Collaborative Training Technologies

DIMDIM
The company I work for recently purchased a new automated staff information system. The staff is located in six regional offices. We need to implement training in these six regional offices and the teams cannot meet at the same time or in the same location.
As an instructional designer for the corporation, I have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. I have been advised that it is imperative that all staff members share information utilizing....
screen captures, documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.
As I researched Distance Learning tools I needed to consider several factors, such as cost, ease of use, future need with regard to utilization of the tools and supportive infrastructure at the various office locations.
My research, course objectives, and learner needs have led me to the following Distance Learning tools.

For on-going collaboration and connection I have chosen dimdim.com.
http://www.dimdim.com/

Dimdim is a product which allows for sharing of documents,sharing of screen, a white board and live web conferencing. This product is...

Free for up to 50 participants at a time
Easy to log into and use
Provides the collaboration and doc sharing tools we need

In this weeks resources the multi media files were very helpful. DimDIm would fall under the category of Discussion Tools. It allows the participants/learners to collaborate, share documents and even share their screen shots as needed. The key feature for use in this scenario is the web conferencing feature.


As DIMDIM allows for hosting meetings on the fly, I will also be able to set up different teams from the various locations and they can utilize their own DIMDIM conferencing to complete discussions or projects as needed. This will allow the teams to schedule their discussion meeting sot best suite their individual schedules.

This product is web based, however a downloaded is needed, so I will need to consider the technical capabilities at each office and IT Support. As all software has recently been upgraded and IT is fully staffed there should not be an issue. A trial program will be run to ensure all technology glitches are worked out.

I use this product fairly consistently with my clients and find it user friendly, and certainly cost effective.

SCREEN SHOTS

I will also provide the participants with the instructions for capturing screen shots for Mac.

http://guides.macrumors.com/Taking_Screenshots_in_Mac_OS_X

This site provides a quick easy read on taking screen shots

When it comes to sharing documents via a web conference screen shots are helpful visuals to have. As the team works through the training modules for the new automated system they will be able to take screen shots and provide that much need visual demonstration to other team members. With DIMDIM we can also utilize video and audio clips as needed.

Many Sites such as Microsoft.com, Apple.com and even Waldenu.edu have utilized screen shots as stand alone tools as well as incorporated into video clips for demonstration and tutorials.

These are the two DL technologies I will use and why...They are proven effective. There are many things to consider when given an IDT challenge. In our reading resources this week The Masie Center (2002) Defines 5 areas of e-learning standards that we need to be aware of to move this learning apply when designing any e-learning. Form a web meeting to a full blown on-line learning course. All are learning and collaborative events and need to be treated as such.

I find these five areas very important when considering how to approach this particular training challenge and challenges in the future...

Interoperability- Does/will the system work well with other systems we have in place or are planning to put in place?

Re-Usability - Will designed modules be re-used. It is costly to develop course objects, so we must ensure that they are indeed re-usable.

Manageable - Does/can the systems track learner and content information. If not it will be difficult to determine the previous two points. We must be able to track, as a means of formative evaluation throughout design, delivery, measurement and re-design as needed.

Accessibility - Are the tools and strategies being implemented user friendly and supported by our current data infrastructure?

Durability - Will we be able to utilize these tools and technology in the future? Is it designed to support evolution to the next technological generation?


References:

Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education
Chapter 9, "Internet-Based Distance Education"

Multimedia Program: "The Technology of Distance Education"

edu2.0
http://www.edu20.org

Ectolearn
http://www.ectolearning.com/default.aspx

http://www.apple.com/mac/

http://www.dimdim.com/