Learning 2.0 – created through the new online social networking and a multitude of the latest in Web technologies – offers learners new ways to learn that reach over traditional learning boundaries.
Podcasts, vidcasts and webcasts are just three of the new tools available to make learning more accessible to today’s busy working professional. Web sites such as flickr, slide, shutterfly and slideshow are also major contributors.
Podcasts, Vidcasts and Webcasts
Podcasts are recorded digital files distributed over the net using syndication feeds for playback on a computer or on a portable media player such as an MP3 or iPod.
Just about any type of content can be recorded to podcasts including medical, computer and technology, math and science types of training. The limits to recording how-to’s to podcasts are limited only by the human imagination. Generally, podcasts files are three to 15 minutes in length so breaking the topic down into multiple podcasts works best.
Video casting (oftentimes called vidcasts or vodcasts) is the online delivery of a video-on-demand video clip. As with the podcasts, the learner can download and watch the video at their convenience from their home or work computer. Techniques can be videotaped as they are demonstrated by an instructor or teacher. All types of classroom presentations can be videotaped and then put online for learners to access at a later time.
Webcasts can either be live or recorded. They are described by wikipeida.com as “essentially webcasting is “broadcasting” over the Internet.” The instructor or presenter is located in an office or classroom in one location while the webcasters are located in their offices in other locations. When live webcasting, learners log on to a specific web site at a designated time and call in to a telephone conferencing system so that the learners can talk to others in the webcast or to the presenter. The presenter will feed the presentation or the lesson to each learner’s computer so that everyone is seeing the same thing at the same time.
For those who cannot join the live webcasts, the session is most often recorded during the live presentation and then made available for others to download at their convenience.
Flickr, shutterly, slide, slideshow
Many conference presenters are more than willing to accommodate those who cannot attend a conference or workshop session by putting their PowerPoint slide show presentations online so that they can be viewed or printed at a later time.
Flickr, shutterfly, slide and Slideshow are four of the most used web sites used to upload workshop or conference slide shows or photos. Most of the services available on these sites are free to both the presenter or instructor or the learners.
New Learning
Companies large and small can all use these technologies to help keep their employees informed and up-to-date with their professional development. Elementary, middle schools and high schools as well as higher education can all benefit from using these technologies to develop and distribute learning.
The modern learner is busy with work, family, community and all of the other trappings of daily life. They want to continue to learn but want it when they can get to it. As learners get more accustomed to the Learning 2.0, they demand more training using the associated technologies.
Working and the world in general has changed and will continue to change. Learning has to also change to keep pace with learners.
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