Notes from Jane Bozarth's Bozarthzone, with ideas for creating and outsourcing inexpensive e-learning solutions, along with general thoughts about the training and development field.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Just say no...
One reader's comment included this, as well put as I've ever seen it:
"How are these vendors able to come into a company and convince them that they need these items without someone inside the company saying “Hold the fort! We can do that for free.” I just find it really bizarre that there is no one there to wave the flag to these people. Also, wouldn’t some of these vendors be better off offering these companies, low-cost eLearning solutions that they can get return business and a good name out there for themselves?"
To which I add, "Amen!"
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
It's about DESIGN, not software!
The kicker: the organization spent TEN THOUSAND dollars on an 'authoring tool' (that doesn't do anything you can't do with PowerPoint) but not one dime on giving this person a moment of training in instructional design.
Can we all now say in unison: "And two years from now management will say ' We tried e-learning and it didn't work.' "
Monday, November 27, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Ha! Talk about full circle...
Check it out: how to create PowerPoint-type files...with Flash: http://www.flzone.com/ShowDetail.asp?NewsId=7364
Thursday, November 16, 2006
FREE synchronous programs
Holiday Stressbusters
November 20, 12:45 to 2 pm EST
And for spring 2007:
HQ: Your Happiness Quotient
January 16, 1 to 2 pm EST
TrainerSmarts!
Winner, Training magazine Editor’s Pick Award: Best Synchronous Program
March 13, 1 to 2 pm EST
Juggling 101: Managing Multiple Priorities
Winner, LOLA Award for Best Use of Synchronous Tools
April 10, 1 to 2 pm EST
Speaking with Sizzle, Substance, and Style
May 22, 1 to 2 pm EST
I'll also be teaching the "Synchronous Facilitator Certificate" program for InSync on Wednesdays in February. Check the InSync calendar for details.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Low cost web conferencing tool
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Smith-Corona Award Nominees
1. The IT Director who will not let his training staff access the 5,000+ member Tr-Dev group because, he says, "If it's free, it can't be any good, can it?"
2. The IT Director who said, "If SIX people look at streaming video at one time, the ENTIRE state network will crash!" After which he admitted they were blocking all streaming media becuse the HR staff kept getting caught watching soaps at work.
3. The IT director who won't let staff enable the wireless technology on the laptops, so they can't access the Internet while on the road...which was the point of getting the laptops...
OTHERS? Oh please oh please send them to me!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Using MySpace for course hosting
"N.C. State's distance education is primarily oriented toward what I would say is pushing information into students' brains and then trying to get them to prove that they've learned it," Hoban says. "I want my students to build relationships, to build friendships and to build trust in one another. No one can show me another tool. I've told the university, if they can show me one, I'll move."
Friday, September 22, 2006
URGENT! Wheel just invented!
I am in the middle of teaching my government-only "Online Trainer" course, which culminates in participants turning in a storyboard/outline/dummy version of a program the would like to put online. Drafts came in this week: Of the 16 enrolled, one's doing ethics, another 'cube etiquette', and another 'unlawful harassment'. That's great, but they're all planning to do it...from scratch. And...most of it's shaping up to be bulleted text-heavy slides.
I just googled 'free online harassment training' and got, and no I'm not kidding, no fewer that forty-eleven thousand sites to view.
PLEASE, please, watch the temptation to reinvent the wheel! Development time for from-scratch e-learning is often in the hundreds of hours. There's already plenty out there on most topics we do. Unless you are working to train on your company's how-we-make-blue-left-handed-gorilla-widgets, the odds are that someone, somewhere, has already done much of the work for you. If you can't use it outright you can at least use it for idea-starting.
Those on tight budgets must start looking at the hidden costs of creating everything from scratch, especially if something better already exists for free or cheap.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Learn to use what you have before buying something else...
-- Ina Fried Staff Writer, CNET News.com Published: September 20, 2005
Monday, September 04, 2006
FREE PowerPoint templates
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Prices?
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Love the One You're With
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Beware of "featuritis"
Sunday, July 30, 2006
FREE "Learn Italian" Podcasts
www.learnitalianpod.com . Also-- www.learnchinesepod.com and coming soon www.learnspanishpod.com .
Saturday, July 29, 2006
FREE Whiteboards, VOIP, etc.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Cool FREE Timer
Check out this great timer! I use this in synchronous online sessions as well as F2F classroom events. It's available for free download from hahntech.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Online tutoring
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Free Live-Online Classes!
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Palm Springs, CA, USA: June 11-14
Saturday, May 27, 2006
WOW
Friday, May 19, 2006
Location, location, location
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
FREE file transfer
Monday, April 03, 2006
The Right Technology for the Job
Friday, March 31, 2006
Do you PowWowNow?
Friday, March 03, 2006
Coming to Training 2006?
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Using Blogs in Training
Friday, February 17, 2006
Using Mobile Text Messaging
Pre-workshop - Send a text message welcoming learners to their workshop.
Post workshop - Send a thank you text message for their input to the workshop.
Post workshop - Send short tips (or shortcuts if it was a systems training) once a week for the next 6 weeks adding or helping embed what was uncovered during their time with you.
Post workshop - Send links or suggestions for additional resources via a text message.
More on Podcasts
PodCasts are audio files that can be sent an iPod or MP3 player. The great thing here is that learners can listen to the audio file while travelling or whenever is convenient for them.
Why not consider creating and sending a PodCast to learners:
--Before the workshop, explaining what they can expect during their time with you during their workshop.
--Before the workshop outlining some of the content and asking learners to carry out specific tasks prior to their workshop eg for a customer service workshop ask learners to note good and bad service they receive over the next few days and bring these experiences with them.
--Post workshop with additional resources eg web sites, reading material, a bonus idea or technique they can use in the workplace etc.
For information on creating a PodCast go to:
http://www.squidoo.com/learntopodcast/
Friday, February 10, 2006
Wikis at Work
www.bozarthzone.com
Friday, February 03, 2006
Check out Taskstream
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Embrace Your Inner Geek
Jane
www.bozarthzone.com
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Hoppin' the Pond
Friday, January 20, 2006
Free hosted LMS for 18 months
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Create podcasts on your PC!
Click here for the article.
Jane
www.bozarthzone.com