Have you been reading more?

In May 2011, I wrote a blog post that discussed the importance of reading. In it I quoted the U.S. Labor Department, ”According to the U.S. Labor Department, business people who read at least seven business books per year earn over 230 percent more than people who read just one book per year.“ Well, I have certainly done my share of reading in the past year. I have tried to support my reading habit with book reviews in this blog.

Over the past year, I have written 12 book reviews spanning four major topics: Evernote, game design and gamification, leadership, and learning in a digital age.

Evernote

Evernote is one of those power tools that I am relying more and more on. These couple of books have helped me develop a strategy for using Evernote.

Evernote: The unofficial guide to capturing everything and getting things done.

Evernote: The Unofficial guide to capturing everything and getting things done Daniel Gold, the author of Evernote: The unofficial guide to capturing everything and getting things done, has managed to write a book that ties Evernote and Getting Things Done (GTD) together.

Evernote for Lawyers: A Guide to Getting Organized and Increasing Productivity Evernote is simple to use; there are countless ways to import information into Evernote but mastering its capabilities is keeping me occupied. Fortunately, I ran across a great book to help me tame this powerful tool. David Ward of The Attorney Marketing Center has written a book called Evernote for Lawyers: A Guide to Getting Organized & Increasing Productivity.

Gamification and Gaming

These couple of books have helped peel another layer of the onion back in terms of understanding gamification and game design.

A Theory of Fun for Game Design

A Theory of Fun for Game Design A Theory of Fun for Game Design is a deceptively educational book on the topic of fun and game design. Less on game design and more on fun.

The Gamification of Learning and Instruction

The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education Karl Kapp has just released his book, The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. Kapp explains the concept of gamification and why people play games, the research behind gamification, key gaming elements, how to apply game mechanics to problems and domains, and examples of games used in the real world.

Leadership

These two books have provided me with more insight into running an organization and getting things done while working with others.

Turn the Ship Around!	Turn the Ship Around! How to Create Leadership at Every Level Marquet became the commander of one of the worst submarines in the Navy. By using some rather unorthodox methods of leadership, at least by Navy standards, he was able to lead his men from worst to first in two years.
Six Thinking Hats	Six Thinking Hats The book focuses on a different method for conducting meetings.

Learning in a Digital Age

Finally, these books discuss the important of learning and the use of technology to learn. The majority of them point to the future where learning is a mobile device away.

10 Ways to Be a Better Learner	10 Ways to Be a Better Learner For a short quick read, this book provided a lot of great tips for being a better learner.
Mobile First	Mobile First Very simply, Wroblewski points out that mobile devices are being purchased at a staggering rate, outpacing computers and laptops, and users are increasingly using mobile devices to access the internet anytime and anywhere.
The mobile academy: mLearning for higher education	The mobile academy: mLearning for higher education If you are interested in background information on the next major wave to hit higher education, you may want to read The mobile academy: mLearning for higher education by Clark Quinn. Quinn does a solid job of walking a reader through all the key points necessary to adequately address issues revolving around mobile learning (mlearning) in a academic environment.
Social media for trainers: Techniques for enhancing and extending learning	Social media for trainers: Techniques for enhancing and extending learning Many trainers and educators are now examining or using social media tools to support their work in the classroom. When starting to learn about new tools, there is often a steep learning curve; you must not only learn how to use the features of the tool, but you must also figure out how to use it in an educational setting. Jane Bozarth’s book, Social media for trainers: Techniques for enhancing and extending learning, will help you get a jump start on the second problem… how to use the tools in an educational setting.
The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age	The Connected Educator – Learning and Leading in a Digital AgeThis book really spoke to me because it reinforces my thoughts on learning and professional development. The authors were quick to point out that we have entered an age where we can learning virtually anything, anywhere, and anytime. They also actively supported the ideas presented by Dewey and Lindeman — learning is a social activity.
Google+ for Business	Google+ for BusinessThe title is a little deceptive because I believe this book would be enlightening for everyone interested in how to get the most out of Google+.

 

What have you been reading? What recommendations do you have for me?

Book Review: The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education

If you are looking for a reference guide on gamification, then look no further. Karl Kapp has just released his book, The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. This book is a great guide on the topic, and is packed with examples of research on the subject.

In 336 pages and 14 chapters, Kapp explains the concept of gamification and why people play games, the research behind gamification, key gaming elements, how to apply game mechanics to problems and domains, and examples of games used in the real world.

Throughout the book, Kapp provides game examples and explains why each game is effective. He also frequently references other key leaders in the field of gaming and gamification.

In chapters one and two, Kapp defines gamification and outlines the key game elements. During last week’s technology bootcamp, Christi Boggs spoke on gamification in her classrooms. Boggs exclaimed that “Your class is already a game, just a badly designed one.” Kapp explains why individuals would voluntarily spend hundreds and thousands of hours in a game.

A player gets caught up in playing a game because the instant feedback and constant interaction are related to the challenge of the game, which is defined by the rules, which all work within the system to provoke an emotional reaction and, finally, result in a quantifiable outcome within an abstract version of a larger system. (Kapp, 2012, p. 9)

Kapp adds that the corporate world is recognizing the power of games in instruction, and we will increasingly see more corporations use games to improve their bottom line. He provided a number of great examples. Here are two that stood out:

• Military using games and crowd sourcing to solve Somalia pirate problem (Kapp, 2012). It is called a Massive multiplayer online war game leveraging the internet (MMOWGLI). http://portal.mmowgli.nps.edu/
• United Kingdom’s Department for Work and Pension  Idea Street – http://sparkdev.co.uk/showcase/show/idea-street

In chapters three and four, Kapp outlines various theories that help make gamification work. These theories include:

• ARCS Model
• Malone’s Theory of Intrinsically Motivating Instruction
• Lepper’s Instructional Design Principles for Intrinsic Motivation
• The Taxonomy of Intrinsic Motivation
• Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

These were followed up with discussion about important concepts such as:

• Distributed practice
• Scaffolding
• Episodic memory
• Cognitive apprenticeship
• Social learning theory
• Flow

One of the most powerful sections of the book was the chapter on research. Kapp detailed six different meta-analysis on gamification. Each of the key points was outlined, and after each meta-analysis was reviewed, Kapp summarized them around key elements such as reward structures, player motivation, avatars and player perspective.

Once the research and theory was out of the way, Kapp provided examples of how games were being used to make better doctors, solve problems, and engage learners. I, personally, invested in Nike+ and Zombies, Run! to help improve my fitness. These were both products referenced by Kapp. I have found both programs to be both fun and rewarding.

Kapp briefly discusses three different design strategies for incorporating game elements into learning. These strategies are ADDIE, Scrum, and a hybrid approach combining elements of the two. He does recommend researching these methods from other sources in order to fully implement the strategies. He also provides a useful list of items for a design document. Perhaps the most important tidbit of the book was to develop a paper prototype to determine if the game is worth pursuing before launching into full scale production. This advice applies even if you are planning a digital game.

In the last four chapters, Kapp looks at gaming from a gamer’s point of view, how the Defense Acquisition University uses games, and how augmented reality games can be used for corporate learning.

The bottom line is ”The theory indicates and research strongly supports the assertion that games can be both motivational and instructional” (Kapp, 2012, p. 266). If you want to learn more, start playing games.

I am very pleased with this book. It filled a number of gaps I had on the subject. Karl Kapp is a professor of instructional technology at Bloomsberg University of Pennsylvania. He has also written Winning E-Learning Proposals: the Art of Development and Delivery , Gadgets, Games and Gizmos for Learning and Learning in 3D: A New Dimension to Enterprise Learning and Collaboration.

If you are interest in gamification and games in the classroom, I would strongly recommend this book.

References

Kapp, K. M. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.

Will the games Nike+ plays help get me in shape?

Nike+ SportsBand

At the beginning of the month, I threw down some money and purchased a Nike+ SportsBand along with some new running shoes. I had been eyeing the Nike+ gear for some time, and since I need a new pair of running shoes, I thought what the heck. Although, I have only had it for a week, I am a fan. Let me tell you why. Nike has made running just a little more fun. They have gamified running.

Feedback

In a game environment, feedback is essential. Feedback is basically a response system that feeds information to a player to help them make valid decisions (Dignan, 2011). Nike+ succeeds through real-time and post-run feedback as well as online community feedback.

Nike has done a great job of providing me with feedback about my runs. While running, I can toggle through the displays on the SportsBand Link to see distance ran, pace, time, and calories burned. After the run is complete, I plug my SportsBand Link into my computer’s USB port, and my run information is automatically pushed to Nike+ where it is immediately displayed on the Nikeplus.com Website. The SportsBand can store up to 30 hours of run information.

On the Nike+ Website, I can visually see how well my run went along with the distance, time, pace, and calories burned. I can see the progress I have made towards my personal goals. Additionally, the Nike+ site tracks total miles ran and the overall pace. Nike also lets me record information about my run such as how I was feeling, the type of weather, and running surface.

Finally, the Nike+ Website reports out all my personal bests to include (so far): highest amount of calories burned in a  run, the furthest distance run, longest time running, fastest 1K, fastest 5K, and fastest mile. I am confident there are more bests to uncover, I am eager to see them.

By displaying my personal bests, Nike is encouraging me to continuously improve my performance for running faster, longer, and further. These records are considered measurement achievements. Measurement achievements take into account how well you completed something (Kapp, 2012). They are feedback mechanisms used to help individual improvement. Kapp adds that they demonstrate competence and are more closely tied to intrinsic motivation. Because it leverages intrinsic motivation, I am more likely to continue.

Achievements

Nike+ has a number of achievements weaved into their program. Some of the achievements are known entities while others are a surprise. For example, I earned the Double Shot achievement for working out twice in one day. There are others for unique events such as running on Halloween. Elliot Burford has cataloged some of the achievements. The known achievements are easier to predict. For example, I need only 17 more miles to reach my first level (50km). I also expect some type of visual display once I reach my first goal to run 24 times over the next six weeks.

As Kapp (2012) points out achievements or tasks should not be too easy or hard; individuals must believe they are able to achieve the goal. Each of the achievements and goals that Nike+ makes available increase in difficulty but they build on previous success and are always within grasp.

Social competition and encouragement

Prior to using Nike+, I would see runs Nike+ posts on Facebook and Twitter, and I personally thought this was a cool way for friends to share their journey. Because I need to get back in shape to even begin running in earnest, I am hesitant to post my runs publicly. In time, I expect that I will post some of my better runs and successes. In the meantime, I have invited some of my friends to join me on Nike+ where we can cheer each other on.

Nike+ has varying levels of permissions. You can let anyone see your profile, restrict it to friends, or restrict it to only your personal view. The same goes with any social media like Facebook and Twitter. You get to decide if you want to connect to these social media outlets, and when to make a posting.

Finally, as an added bit of encouragement, the Nike+ Website also lets you know where you stand in relation to others of the same gender and age as well as the entire Nike+ community. You get to see where you compare in terms of miles for the last 30 days, average daily distance, and average pace. Right now, I am behind the average daily distance and slightly behind on the average pace. I do expect to improve… I now have new goals to shoot for.

I am fascinated on how game mechanics can affect your motivation. I will let you know how it goes. But if you really want a running adventure, I suggest checking out Zombie, Run!

References

Dignan, A. (2011). Game frame: Using games as strategy for success. New York: Free Press.

Kapp, K. M. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction : game-based methods and strategies for training and education. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.

Great Organizations are Constantly Learning and Improving

I would like to challenge you this new year to learn something new to improve your craft and organization. Two often, we become comfortable with what has worked for us in the past, and we are hesitant to try something new. We are afraid of failing. We are afraid what others think of us when we try and fail.

Great organizations become great organizations because the learn and adapt to an ever changing environment. There are many organizations and programs that failed to adapt and as a result are now extinct. Here is a list of good stores that never adapted quickly enough. These stores failed because they were content to doing it the same way.

I am interested in education. I am interested in my personal education, informal education, corporate education, extension education, higher education, non-profit education, adult education, technology in education, etc. What is fascinating is the more I read about education and learning, and the more I am involved in education and learning, the more disconnection I am finding. Dewey, Lindeman, Knowles, and others have been admonishing educators for over 80 years that the lecture method is not the best method for instruction, yet, it is the most common method in our schools today. We need to listen to their advice and make changes.

There are three areas I would like you to look at when you look for something new to try: subject matter improvement, instruction methods improvement, technology implementation improvement. As an educator, these are the three areas I consider most important. Presently, I am looking at it from the vantage point of extension.  Here are some ideas you might want to consider:

• Stay abreast of changes in your field of study by subscribing to or creating a Paper.li newsletter. More.
• Reflect on what you learn using a blog or podcast.
• Improve support to your courses with performance support and job aids. More.
• Make your course more engaging by flipping your instruction. More.
• Use QR Codes to enrich your physical documents. More.
• Use tools like Evernote, Diigo, Zotero, and Dropbox to become more organized in your research. More.
• Read a book on improving your instruction.
• Read a book on implementing new technology.
• Teach a class in a way that you never have before.
• Let others know what you are reading and why. More.
• Keep an eye out for what others are doing well and benchmark the ideas. More.
• Add fun and engagement to your class through gamification. More.
• Improve your operations by creating a checklist. More.
• Make time for learning, attend a Webinar, read a book, explore a program, just do it.

One of the most frustrating things I face is when people dismiss something on heresay instead of investigating it for themselves. I challenge you to honestly explore new methods, techniques, and technologies for yourself before dismissing them, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Make a commitment to yourself this new year to go out and learn something new. Try something new in your classes, your students will appreciate it, especially if you are not lecturing.

Book Review: The Multiplayer Classroom

The Multiplayer Classroom

Recently, I finished reading The Multiplayer Classroom by Lee Sheldon. In this book, Sheldon shares his experiences of gamifying his classroom. Having been a game designer, Sheldon set out to test whether or not game mechanics could positively influence the classroom. This book details the lessons he learned and the processes he explored. In the book, he criticizes current education methods and highlights strategies for learning that he picked up as a game designer. I like what he has to say.

In the introduction, Sheldon points out that games handle mistakes different than classes. In games, individuals can repeatedly make mistakes until they learn and conquer the objective. In schools, students are typically given one chance and the result is permanently recorded. Because gamer can explore different strategies, gamers are willing to take risks because the consequences are insignificant. They spend more time trying to negotiate problems. Games also have an element of fun. Children naturally play until they enter the education system, then the fun is removed and children are challenged to act like adults. Education takes what is natural and forces participants to conform to a particular mold. Everything is standardized. We even have standardized tests… where is the creativity.

Sheldon has turned his classroom experience into a game. He begins by adjusting the terminology used in the class. Game terminology helps create the correct atmosphere such as defeating monsters (quizzes), crafting goods (writing papers), and completing quests (assignments). Students take on gaming roles, create avatars, and join guilds to negotiate the monsters and quests. As students progress through the quests, they earn rewards, achievements, and experience points. With experience points, “gamers” advance through levels. Each level becomes increasingly more difficult and challenging. Throughout the process, student experiences are being positively reinforced. As Sheldon points out, everyone starts with an “F” unless they complete enough quests. From that point, gamers play their way to an “A.”

This book has a number of case studies where other teachers and professors explain how they are using Sheldon’s strategies with success. In these case studies, a number of great ideas are explained and can be quickly adapted for any classroom. Sheldon does a great job of presenting his syllabi and explaining why he made certain curriculum decisions. Sheldon and the other instructors note two important benefits from this change in instruction; students are completing more work than traditional classes, and students demonstrated increased quality because they could choose quests where they were proficient. To achieve this success in the classroom, instructors will have to put in more effort because there are more products to be graded and more products to be created. Educators must create enough repeatable assignments and rewards to replicate the feeling in a online role-playing game.

If you have read about gamification and are looking for ideas for implementing a game-based strategy for your class, I would recommend reading this book. It is a quick read with a myriad of ideas. But understand, this is not about using games in the classroom, it is about turning your classroom into a game.

References

Sheldon, L. (2011). The multiplayer classroom: Designing coursework as a game. Boston  Mass.: Course Technology  Cengage Learning.

Are we too serious? Should we play more games?

Let's start playing more games.

I just finished reading a fascinating book as part of our elearning guild book club. The book was Reality is Broken:Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal.

McGonigal believes that our world be a lot better if we would just lighten up and make life more playful. She uses countless examples as she explains 14 points why games are more enjoyable than reality. She also presents examples how to gamify reality to make work, well…, fun.

I personally think she is right. I am involved in a number of social media games that add enjoyment to a rather routine day. I will comment on my game playing further after I highlight some of the things a learned from reading Reality is Broken. McGonigal points out that

• We enjoy playing games because we voluntarily elect to take on obstacles. We also enjoy the challenge of hard work.
• Games such as World of Warcraft provide meaningful work with clear goals and tasks to help achieve those goals. WoW helps us feel productive because we can see immediate feedback in terms of experience points and accumulation of resources.
• One of the most important lessons from the book is that games teach us how to deal with failure. With each failed attempt, we learn; and therefore improve. The more we participate, the better we get; and the better we get, the less the activity is challenging. We therefore continue to seek more challenges.
• Games are a great opportunity to mentor others. We are happy when we see others such as family and friends succeed. We are also joyful when are able to mentor and therefore benefit from another individual’s success.
• Gamers enjoy contributing to the big picture whether it is to defeat the big boss or to add to the collective knowledge of the system. For example, Halowiki has 1,000 different sections created by players. WoW gamers created a Wikipedia scale equivalent in two months compared to eight years.
• By the age of 21, the average individual has spent 10,000 hours playing video games. This is equivalent to being an expert. 10,000 hours is equivalent to going to school from 5-12 and not missing a day. The difference is gamers focus on getting better during their time because they are fully engaged as opposed to just attending school.

I really resonated with chapter 3, which focused primarily on the game of World of Warcraft, and how the the game strategies keep individuals hooked into the game. I wrote about this previously in The Flow Experience of WoW.

Our schools tend to have it backwards and can learn a lot from game designers. Schools are approaching learning in an unmotivating approach. Everything is an obstacle. Failures count against you rather than help learning. Everyone has to do the same work. None of it is voluntary. Quest to Learn is school designed with game theory in mind.

I have recently discovered with my new Android Thunderbolt that going mobile adds a new level of fun. I am now able to take advantage of my phones features to play some of my favorite games while mobile.

Here are some games I am involved with:

World of Warcraft. This is my favorite game, the one I use to escape for a couple hours each week. However, I do not play in solitary, I actually meet friends I have never met in person, well, at least not until recently. You can catch me on the Sisters of Elune realm, I amTubarks.

Geocaching. Geocaching is one of two geolocating games I play. Geocaching is a treasure hunt that is global. “There are 1,454,423 active geocaches and over 5 million geocachers worldwide” (geocaching.com). It is a great opportunity to get out and visit place you would not normally visit. I am disappointed to realize that I have not played in a long while. Here is my profile nonetheless.

Foursquare. Foursquare is the other geolocating game I play. “By “checking in” via a smartphone app or SMS, users share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges” (Foursquare.com). Here is my virtual scoreboard.

Chorewars. My wife and I started a game of chorewars, and it has been surprisingly fun. The basic idea is to make a game out of household chores.  For each chore you do, you get experience points and virtual rewards. Because of an overly energetic day that my wife had yesterday, she is now kicking my butt.

+1 Me. Plus one me is a program where you can reward others on 37 different attributes. You can send +1 attributes whether or not they are on the plusoneme system. The results can be displayed on a blog or other social media page. As the site says, it is gold stars for adults.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe McGonigal is right that reality is broken, and we can do simple things to make life more fun. As she noted in her book, gamers tend to be more collaborative and helpful. My martial arts instructor encouraged me to surround myself with positive people and jettison the people who drag you down. I would like to add, surround yourself with gamers and have more fun.

What do you think?

One door of opportunity leads to another…

Cognitive Dissonance guild

Yesterday was a day of mixed emotions. It was a day when words where put into action. While emotions are mixed, I am confident it will work out for the best.

A couple of weeks ago, members of our small World of Warcraft guild, Azeroth Training Society, felt it was time to move on to bigger pastures. Our group formed around a research project on how to leverage WoW to learn strategies for training and leadership. I had great fun working with this dedicated group of training professionals. Together, we learned a lot along the way. Unfortunately, our guild did not grow as we had hoped. Now it feels like the breaking up of a band. We expect to find each other in game to occasionally play but I expect that to diminish with time as we settle into our new guilds.

Yesterday, I was fortunate to join another guild, Cognitive Dissonance. This guild is a group of educators exploring the concept of MMORPGs and their relationship to education. They actively develop lesson and curriculum to help teach concepts in the classroom using WoW. They are actively using game theory to teach; something I am interested in. I am fortunate to be allowed to join this guild. You can learn more about their pursuits by reading The WoW Factor.

Because of this guild, I was afforded another opportunity. While spending a couple of moments at lunch playing WoW, I noticed the guild message of the day: “COG DIS! Check out http://3dgamelab.org.mmoguildsites.com/ for an awesome summer PD experience!” I have been exploring the idea of gamifying a class for a couple of months. Suddenly, because of a new door opening, this opportunity drops into my lap. I plan to take advantage of it.

If you are an educator and interested in leveraging WoW, check out the Cognitive Dissonance guild. Also feel free to drop a note, I would love to discuss it with you. Or you can catch me on the Sisters of Elune realm, I am Tubarks.

May issue of Geeks and Speaks is out

Geeks and Speaks

Here is the May 2011 issue of Geeks and Speaks, the monthly newsletter which highlights the great finds of the previous month. This issue introduces two new learning guide: Foursquare and Poll Everywhere. It also provides some great ideas relating to instruction, blogging, Foursquare, and Twitter. It also highlights the Rapid E-Learning Blog.

You can find your copy of Geeks and Speaks at http://www.uwyo.edu/cessupport/support/shownewsletter.asp?letterid=3441

If you are looking for past issues, you can find them at http://www.uwyo.edu/cessupport/Learning_Support/Geeks_and_Speaks.html

An if you would like to subscribe for a future issue, go to http://www.uwyo.edu/cessupport/support/emailsignup2.asp

Keep on learning!

What is on the Horizon… report?

The 2011 Horizon Report from the New Media Consortium Horizon Project is on the street, and like usual, I am not disappointed. Each year, I look forward to reading their report to get a glimpse of trending topics. Each year, they seem to be right on the mark. This year is no different.

The report focuses on six trending topics that are expected to be adopted in the following time frames: one year or less, two to three years, and four to five years. Here is a run down of this report’s topics:

• One year or less
  • Electronic books
  • Mobiles
• Two to three years
  • Augmented reality
  • Game-based learning
• Four to five years
  • Gesture-based computing
  • Learning Analytics

When the team put together this report, they also highlighted a couple of items worth noting. They noted that people are expecting to be able to learn from wherever they are with whatever device they have. They also noted that more individuals are using cloud-based computing to help them accomplish tasks in work, pleasure, and learning. Personally, this is where I am going with my computing. Increasingly, I am using my phone and iPad to accomplish tasks I would normally carry out on my computer.  I am also subscribing to more cloud-based technologies such as Diigo, Evernote, Dropbox, and Zotero. The authors noted that a transition to a more mobile, cloud-based system would have growing pains among administrators and faculty. Hoping to be a leader in the use of technology, the Horizon Project is setting an example with its Horizon Project Navigator.

“The Horizon Project Navigator is a dynamic social media platform that allows users to fully exploit the Horizon Project’s extensive collection of relevant articles, research, and projects related to emerging technology and its applications worldwide. Users can contribute new information, add their own commentary and analysis, configure and save custom searches, and rate anything in the dataset.”

The work of the team can be viewed on the Horizon Report Wiki. Here is what resonated with me.

Electronic Books

More and more people are purchasing electronic books or ebooks. Amazon reported they were selling more ebooks compared to traditional books at a margin close to two to one. Personally, I have increased the number of ebooks I have purchased, this is in large part due to owning an iPad. Ebook publishers are not only converting books into digital replicas but they are also extending books with audio, video, and links. Expect this trend to continue. The report notes ebooks are more popular with the general population compared to those in academia. Fortunately, book purchasers have an option in more and more cases; I can typically choose between an ebook and a traditional book. The authors also mention programs like Flipboard, which transform regular RSS or Twitter feeds and converts them into magazine type viewing. Scholarly journals are continuing to move to digital formats. Personally, I am a strong advocate for having a digital option for books and journals. Here are a few links noted in the report worth reviewing:

• Page2Pub – “Page2Pub is a pair of applications that collect content from the web and reformats the content for publication across a wide range of medias.”
• Horizon Report 2011 Delicious: Bookmarks
• What publishers can and should learn from “The Elements”
• Yes, People Still Read, but Now It’s Social
• The Future of the Book

Mobiles

In the Horizon Report, the authors pointed out that more people are now using mobile devices as their primary tools to access the Internet. I am finding myself grabbing my iPad as I settle in for the evening. I typically scour my Facebook, e-mail, and Twitter feeds as I watch television. More and more faculty are also engaging students through mobile devices by using programs like Twitter and Polleverywhere. I found one example of mobile usage to be particularly interesting.

At Abilene Christian University, attendees at a recent performance of Othello were asked not to turn their phones off during the performance, but instead to use them to receive messages throughout the performance. Cast members behind the scenes sent messages to clarify Shakespearean language, share scene summaries, and interact with the audience through a live blog.

Here are some links for additional information:

• Horizon Report 2011 Delicious: Mobiles
• Global mobile statistics 2011
• Pew Internet Research Report: Mobile Access 2010

Augmented Reality

“Augmented reality (AR) refers to the addition of a computer-assisted contextual layer of information over the real world, creating a reality that is enhanced or augmented.” The authors describe two types of AR methods; using a visual representation, and geo-locating. At the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, we are exploring the idea of QR codes to help tie the physical world to the virtual world. I also participate inFoursquare, which is a mobile game that relies on geo-location. Here is one nice example of AR mentioned in the report:

The Museum of London, for example, released a free iPhone app called StreetMuseum that uses GPS positioning and geo-tagging to allow users as they travel around the city of London to view information and 3D historical images overlaid on contemporary buildings and sites.

Interested in augmented reality, then check out these links:

• Augmented Reality, Blogs and Geo-Tagging to Connect Students with their Environment Abroad
• Horizon Report 2011 Delicious: Augmented Reality

Game-based Learning

I was happy to see the game-based learning section in this report. As the authors point out, games can range from paper-and-pencil to massively multiplayer online games. Once a week, I join my guildmates on World of Warcraft as we learn how to use WoW to support training. This research project was started by a couple of ASTD friends. If you are interested, please check out our guild, Azeroth Training Society. Research on games have identified principles which can be leveraged in support of education and learning.

Here are a few links with additional information:

• Horizon Report 2011 Delicious: Game-based Learning
• DICE 2010: “Design Outside the Box” Presentation
• Jane McGonigal: Gaming can make a better world

These last two sections are just beginning to appear.

Gesture-based Computing

Basically, this focuses on interface options other than a keyboard and mouse. My only experience with gesture-based computing is with the new Kinect for the Xbox; it does take a little time to learn how to use it. I believe this type of computing will be able to help a lot of people with different disabilities. Here are some links with more information:

• MudPad
• Horizon Report 2011 Delicious: Gesture-based Computing

Learning Analytics

Last but not least, the Horizon Project took a look at learning analytics. I personally think this is an area that needs a lot of attention. Students are falling through the cracks unnecessarily because we have not developed a system which will identify negative trends in a student’s performance in real time. The authors point out that there is research and product development in systems that would send an alert when a trigger was activated. Better analytics can also be used to improve courses. Metrics were important when I was in the Air Force, they seem to be less so since I have been out.

Here is the last set of links to visit:

• Scribd Stats
• 7 Things You Should Know About Analytics (PDF)
• Horizon Report 2011 Delicious: Learning Analytics
• What Are Learning Analytics?

I hope you are as pleased with the list as I am. I told you a little bit about how these topics relate to me. How do they relate to you? Is there anything on the list that excites you?