In class today I had the opportunity to be a moderator for a discussion. Our discussion involved talking about voice recognition. There are a few skills I would like to recommend people being a moderator of a discussion.
1) Be very familiar with your topic. Having completed TSTM 443 I was knowledgeable with speech recognition. I was able to talk about Dragon, the benefits of using voice recognition, and how it can be helpful with people with disabilities.
2) Be able to communicate effectively. When being a moderator it is important that you asks questions and give responses clearly. Without doing this the discussion might go in a different direction or the participants will be very unclear of what you are trying to ask.
3) Be courteous. We each have our own thoughts and views. For an example some people (dealing with voice recognition) software may think Dragon is the best. Others may think the speech tools built-in with Windows Vista is the best. Whatever the case may be state your views, maybe show an article proving your views, but remember they are views and views can differ from person to person.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Content Structure(Week #5, Blog #1)
Having read Chapter 19, I agree with the authors on content structure. One of the best ways to gain insight and ideas when creating your multimedia project is to check out similar products. To accomplish this you can visit their websites or even download the program and give it a try.
Another method is to use brainstorming in searching for novel approaches to meeting your design goals. When doing this include non-instructional designers and design team members. The point of doing this is to have a flair of creativity and it can provide fresh ideas and approaches. Design sessions, the authors from our text mention, are often some of the most enjoyable and invigorating activites associated with multimedia projects.
Don't forget when designing content structure involving as many team members as possbile. Doing this will boosts morale, builds consensus, and improves the quality of the design.
Another method is to use brainstorming in searching for novel approaches to meeting your design goals. When doing this include non-instructional designers and design team members. The point of doing this is to have a flair of creativity and it can provide fresh ideas and approaches. Design sessions, the authors from our text mention, are often some of the most enjoyable and invigorating activites associated with multimedia projects.
Don't forget when designing content structure involving as many team members as possbile. Doing this will boosts morale, builds consensus, and improves the quality of the design.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Writing Modules (Week #4, Blog #2)
I believe that writing modules for the design project is a excellent way to start off our design project. Our group's topic is Expression Web. With Expression Web there are many different design topics that our group can discuss. Having these modules is going to help us narrow done which topics we are going to discuss and which ones are more important to highlight.
The only difficult thing our group is running into is making sure we don't overlap with the other group's material. It is going to be very important as we continue to outline the modules and objectives that we work with the other group in making sure we are not stepping on each other's toes.
Also having the modules will help us then write the objectives. Having to write objectives without any criteria other than then just the Expression Web software would be hard. The modules will serve as a basis of how to construct our objectives.
The only difficult thing our group is running into is making sure we don't overlap with the other group's material. It is going to be very important as we continue to outline the modules and objectives that we work with the other group in making sure we are not stepping on each other's toes.
Also having the modules will help us then write the objectives. Having to write objectives without any criteria other than then just the Expression Web software would be hard. The modules will serve as a basis of how to construct our objectives.
Project Team (Week #4, Blog #1)
In our text in Chapter 17 it mentions there is three activities in the process of establishing teams. These are: 1)List team roles 2)List project tasks 3)Assign roles and responsibilities
All three of these are really important. It is important to first establish the possible team roles for the project. Such possible roles can include: the team leader and the roles below the team leader. Such roles can include editor, designer, quality reviewer, and many others.
Next I agree that you must list the task in the project. This way everyone can stay on top of things and understand when things are due and deadlines. A great software program to use is Microsoft Project. Project allows you to organize tasks, set milestones, and create reports of where you are on your project.
Finally assign the roles. This is where you actually assign the roles that you established in step #1. Make sure when you assign this role the person understands the responsibility that goes along with it.
If one follows these steps the project should start off (and hopefully) end successfully.
All three of these are really important. It is important to first establish the possible team roles for the project. Such possible roles can include: the team leader and the roles below the team leader. Such roles can include editor, designer, quality reviewer, and many others.
Next I agree that you must list the task in the project. This way everyone can stay on top of things and understand when things are due and deadlines. A great software program to use is Microsoft Project. Project allows you to organize tasks, set milestones, and create reports of where you are on your project.
Finally assign the roles. This is where you actually assign the roles that you established in step #1. Make sure when you assign this role the person understands the responsibility that goes along with it.
If one follows these steps the project should start off (and hopefully) end successfully.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Should Facebook be Banned? (Week #3, Blog #2)
I believe Facebook being banned just depends on the company and/or person. If companies notice that employees are spending more time on social communities and not getting the required work done, then yes as a company, I would block it. If they see that employees use their breaks or down time to look at Facebook, then no, I would not block it.
More and more companies are starting to use Facebook or Myspace to find out information about future employees. This strategy is great because this way companies can know who they may hire without a face-to-face interview. So employees need to watch what they post because your future boss may have looked at your profile before coming to the interview.
My beliefs on cyber slacking is the same if some was slacking in on the job. If an employee is slacking on the job, the employer should pull them aside and give them a warring. If it happens a second time, then the employer, in my opinion, should fire the employee because they have been given a warring. The same thing should apply in cyber slacking. If the employer has given a warring to the employee stating that you are spending too much time on social communities or browsing the internet, then the employer has the right to fire that employee.
More and more companies are starting to use Facebook or Myspace to find out information about future employees. This strategy is great because this way companies can know who they may hire without a face-to-face interview. So employees need to watch what they post because your future boss may have looked at your profile before coming to the interview.
My beliefs on cyber slacking is the same if some was slacking in on the job. If an employee is slacking on the job, the employer should pull them aside and give them a warring. If it happens a second time, then the employer, in my opinion, should fire the employee because they have been given a warring. The same thing should apply in cyber slacking. If the employer has given a warring to the employee stating that you are spending too much time on social communities or browsing the internet, then the employer has the right to fire that employee.
Learning Management Systems (Week #3, Blog #1)
In the Chapter 15 reading it talks about LMS's (learning management systems). This is what I'm doing my Wiki on. The book's example of a LMS's is a registrar at your university. This is a great example of how to look at a LMS's.
Our text continues on and mentions e-learning. In e-learning, LMS's are very critical to the learning process. Take for example Blackboard, which is a great example of a LMS. In Blackboard you have your grade book, discussion board, options to take quizzes, announcements, and documents. These are all critical areas when conducting e-learning. As you can see a poorly designed LMS cannot help the e-learning process after all you are learning virtual and tools like discussion boards help aid in the process.
When using LMS's and using them in e-learning design is the key. When designing training systems remember to use the conclusions from your project assessment and analysis phases to build a roadmap for development. The whole point of design is to have the opportunity to design your intervention before beginning development.
Our text continues on and mentions e-learning. In e-learning, LMS's are very critical to the learning process. Take for example Blackboard, which is a great example of a LMS. In Blackboard you have your grade book, discussion board, options to take quizzes, announcements, and documents. These are all critical areas when conducting e-learning. As you can see a poorly designed LMS cannot help the e-learning process after all you are learning virtual and tools like discussion boards help aid in the process.
When using LMS's and using them in e-learning design is the key. When designing training systems remember to use the conclusions from your project assessment and analysis phases to build a roadmap for development. The whole point of design is to have the opportunity to design your intervention before beginning development.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Objective Analysis (Week #2, Blog #2)
Our reading for this week dealt with Chapter 10, Objective Analysis.
When I took TSTM 444 (with Dr. Bartlett) we spent a great deal of time writing objectives and how to write effective objectives. Our text does a great job of explaining the parts of the objectives.
These parts are:
situation
learning capability
object
action verb
tools, constriants, and conditions
I believe after conducting your needs analysis, objectives should be the next thing. It is very important to make sure objectives flow out of the needs analysis so these come hand in hand in a way.
In 444 we also learned to make sure your objectives are reachable and do not completely stress out the trainees. You want training to be fun (to a certain degree) and not boring. This is where the tools you use can spice up training (i.e. using podcasts instead of just sitting and lecturing on the topic).
When I took TSTM 444 (with Dr. Bartlett) we spent a great deal of time writing objectives and how to write effective objectives. Our text does a great job of explaining the parts of the objectives.
These parts are:
situation
learning capability
object
action verb
tools, constriants, and conditions
I believe after conducting your needs analysis, objectives should be the next thing. It is very important to make sure objectives flow out of the needs analysis so these come hand in hand in a way.
In 444 we also learned to make sure your objectives are reachable and do not completely stress out the trainees. You want training to be fun (to a certain degree) and not boring. This is where the tools you use can spice up training (i.e. using podcasts instead of just sitting and lecturing on the topic).
Social Networking Not IT's Problem (Week #2, Blog #1)
I found this article on computer world's website dealing with social networking tools such as blogs and wikis. The url can be found at: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=297531. I have summarized the article below and given my thoughts on what I think whose to blame for Social networking tools.
The article’s main focus is how it is not IT’s responsibility to control social networking tools 100%, instead the administrator or author of the tool should be control the tool, as well. Jim Klein, in the article, states that his school district wanted a blog for teachers and students to use to communicate. However, he did not want to be the “blog police” so he stated that teachers had to approve of posts before students saw the content. He states that “for the tools to be successful, the buck has to stop somewhere other than IT.” This is very true because many want to blame IT for everything. In the article it mentions, very heavily to plan ahead. Many companies integrate social networking, like wikis. The company creates the wiki and something goes wrong. Then the fingers all get pointed to IT. When it all boils down to it social networking tools it is everyone’s responsibility, not just IT’s.
Finally the article mentions that “IT can help curb bad behavior by employing authorization and authentication controls to render social networks privately.” Privately means only members can view entries. Regardless if the tool is private or public, the administrator can control what is posted and can delete postings, as needed. Of course, the article states, if members do not behave then it is the administrators responsibility to either kick the user off or remove posts, not IT’s. It is very important that the organization and/or company help manage technology because IT cannot play the social police while managing other business activities, like servers and web development.
The article is extremely reliable because this is an issue being faced today. With Facebook, MySpace, and other social networks IT is constantly being blamed. Parents are criticizing MySpace for allowing adults to be talking to children. It is not IT’s responsibility to control what your child does that is why they are the parents. The same thing applies in the business world that it is not IT’s job to constantly being the police of social networking.
The article’s main focus is how it is not IT’s responsibility to control social networking tools 100%, instead the administrator or author of the tool should be control the tool, as well. Jim Klein, in the article, states that his school district wanted a blog for teachers and students to use to communicate. However, he did not want to be the “blog police” so he stated that teachers had to approve of posts before students saw the content. He states that “for the tools to be successful, the buck has to stop somewhere other than IT.” This is very true because many want to blame IT for everything. In the article it mentions, very heavily to plan ahead. Many companies integrate social networking, like wikis. The company creates the wiki and something goes wrong. Then the fingers all get pointed to IT. When it all boils down to it social networking tools it is everyone’s responsibility, not just IT’s.
Finally the article mentions that “IT can help curb bad behavior by employing authorization and authentication controls to render social networks privately.” Privately means only members can view entries. Regardless if the tool is private or public, the administrator can control what is posted and can delete postings, as needed. Of course, the article states, if members do not behave then it is the administrators responsibility to either kick the user off or remove posts, not IT’s. It is very important that the organization and/or company help manage technology because IT cannot play the social police while managing other business activities, like servers and web development.
The article is extremely reliable because this is an issue being faced today. With Facebook, MySpace, and other social networks IT is constantly being blamed. Parents are criticizing MySpace for allowing adults to be talking to children. It is not IT’s responsibility to control what your child does that is why they are the parents. The same thing applies in the business world that it is not IT’s job to constantly being the police of social networking.
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