development, find networking opportunities, programs, events and conferences just for you.

Date and Time: Feb 22, 2012, 8:30 – 10:00am
Location: Microsoft Store Galleria Mall, 5015 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77056, Phone: (713) 860-5790
Cost: No charge!
Presenters: Debbie Richards - Creative Interactive Ideas. Yoshi Takekawa - Microsoft
Refreshments provided by: Obsidian Technical Communications

Door Prize Donated by the Microsoft Store: One year MS Training membership (one hour per week). Get the most out of your PC experience with a one-on-one training session with a Microsoft Answer Tech at the Microsoft Store.

ASTD Essentials Series: Essentials of Experiential Learning and Simulations

2012-01-26T14:28:00.000-06:00

Experience is the Best Teacher – Using Simulations to Build Experience Ken Spero, Executive Director, NexLearn - Immersive Learning University

Are you interested in developing simulations but don’t have the time to go to a workshop or conference? If so, this ASTD online workshop may be the answer.

Each Essentials Series online workshop is delivered by a live facilitator who is an experienced learning and development practitioner. You and your fellow classmates will collaborate in the virtual classroom via interactive group discussions, polls, chats, and whiteboards. Each session of an Essentials Series workshop is recorded in case you miss a session or would like to review the content again.

This interactive online workshop introduces you to a simple framework for simulations, which combine one’s work experience and expertise with the power of storytelling. Simulation isn’t a science; it’s just a way of organizing your thinking. This workshop will help participants to organize them to train others.

Check it out: http://www.astd.org/content/education/certificatePrograms/online-programs/essentialsSeries/essentialsofexperientiallearningandsimulations.htm

Free Webinar: Leveraging Voice Tools for Training

2012-01-24T11:03:00.000-06:00

January27th, 1:00pm ET
Space isLimited
Reserve Your Webinar Seat Now At:
http://www.rapidintake.com/webinar

You've tried every trick in the book to engage your learners. Everything fromsimple drag and drop to highly animated avatars but you may be missing out onone of the best and simplest forms of engagement, conversation. Learn how tointegrate interactive voice tools and audio based instructions to activelyengage the learner in a mobile application or a blended learning solution. Thepresenter will be Nancy Munro, CEO of KnowledgeShift and a seasoned developerof online and mobile learning applications.

During her presentation, Nancy will seek out a volunteer who will demonstratesome of these interactive voice tools in real time. Rapid Intake's developmentplatforms can easily integrate the voice/audio tools that she will bedemonstrating. Nancy has been a presenter for regional ASTD chapters, eLearningGuild's mLearning Conference and a repeat presenter for the Chicago eLearningShowcase.

Kinect for Windows - Feb 1, 2012

2012-01-11T08:01:00.000-06:00

Yesterday atCES, Microsoft announced the new Kinect forWindows hardware and accompanying software will be available on February 1^st,2012.

In a blog post, Craig Weiss wrote "Kinect technology and gesture free will equally make an appearancein 2012. I am projecting that the number of vendors who enter this space tostart slow, but gain steam – at least with some aspect, by the end of 2012...... Great opportunities in education (K-12 and higher ed) and even withcompanies, although I see it more with mid-size and large. Costs will vary,again lower price points are needed. What is great about Kinect technology isthat it will work with tablets, eventually smartphones and televisions. "

Check itout: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/kinectforwindows/archive/2012/01/09/kinect-for-windows-commercial-program-announced.aspx

Craig'sPost: http://elearninfo247.com/2011/12/20/5-e-learning-forecasts-for-2012/

Miss out on Learning 2011? Check out the Learning Wiki

2012-01-05T07:30:00.000-06:00

Did you miss Learning 2011 (Masie Conference)? If so, here's the scoop on available content - lots of great information, videos and a free eBook!

Learning Wiki: Content, video and participant perspectives on the seminars and keynotes at http://www.learningwiki.com

Watch interviews with Inventor Dean Kamen, learning leaders from Walmart and Starbucks, and much more. The interviews are rboken into segments focused on key questions; you can use them or pass them along. Go to http://www.learningtalks.com for the videos from Learning 2011.

eBook Released: Learning Perspectives 2011: This year’s Learning Perspectives 2011 e-Book was just released in open source for your download and reading. Articles from several dozen “30 Under 30” learning professionals, with their views on the changing nature of our field. In addition, Bob Baker, CLO of the MASIE Center, has a detailed perspective on the role of “Checklists” for the learning world. Download it at http://learning2011.com/ebook

Learning 2012 Dates: October 21 to 24, 2012 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Early Registration will open next week for those who want to use 2011 funds for next year’s event.

Free webcast (ASTD members) - Twitter 101: The Basics and Tips for Learning Use

2012-01-04T09:12:00.002-06:00

Thursday, January 12 • 2:00 p.m. ET
Presenter: David Kelly
Twitter is an excellent tool to leverage for both personal and professional learning and growth, and more and more organizations are harnessing its power as part of learning programs. And with that, many learning professionals are encountering the same challenges, such as: How can I use Twitter in my learning programs if I don't even know how to use Twitter myself? What is the platform's value? We will explain what Twitter is, walk through the steps to (properly) set up a twitter account, define much of the technical Twitter terminology, and share some examples of how learning professionals are using the platform.

REGISTER NOW
Open to all as part of the ASTD 2012 TechKnowledge webcast series

Free video presentation software

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

With Knovio, take your existing PowerPoint slides and quickly and easily add your own video to synchronize with the slide content. You can then share this new presentation out to your intended audience by email or social media.

You don’t need any special software to use Knovio. From a standard web browser you simply upload your existing PowerPoint files. You will need a webcam and microphone to record your video and audio which is already installed on most laptop computers.

Check it out: http://www.knovio.com/

Webinar: The Secrets to Rapid eLearning Success, Jan. 17th

2012-01-02T13:59:00.002-06:00

eLearning Guild: Thought Leaders Webinars

January 17
Tom Kuhlmann |VP, Community, Articulate
Here’s a story that resonates with many: You were a good explainer, so you became a trainer. Then your company said, You’re now doing eLearning. So you bought a tool and got your courses online. Soon you started hearing that all your stuff looks and feels like PowerPoint. So you started building better-looking courses. But then you went to a conference and someone said, you need to make your course more interactive. So you made them more interactive. But then your company said, You need to develop these courses more quickly. How do you keep up with all of these demands and produce effective eLearning?

Register now: http://www.elearningguild.com/content.cfm?selection=doc.2130

ASTD National 2011 State of the Industry Report

2011-12-19T07:57:00.000-06:00

The findings of ASTD’s 2011 State of the Industry Report showthat organizations are just as committed as ever to learning and development(L&D).

This report, ASTD'sdefinitive review of workplace learning and development trends, includes datafrom ASTD BEST Awards Winners, ASTD Forum members, and other organizations from2002 to date.

The 2011 State of the Industry Report is freefor ASTD national members.

Check it out: http://store.astd.org/Default.aspx?tabid=167&ProductId=22697

Free Webinar: Hands-on Training: Creating an HTML5 course using Adobe Captivate 5.5 and HTML5 converter

2011-12-13T08:01:00.001-06:00

Topic: Creating an HTML5 course using Adobe Captivate 5.5 and HTML5 converter

Date and time: Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM US/Pacific

Description: Join Vish and Dr. Pooja Jaisingh to learn how to create a good looking eLearning course which can be published as HTML5 output. In this Hands-on session, we will also look at using HTML5 converter for Adobe Captivate 5.5. While doing this, we will discuss creating content slides and question slides as well for the course.

Registration Link: http://adobe.ly/unYi0Y

eLearning industry stock media site

2011-12-05T15:54:00.001-06:00

eLearningStock.com has royalty-free images and caters specifically to the eLearning industry.

With over10 million images, selling for as low as 90¢ per image, and many specialtyimages, templates, and animations, eLearningStock.comis the go-to resource for the eLearning industry.

Check it out: http://elearningstock.com/

Dec 8 Free webinar: Ten Technology Musts for 2012

2011-12-05T15:36:00.001-06:00

Ten Technology Musts for 2012

Social. Mobile. Cloud. Virtual.

75%of enterprises are leveraging virtual solutions to serve customers, trainstaff and engage suppliers. 35%are leveraging social media for recruitment, marketing and collaboration.

Which technologies should you embrace? What is the impact? Whereshould you start?

Check out ELCE Encore and discover the ten technologies your enterprise must haveto drive results in 2012. From Mobile, Social, Cloud Solutions and EngagementTools, you will see the best in class solutions.

Sessions Topics: Dec 8th, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM PT:
•Best Engagement Tools: Mobile, Social, and Video
•Best Virtual Solutions: Web Conferencing, Virtual Classrooms and Environments
•Best Learning & Talent Systems: Development, Performance Management,Measurement
•Best E-learning Development Tools: Rapid, Engaging, Interactive Solutions

Register now: http://events.unisfair.com/registr_form.jsp?eid=630&seid=814&language-code=en&country-code=US&page=1&no-login=false

Free Houston Seminar: Technical Training: A Leveraged Application (Part 2)

2011-11-30T06:37:00.001-06:00

University of Houston, College of Technology, Human ResourceDevelopment Program, Brown Bag Series

Date – Dec 9^th, 2011

Time – 11:00 – 1:00 PM
Location – University of Houston, Cameron Bldg., Room 109
Directions: 4200 Wheeler, 77204 (we will provide parking tags)
Please RSVP with Consuelo at cwaight@uh.eduor 713-743.4086

The Challenge

Redesigningtechnical training is a mandate for many companies. Where does the redesignstart? How do we create alignment? Wheredoes accountability for change and learning occur? What are our lenses? How do we value ouradult learners regardless of background? How do we create learning experiencesthat lead to performance?

The Opportunity

A free, brown bag discussionwill engage the experience of industry and academic professionals regardingtransforming technical training to achieve strategic results. Please come prepared to share yourexperience, ask questions, and extend your learning.

The agenda:

Welcome
Panel discussion highlighting strategic models, templates, and research
Round table discussion:

Personal observations
Your organizations' activities towards transforming technical training

What help/support would be useful?

Speakers:

David Demski, Training andEmployee Development Manager, AtwoodOceanics, Technical Training: Achieving Competence

Jorge Luero, GlobalCompetency and Employee Development Manager, Halliburton, Technical Training: Achieving Competence

Consuelo Waight, UH, The Role of Front-End Analyses in CreatingResults-Oriented Technical Training

NB: The last 15 minutes will be used to introduce the New Executive Masters in HRD (alignmentwith technical training will be showcased).

Early Bird Discounts for Immersive Learning University (ILU) Conference

2011-11-17T15:40:00.001-06:00

NexLearn is hosting the inaugural Immersive Learning University (ILU) Conference at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, LA January 18-20, 2012. I think it will be an interesting, hands-on experience and worth the cost. Plus you get the software as a bonus.

The Immersive Learning University (ILU) is chartered to educate the learning development industry with practical and advanced knowledge in the science of creating, producing, and deploying interactive learning courseware. The ILU is staffed with professionals possessing the highest level of experience and expertise in the industry of immersive adult learning. The ILU attracts students from corporations, educational institutions and government agencies that envision taking their current training and development initiatives to a state of the art next level.

January 18 - Pre-Conference all day training workshops

Attendees can choose to attend the Project Leadership Training workshop OR SimWriter Simplicity training workshop for $195.

January 19 & 20 - Main Conference

The two-day main conference is a destination to learn theories behind immersive learning, investigate simulation authoring, and look deeper into the practice of using immersive learning in the real world. We will discuss why, how, when and with what to simulate.

All Conference attendees will receive a FREE copy of SimWriter Simplicity – a value of $1495!

The regular conference fee is $695 – $100 discount to those that register by December 31st.

Check it out: http://www.immersivelearninguniversity.com/

Top Ten Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People – FREE Seminar

2011-11-09T11:27:00.003-06:00

We design to elicit responses from people. We want them to buy, read, register, and take action of some kind. Designing without understanding about people is like exploring a new city without a map: results will be haphazard, confusing, and inefficient. From her book, 100 Things Every Designer Needs To Know About People, Dr. Weinschenk has picked her top 10 “things” that you need to know in order to design intuitive and engaging websites, applications and products that match the way people think, work, and play.

Date and Time: Monday, November 14, 2011 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM CST

Note: I think the information in the book and the webinar is of value to learning and development professionals. Some things we should already know but there are hidden gems. One takeaway that I found interesting was the meaning of colors vary by culture. For example, in the U.S. white signifies purity and is used at weddings, but in other cultures white is the color used for death and funerals.

Check out the David McCandless Color Wheel that shows how different colors are viewed by different cultures. http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/colours-in-cultures/

Need a good video transcoder?

2011-11-08T16:13:00.000-06:00

Handbrake is an open-source program (free) thatconverts video.It is available for PC, MAC and Linux platforms.

I discovered Handbrake when I was convertingPowerPoint presentations to video for iPAD distribution. The PowerPoint Saveand Send as Video function converts the PPT to a WMV file. I used Handbrake toconvert the WMV to MP4 format.

Start by selecting your source file (or files). Handbrakescans and sets up the GUI for the selected source file. Select your destinationand configure the output settings. Choose a preset from the Preset list. This willautomatically set up the all the required settings. Press the "EncodeVideo" button. If you have asource with multiple titles, you can queue these up using the "Add to Queue"button.

Check it out:http://handbrake.fr/index.php

Apture - free pop-up glossary

2011-11-07T11:12:00.001-06:00

Apture is a free browser extension that works with most major browsers.

When you highlight a topic, a "Learn More" bubble pops up but you don't leave the webpage you are viewing. Click the bubble to get a pop-up window with more information.

Check it out: http://www.apture.com/

Free Webinar 11/8 - E-learning Trends: Learning & Talent Systems & Services

2011-11-07T09:03:00.001-06:00

Tue, Nov 8, 2011 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM CST

This webinar will deal with the latest trends around Learning & Talent Systems and Services. They will share a portion of a clip from the ELCE show, where they asked the “founding fathers” of the LMS industry, “With the growing trend towards social and informal learning, what do you think the role of the LMS will be in the future.”

Who were these “founding fathers” and CEO’s? You know them all: Bobby Yazdani of Saba Systems; Alan Todd of KnowledgePlanet/Mzinga, now CEO of Corporate University Xchange; and Frank Russell, the former CEO of GeoLearning, and now the CEO of Prositions.

Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/970415786

Screen Captures using Office 2010

2011-11-01T15:06:00.004-05:00

Did you know that there is a screen capture tool built into Office 2010?

Access the tool in any Office application (Word, Excel etc.) by clicking the Insert ribbon and then clicking Screenshot.

Available Windows will allow you to capture a screenshot of an entire window you already have open
Screen Clipping option will let you draw a box around an area so you can pick and choose your screenshot area

View and show PPTs on iPAD via free app

2011-10-25T06:57:00.001-05:00

SlideSharkis a free app that allows mobile professionals & educators to view and showPowerPoint® presentations on the iPad®.

If you're an iPad user, you may have noticed that there isn't a PowerPoint orMicrosoft® Office app for viewingPowerPoint files available in the App Store. In their absence, mobileprofessionals & educators have had to come up with "workarounds"that end up falling short. With SlideShark, you can easily and reliably convert PowerPoint into ahigh fidelity iPad-optimized format that keeps animations, fonts, colors, andgraphics intact. That way you can view and show PowerPoints on the iPad the waythey were meant to be seen.

Check it out: https://www.slideshark.com/default.aspx