November 1, 2007
Today in class…
..we talked about the next assignment due over the weekend. I came late to class yet again -_- ..iv reliased i keep forgeting to sign my name off on the role whenever i come to class late :S…though i noe ive been to 80% of the classes, so maybe i should let Mark noe that i’v neglected to sign the role when i turn up late >.< …anywho…ive been looking at the additional assignment options and im going to go with additional assignment option 2, as i dont really have a workplace context or the perspective of an education professional.
October 27, 2007
Reflections on My Progress in BYKI Tagalog e-learning course
Ok! well i’ve just completed the 1st 2 lessons…well lists, as the programe calls them. The Metting and Greetings list 1 & 2 and i previously did the animals list. It took me about 45minutes to get through the whole thing. I guess as im such a slow learner!…my sister ws next to me doing the lessons as i did it, and she could recall more words than me! -_- . Ok so ill just explain sumthing first about the BYKI, i maybe already have but this explanation is more accurate..as b4 when i typed that blog i didnt have the programe in front of me. Well there are 5 stages – Reveiwie it, Recognize it, Know it, Produce it, Own it.
Reveiw It – Click through the flash cards which have on them Tagalog word or phrase and the english translation, which the tagalog word/phrase is said by the prgrame…not sure how to word that better, but you get what i mean.
Recognize it - Flash Cards appear in random order, with the tagalogword on one side and u guess the english translation which is on the other side, and if you are correct, click yes, if not click no to continue…if you get one wrong you start again..untill you can recognize all the words in a row without making any mistakes
Know It – Flash Cards appear with the tagalog phrase/word and you type the translation..as with Recognize it..you keep going untill u Know all the words and get them correctly translated in a row without making mistakes
Produce It – See the english word/phrase, and you say the tagalog translation..as with the previous stages you must get all the translations correct, in a row to continue.
Own it – You see the enhlish word/phrase on one side of the card and you then have tp type correctly the tagalog translation..you must get all the translations correct
The above image shows what the prgrame looks like. The Tab on the left with the lines, shows a persons progress, how many cards the learner has martered in a row. upon completion of the course there should be a green line all along the highest score/number, showing that the list has been completed and all flash cards mastered.
So, with what ive copleted so far, ive found the e-learning course to be quite engaging and fun..especially when beth me and my sister were doing it..as we tended to race to be the first to guess the translation…however got quite annoying after a while cos she would always beat me to it..ahahaha, so i made her go away. Before starting the course i thought it would be fairly easy, however its really hard, especially the last 3 stages.. and the stages where they make you type out the translation, its took me a long while to get the spelling down pat, especially with the long phrases..and it was so annoying when i got it wrong, due to a lil typi but i really did noe what the translation was >.<, though its trying to teach me the spelling so i can understand. I think i will need to keep practacing with the lists even though i’ve completed them. As i did the animals list a few days ago and im already finding it really hard to recall the tagalog translations of the animals. I guess learning any language will need constant practice, and I think this is a good programe for that. Also on another note i dont think doing these lists will allow me to have an actuall conversation in fillipino, im also disapointed that the e-learning programe doesnt teach pronunciation of contanents and vouls and the letters of the alphabete. As ive hear from my mum, the pronunciation of letters in tagaolg is diffirent from that of english, i tend to say the tagalog words wrongly because im saying it with english pronunciation, if that makes sense. Im rellying on the audio translation to know how to say it, though without audio translation it would be difficult to say unless u memorise how the words said, thus it would be better if the programe taught pronunciation properly.
Other than that, im really enjoying it and i dont really have any dislikes about the programe or the lessons, other than that i dont think it would be enough for me to learn tagalog, or master the language or make proper conversation.. maybe with contant practice yes. Oh and another thing, before starting the programe i looked around on the internet and on forums about what people had to say about the tagalog e-learning course. People had mentioned that the lists and phrases are very formal, and these days tagalog is very, what the call ‘tanglish’ – a mix of tagalog and english..and not many people really say or speack these phrases. This is just wont some people commented on, and i cant really be too sure if thats right or not, though its interesting to know.
So far, ive done about 1hour of the course, i’ll shall continue!
Paalam…Hanggang dito! (Goodbye…see you soon !)
October 23, 2007
Activity 3.3
Today Mark approved my e-learning course on tagalog..yay! so here is activity 3.3..!
What are the stated course objectives and outcomes?
This course/programe is designed to help people master and memorise tagalog phrases and words
What outomes do you expect to acheive?
To be able to recall and speak tagalog phrases and words, not nessasrily make proper conversation or construct sentences because that would take more time and learning
What to expect the learning experience to be like?
Appart from being fun and interactive i think it will be quite easly, as it is just a matter of remebering pronunciation, translation and spelling.
What type of support are u expecting from the course?
The course offers instructions on how to use the programe and how to get started, if you require more help you can contact them via email, phone or fax. There are also online support pages and FAQs which may offer assistance.
I indted to start the 4hrs of learning very soon!
October 18, 2007
Activity 3.1 – Learning Online
So, we’ve now moved onto module 3! ..heres my answers to Activity 3.1!..
Learning Online
What are both these articles suggesting about online learning?
These articls suggest that there is more involved in the implementation of e-learning particularly with regards to the teacher, such as the preparedness of students and teachers, will the teacher know how to teach an e-learning course?, how can they facilitate e-learning? etc The articles provide suggestions on how teachers can effectively assist their students in preparing to undertake e-learning courses and making their experience beneficial and as educational as possible.
Key points raised in the ‘Working with Virtual Students’ (2001) article:
- The most profound learning in an online course comes through interacting with other students – collaboration
- Students who undertake e-learning courses are often, introverted, quite or shy, and can express themselves through words more effectively, they are also more mature and motivated to learn, this makes their learning experience greater. Furthermore they express them self and actively contribute in e-learning situations and this spills over into their real life, and gives them confidence to engage in face to face learning and discussions. Thus e-learning is a useful and beneficial tool/experience for certain types of students with particular learning styles yet not all students may benefit, it is essential that the e-learning course is varied in its approaches so that it can be effective for a wide number of students.
- Signs of difficulty with learning through e-learning courses should be looked out for by the teacher, eg. difficulty doing the activities/getting started, changing levels of participation. Steps should be taken to increase to participation of students, eg. broad questions, humor in the content etc
- teachers in e-learning courses are more like facilitators of learning than teachers, they have lass power and authority than teachers in classrooms. The ability to create deeper levels of leaning and knowledge sharing exist when the teacher and students are “all in it together” and are open, willing and flexible.
- The article goes on to suggest how to teacher should teach their students how to learn in the virtual environment, especially those students with a traditional learning frame of mind, going into an unconventional learning environment. Eg. providing and online orientation learning course may help them familiarize themselves with the e-learning and make that transition smoothly.
Key point from the article ‘Preparing E-learning for Online Success’ (2005)
- The skills needed to use e-learning courses are often beyond the skills used in traditional classroom learning, especially the technological aspect of it . Without guidance and experience most learners are not prepared to learn for the technology-rich e-learning courses, which require new tactics for creating discussions and effective group dynamics
- Without guidance most learners are not prepared to lear effectively from the technolog-rich e-learning course. Thus preparing e-learners is a growing training priority for organizations and teachers
- This article suggests that to have ‘Success in e-learning’ you must have ‘online sucess skills’ (eg. access, communication, search etc) as well as ‘learner sucess skills’ (eg. good study habits, time management, effective reading etc).
- Readiness surveys – asses the strengths and weaknesses of students with regards to e-learning study skills and their preparedness with regards to, eg. technology access, online skills and relationships, motivation etc
- The article goes on to suggest some ways of tailoring e-learning programs to facilitate and encourage the learning of all students, so that organizations improve their return on e-learning investments and and ensure that the e-learning experience supports the sucess of the e-learners.
These articles were written a few years ago, though they are both expressing the same issue, of having teachers facilitating the learning, students learning styles and how they impact on e-learning courses and how effective e-learning can be achieved etc. It suggests that this an issue that will always be present whenever an e-learning course is implemented or being used and that teachers must take steps to ensure the success of their students undergoing e-learning.
Learning Styles
What do you already know about your preferred learning style?
I think i am a visual/aural learner, when things engage me in that respect i am likely to listen and take note and i easily remember tunes and lyrics. Not that thats educational material, but i often recall conversations or discussions in class, provided i am tunned in and actually listening. I rarely engage in class discussions and mostly sit back and listen unless i have something i really want to say. Also i like to take time to think through my answers to questions or views in discussions, i don’t jump in with the first thing that comes to mind. i also think as a learner i need a lot of direct from my teacher and advice on weather i am on the right track. I also need guidance in the sense that i can tend to lose interest quickly and thus fall behind as i don’t have very good time management and skills as yet and sometimes need a little motivation now and then.
What influence will your preferred learning style have on your e-learning experiences?
I think being a visual/aural learner i will find e-learning to be engaging, and the content easy to learn. Since its a virtual environment i think i may possibly engage more in online discussions and be more collaborative because theres no fear of having the attention of a classroom of people looking at me while i possibly choke on my words. Furthermore i can work at my own pass and have the time to think our answers to questions and input in discussions. Direction from the teacher can be gained when i need to it, via emails or discussion boards etc, not that i will be given support and feedback in real time, but promptly at least, while in classroom situations the teacher may not have the time to get around to every student. On the other hand i think that classroom based learning would encourage me more to study, being surrounded by teacher and peers, who can say, stop mucking around and focus, etc, forcing me to get a move on.
Learning Styles Questionnaires
The VARK Questionnaire Results
Your scores were:
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You have a mild Aural learning preference
Make a comment on your weblog – explain how your preferred learning style might be reflected in the layout of you weblog, your apprcoh to e-learning and what influences it will have on the short course you have selected.
My prefered learning style is aural, according to the VARK questionnaire. I think this is correct in a senses thought i thing i may be more visual than aural, im still unsure. I don’t know how my aural learning preference is reflected in my weblog, its not really, nor is a visual learning preference. My approach to e-learning is that it should be interactive and engaging though visually and aurally. My inclination towards these learning styles i think will have a beneficial effect on my sucess in the short e-learning course i have chosen. I chose it not only because it interests me, but because it is interactive and engaging, using visual and audio features.
October 17, 2007
Short e-learning Course
I’ve been looking around alot in the last few days for an e-learning course to do for the next assignment. Ive looked on the BBC learning site, the Open Uni e-learning courses page and have tried googling for some language course. I was thinking about doing a course on learning to play guitar, but decided not to, because that would probably prove to be very difficult, and i have tried to play before and presing down the strings i think would hurt my fingers! hahaha. I also looked into learning to touch type but then im already a proficient typer..well, good enough ao i think i should try learn sumthing i dont relly noe how to do, which brought me back to learning a language. I looked around for a language course on Tagalog, a dialect in the Philipines. Im half Philipino, and have no idea how to speack it, and i dont understand filo either. I decide to do filo over Italian which i was considering before, because i don’t think i’ll do international studies (majoring in italian) anymore, and i want to travel to the Philippines soon, maybe next year. Further more id like to be able to try and conver a little in filo to my family, and to other people, in the Phils when i eventually go there, and this e-learning course will be a good starting point.
http://www.byki.com/fls/ – Before You Know It (BYKI)
That is the site from which i download the course, its like a program/course that u download. The course in interactive and fits the criteria of an e-learning course. There are 5 stages in the course and you can learn different topics for example ‘greetings’, ‘animals’, ‘going to a resturant’ etc, and there are a list of phrases/words in each topic (hehe, I’ve already downloaded it and tried it out a bit, even if it doesn’t get approved i want to do some of the course 
) The first stage, you look at phrases or words on flash cards, while the phrase/word is said in Tagalog, you click next an view every card in the list, repeating the phrases in Tagalog. Then in the next stage, the flash cards appear with the Tagalog words and u guess the English word. In the nest stage you are shown the English word and you have to guess to Tagalog translation. In the next stage you need to type the English translation of the Tagalog phrase, and then in then after you type the Tagalog translation of the English phrase they show you. The words/phrases from the lists appear in random order, and if you incorrectly guess a translation you must start over again, until you can guess all the translations correctly.
I came across another e-learning course for Tagalog, though it didn’t seem interactive enough and it was mainly, reading the information words etc/hearing the way it was said and then clicking next to another page where the same thing was done. The BYKI course doesnt have a time limit, so i figured i would do the course for 4 hours are required, if it gets approved that is!
October 11, 2007
Guest Lecture on Virtual Worlds
In todays class we had a guest lecture, talking about virtual words, like second life, which is like a 3D society, in which people are able to take on ’second lives’ through their avatars, which roam in the 3D world of second life. The people within second life can create their own surroundings, structures, buildings, anything really, and people from all over the world can through their avatar visit these places. Our guest lecture showed us around second life, its advantages and features. Some students were operating (is that the right way to word it) avatars already made. It was really cool the things that could be done in the second life program, flying, tellaportation etc. The lecturer (I’ve forgotten his name!) talked about how second life is used in large companies to keep in contact with other employees, when face to face meeting is difficult. For example, international companies with many locations around the world. Second life can be use to hold meetings, lectures, conferences. Avatars all fly in/are telleported to a location and they can sit on these round ball things and have discussions via instant messaging. The lectureshowed us this place on second life where they had exhibitions and a tsunami replication. There was another place which had space rockets/ships which were built to scale. Apparently some universities in the US, namely Harvard, use second life to conduct live university lectures. There are many possibilities and use’s for second life and its popularity and use will only continue to rise as people realize these benefits. I think this technology will probably be a bit confronting for those who are technologically challenged, but it will widespread in the future and thus i think we should embrace it. I think its useful for educational, communication and business purposes however it is a bit sad to be on second life, taking on an alternate identity and doing stuff like taking your avatar to clubs etc…i guess its a way of socializing, but its not ‘real’ life! haha. Anyways..in conclusion, todays class was really fun.
October 8, 2007
Assgnment 2 on a seperate ‘page’ in edublogs
It only occured to me that Assignment 2 was suppose to be on a seperate page in my edublog and not wikispaces. When i went to post the link on the groups page on UTS online i was so sure it was suppose to be on a seperate page..in the wiki? I was positive, i remembered Mark saying that. It only occured to be today when writing a draft blog, that you can make a page on your blog! >.< it totally slipped my mind, and thats why all along ive been thinking it must be on the wiki..cos how can you make a seperate page on the edublog -_- ..i have now rectified the problem, created the page and posted up the proper link on UTS online. I hope i dont get penalised for that little oversight :S ..anywho..im glad i worked out that one. Will post up answers to activity 3.1 in the coming day/s.
October 4, 2007
E-Learning Course
I have been thinking about what type of e-learning course i would like to do for the next assignemnt, ive looked through some websites and havent found anything that looks to be like an ‘elearning’ course..but rather words and pictures or videos of ppl playing guitar for example. At them moment i was thinking of doing a beginners e-learning course for playing the guitar, that could prove to be tricky, and i have yet to find a proper elearning course, however ive always wanted to play an instrument so ill keep looking around. Ive also considered doing a language, seeing as how im doing a combined degree with international studies, major in Italian and i know sqwat all about the language..all in all 2 words ahaha..so learning a language from scratch will be very difficult, maybe doing an e-learning course wil prove beneficial. Other e-learning courses id possibly like to complete inclued, how to knitor maybe doing sumthing creative. I will post up links to my final option/s soon..however ive been so busy and thought id quickly write in my blog for the week. Oh..and i musnt forget to see if the course checks out with Mark by posting it up on the groups page on UTS Online!!..that is all for now
October 1, 2007
Activity 3.2 – Searching for e-Learning Courses
How do you find a short e-learning course?
- Websites dedicated to learning often have e-learning courses, such as
- BBC learning – http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/
- OpenLean Learning Space – http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/
- Googling key terms such as “learn french” + “online course”
- e-Zines or e-Newsletters may provide links to course providers or short e-learning courses
- Asking the lecturer if your stuck
Quick note: I am still deciding and looking around at e-learning courses when i get the chance, though i’ve been busy these past few days and will dedicate more time to searching the short e-learning course id like to do.
September 29, 2007
Assignment 2 – Optional Additional Assignment
When i went to post the link of my additional assignment in the discusion board under i noticed that the 2 people who posted their links before me had their assignments in their blogs..i think it was suppose to be on a seperate page in the wiki..right??..i posted a link to a new page on wiki spaces. This page is linked to my group page ‘Anne-MarieBarbaraSarahSarah’..clicking on Anne-Marie on this page will link you to my additional assignment..which ive also copied and pased below..just incase this is where it’s suppose to be. Heres the link to my additional assignment on wikispaces! – http://elexp.wikispaces.com/Anne-Marie+Smith
Module 2- Additional Assignment
E-Learning and Return on Investment
Anne-Marie Smith 10572612
E-learning is becoming increasingly an advantageous tool to have in organizations, as it allows for greater accessibility and dissemination of educational content to employees as opposed to traditional methods. Its ability to be accessed anywhere anytime makes it a convenient resource to have. Return on Investment (ROI) of E-Learning has been the subject of much focus in the last few years, as organizations and companies are continentally taking on e-learning programs the question they are faced with is weather or not these e-learning initiatives will lead to positive outcomes. (Stacey 2002, para.1) Measuring the ROI of e-learning can be quite complex, as some benefits of e-learning initiatives maybe intangible, thus it is often difficult to come up with an accurate calculation of ROI. (Flanagan 2003, cited in Brodsky 2003, para.21) ROI for e-learning can be calculated by comparing the costs associated with implementing and maintaining e-learning programs, with the direct and indirect benefits of e-learning as well as its contribution to the organizations bottom line. (Kurtus 20002, para.1) Direct benefits are those gained through the elimination of existing expenses, such as the cost of travel, trainers, support staff etc. (ROI Profile: IBM Mindspan Solutions, IBM Basic Blue 2001) Indirect benefits refer to the benefits as a result of e-learning which result in improving performance and the bottom line. (ROI Profile: IBM Mindspan Solutions, IBM Basic Blue 2001) This paper will aim to address and identify the issue of ROI with regards to e-learning, more specifically it will aim to identify the ROI of e-learning initiatives within four different organizations – IBM, Australian Trades Commission (AUSTRADE), Alcatel and PepsiCo.
The practice of introducing e-learning in organizations is becoming far more wide spread. This is evidenced by the fact that business corporations such as IBM, PepsiCo, Alcatel, and Government agencies such as the Australian Trades Commission, among many other organizations, have surcome to the alluring benefits that e-learning programs offer. IBM, a multinational computer technology and consulting company have taken on e-learning programs to aid in the continual training and development of their 5000 IBM managers around the world. (ROI Profile: IBM Mindspan Solutions, IBM Basic Blue 2001) The e-learning training initiative includes – Basic Blue for Managers, a web based learning infrastructure, collaboration tools, content references and interactive online stimulators which work to compliment face to face training and instruction. (ROI Profile: IBM Mindspan Solutions, IBM Basic Blue 2001) Similarly Alcatel, a telecommunications company operating in more than 130 countries, sought to improve the skills of their ever shrinking base of employees. (A Skillsoft Case Study Alcatel) Alcatel aim to keep their employees continually up to date with the company’s product range and technology. (A Skillsoft Case Study Alcatel) The issue of the delivering the most up-to-date information quickly is a driving factor for the use of e-learning in both IMB and Alcatel. AUSTRADE has sought to use e-learning for the same reasons. (Austrade Revolutions their Training with SouthrockLSM) AUSTRADE is a federal government agency which supports businesses that are looking to expand into overseas markets. (Austrade Revolutions their Training with SouthrockLSM) With branches and employees located around the globe it is difficult to train their 1072 staff members. (Austrade Revolutions their Training with SouthrockLSM) Talent2-Elearn has assisted AUSTRADE in finding an E-learning system that is suitable. SouthrockLMS was the resultant program that has been integrated into the training processes and communications of AUSTRADE. AUSTRADE currently has 250 courses in its online catalogue in addition to a new user friendly e-learning platform. (Austrade Revolutions their Training with SouthrockLSM) SouthrockLMS has also allowed for greater communication between its employees, as has e-learning initiatives introduced at IBM. In the same way multinational convenient food and beverage company PepsiCo have use e-learning tools to make learning easily accessible by their 168 000 employees world wide. (Kozak A. 2006) Furthermore e-learning tools have been introduced to aid traditional learning and allow for convenience and ease of learning within the organization.
What each of the case studies discussed above have in common is that they were all implemented for the same reasons – time saving, convenience, to met training needs etc. Each e-learning initiative is aimed at being an improvement on the existing inefficient or less effective training programs. With each organization a distinctly positive ROI has been achieved. For IBM the company measured a positive ROI by identifying and estimating the value of the indirect benefits, such as a saving on employee time and increased productivity; and comparing this with the direct benefits, which included a reduction in travel expenses and the costs associated with employing trainers and teachers. (ROI Profile: IBM Mindspan Solutions, IBM Basic Blue 2001) IMB also calculated that after 3 years the total benefits gained was valued at $88 185 000, this compared with the total money invested after 3 years being $5 029 712 meant a 2284% return on investment. (ROI Profile: IBM Mindspan Solutions, IBM Basic Blue 2001) Similarly with Alcatel the development of e-learning courses was a great investment that saw rewards. Not only were training objectives for the 70 000 employees world wide met, but the amount of content delivered and learning which took place increased, as well as the employee satisfaction and loyalty ratings. (A Skillsoft Case Study Alcatel) Staff have even requested more e-learning courses. AUSTRADE as with IBM and Alcatel saw the time taken to train employees had been significantly slashed, while the difficulty of uniformly training employees across the board as been eliminated. With each organizations employee performance was increased and namely with PepsiCo, who also experience company growth arguably as a result of e-learning solutions. Organizational training and development raises many issues for managers. E-learning has been a welcomed innovative and resourceful tool for organizations, educators and practitioners to implement
It is evident from the case studies discussed above that e-learning is generating a positive return on investment for organizations. E-learning is an efficient way of training employees and gains positive results. Managers must determine weather or not e-learning will result in a desired ROI. Measuring ROI is a focus for organizations looking to produce e-learning programs. ROI can be calculated by measuring the costs associated with implementing the technology and comparing this with the perceived and direct savings it will bring about. The ROI for e-learning programs can be very high when implemented wisely, thus it is no wonder that organizations are increasingly looking to e-learning to improve employee’s skills and advance their current traditional training and development programs. (E-Learning Delivers Consistent Returns 2003)
Reference List
- Brodsky M.W. 2003, E-Learning Trend Today and Beyond. Retrieved: September 10th 2007, from http://www.ltimagazine.com/ltimagazine/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=56219
- Kozak A. 2006, Mohive’s e-learning publishing system wins over PepsiCo, Netcom, and Get. Retrieved: September 24th 2007, from http://www.trainingpressreleases.com/newsstory.asp?NewsID=2420
- Kurtus R. 2002, Return on Investment for e-Learning, CBT and WBT . Retrieved: September 7th 2007, from http://www.school-for-champions.com/elearning/roi.htm
- Stacey P. 2002, E-Learning Return on Investment (ROI).Retrieved: 16th September, 2007, from http://www.bctechnology.com/statics/pstacey-may3102.html
- Austrade Revolutions their Training with SouthrockLSM. Retrieved: September 24th 2007, from http://www.southrock.com/features/whitepapers/AustradeSouthrockCaseStudy.pdf
- E-Learning Delivers Consistent Returns 2002. Retrieved: September 7th 2007, from http://www.nucleusresearch.com/research/c49.pdf
- Pepsico Overview 2007, Retrieved: Septeber 7th 2007, from http://www.pepsico.com/PEP_Company/Overview/index.cfm
- ROI Profile: IBM Mindspan Solutions, IBM Basic Blue 2001. Retrieved: September 7th 2007, from http://www.nucleusresearch.com/research/b19.pdf
Source: [[file:Alcatel_Case_Study_020604[2].pdf]] – A Skillsoft Case Study Alcatel
