Jane “Star” Fisher presented to the Austin ASTD ID SIG how adding interaction to training improves attention, retention, and overall learning impact. Despite their effectiveness, why do trainers not use games more often? Why do they persist in boring, death-by-powerpoint slide shows? How can trainers improve their teaching presentations? Star guided the ID SIG members through “Reverse Brainstorming” and “Envelopes” group activities that allowed us to discover our own answers to these questions. Continue Reading »
A recording of Vernon Rooze’s January 24, 2007 presentation to the Instructional Design SIG of the ASTD Austin Chapter.
This presentation on Constructing Good Questions included topics such as special considerations in online testing, writing good test items, common grammar mistakes, and how to write multiple-choice questions that test Bloom’s taxonomy’s higher levels such as evaluation and application. At the time of this presentation, Vernon was an instructional design specialist at Apple in Austin.
In 2007, Star Fisher attended a Houston workshop with Dr. Thiagi, famous advocate of fun and games in learning design. She summarized Dr. Thiagi’s 14 rapid development principles and 8 design steps for the ID SIG of the Austin ASTD chapter on October 22, 2009. Star’s 2-page handout can be downloaded by clicking Rapid ID Handout by Star Fisher. Star is a Curriculum Designer with Time Warner Cable who builds training materials for new hire employees. She has over 15 years experience designing training and is an ASTD CPLP. Continue Reading »
Its been many months since I attended an ID SIG meeting but the topic drew me in so I drove downtown at rush hour.
It was well worth my time. Robin Brandenburg, Director of Momentum and Innovation at Six Red Marbles did not disappoint, giving a smooth, articulate presentation to about 15 assembled instructional designers. Robin used the slick new slide program called Prezi to good effect. Continue Reading »
Norma, my life’s better half, has created many useful publications to help play therapists work with children, especially hyperactive ones. She’s sold thousands of her Directive Group Play Therapy: 60 Structured Games for the Treatment of ADHD, Low Self-Esteem, and Traumatized Children. I’ve helped her over the years with publication layouts and editing since English is her second language. Continue Reading »
On July 25th the Austin ASTD Instructional Design SIG members heard a presentation by Dr. James Caras, President of Sapling Systems on “Characteristics of e-learning 2.0.” Sapling Systems has developed their own sophisticated Flash-based authoring tools for math and science courses. You can learn more at the company web site.
I was sitting and staring at the profile screen when into my head popped “Learning Man” because I was thinking of “Burning Man” and the desert festival with all the art and sculptures. Learning Man inspires me with the possibility of “to be on fire for continuous learning that renews my life.” I chose “Learning Design Matters” as a blog name because I wanted to explore learning design issues–a deeper subject of concern–and I also wanted to argue that design for learning is really important. Design matters in the results achieved by learners. For more play on “matters” I refer to the definition at the American Heritage Dictionary
…. 5. The substance of thought or expression as opposed to the manner in which it is stated or conveyed. 6. A subject of concern, feeling, or action: matters of foreign policy; a personal matter. See synonyms at subject. 7. Trouble or difficulty: What’s the matter with your car? 8. An approximated quantity, amount, or extent: The construction will last a matter of years. 9. Something printed or otherwise set down in writing: reading matter. 10. Something sent by mail. 11. Printing a. Composed type. b. Material to be set in type. INTRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: mat·tered, mat·ter·ing, mat·ters To be of importance: “Love is most nearly itself/When here and now cease to matter” (T.S. Eliot). See synonyms at count1. IDIOMS: as a matter of fact In fact; actually. for that matter So far as that is concerned; as for that. no matter
Wow! WordPress has really come a long way! I started blogging at vox.com with a few posts.
I really wanted to install my own blog on a server, but found that learning curve too steep. But hosting on WordPress.com is terrific. I can’t believe I put it off for such a long, long time.
