THEME -Technology/Learning Training Decisions (DTV)

UPFRONT -Aligning Training with the Organization
FOCUS -A Perspective on Technology/Learning Training Decisions '99
WI CONFERENCE REMINDERS - Distance Learning '99, GWETC '99
TECH STATS - Popularity of Internet Won't Peak For Years
DID YOU KNOW? - Students Rate Faculty by Their Web Pages; About Technology in Adult and Vocational Education
ANOTHER VIEW - Distance Learning is No Substitute for Real-World Education
BIZ FORCE - Business Benefits Seen in Internet2
TECH STRESSED? - Stress: Living and Working in a Changing World
TECH TRENDS - Huge Leaps Predicted for Handhelds!
TECH FUNDS - Some $12 Million Earmarked for Online Education; ISI Funds Available
NEW ON THE LIST -Welcome to New Subscribers
FYI - News, Conferences, Institutes, Events
JUNE DESIEN ISSUE -Where Support and Training Meet - ICS at The Pyle Center

"We need to see differently to do differently."
(Peter Henschel - Institute for Research on Learning)

UPFRONT

ALIGNING TRAINING WITH THE ORGANIZATION - Training for the use of technology is increasingly becoming an integral part of business and learning organizations. Three key areas that relate to this topic were recently identified by the Masie Institute and a conference, Decisions '99, arranged to explore them. I - What are the best ways to integrate training into organizations and align it to their goals? II - What are the economics of this integration and alignment and III - What strategies need to be developed to facilitate this process?

During April 12-14, I was fortunate to be part of the group of 224 academic and business educators and trainers who met in Nevada, in a retreat format, to look at these three key areas for decisions-making. At the end of an intense two and a half days, we each summarized our experiences. The following FOCUS article is my perspective on the conference - Rosemary Lehman.

FOCUS

A Perspective on Technology/Learning Training Decisions '99
Rosemary Lehman
Senior Outreach/Distance Education Specialist
Instructional Communications Systems, UW-Extension

"Initiating change is daunting."
(Peter Senge - MIT)

When the Decisions '99 conference convened, little time was wasted before we jumped into exploring the first of three key designated areas: I - Aligning Technology and Training with an Organization's Goals. We identified five essential strategies: 1) Employ "laser focus" and develop a focusing framework. The suggestion was to employ a four-quadrant focusing framework to identify what your organization does and doesn't do well and what customers (or learners) do and do not value.

Quadrant 1 - Do Well/Customer Does Value - This is a GO
Quadrant 2 - Does Not Do Well/Customer Does Value - Consider Partnering
Quadrant 3 - Do Well/Customer Does Not Value - Retarget
Quadrant 4 - Does Not Do Well/Customer Does Not Value - Definitely STOP

Continuously check focus, remaining flexible to refocus. In fact, create an obsession with focus; 2) "Hardwire" the voice of the customer (learner) into your thought process. Inventory for duplication of efforts and look at ways in which technology, and therefore technology training, can help; 3) Expand from the "old team concept" to universal collaboration; 4) Monitor for satisfaction; 5) develop long-term relationships and 6) Employ facilitative leadership.

In the process, consider the various "drivers" that are propelling the organizational technology and training process: 1) Business drivers - the importance of cycle time; 2) Technology drivers - the characteristics of technology that play into the picture, 3) Learning drivers - rising expectations and demands and 4) Learner drivers - how is learning changing and how do we change with these changes? What does this mean and how can technology become a tool for making connections? What role can Best Practices play?

"When we're through changing, we're through!"
(Carl Rogers - Educator, Adult Learning)

Discussion on key area II - Exploring the Economics of Technology and Training - was no less daunting, continuing to prod us to look at things differently. Questions we tackled were: In these rapidly changing times, how do we need to change? What are new economic and business models we can use to structure and predict the investment in learning within an organization? Old Models no longer workable (i.e. mechanistic) need to give way to more fluid ones. Suggested models ranged from production models to other alternatives - knowledge management, ROI, "flow" and hybrids. We determined that new models required new language, new terms and new outcomes and that successful models would place people at the center and look at performance and results. These models would also expand the learning experience to include the "before" and "after" of the event, what Elliott Masie called the "surround." These models would also include impact mapping and critical process skills and would integrate training as an essential organizational investment that would result in substantial returns.

In the major keynote of the conference, former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, also addressed this second key area. His saw as critical, the need to focus on people driving the technology, rather than technology driving people, and if people were to drive the technology, then training as an integral part of the organization was essential. Later, Peter Henschel's remarks, in his address on research and learning, followed this line of thought as well, but reminded us that we have much to learn about people and about training for learning via technology. More research needs to be carried out on "how" we learn and on the significance of the social and emotional dimensions of learning as they relate to technology. Closing questions that we all grappled with in key area II were - What are the core principles that can serve as our pointers and how can we work together to develop them?

"None of us individually can be as good as all of
us when we work together."
(CEO of Unileaver)

Finally, we looked at the implications of our discussion in the first two key areas and their impact on key area III - Developing Organizational Training Strategies. Major questions that challenged all of us were: How can learning and training decision makers create and implement an organizational wide strategy that can help create the appropriate and effective use of learning technology? How can we map a sane course through this maze of both real and hyped capabilities? How can we work together, share information, partner and learn from each other?

During the summary session of the conference, we recapped the valuable ideas concerning organizational alignment, training economics and training strategies and reviewed the numerous examples of Best Practices that participants had shared. We agreed that there were many connections that we could make between what we had learned in the context of the conference and the world of work, but that in some instances, we needed time, distance and continued discussion. We came away with new questions and an expanded network of people that we can continue to talk to about ideas, challenges, plans and partnering. The Masie Institute had not only set up excellent preparatory learning prior to the conference, but also developed 1) a Decisions '99 online chat room that will continue for a year and 2) a Decisions '99 track at its next conference. The dialog continues...

"We need to think less like a manager and more like a biologist."
(Peter Senge, MIT)

 

WI CONFERENCE REMINDERS!

* DISTANCE LEARNING '99 - Register now for the 15th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning August 4-6, 1999, Marriott Madison West, Madison, WI. The Conference Planning Committee invites you to join more than 1,000 colleagues from around the world at this leading forum on distance education and training. Participants from education, business, industry, and government will come together to exchange information and explore new developments at this national/international event.

For the complete program, visit the Web site at: http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/ To receive a printed brochure (available mid-May), distel@education.wisc.edu e-mail or call 608-265-4159. Include your postal address.

* GWETC '99 - The 1999 Governor's Wisconsin Educational Technology Conference (GWETC '99) is scheduled for October 12- 14, 1999 at the Midwest Express Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Now in its seventh year, the conference is designed to support and advance the application of technology at all levels of education and training in instruction, curriculum, learning resources, special needs, administration and planning. Join more than 3,000 participants from across the state at this event.

For complete information on the Conference visit the Web site at: http://www.gwetc.org To receive a printed brochure call 608-264-9689. Include your postal address.

TECH STATS

POPULARITY OF INTERNET WON'T PEAK FOR YEARS - The Internet has not penetrated the majority of American homes, according to studies from major Internet consulting firms Inteco, Forrester Research, and Neilsen Media Research. Neilsen found that one-third of U.S. households have Internet access, and only one-third of those, or 13 percent of all U.S. households, go online more than once a week. This reluctance to use the Internet at home can be attributed to fears that technology is difficult to learn as well as perceptions that the Web is full of scams. Although many adults have yet to become acclimated to technology, as many as 81 percent of teenagers are using the Internet frequently and knowledgeably. The next generation is expected to usher in the rise of household Internet acceptance, with 90 percent of U.S. Households predicted to have Internet access by 2005 or 2010. (Puget Sound Business Journal Online 05/24/99 - Edupage 21 May 99)

DID YOU KNOW?

STUDENTS RATE FACULTY BY THEIR WEB PAGES - The students who are technology-literate are increasingly expecting faculty to be familiar with and to use computer technology. A recent article in THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION ["Students Say They Check Courses' Web Pages Before Deciding to Enroll" by Jeffrey R. Young, May 27, 1999 issue] reports that some students believe that "the best professors are the ones who bother to make Web pages for their courses. And a growing number of students use the quality of course Web pages as a deciding factor when picking classes." The article is available on the Web at: http://chronicle.com/free/99/05/99052701t.htm (CIT INFOBITS - May 1999 No. 11 ISSN 1521-9275)

TECHNOLOGY IN ADULT AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION - In "Using Technologies Effectively in Adult and Vocational Education" [ERIC Adult, Career, and Vocational Education Clearinghouse Practice Application Brief No. 2, 1999], Susan Imel presents information about educational applications of technology and provides some guidelines for its use in adult and vocational education. Imel shows how some of the aspects of educational technologies - providing more opportunities for learner- centered instruction, affording more active and interactive modes of instruction, facilitating collaborative and small group work - have particular advantages for adult learners.

The document is available on the Web at: http://ericacve.org/docs/pab00011.htm (CIT INFOBITS - May 1999 No. 11 ISSN 1521-9275)

ANOTHER VIEW

DISTANCE LEARNING IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR REAL-WORLD EDUCATION - Although some assert that the Web will imminently replace "brick-and-ivy" institutions with online classrooms, Dylan Tweney suggests employing the medium to improve bureaucratic rather than pedagogic processes. For example, the efficiency afforded by the Internet can strengthen offline campus communities with "portal" technologies that enable centralized access to course information, campus events, and administrative tasks. Meanwhile, although the face-to-face interaction, independence, and diversity common to traditional college life can't be replicated online, Tweney says two new startups offer technological ways to bind communities of students, faculty, and staff. Jenzabar, founded by Chai Ling, a veteran of the Tiananmen Square student protests, gives colleges the ability to create portals from a Web interface. Campus Pipeline builds a faculty and student-accessible portal system on top of SCT's university back-office software. Using technology to expedite administration, universities can lower costs and divert more resources to teaching, Tweney says. (InfoWorld 05/17/99 - Edupage May 21, 99

BIZ FORCE

BUSINESS BENEFITS SEEN IN INTERNET2 - Although Internet2 is so far used mostly by universities, its developers say that eventually its high-speed technology will help to improve the Internet and thus offer benefits to businesses. Companies could benefit if new technologies ensure high-quality video and audio links over the Web, for example. Texas A&M researcher James Wall has already seen the benefits of Internet2 - he's saving $1,000 per hour in satellite link fees to test an intelligent communications manager used in trauma care. The Internet2's high-speed nature - operating at about 2.6 Gbps - is ideal for systems such as Wall's. But some Internet2 application developers say that bandwidth isn't everything, and are calling for end-to- end systems that can control and prioritize traffic. "We can put out tons of data, but we can't deal with the data," says University of Oklahoma researcher David Jahn. Currently, Internet2 is "like drinking water from a fire hose," he says. (Computerworld 05/03/99 - EduPage 5 May 99)

TECH STRESSED?

STRESS: LIVING AND WORKING IN A CHANGING WORLD - One of the members of the TechLearn Collaborative, Steve McMillen, Director of Executive Development & Performance Improvement at Hillebrand Industries has co-authored a great book for our busy times. "Stress: Living and Working in a Changing World" is a practical look at the challenges of living in the fast pace of our current society. This is the first book on this topic that hits the nail on the head and gives real world suggestions for coping with the complexity of stress. Check it out at: www.amazon.com The authors are Manning, Curtis & McMillen. (TechLearn TRENDS - May 99)

TECH TRENDS

HUGE LEAPS PREDICTED FOR HANDHELDS - A new study from Dataquest predicts that the handheld computer market is poised to become a very big business, growing from 3.9 million units shipped last year to 21 million units by 2003. The market's growth is credited to increased application development, wireless and wired Web access, and falling prices. But before the market achieves this growth, future devices will have to be equipped with e-mail or some form of limited messaging, says Dataquest analyst Scott Miller, who adds that the price of handhelds will likely drop to about $150 in the next five years. Dataquest says that Microsoft and Palm Computing will continue to dominate the handheld market with their Windows CE and Palm OS products. Miller says the new Palm VII is a prototype of what future handhelds will be, but says it is unclear whether the device will be successful today. (C|Net 5/24/99 Ð Edupage 21 May 99)

TECH FUNDS

SOME $12 MILLION EARMARKED FOR ONLINE EDUCATION Formally launching its business, ecollege.com said 100 students and 100 colleges and universities will receive $12 million in scholarships and grants to encourage access to online education. The program will funnel money to faculties and institutions to create degree programs online, Ecollege announced. "This demonstrates our commitment to make online education available to anyone, anytime, from anywhere in the world," said ecollege.com President Rob Helmick. The grant program will include 100 student scholarships for online coursework at schools affiliated with Ecollege.com (Steve Siehr - 11 May 99)

ISI FUNDS AVAILABLE - Instructional Systems Inc. (ISI) invites your participation in a free pilot program designed to help colleges offer remedial courses over the World Wide Web. Colleges chosen to participate in the demonstration pilot will receive ISI's math, reading, and writing Mechanics courseware as well as a Web-based student management (tracking) system. Each institution will select 25 students for the program. Students will be allowed to use ISI's remedial courses for as long as they need to, until they pass the college's entrance examinations. There is no cost to the school for this pilot project. ISI offers the following four college remedial courses: College Remedial Math, College Remedial Reading, College Remedial Writing Mechanics and Foundations of College Math For more information about the "Focus on Remediation" project, visit ISI's new Web Site at: http://www.isinj.com

NEW ON THE LIST

Welcome to: Lisa Neal, Nicole Williams, Michael Fields, Martin Carlsson, Elaine Temple, Sandra Pace, Celeste Beck, Theofanis Spiropoulos, Tom Sawyer, Lauren Rosen, Kathryn Dagostio, Daniel Hill, Patty Davis, Monica Maccari, Lynn McGuire, Ann David, Alan Boase, Laura Carlucci, Greg Walker and Kathy Kinder.

FYI
News, Conferences, Institutes, Events

* eCollege.com (www.ecollege.com) and the G8 Research Group at the University of Toronto ( www.g7.utoronto.ca) are joining forces to present The 1999 G8 Summit Online ( http://www.g8online.org). Participate in this unprecedented interactive dialog with the world's top leaders. Attendees will interact on the Internet with others around the world, debating issues such as the monetary and financial architecture of the global economy, economic and social policies of an evolving world, and educational needs for a world community.

Registration is OPEN NOW and FREE of charge. There is room for only 5000 participants - be one of them. Register now at: http://www.g8online.org and be part of one classroom, one world.

* The Summer Institute for Intercultural Communications is scheduled to hold 3 Sessions of concurrent Workshops: July 14-16, July 19-23 and July 26-30, 1999. This wide range of workshops and seminars is designed to meet the needs of professionals in the areas of intercultural and multicultural communication in both domestic and international arenas. For further information see: www.intercultural.org (Name: SIIC, Password: brochure)

* June 26-29, 1999 - attend The Digital Millennium: Collaboration-Integration-Education, presented by the National University Telecommunications Network (NUTN). The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Seattle WA. Features are: concurrent sessions, a panel debate on the future of distance education and a distance learning Showcase. Keynote speaker is Dr. Robin Mason, Open University. For more information see: www.odu.edu/~nutn ED-MEDIA 2000

* August 12 and 13, 1999 - 8:30 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, Michigan), Halle Library will sponsor a workshop that will provide hands-on experience and practical applications in how to blend interactive television (two-way video and two-way audio) and online technologies to actively engage learners, stimulate higher-level thinking and capture scheduling efficiencies. Topics will include ITV best practices (tips and techniques), how to create web sites and integrate multimedia applications, learner support systems, and accreditation data (what to collect and what to do with it). To obtain more information or a registration form, go to: www.dldynamics.com

* PictureTel Users Group conference is scheduled for September 12-15, 1999 in Sacramento, CA at the Sacramento Convention Center. Participate in educational experiences, explore new Videoconferencing innovations and demonstrations, exchange perspectives and experiences and hear about PictureTel's directions. For more information see: www.pug.com/apug/hot.htm

* Evaluating Web-based Courses will be held at the Rochester Institute of Technology, on October 1-2, 1999. The workshop will cover various aspects of quality assurance and improvement, with a focus on teaching and learning but also covering cost analysis. People with other interests in the study of technology in distance learning should also find this useful. Put the dates on your calendar and sign up for the free evaluation newsletter, F-LIGHT; it comes out once a month and, in addition to information on recent studies, includes information on upcoming workshops, Flashlight Online, new tool kits, etc. You can sign up by sending email to: listproc@listproc.wsu.edu with the message SUBSCRIBE F-LIGHT (your name).

* The Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference (SITE 2000) Feb. 8-12, 2000 will be held in San Diego, CA at San Diego Marriott-Mission Valley. The Call for Participation deadline is OCT. 5, 1999. The Conference is hosted by San Diego State University and sponsored by the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) and the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). For more information see: http://www.aace.org

* The World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications will be held June 26 - July 1, 2000 in Montreal, Canada. Call for Participation deadline is OCT. 26, 1999. The event is hosted by Computer Research Inst. of Montreal (CRIM) Concordia University, McGill University, University of Montreal and University of Quebec at Montreal and sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) http://www.aace.org

JUNE DESIEN ISSUE - Where Support and Training Meet Ð ICS at The Pyle Center

DESIEN ARCHIVE: An Archive has been created for past issues and interaction comments. Locate at: http://www.uwex.edu/disted/desien/

DESIEN has been created to encourage information exchange and discussion of distance education issues concerned with: 1) UW Systemwide distance education progress and institution course/program development, 2) faculty/team development, 3) technology, 4) policy, 5) funding and 6) research. List recipients outside of the UW System are also welcome to join in with information contributions and discussion.