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There is no doubt that the internet has had a dramatic effect on how people digest data and information. However, the vastness of the the internet has also brought concerns of so called information overload, as noted by Weinberger (2011, p. 6). I sit here writing with this the T.V. on in the background, my phone besides my computer and Firefox with multiple tabs open. But as Weinberger (2011) describes, information overload is nothing knew, instead the recent outcry concerning how we interact with data can be summarized as a filtering problem (p. 10).
The evolution of the internet into the Web 2.0 is in part an attempt to tackle this issue. According to O'Reilly (2005) several of the core competencies of Web 2.0 sites focus on how data is structured and how it is interacted with by users. The rich user environments of Web 2.0 are now the norm for many people and can provide enormous benefits to leaders in all sectors. One such Web 2.0 service is Udutu, a website that is a learning management service but also can help with eLearning course development.
So what does that actually mean?
Now that computers are so common place and integral into peoples lives, there has been a steady shift in moving towards electronic learning/training, not only in education career fields, but also in military and private workplaces. I know in my experience in the Air Force, computer based training (CBT) has become ubiquitous. Similarly, Creighton's online Ed.D. program (of which this blog post is for) and other online college programs have demonstrated that eLearning is not something that is going to go away. Most large companies can afford to invest in proprietary development of both eLearning courseware as well as a way to deploy (send out to employees/trainees) and manage/monitor that courseware. However, for smaller scaled businesses it might not make since to develop a proprietary solution, which is where Udutu comes in.
Udutu provides a learning management service (LMS) that can scale from small to large companies but still provides a way to develop and deploy eLearning courses. Of course the content isn't limited strictly to courseware. Instead leaders could also use Udutu to send out update to policy or vision statements. Providing a more interactive why to spread a message than just e-mail, while still having the tracking in-place to ensure complete dissemination. The other major service that Udutu provides is assistance in the actual creation of eLearning courses, with several predefined templates. Udutu is fully SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) compliant, the standard for eLearning courses. This means that courses already developed can be used in Udutu's LMS and likewise any courses created using Udutu's tools can fit into a companies preexisting LMS. This flexibility can be extremely useful when an established company is attempting to move to a new service such as Udutu, ensuring that they don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Udutu's toolset and services seem to scale easily as claimed which I see as helpful for the main target audience of a site like Udutu. Additionally, the ability to use templates or a preexisting PowerPoint presentation as starting point for courses makes getting started much less daunting, especially if there in a significant time crunch. In addition to the actual courses, a major factor in determining how effective eLearning will be is based off on the LMS user interface (no trainee is going to want to spend time with a broken or confusing user interface as it can be quite frustrating). Unfortunately, without purchasing the full services offered by Udutu, I feel like a cannot make a complete judgement on how intuitive the Udutu LMS user interface is from a user perspective.
Even with the benefits of eLearning courses and LMSs, services such as Udutu do have downsides. The biggest challenge for companies is ensuring that the training being provided lends itself to an online or computer environment. A great example of this is an Air Force training course called Self Aid and Buddy Care, which focuses on how to treat battlefield wounds. While there are some strictly academic parts in a course on first aid, a majority of training is going to be much more effective if it is provided in a hands on environment. Therefore, the Air Force has a baseline course in an eLearning environment, followed by hands on training. Leaders cognizant of limitations of eLearning environments are going to also be able to better use computer based training to the maximum extent possible successfully.
References
O'Reilly, T. (2005, September 30). What is Web 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html?page=1
Weinberger, D. (2011). Too big to know: Rethinking knowledge now that the facts aren't the facts, experts are everywhere, and the smartest person in the room is the room. New York, NY: Basic Books.
The evolution of the internet into the Web 2.0 is in part an attempt to tackle this issue. According to O'Reilly (2005) several of the core competencies of Web 2.0 sites focus on how data is structured and how it is interacted with by users. The rich user environments of Web 2.0 are now the norm for many people and can provide enormous benefits to leaders in all sectors. One such Web 2.0 service is Udutu, a website that is a learning management service but also can help with eLearning course development.
So what does that actually mean?
Now that computers are so common place and integral into peoples lives, there has been a steady shift in moving towards electronic learning/training, not only in education career fields, but also in military and private workplaces. I know in my experience in the Air Force, computer based training (CBT) has become ubiquitous. Similarly, Creighton's online Ed.D. program (of which this blog post is for) and other online college programs have demonstrated that eLearning is not something that is going to go away. Most large companies can afford to invest in proprietary development of both eLearning courseware as well as a way to deploy (send out to employees/trainees) and manage/monitor that courseware. However, for smaller scaled businesses it might not make since to develop a proprietary solution, which is where Udutu comes in.
Udutu provides a learning management service (LMS) that can scale from small to large companies but still provides a way to develop and deploy eLearning courses. Of course the content isn't limited strictly to courseware. Instead leaders could also use Udutu to send out update to policy or vision statements. Providing a more interactive why to spread a message than just e-mail, while still having the tracking in-place to ensure complete dissemination. The other major service that Udutu provides is assistance in the actual creation of eLearning courses, with several predefined templates. Udutu is fully SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) compliant, the standard for eLearning courses. This means that courses already developed can be used in Udutu's LMS and likewise any courses created using Udutu's tools can fit into a companies preexisting LMS. This flexibility can be extremely useful when an established company is attempting to move to a new service such as Udutu, ensuring that they don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Udutu's toolset and services seem to scale easily as claimed which I see as helpful for the main target audience of a site like Udutu. Additionally, the ability to use templates or a preexisting PowerPoint presentation as starting point for courses makes getting started much less daunting, especially if there in a significant time crunch. In addition to the actual courses, a major factor in determining how effective eLearning will be is based off on the LMS user interface (no trainee is going to want to spend time with a broken or confusing user interface as it can be quite frustrating). Unfortunately, without purchasing the full services offered by Udutu, I feel like a cannot make a complete judgement on how intuitive the Udutu LMS user interface is from a user perspective.
Even with the benefits of eLearning courses and LMSs, services such as Udutu do have downsides. The biggest challenge for companies is ensuring that the training being provided lends itself to an online or computer environment. A great example of this is an Air Force training course called Self Aid and Buddy Care, which focuses on how to treat battlefield wounds. While there are some strictly academic parts in a course on first aid, a majority of training is going to be much more effective if it is provided in a hands on environment. Therefore, the Air Force has a baseline course in an eLearning environment, followed by hands on training. Leaders cognizant of limitations of eLearning environments are going to also be able to better use computer based training to the maximum extent possible successfully.
References
O'Reilly, T. (2005, September 30). What is Web 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html?page=1
Weinberger, D. (2011). Too big to know: Rethinking knowledge now that the facts aren't the facts, experts are everywhere, and the smartest person in the room is the room. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Nice review, Christopher. Udutu certainly seems to fill a niche - it has hung at around the same rank for 8 years now on the Top Tools list. I like your concept of using it to both develop and disseminate policy...that is a clever idea, particularly if the team is geographically dispersed.
ReplyDeleteChristopher, thank you for your review. I am a huge proponent of online learning and reviewed a related, though not exactly the same, tool (Lynda) this week. Ubutu is more the environment to deliver e-learning, while Lynda provides specific content online.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comments on the downsides and agree. The content has to lend itself to the delivery mechanism. Further to this point, I am wondering what your thoughts are on the individual's learning style as relates to the delivery mechanism. If we accept that students have different ideal ways to learn, while the trend, as I believe it does, continues to reinforce online learning for accessibility and cost reasons, will leaders/organizations ultimately be doing a disservice to large segments of the population (Haynie, 2014)?
I consider cases where the content does not fully lend itself (as in your example and say another, scuba diving), as well as the student not being predisposed toward success in the environment. Do you believe there is a way for online learning to ultimately accommodate everyone? Even as a believer in e-learning tools, I find myself pausing on these questions.
References
Haynie, D. (2014, February 17). Consider your learning style before signing up for an online course. U.S. News. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2014/02/17/consider-your-learning-style-before-signing-up-for-an-online-course
Julie
Christopher,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post this week. I enjoyed learning about Udutu as I have never known about this program until your post. Technology has allowed for software programs to be built that teach individuals new skills and information. At my job, we use a different software to provide webinars for our health centers given the fact that the health centers are located throughout the entire state of Nebraska. Nebraska is a large state making in-person trainings difficult based upon the time needed to travel to each location in addition to then providing the training. It would be an inefficient use of our precious nonprofit money.
In your opinion, do you think eLearning environments will change in the near future? In other words, do you think eLearning itself will mold into a different form? My thought immediately goes to virtual reality as a possibility. Eoghan Quigley (2016) argues that virtual reality may be a likely eLearning possibility is due the immersion participants would get along with the environment and physical movements participants would experience.
I look forward to your thoughts.
Keshia
Christopher,
ReplyDeleteNice post! My professional focus has been on large-scale learning management systems designed for universities. As I started to read your review, I wondered why an organization would choose Udutu instead of Moodle or Sakai. Your explanation of Udutu’s small business niche market answered that question and more. Ubutu's pre-defined courses are a plus, with common business topics like compliance, business solutions, and health & safety (http://www.udutu.com/pre-designed-courses/). As you noted, businesses can use pre-defined courses, create their own courses, or take advantage of Udutu’s course development service. Even with an extra cost for services, your review shows that Ubutu’s model provides flexibility that can accommodate a range of business needs and resources. Thank you for sharing this information, it was very helpful.
CatOnKB