In tandem with the E-Learning Symposium, MicroAssist will present a series of workshops on E-Learning Project Management, Rapid E-Learning, and Push-Pull Visual Thinking Methods. Each workshop provides additional targeted skills that you can take back to your office and use immediately! Registration for the workshops is separate from the E-Learning Symposium, and registration to the symposium is not mandatory to attend the workshops. With the exception of David Anderson’s free workshop, a separate $195 fee is required for each session, and all workshops will be held at Trevisio Conference Center.

Visual Thinking 101: Using Push and Pull Visual Thinking Methods
Allison Crow, M. Ed. – Founder, Crow Hill Conversations
Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Why Visual Thinking? Join Allison for a workshop on the value of using visuals to clarify ideas, ignite inspiration and ambidextrous thinking, to tell stories, and to capture attention and emotion for enhanced learning. Pick up the pen and start learning to get visual thoughts on paper. Learn the Visual Thinking Alphabet and other shortcuts to doodling well, as well as methods to launch your graphic note taking/presenting skills. Students will also discuss application and using visuals in social sharing online.

Students are encouraged to bring their iPad, favorite stylus (Allison recommends the BOXWAVE or POGO), and the Notes+ app, but an iPad is by no means required!

Simple Secrets to Becoming an E-Learning Pro

David Anderson – Community Manager, Articulate
Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Today’s tools are making it easier than ever to build E-Learning courses because they don’t require any programming. This presents many opportunities, but the reality is that there are also many challenges. On top of that, many E-Learning developers work with limited budgets and resources.

Is it possible to build good courses with these constraints? In this workshop, you’ll learn practical tips for getting the most of out the resources you have to build engaging and interactive E-Learning courses.

You’ll learn to:

• Design good courses with the resources at hand
• Create the look and feel that matches your course’s content
• Apply rapid instructional design models to quickly build effective and interactive E-Learning

This workshop is designed for those new to E-Learning, those wishing to enhance their E-Learning design methodology, and those who have inquiring minds about E-Learning techniques!

Visual Thinking 102: Using Push and Pull Visual Thinking Methods
Allison Crow, M. Ed. – Founder, Crow Hill Conversations
Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Allison’s second session will teach students to engage their audience with graphics, how to begin taking sketch notes, and how to create a visual template. Students will also cover the Push method of presenting content and Pull visual thinking methods to engage audiences.

Students are encouraged to bring their iPad, favorite stylus (Allison recommends the BOXWAVE or POGO), and the Notes+ app, but an iPad is by no means required!

Planning and Managing an E-Learning Project
MicroAssist E-Learning Team
Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

The success of your E-Learning initiative begins and ends with project management. E-Learning projects are more complex to manage than traditional learning projects because they involve technology and training. There’s more risk, more time constraints, more budget pressures, and more failures in communication.

Our E-Learning Project Management Workshop will show you an adaptive and agile methodology for E-Learning projects that will help you prevent common pitfalls in an E-Learning project. Topics covered include

• Project charter and definition
• Creating communication and agreement between all stakeholders and resources
• Creating a high accountability blueprint
• Risk management: how to know when trouble is imminent

This workshop will be taught by MicroAssist’s E-Learning Group. The MicroAssist E-Learning Group has over ten years of real world experience working with clients to create effective E-Learning projects.

Design of Virtual Worlds Learning Programs
Anders Gronstedt – President, Gronstedt Group
Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 8:30 – 11:30 AM

The new breed of Web-savvy, socially-networked learners entering the work place have little patience for the traditional doldrums of the 2-D Web. They want to be engaged, in control, and part of the storyline. Forward-looking companies and government agencies like IBM and Avaya, the City of New York and the U.S. Army are turbo-charging workplace performance with learning programs that focus on doing, simulating, socializing, playing, sharing, and collaborating through the use of immersive and traversable 3-D virtual worlds.

Join us for a unique workshop designed to learn about the benefits and drawbacks of virtual worlds and develop the design of your own immersive learning program. We will go “in-world,” to a leading virtual world facility and learn how to develop programs to recruit onboard, network, inspire, teach, coach, mentor, and engage your talent.

Virtual worlds provide a compelling environment for a new approach to training and education. Immersing course participants in a shared 3-D environment designed in accordance with the learning content and the affordances of VOIP, chat, and other interactive features boosts the level of engagement and transfer of skills, knowledge, and group commitment. Participants learn how to redefine and energize internal communications with the sprawling, vibrant 3-D worlds of online interactive environments turning the learning experience into an exciting goal-driven adventure with character-rich, game-based simulations.

The workshop will take participants through the design principles of virtual worlds, feature case studies and discuss the various new browser-based virtual worlds platform options.