Most of us have successfully made it to the end of this course (get better soon, Nettie!!), and oh what a ride it's been. As stressful as it's been this past month juggling work responsibilities, and 2 classes... I can honestly say that I have really enjoyed this class.
Thinking back over what I've learned this semester, I realize I've learned a lot. I actually have been able to understand a lot more of the information we went over in TSTM 444 because of this course. Through the project and other assignments in 544, I was able to apply the concepts in a way that was a little more rewarding. The application of the concepts and reflection I had time to do has made a huge difference in my understanding. I've come to realize that the whole instructional design process is backed by science. You can experiment and get different results, but for the most part, if you follow the steps you will get a quality product in the end. This realization is a product of the past month... as I remember thinking how ridiculous the process seemed when I learned of it last semester (just being honest...).
Another thing of note that I will take away from this course is an increased awareness of the many different options there are for delivering training. It's interesting to see the result of pairing psychology and learning, and coming up with a system that takes each into account.
Overall, the class has been very rewarding. From the assignments, my classmates, the professor, and the knowledge gained.. it's been well worth it!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Week 4: E-Learning Demo Derby
If you've read any of my latest blogs you've probably picked up on the fact that I've been pretty interested in the concept of using games or simulations in e-learning. This interest also extends into general multimedia to include interactive graphics and video content. Through the assignments in the class, we've heard about these concepts and maybe have even read some articles... but have yet to experience some of them.
I recently came across a blog called "Making Change: ideas for lively elearning" written by Cathy Moore. The blog contains some really good information and is worth a look. There was one post in particular that has been hanging out in my set of firefox tabs for days now... waiting for a time when I had time to dive into its links.
This post in particular is a list of links to e-learning samples on the web. It has the samples broken up into categories, and though there are a few dead links, the list is quite diverse.
I'll go over a few of the listings from the blog post here:
Laptop Ports Interactive
This is one of the samples that SuddenlySmart has on their website. SuddenlySmart is the developer of SmartBuilder - a flash authoring tool for creating effective and customized e-learning. This sample in particular is a tutorial on different ports on a laptop. There is an image of a laptop and you click on different ports to get information on that port. Pretty neat... and it might be something the intro to TSTM class could use.
The Mouse Party
This is an interactive learning tool on the University of Utah - Genetic Science Learning Center website. It is intended to educate visitors about the effects of drugs on the brain. The interface is pretty snazzy... it lets you explore to find out information.
Peter Packet
In this web based learning game from Cisco, you play the part of Peter Packet. The player completes missions (based on helping people in developing countries) while avoiding hackers and viruses. Though it's meant for a younger audience, I'll admit to having fun AND learning a few things while testing it out. :)
The Great Flu
This is a simulation in which you try and prevent a flu virus from becoming a worldwide pandemic. Who doesn't want to be the hero in a global health crisis? The graphics and concept of this game are of high quality, but I actually could not figure out what to do... and ended up losing the battle. I had to abandon the world once it reached "epidemic" level. Right about now I'm thinking it's probably a good thing I decided to drop the bio/healthcare major and go back to geek-related endeavors. I can handle computer viruses...
The Story of Stuff
Though it is not a game or simulation, what this website offers is equally impressive. The Story of Stuff is a extremely well put together video based learning tool that teaches about economics - focusing on production and consumption patterns. Very interesting.
These are some really good samples of what you can do with multimedia in learning systems. I only wish I had time to look at ALL of them! Guess the website will have to reside on my firefox tabs for just a bit longer...
I recently came across a blog called "Making Change: ideas for lively elearning" written by Cathy Moore. The blog contains some really good information and is worth a look. There was one post in particular that has been hanging out in my set of firefox tabs for days now... waiting for a time when I had time to dive into its links.
This post in particular is a list of links to e-learning samples on the web. It has the samples broken up into categories, and though there are a few dead links, the list is quite diverse.
I'll go over a few of the listings from the blog post here:
Laptop Ports Interactive
This is one of the samples that SuddenlySmart has on their website. SuddenlySmart is the developer of SmartBuilder - a flash authoring tool for creating effective and customized e-learning. This sample in particular is a tutorial on different ports on a laptop. There is an image of a laptop and you click on different ports to get information on that port. Pretty neat... and it might be something the intro to TSTM class could use.
The Mouse Party
This is an interactive learning tool on the University of Utah - Genetic Science Learning Center website. It is intended to educate visitors about the effects of drugs on the brain. The interface is pretty snazzy... it lets you explore to find out information.
Peter Packet
In this web based learning game from Cisco, you play the part of Peter Packet. The player completes missions (based on helping people in developing countries) while avoiding hackers and viruses. Though it's meant for a younger audience, I'll admit to having fun AND learning a few things while testing it out. :)
The Great Flu
This is a simulation in which you try and prevent a flu virus from becoming a worldwide pandemic. Who doesn't want to be the hero in a global health crisis? The graphics and concept of this game are of high quality, but I actually could not figure out what to do... and ended up losing the battle. I had to abandon the world once it reached "epidemic" level. Right about now I'm thinking it's probably a good thing I decided to drop the bio/healthcare major and go back to geek-related endeavors. I can handle computer viruses...
The Story of Stuff
Though it is not a game or simulation, what this website offers is equally impressive. The Story of Stuff is a extremely well put together video based learning tool that teaches about economics - focusing on production and consumption patterns. Very interesting.
These are some really good samples of what you can do with multimedia in learning systems. I only wish I had time to look at ALL of them! Guess the website will have to reside on my firefox tabs for just a bit longer...
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