Is "E-learning" a Goner?
Given the time it takes to produce a paper-based magazine, my current article in the new CLO, Chief Learning Officer seems a bit dated. It includes my thoughts and reaction (written two months ago) to Jay Cross's blog statement that, "E-learning is dead." Jay is one of my favorites and as usual, he provoked me, forced me to think through challenging issues, and has left me filled with self-doubt...

E-learning is dead. Could it be true? Have the three daggers of learner malaise, buyer disenchantment and vendor finances finally brought down the industry? What's going on here?

Read my article "What's In a Name" at:
http://www.clomedia.com

New Portal: Training Watch

"You don't have time to real all the elearning journals, magazines, newsletters, and Web sites. That's what Training Watch is for."

From the home page of Training Watch, a new portal launched by David Tai. Great design packed with functionality, and will get stronger with community. Go on over and sign up at http://trainingwatch.com/.

New Ed Tech Organization: SANTEC

The South African Network for Educational Technology and e-Learning is NOT just for South Africans. Its goal is to provide a network of practitioners who can rally around sustainable projects for developing countries.

When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.
- Ethiopian proverb.

Sign-up, watch or participate at http://www.santecnetwork.org/index.html
Note: When you sign up your in-box will likely get flooded with e-mail from 21 separate interest groups (they really need a digest version) -- you'll need to send them a note to turn off these messages or create rules in your in-box to auto-forward them to a new folder.

More comments on learning objects...

Lots of reader mail in response to last issue's Let's Get Small article by John Talanca.

Denis Parisien:

I fully understand and agree with what you are saying. It always goes back to knowing your audience doesn't it? For the general public we know that small and to the point will hit the spot, otherwise read the book, right? I believe that it goes the same for the majority of corporate training requirements.

Edward Prentice III, Centrax:

A powerful and often overlooked advantage of shorter courses surfaces when users learn something quickly and successfully apply that knowledge on the job. The student then realizes the benefits of e-learning and will advocate it to their associates.

We've produced many TrainingByte courses, see the sample on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by clicking below:
http://www.trainingbytes.com/ct_demo/default.htm

Also, special thanks editor and proof reader Kimberly Moen at www.writersroad.com for letting me know I had a typo in my previous issue of Guru and for all of you unnamed others who have been helping me to fix bugs and other issues.

Do you have colleagues interested in quick reference design and e-learning? Please forward this e-mail!

Here's to living, learning and spinning webs one strand at a time,
-- 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.
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