Things you find on the intertubes

Last night I asked a question on twitter about what the best tool would be to replace my delicious account. I'm one of those people that gets all worried once rhumours start circulating that a service will be ended and so I've been trying to make sure I find a replacement social bookmarking tool for a few days.

At the same time, I'm growing increasingly frustrated with having accounts floating around the internet that mean that I have to remember a string of login details and none of them talk to each other. So at the risk of putting all my eggs in one basket (but I think it's a pretty safe basket), I'm trying out Google Bookmarks. Having used for for all of about half an hour at this point, I'm a little disappointed at the 'social' aspect of the bookmarking, but hopefully I find it easier with time and they also invest some better development in the function.

In the coming months I'm also going to be designing and launching some online learning with a community of adults in Australia and as part of this project I'm really hoping to include as many information sharing tools that are easy to learn and use as possible. Fingers crossed Google Bookmarks makes the cut and I don't have to bombard the learners with yet another login process.

An avid twitterer in my field directed me to this article outlining 9 more alternatives to delicious that I think I will take a look at. Given I'm already using evernote on my phone, and I'd like to combine the note taking, image capturing and bookmarking functions all in one, I'm thinking that and diigo might be a shoe-in. (sidenote: ask Yahoo! Answers what the alternatives to delicious are and you'll get a hilarious result)

The New Social Learning

I read this book a couple of weeks ago in about two days. Straight up, that's a win. If you can make a business-related book easy enough to read so that people can knock it over quickly, you're on a good thing.

I think maybe I was the wrong audience for the majority of the chapters, as I'm already convinced that creating learner-controlled, technology-enabled learning that seamlessly interacts with information sharing and daily business function is the way to go.

That said, I did really enjoy the layout of the book - each chapter deals with a different aspect of addressing social media for business and corporate learning contexts. Starting with the basics of the arguments for social media at work and then moving to more detailed sections on how to approach change management and implementation, this book could be picked up by any manager and provide convincing arguments for embracing social media. I particularly enjoyed the section at the end of every chapter that provides hints on how to address objections from others.

In case you're interested in what others had to say about the book, you can read about it here, here, here and here. The authors have also cleverly created a web presence for the book including additional information, here.

It's practical, quick, straight-forward and relevant - all things that people looking to convince others about the benefits of social learning and social media need to make clear.

If that was enough to convince you, go buy a copy (if you're in Australia though, book-o it first, just to make sure you're getting the best deal).

holiday tunes



an innovative approach to gingerbread house construction. Thanks Sara.


just like the kids over at fbi radio, i'm doing my darndest to avoid the regular carols re-released by every washed up 80s star and his dog. the tunes (via some rad blogs) i'm cross-posting are filling my ears and making me smile and there isn't a poorly mixed synth or mis-pronounciation of Israel to be heard (is it just me or does everyone cringe when singers choose either iz-rai-YEL or iz-RAY-yell?)

First up, local boy Tommy has posted some beautiful hot-day tunes to fall asleep in the heat to. Hopefully summer realises it's being incredibly tardy and arrives before Santa.

Like them or lump them, the hipster categorisers at Two Thousand have blessed us with a beautiful mix, again for the chill times after lunch and just before the food coma hits.

Sunsets crew Stolen Records on aforementioned fbi radio are also mixing some rather unexpected, energy filled ditties. Probably listen to this only if you won't be feeling delicate or are easily offended or will be hanging with family members from the war-time era.

I'm a big fan of fuel/friends, and Deer Tick, AND the Black Dirt Sessions, so this post was obviously a winnah.

The boys in Cleveland could have run things a bit better this year, but they have been posting some lovely collaborations nonetheless. This one's for a certain friend who keeps trying to convert me to the joys of LCD Soundsystem discipleship. And someone else who despite extolling the wonders of Jay-Z doesn't own any albums. Yet.



things that have caught my eye lately. just in case you're interested, clockwise from top left (just like in the mags): Banky's work for christmas, vegan gingerbread decoration fail, seitan is my motor chocolate spritz biscuits, latest work from David Walker, crazy post-catwalk hair, Martha's stylists shaming the rest of us for our deocation skillz

My paper for AVETRA 2011

So now that I don't have to worry about that potentially disastrous December 3 deadline for The Thesis, I've had time to try to get my research out there in the wider research community. Either I'm a glutton for punishment or am still in denial about enjoying the researcher aspect of my life.

Loosely linked to the scholarship that NCVER awarded me at the beginning of the year, AVETRA have accepted my abstract to present in the peer-reviewed section of their annual conference in 2011! I'm excited about being able to present (albeit in a very compact format) the findings of my research to practitioners and researchers in the field in Australia. Also, the idea of being published is super exciting!

On top of that, NCVER will publish an occasional paper on my research later next year as part of the aforementioned scholarship. It's right about here that I start freaking out a little about the fact that I have to write and produce a document that reads like all those articles I referenced in my thesis this year. eep!

To give you an idea of what I'll be producing over the summer, I've pasted a condensed version of my thesis abstract below. Would love to hear your comments, questions, constructive criticisms etc. and I'll keep you posted on the progress.

An examination of the e-learning experiences of young professionals

This research centres around two main questions. The first examines the current experience of Generation Y with e-learning at work. The second asks what are key elements of e-learning as identified by this group that contribute to successful e-learning experiences. Current literature examines e-learning from learning and technology design, as well as the way e-learning fits within different organizations or industry contexts, but little research has been conducted in Australia on how e-learning can be better used for the emerging generation in the workforce, Gen Y. The project was conducted using a basic interpretive qualitative methodology. Methods used were a web-based survey, semi-structured face-to-face interviews and artefact analysis.


Key findings from the research include three overarching themes that are key in ensuring a positive experience with e-learning for Gen Y employees. These are flexible options, a positive attitude toward learning with technology and applicability of the content to the employees’ immediate context. Other findings included the high number of e-learning courses completed soon after starting work with a new employer and that the majority of participants had completed more than one e-learning course. Overall, most participants in the research identified e-learning as a valuable element in their overall professional development and had a positive attitude toward it.

Implications from the findings include a need for clear communication via policy or internal organizational campaign so that employees understand the reasons for e-learning in their context. E-learning needs to remain dynamic and designers should seek to increase the level of interactivity, customization and control given to learners, particularly young professionals. Moreover, content previously not considered appropriate to be delivered via e-learning should be reassessed in order to avoid a stereotype of e-learning courses developing that only includes compliance based programs.

Twit



I know the avid readership of this space will be stoked to know that I'm now follow-able on Twitter. You can hear me rant and RT stuff I love @sophiebcarter.

Who knows if I'll be able to keep up the pace of micro-blogging, it may very possibly be a total fad, but that's up to old Mr Time, is it not? In the meantime, it's a pretty fun experiment.

hibernation

My thesis has been holding me hostage for the past little while. I'm not alone. A quick search on facebook tells me there's a group titled 'my thesis is killing me and my social life'.

But in less than 100 hours, in less than a week, in just a few days that will all be behind me and I will be free to go places that don't have powerpoints, resume other projects and work on my domination of the world of preserves. oh, and re-write my thesis for publication.

Even though there's still leg work to be done, I've realised that the whole process was that much more painful because I had never experienced anything like it. I've never taken on such an ambitious project by myself with a clear end goal and the very real risk that I might not reach that goal. The whinging and the stress and confusion have all come from a general feeling of uncertainty about what the appropriate way to deal with an Honours year is. I'm fairly sure everyone who has had to put up with my extreme levels of stress recently would probably laugh if I told them this to their faces.

Ironically, the thesis topic touches on the perception of Gen Y as team players and a group of people who thrive in collaborative settings where they constantly receive feedback. When I began this year, I foolishly laughed at the stereotype, prancing around like I was so far above any of those characteristics simply because I was researching them. I think this is possibly the biggest rookie qualitative researcher error I could have made.

For all the pain, now that the finish line is in sight, I think I can already see the benefit of spending 12 months working on what is essentially an independent project with a sponsor expecting a measurable result in the end. Definitely I know there are things I would have approached differently if I could do it over (like not working full time, not having to change supervisors half-way through). I also know that I'm so glad I actually made it to the end. Finally.