Visitors from Training Zone

If you’re visiting from Training Zone and would like to set up your own blog, click the link ‘wordpress’ on my sidebar under ‘blogroll’.  This will take you to the wordpress site, just click the blue box ‘Start your wordpress blog’ It’s easy to do and it’s free.

Once you’ve done this or if you have a blog already, I’d really like to visit and share ideas. Just leave a link in the comments box.

Blogging is a great vehicle for networking,  learning and CPD.

Wikipedia

According to the first chapter of Wikinomics http://www.wikinomics.com/ Wikipedia with 5 full time employees is 10 times the size of Encyclopedia Britannica and roughly the same in accuracy!

Google Personalised Homepage

Google seem to be having some difficulties with their personalised home page at the moment.

http://blog.outer-court.com/forum/94001.html

I hadn’t realised how much I depended on this page until it disappeared! I’m sure they have a back up and will restore it soon.

Training Zone New Blog

Great news, Training Zone have set up an editors and a members blog.

This gives the opportunity for Trainers to share ideas, develop a social network and consider how blogs can be integrated into existing learning programmes.

http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/blog/

New Virtual Classroom

 Due out on 2nd May a new publication looking at evidence-based guidelines for synchronous e-learning in the virtual classroom.

“Organizations involved in workforce learning have embraced the virtual classroom, a synchronous form of e-learning, which offers powerful instructional environments while saving travel time and costs associated with face-to-face classroom training. However, virtual classroom technology must be leveraged in ways that promote learning or the cost savings are merely an illusion. The New Virtual Classroom draws on current research in multimedia learning as well as practitioner experience to show how to effectively harness the power of the virtual classroom.”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Virtual-Classroom-Evidence-based-Synchronous/dp/0787986526/ref=sr_1_1/026-4227118-6201232?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177422919&sr=8-1

EMCC Coach Mentoring Standards

EMCC’s Coach Mentoring standards can be downloaded here.

“The growth and development of coaching and mentoring in Europe is dynamic and evolving and these standards provide the start point. The standards are operating inthe UK and are now being piloted across Europe.The competence framework and competence standards element of these standards are part of a two year consultation process in the UK during which time feedback will be welcomed and invited from all coach mentoring organisations, purchasers of coaching and mentoring services, developers of coach mentoring programmes and individuals practising coaching and mentoring. A similar two year consultation process is due to start in Europe.”

http://www.mentfor.co.uk/downloads/articles/748/EMCC_UK_Consultation_Standards_pack_130307.pdf

Digital Playground

Worth a read 

“The Internet in 2016 will be an all-encompassing digital playground where people will be immersed in an always-on flood of digital information, whether wandering through physical spaces or diving into virtual worlds.”

http://news.com.com/2100-1025_3-6175973.html

E-Learning in the 21st Century

Here’s an extract from a thought provoking post by Janet http://brandon-hall.com/weblogs/janetclarey.htm

“In E-Learning in the 21st century authors Garrison and Anderson, recognized pioneers in distance learning said:

The future is for those who are ready to assume control and responsibility for their learning; those who have acquired the critical thinking and learning abilities needed to cope with the ‘too much information’ age. Those who have learned to manage learning and create; those who are will to act upon their learning and who are ready to shape change and not be the victims of it.”

Sharing Learning. CPD planning

After completing a process that has resulted in a CPD plan for the next 12 months, I thought I’d share some of the lessons learnt.

Be clear about overall goals before you start and don’t forget what’s important.

Revisit these goals at the end of the process, they may need to be changed

Consider both personal and professional development

Keep a journal to log learning on an on-going basis and review this to enable double loop learning

When completing self assessment activities, select useful tools & techniques. It’s easy to overdo self assessment and lose focus.

Feedback from others following self assessment is invaluable in identifying areas for improvement

Don’t forget your strengths, Keep balance in the process

Value both planned and emergent learning opportunities

Value reflection. It’s an essential part of the process. 

Journey, Exploration or Trail?

This looks really interesting. http://trailfire.com/

“Trailfire enables you to discover the web through the expertise of others. Follow a trail and find what you need. Or share your own expertise by making a trail of web pages.”

It will be good to follow the learning of others through the creative journey that they have made. I wonder if we will be able to make the same connections?