New Book! Michael Allen's Guide to e-Learning (Sell My Book, Buy This Book, Get Six-pack)

Dr. Michael Allen is of course an e-learning Uber-Guru. He's most well known for being the primary architect and founder of Authorware, and was a lead designer on the original PLATO system used around the world. Today he is the CEO of Allen Interactions which cranks out some of the best custom training on the planet.

This book is now the single best title available on the design and development of e-learning. It's a must have for instructional designers, project managers and others interested in good design, learner motivation, successive approximation, interactivity and the user interface.

"Hey, Kevin, don't YOU have a book out on the same topics? I already have yours, do I really need another?"

Good questions. Yes, my book Technology-based Training, does cover a lot of the same the material. But you know, what? Michael Allen's book is a lot better than mine. I was a young pup when I wrote mine so I did the oh-so-serious, trying-to-sound-smart style and the classic ISD stuff. BORING! Allen reveals all his secrets and techniques in a really fun style.

If you already have my book, here's what you do. Go sell it used on Amazon (it will get about $28). Then buy Michael Allen's new book for $21, and take the $7 left over and get a six pack of beer. Enjoy!

Read Excerpt (PDF)
Buy and details at:http://www.amazon.com

MIT's OpenCourseWare Initiative -- I Just Don't Get It

Hey, maybe it's just me, but I just don't see what's so great about MIT's OpenCourseWare initiative. I mean, I really want to like it. I have a lot of mission around the idea of spreading free education and training to those less fortunate around the world.

By way of background: MIT raised $11 million to fund the initiative to put the entire curriculum online (almost 2000 courses). Items include course outlines, lecture notes, reading lists, lab assignments and quizzes.

With 500 courses now online, the hype has reached a fever pitch. In Wired magazine's current article, MIT Everywhere, we learn that 100's of students in less developed locales like Vietnam, Pakistan, Iran, (and of course Nashville and Kansas City) are improving their skills and supplementing their traditional college education. And from MIT's own web site we see enthusiastic statements like:

• "...Ethiopian refugees living in Kenya who will benefit greatly..."
• "...one of the most exciting applications of the Internet to date."
• "...restores my faith in the dignity and nobility of humanity."
• "...MIT OCW is the 8th Wonder of the World."

So I visited the 8th Wonder of the World and checked out its most popular course, 24.00 Philosophy...

Read the rest of my rant at:
http://www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art_misc_3.htm

"I groan every time I see a solution for elearning based on low pricing..." writes Jack Pierce

In my last issue I mentioned a new $99 toolkit to aid those who want to create e-learning in HTML. I received this note from Jack Pierce of Learn. Perform. Succeed! LLC:

Like your newsletter. To the point and topical. But I groan every time I see a solution for elearning based on low pricing. And I groan at straight HTML solutions, too... All solutions depend on the specific circumstances for which they are designed...

Jack, I get a lot of mail from small businesses, universities and people in less developed countries (e.g., Egypt, India, Vietnam, Thailand, even Afghanistan!) who ask about low-cost ways to begin developing e-learning programs. I have a soft spot for these groups so when I see the low cost stuff I tend to cover it.

But you raise a very good point. To think a low cost tool enables effective e-learning is no more true than thinking that a copy of MS-Word enables me to become a great novelist. And in fact I think it's true that generally speaking the quality and effectiveness of e-learning does tend to correlate with it's expense. Simulations are often more effective than tell-and-test tutorials, but usually much pricier.

Hey, have you told anybody about the e-Learning Guru site and ezine recently? Please forward this e-mail and build our community.

Here's to living and learning with Michael Allen,
-- 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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