1. TechLearn 2002
2. Top Ten Links on Learning Objects & SCORM
3. On a personal note...

TechLearn 2002

- This was fifth annual TechLearn, which is Elliott Masie's industry extravaganza, and the first since he sold the conference last year to Advanstar. Personally, I found it to be the best ever. All the right guru's, humor and fun, more good content than I could get to.

- Biggest themes were around e-learning strategy (tie to business goals and buying an LMS is not a strategy), learning objects, and standards.

- The vendors' arms race is finally over. Attendees at TechLearn are always given a small suitcase filled with freebies and toys provided by vendors. Years past had the suitcase overflowing with good stuff. This year the bag was so light I thought they mistakenly handed me an empty one. Normal product literature. T-shirt was highlight. Next year I think vendors should just stuff the suitcase with their financial statements -- now that would be interesting.

- Many vendor booths were unprofessional and completely undifferentiated. During the high traffic lunch hour, 1 out of 4 booths had "professionals" sitting down and eating their own lunch. I don't know about you, but if I'm a buyer roaming around looking for an LMS or some content, I'm not going to tap someone on the shoulder and wait for them to wipe the pasta off their chin to ask about their product.

Hey, I've worked plenty of expos and know that you get hungry and your feet get sore. My message to my own troops is, "suck it up!" Call me old school but when we work a booth we don't eat, drink or sit. We spot each other during slow times and look and act like we would during any normal first sales situation.

Too formal? Maybe, but in this down economy and dot bomb era my own firm's revenues and profits are up over 50%. Hey CEO's, do you even know who is in charge of your sales and marketing? Have you even discussed a Unique Selling Proposition?

Click here to get the official TechLearn trip report.

Click here for a detailed show review from Jay Cross.

Top Ten Links on Learning Objects & SCORM

I've tried to compile a list of resources for those who are interested in a broad overview to learning objects and the SCORM specification. These links are in order from newbie to advanced. The last link is a cool audio presentation from Wayne Hodgins.

1) A Primer on Learning Objects
2) (Learning) Objects of Desire
3) Do you really need reusability?
4) Where Have All the Legos Gone?
5) Being Objective (part 1)
6) Being Objective (part 2)
7) SCORM Odyssey
8) Making Sense of Learning Specifications (Masie)
9) Official SCORM Web Site
10 Hodgins "Learning Tech Standards" (Audio)

Finally, on a personal note...

One of my favorite things in life is talking to my four-year old daughter. At her age she's got enough verbal skills to have a good conversation, and her daily learning and curiousity is fun to watch.

Five minutes ago she walked into my home-office and asked, "Daddy, are bears nocturnal?"

Wow, that seems like a big word for her age (but I don't know any other 4-year olds so I'm not really sure). Surprised and tentatively proud I asked, "Do you know what nocturnal means?"

"Sure, it means animals that are awake at night and sleep in the day. I learned it on Stanley," she said, referring to a cartoon on TV.

And then it hit me. I don't know if bears are nocturnal or not. I think they are. But then what about the pictures and movies I've seen of bears catching salmon in rivers in the bright daylight? Are grizzlies different than black bears? What's a clueless father to do?

The 'net is always "on" in my house with my cable modem and wireless network, so in seconds I opened a browser and googled on "bears nocturnal" and found the answer. I know people who leave a dictionary laying out out in their house so they can look up definitions quickly as needed. With small kids in the house I guess I'll just be leaving my laptop out and around.

A sign of the times and the power of just-in-time learning on the Internet? Naah, just a four year old making her father smarter by the day.

          So are bears nocturnal? Click here to find out!

Here's to living and learning with a four year old (and two year old),

-- Kevin

Kevin Kruse is the e-learning columnist for CLO, Chief Learning Officer magazine, author of Technology-based Training (Jossey-Bass), and Principal with Kenexa. He can be reached at kkruse@e-learningguru.com.