eLearning eVolution

Hi, Gary here,

Flickr started out as a place to post photos, yet has created a new approach to social  interation that happens to use digital photos.  Google maps started out as a way help you get somewhere, yet its SDK and Google Earth and “My Maps” have hastened the spread of tools to analyze and visually present personal and organizational information using maps.  Computer-based digital audio started out as a way to deliver music and has expanded into personal, educational, and political podcasting with “long tail” characteristics.

Are conferences at hotels ready to morph into something else as well?  Why, yes, they are. (They won’t be replaced 100% by something else, they will be morphed and enhanced into something else.)

Why must a conference be expensive and centralized?  Why shouldn’t large percentages of people attend (or present) remotely?  Why shouldn’t the entire conference be online?  Why shouldn’t the interactions continue in a formalized way AFTER the “conference” ends? With interactive real-time conferencing, recordings, moodles, wikis, flickr, del.icio.us, and boatloads of other tools, isn’t it time to include and interact with those who can’t afford to travel?  And, perhaps more important than reducing travel costs, can’t we leverage these tools to create ongoing discussions, creation of work-product, and deep relationships amongst people around the world who would otherwise not interact anywhere close to “personally”?

I think the Connectivism conference, the Illinois Online conference, Moodlemoot, the Keystone conference, the Future of Education conference, and the Horizon Project, amongst many others, are beginning to document and illustrate the critical success factors of conferences that are not “conferences” but the same time confer even more “conference-ness” than a “real” conference.

Best to all, Happy Mother’s day, and keep on onlinin’

Gary

Indezine is fabulous online resource for presentation professionals, providing a wealth of design-related tools and information, all managed by Geenesh Bajaj. So much information, so little time!

You’ll also want to take a look his interviews, conversations as he calls them, with a wide variety of industry movers and shakers. They are posted on his blog, Indezine Test.

Recently, Geetesh interviewed Elluminate VP of Marketing & Strategy, Rajeev Arora who talks about himself, Elluminate, Elluminate Live! and Elluminate vRoom, providing a number of examples of typical and not-so-typical uses of the live eLearning and web collaboration environment. Check out the complete interview.

- Beth (Elluminate’s Goddess of Communication)

I think the best way to understand the value and benefits of live eLearning and web collaboration is to hear directly from those who use this enabling technology.

We’ve gathered stories from users worldwide about how they have made the most of their virtual classrooms. While these are Elluminate Live! and Elluminate vRoom examples, I think you’ll find a wealth of creative and innovative ideas you can use, regardless of your product or platform.

These customer success stories cover a wide variety of areas, including K-12 and HE distance learning, professional development, tutoring, and online events and communities.

Our 2007 Center of Excellence winners are “best in class” in their progressive approach to building more effective ways to educate and prepare today’s students.

Elluminate vRoom users are eager to share the exciting ways they are using their virtual classrooms for small groups and one-on-one sessions. We are just blown away by their creativity.

We hope our stories will motivate and inspire you to take the next step to enhancing online teaching and learning at your academic institution.  Remember, you’re only limited by your imagination!

Have an creative idea, innovative use, or best practice to share? Please let us know.

- Beth, Elluminate Goddess of Communication