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.
One of my promises is to redesign her web site playtherapygames.com with more video. For example, I used scrapblog.com and embedded the slide show on the home page. I would also like to try WordPress or Drupal as a CMS instead of separate HTML pages. Dreamweaver seems so old school now. Another reason to try WordPress would be the beautiful layout themes others have created and share for free.
Which brings me to the point of this entry. I have been looking for templates or themes that suggest play and children, but have yet to find a good one. Thanks in advance for links to any WordPress or Drupal layout designs you think might be inspirational.
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.
He coined his own term for e-learning 2.0 by calling it “we-learning” which has the following desirable characteristics:
simple authoring tools that incorporate symbols and activities that are as good as, and hopefully better, than existing teaching methods
engaging interactivity with rich media
convergence – available on all OS and mobile devices
promotes sharing and collaboration to develop new content and peer review of learning efforts
transparency to promote trust
measurement of learning new knowledge; tracking progress gains
promotes effective and efficient learning
mentors struggling learners by incorporating intelligent feedback, tutoring, and adaptive testing.
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.
