Where do you feel the eLearning Industry is going in the short term? Long term? How is this going to affect the development of courseware? Is everything going so mobile that all courses are going to be presented on cell phones? Only kidding - I hope! You get the idea - please post your comments here , including any interesting links.

It's that time of year again, a time to reflect on trends past and future. Sparked by Tom King's comparison of authoring tools I thought I'd take a fresh look at what Google Trends can tell us about e-learning and the wider training industry. There is a seemingly endless debate over how to spell the name of what we do. Are we "e-learning" or "elearning" or "eLearning"? Google Trends ...

In the spirit of predictions in learning technologies for 2008, I came across this list of Top 10 Wireless Trends for the New Year. This list is below, but I would also recommend reading the article to understand more of what they mean: 1. Wireless networks will remain the domain of wireless operators. 2. The first Android ( Google's mobile platform) phones hit the market. 3. Cameraphones will get even fancier. 4. Mobile phone ads will come to a cell phone screen near you. 5. WiMax will become available. 6. Openness will continue to dominate the wireless lexicon.

I'm working through all the incredible events that are offered through Corporate Learning Trends and Innovations 2008 site. I'm surprised there are so few members currently, considering it will run from Nov. 17th until the 21st. "Join us to explore new developments, track emerging opportunities, network with other learning pioneers, and deal with topics you don't find at the conferences you have to travel to. Come online the week of November 17 for a different kind of conference experience. Mark your calendar now. The event is free . Events are live and online. Hook up with ...

Learning Trends eLearning 2.0 LMS Web 2.0 Enterprise 2.0 Personal Learning Informal Learning ... eLearning Trends 2007 and 2008 : eLearning Technology ... of the bigger eLearning Trends were. I told him about eLearning 2.0 and the move to DIY. But I also promised to point him to some of my posts that I thought would help him get a handle on the most important eLearning Trends going on today: eLearning Trend #1 - eLearning 2.0 - see What is eLearning 2.0? and eLearning 1.0 vs. 2.0 eLearning Trend ...

2 seemingly conflicting trends. Trend 1) Build performance support tools. Short how-tos / reference materials at the point of need. These tools aren't "instructional" per-se. Help when you need it. Trend 2) Build instructional tools ... these 2 trends are not mutually exclusive. That one can build an instructional strategy that incorporates the best of the 2 worlds. I know that my professional environment wants me to focus on trend 1. Essentially, becoming an online ... those resources are kept. I know that my natural leaning is to build trend 2 - particularly for the residents.

Just a quick reminder that LearnTrends - Corporate Learning Trends and Innovations - starts on Monday. There is a ning group for it: LearnTrends Ning Community . You can find the Schedule of Sessions . Be careful that all times are Pacific Time. And Ning's time converter does not work. There will be some interesting discussions going on in the Ning group based on the presentations. To get into the live sessions go here: Live Session Learning Trends 2008 - Online - Free ...

I've been reading a few posts on 2008 predictions. Stephen Downes wrote a post that critiqued and graded several of the 2007 predictions. It was an interesting read, but I found myself agreeing with some of the concerns Karl Kapp raised about the whole grading activity...especially the portion of grading your own prediction. Stephen gave himself an A-; however, his "prediction" on the trend of video continuing in popularity is very much of the "more of the same" prediction that he criticizes other people for. Also, since the personal learning environment didn't happen (which he ...

In speaking with a recently acquired colleague (I think I'm going to start elearning trading cards) we were discussing how difficult for us "experts" (if we can loosely call ourselves that) it is to keep up with all the new web tools, elearning trends, latest software, best techniques, etc. I know for myself I'm constantly trying to keep up-to-date on what is the latest and greatest, but it is all coming so fast it's hard to keep up with. Recently someone on Twitter I ... as if one or two colleagues have a really good handle on some new trend and I let them run with it, but go to them ...

... information about what learning delivery methods were being used and particularly if they were trending up or down. The way ... it effectively judges the trend - not necessarily the amount. So here's the graph showing all of the trending ... eLearning 2008 ), I took a bit of heat, but looking at the trends - Games down! So are simulations and virtual labs. Any ... predict those trends at the beginning of the year. I would have been wrong. Corporate Training Methods But what about in corporate training? What are the trends for methods in corporate learning? How do they possibly differ ...

Most folks have probably already seen the latest unveiling of the new iPhone (cheaper and faster). For those who haven't, you can read the article here . The new iPhone promises to address the #1 concern of the previous model (namely the speed of the network...currently locked down by AT&T). In addition, Jobs also rolled out a handful of new applications for the iPhone (from improved wireless computing to music making software). Of particular note is that Jobs has a vision to compete with the market leading Blackberry in business use. While this could certainly be considered a BHAG ...

In my previous post , I had a link to the Mixed Reality Lab in Singapore. One of their projects is on building Internet Pajamas . To me, this is sort of creepy...but I love how it shows the realm of the possible in the field of mixed reality. Description from the MXR website... Internet Pajama is a novel wearable system aimed at promoting physical interaction in remote communication between parent and child. This system enables parent and child to hug one another through a novel hugging interface device and a wearable, hug reproducing jacket connected through the Internet. The hugging ...

To be honest...Eye-Fi isn't actually meant to replace WiFi, but rather complement it. Here's a description of Eye-Fi from Fortune : What the Eye-Fi does is automatically stream photos from your digital camera via your Wi-Fi network to your PC or an online photo service. What the Eye-Fi team has done essentially is wrap a service around a common flash memory card and a low-power Wi-Fi chip from Atheros (ATHR). It's these lower power Wi-Fi chips that are extremely interesting, when you start thinking about other services they enable. These "other services" are nothing earth-shattering, but ...

I came across an interesting link completely by accident today. My wife left an article up on the computer and I started reading about Secret Learning (i.e. individuals who go back to school and don't tell their employers...some don't even tell their family). While I wasn't very interested in that article, I clicked around and found that MSN has an entire section dedicated to Lifelong Learning . It has a lot of different resources and articles for those interested in going back to school, and it also lists many "top" (i.e. paid advertising) online programs. I've always considered ...

I just returned from a vacation to the Outer Banks, which was very relaxing. The house we rented did not have any Internet connection, so I was a bit "unplugged". I did have my Blackberry, but only had a minimal signal. There were a few things I realized while on the vacation. Every so often, it is very good to go on vacation where you do not check Internet /Blackberry/cell phones/etc. I believe this "technology vacation" should just be work related, because there were times that I wish I had more technology to have a better vacation. For example, we sat in traffic for way too long ...

Here is an article describing what a CEO from a marketing company envisions Web 3.0 will be. It will be interesting to see how the next phase of the Internet really does take shape and how the learning community can (hopefully) capitalize early on in the evolution. For other insights into what Web 3.0 means, take a look at the Wikipedia entry for Web 3.0 (ahhh...the irony of checking Web 2.0 technology to see what Web 3.0 might be like. I think that is part of the issue, until someone sees Web 3.0 in action, it's difficult to pinpoint for the broader community).

George Siemens , Jay Cross and Tony Karrer have organized the second annual free online conference: Corporate Learning: Trends and Innovation 2008 November 17 - 21, 2008 | Online | Free Last year's conference had two thousand people from all over the world take part in the week-long conference. This year the conference has an incredible set of speakers and lots of opportunities to discuss the issues. Speakers and topics include: Alvaro Fernandez: Brain Fitness for Peak Health and Performance Dave Gray: Visual Literacy, Learning Innovation Kevin Wheeler: The Future ...

... bigger eLearning Trends were. I told him about eLearning 2.0 and the move to DIY. But I also promised to point him to some of my posts that I thought would help him get a handle on the most important eLearning Trends going on today: eLearning Trend #1 - eLearning 2.0 - see What is eLearning 2.0? and eLearning 1.0 vs. 2.0 eLearning Trend #2 - Virtual Environments - see Second Life and Learning eLearning Trend #3 - Open Source and Free Tools eLearning Trend #4 ... Web 2.0 Tools for Personal Learning eLearning Trend #5 - Course and Courseware Fading - The Future of ...

Don't forget the Corporate Learning Trends and Innovations online conference begins on Monday.  The conference is hosted by Tony Karrer, Jay Cross and George Siemens. I'm on first (Monday at 4pm GMT - that's 8 am Pacific) with my presentation of the 25 FREE Tools every learning professional should have in their toolbox and then participating in a Tools discussion (on Tuesday at 4 pm GMT) with Tony and Robin Good. Join us! Find out more at the website - and also join the community where you can have discussions with all the hosts and presenters.

Learning Trends eLearning 2.0 LMS Web 2.0 Enterprise 2.0 Personal Learning Informal Learning ... , 2008 Training Method Trends : eLearning Technology ... information about what learning delivery methods were being used and particularly if they were trending up or down. The ... it effectively judges the trend - not necessarily the amount. So heres the graph showing all of the trending ... eLearning 2008 ), I took a bit of heat, but looking at the trends - Games down! So are simulations and virtual labs.

U.S. Army increasingly using custom iPods as field translators Instead of carrying around a relatively bulky PDA or notebook, the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division has for a year been using 260 iPods and iPod nanos modified to run a special app from Vcom 3D known as Vcommunicator Mobile. Training Method Trends - eLearning Technology Learning delivery methods being used in organizations and if they are now trending up or down (modality changes). The chart shows that the most significant decline was in mobile learning; however, as the above news story on the Army's use of ...

... advertise in games, but I think their success may trigger a trend of increased advertising in games.

I'm noticing a major cultural shift occuring in my health care organization. Doctors, in general, tend to be very independent creatures. They work the way they want to work. More functional departments work together, but still stay within their own little specialty fiefdoms. "We're different" is the cry I have heard with every single Electronic Medical Record implementation and change management project I've been on since I started doing this 5 years ago. The walls are breaking down. Why now? I suspect the docs see the advantage to seeing each other's notes. Reduced duplicate tests, a ...

George Siemens is organizing an online conference on corporate learning. The conference will begin on 15 November and last untill the 20 November 2007. Looking forward to it. The conference wiki is already in progress.

As a sponsor, I am totally biased, but I predict this will be a kick-ass event and suggest you mark you calendar now. Give us your e-mail address to receive info on Corporate Learning Trends and Innovations 2008!

Google Trends is quite interesting to play around with to see how different search terms have been used within Google. For example, I looked at eLearning as compared with Knowledge Management... You can see that eLearning and Knowledge Management have both been trending downward in searches. Does that imply something as is suggested in: Organic KM: KM Is Losing Steam - Evidence From "The Database Of Intentions" ? I'm not so sure that you can directly jump to the ... heard at conferences over the last few years. Keywords: eLearning Trends ...

In one of final presentations as Microsoft chairman, Gates indicated that one of the biggest bets they are making is that People will increasingly interact with computers using speech or touch screens rather than keyboards - see USA Today article . There are certainly advantages to that bet (one of the primary ones being the speed at which people will be able to interact with computers). I think the 5 year timeline may be pushing it. This concept is not new, yet mainstream use has still not been realized...but I guess if you have a couple billion dollars to throw at R&D you could ...

I've never been convinced of a mailing company's encouraging words that I can track my order online. It is true that you can see when the package goes from one distribution point to another, but the tracking number would be useless if the package was actually lost or fell of the truck en route. That's all about to change...soon you will be able to put a paper-thin GPS device in your mail to really help track your package. The USPS is experimenting with the technology to find bottlenecks and delays in the system, but the article does also highlight the potential of being able to track every ...

It's getting harder to come across people who still read their local news paper (or watch the local news for that matter). Especially in cities (like D.C.), I think reading local events is more of an exception rather than the rule. Well if your local paper doesn't have RSS feeds or anything like that, you can just wait for a few more years until " EveryBlock " makes it to your neighborhood. EveryBlock tauts itself as a one stop shop for everything related to your neighborhood in order to enable you to keep track of what is happening. Really, it's just an extension of RSS feeds, but it's ...

The Consumer Electronics Show ( CES ) is going on in Las Vegas this week. Since it is closed to the general public, I have to resort to living vicariously through journalists and bloggers who are fortunate enough to attend the event. CNN is sending a host of journalists to cover the show. They have several articles that are worth a read. One article covers Bill Gate's last speech at CES as the CEO of Microsoft. In it, he talks about the future of the Xbox platform, voice recognition in phones, the future of data storage and collaboration in the Internet Age, and the future of TV ( ...