****************************************************
WAVELENGTH – The ID Newsletter of India – March 2006
****************************************************

Hello Friends,

Welcome to this issue of Wavelength.

March brings spring; spring brings a message from summer.
The message is, "I am not far behind!" Those who can
read between the lines, enjoy the spring by smelling the
flowers and looking at the fresh, green leaves; while
those who can't, continue to pore over their monitors,
bleary eyed, robot-like, dreaming of freedom. Can you
read between the lines? If you can, fire a print; jog
over to the printer, swoop upon your copy of Wavelength
before someone else spots it; and disappear to
materialize outside your office building.

How do you feel now?

Great? Good! Let's continue then.

This month we shall spend some time unraveling the
mystery behind the almost certain discomfort of the
outsourcing process through the article,
"Outsourcing Instructional Design: Bane to Boon!"
This article begins by presenting both sides of the
story and then analyzes what lies behind the scenes.
It then uses this analysis to build two lists, which
contain tips for ensuring a happier outsourcing
experience.

February was probably the busiest month in Wavelength's
existence! We were working on assignments, building two
new courses, and shifting the corporate office to a new
location. Here's a short news bulletin to bring you upto
date.

1. Wavelength has shifted. We now have our corporate
office at Link House, 2nd Floor, Sector 10,
Noida-201301, India.

2. Wavelength launches a new ActionScript course to
cater to the industry requirement of ActionScript 2.0
and Object-Oriented Programming. The new course is
titled "ActionScript 2.0 with Object-Oriented
Programming Concepts (AS2OOP) Certificate Course".
You can review details of this course at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript2_oop_details.htm

3. The refreshingly innovative and invigorating
Effective Professional Communication in English (EPCEC)
course from Wavelength started on February 26, 2006.
The next group of this course is scheduled to begin
classes on March 24, 2006. You can read the details
of this course at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/english_communication_certificate.htm.

4. The next IDCWC group begins classes on March 12, 2006,
while the next ASDC group sets sail on March 26th, 2006.
Following are the links:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_details.htm
(for the IDCWC course.)
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_certificate.htm
(for the ASDC course.)

5. Here are the much-awaited FREE workshops from Wavelength!
And yes, they are both in March!
a. If you are smitten by the programming bug, register
now for the FREE ActionScript Orientation Workshop
being held on March 12, 2006 by clicking on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_workshop3.htm
b. If you would like to come for the Instructional
Design Orientation workshop being held on
March 26, 2006, click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idorworkshop7.htm to register.

Well, that's all for the updates. Let's now begin the
wonderful quest of learning once again!

Thanks and Warm Regards,
Shafali R. Anand

(Editor & Publisher, Wavelength)

******************
Table of contents
******************

From the Editor's Desk
Mystery of the Month
ID Section
Technology Section
Media Section
Site of the Month
Views
Surge Ahead
Laugh-a-little
Innoken Games
Signing Off...

---------------------------------------------------
EVENTS CALENDAR for March 2006:
--------------------------------------------------
1. The Third FREE ActionScript Orientation Workshop is
being conducted on March 12, 2006. Click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_workshop3.htm
to register.

2. The ActionScript 2.0 with Object-Oriented Programming
Concepts (AS2OOP) course begins on March 25, 2006.
Registrations are now open for this course group. Click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript2_oop_details.htm

3. Wavelength's next course group for the Instructional
Design & Content Writing Certificate (IDCWC) course
begins on March 12, 2005. Registrations are on for this
group. Click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_details.htm

4. Classes for the next Flash ActionScript Developer
Certificate (ASDC) course group begin on March 26, 2006.
Registrations on for this group. Click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_certificate.htm

5. The next group of Effective Professional Communication
in English Certificate (EPCEC) course begins on
March 24, 2006. Click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/english_communication_certificate.htm

6. Classes for the Object-Oriented Design in
ActionScript 2.0 Certificate (OODAC) course begin on
March 25, 2006. Registrations are now open for this
course group. Click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/oodac_details.htm

7. The Seventh FREE Instructional Design Workshop is
being conducted on March 26, 2006. Click on
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idorworkshop7.htm
to register.

***********************
From the Editor's Desk
***********************

http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/editorial.htm

***********************
Mystery of the Month
***********************
The mystery of March features one of the most exhausting
drills that an eLearning professional ever faces. It
reviews the process of outsourcing instructional design.
The current practice in the industry is to equate
content writing with instructional design, and anybody
who has the ability to write is a potential freelance
instructional designer. This results in instructional
design outsourcing becoming a game of chance!

Yet, outsourcing provides both the outsourcer and the
freelance instructional designer an opportunity to
create value. The outsourcer engages the freelance ID
to reduce costs or harness external capability, while
the freelance ID is able to utilize available time in
a more fruitful manner. In this scenario, the best we
can do is, analyze the outsourcing process, as it
exists in the industry today and determine how the
process can be made painless, even pleasant.

Click on http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/outsourcing_id.htm
to read the Wavelength article on this subject.

**********
ID Section
**********

-------------------
ID Concepts
--------------------

1. The area of applied psychology that interests us most
is that of educational psychology. "A Brief History" at
http://www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_cas.psy/Career_Paths/Educational/Career04.htm
will provide you an insight into the development of
this discipline.

2. A lot of information about the human mind can be
found on this page. Click on http://www.solbaram.org/articles/humind.html
to read the article "How the Human Brain Developed and
How the Human Mind Works" by Manfred Davidmann, which
discusses the evolution of human brain, the different
frequencies that the human mind works at, the different
states of mind, the different memory types and so on.

------------------------------
Language & Culture
------------------------------
1. If you are creating content for the youth of America,
this site will give you a strong footing in the quicksand
of American popular culture. To us, the popular culture
of America is a mix of the cultures of 90s, 80s, even of
70s at times. The movies that we watch on HBO or Star
Movies are usually a mix of old and new; the serials that
we view follow the same pattern; all this ensures that
the image of the American popular culture in our minds is
a medley of old and new. Check out
http://www.wsu.edu/~amerstu/pop/tvrguide.html, which will
introduce you to the concept of popular culture by listing
its various forms and issues, and provide links to various
sites that will help you with much more updated information.

2. Those who are interested in the history of American
popular culture can visit the link
http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decades.html, which links to
pages that provide details of American popular
culture decade-wise.

-----------------------
Writing Style
-----------------------

1. While writing scientific content it becomes almost
essential to ensure that your writing is clear and
precise. "Technical Writing" by Ronald B. Standler at
http://www.rbs0.com/tw.htm is an article that will help
steer your writing in the correct direction. I
particularly like the "use of numbers in sentences" and
"equations in text" sections. I hope you will find this
article useful.

2. At http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/etc/writing-style.html
you will find the article "Writing Technical Articles",
which you will find useful if you are frequently engaged
in authoring technical articles. "The paper structure"
section provides guidelines that can be used while
writing any short essay based on research. The
"Bibliography" section consolidates a short dos-and-don'ts
list, which is quite impressive.

3. If you ever find yourself creating content related
to religion, remember to check out
http://www-relg-studies.scu.edu/facstaff/murphy/courses/style-sheet.htm.
It's always best to tread cautiously and not commit
errors while working with content of religious nature.
This link guides you through five different sections,
which include formatting, adding notes, the language
and grammar to be used, and standard abbreviations.
Of course, some of the guidelines listed here are of
general use too.

4. This is probably one of the best language learning
resources on the Internet. Click on
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html
to access Jack Lynch's "Guide to Grammar and Style."

*******************************
Technology Section
*******************************

------------------------------------------------------
Learning Content Creation Technologies
------------------------------------------------------
1. "Tomorrow's programmers, tools and e-learning" by
Eric Wilson is a simple article that pulls our
attention towards the inevitable. The next
generation eLearning programmers would probably not
think in terms of code at all! The software programmers
will make sure that they take care of all the
programming leaving the eLearning technologist with the
sophistication of macro-design! The other point that
this article
(http://www.smh.com.au/news/In-Training/Tomorrows-programmers-tools-and-elearning/2005/01/18/1105810874510.html?from=moreStories)
makes is that the technology that is used for gaming
sets directions for eLearning.

2. "Working with Classes" at http://www.informit.com/guides/content.asp?g=flash&seqNum=136
may interest you if you are just beginning to work with
classes and are befuddled by them! This short essay will
orient you to the concept of classes.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Learning Content Management Technologies
--------------------------------------------------------------

1. If you've worked on accessible courses, you must've
wondered why accessibility is such a big deal. The
article "Accessibility: What You Should Know"
By Jennifer J. Salopek at http://www.learningcircuits.org/2001/oct2001/salopek.html,
is an excellent primer to put you in the right frame of
mind while working on eLearning course material. It will
make you feel happy and proud to be working on courses
that will have a wider reach.

******************
Media Section
******************

Welcome to the media section. I hope the instructional
designers and the programmers who subscribe to this
newsletter share this section with their graphic
designer friends. If you haven't so far, please do
so soon! There are myriad beautiful links embedded in
here. Even if the intellect of an instructional
designer and the logic of the programmer may not
find them awe-inspiring, the creativity of a graphic
designer will! Trust me on this:)

-----------------
Art Concepts
-----------------

If you've worked on courses that require you to create
contemporary settings of different eras, or if you
love to dig into the past of everything, trying to
figure out where its roots are; you should save
the link http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/splash.htm to
your favorites. This site is a fantastic collection of
art-related information, which is classified on
chronological as well as regional basis. Happy surfing!

----------------------------------
Graphic Design Concepts
----------------------------------

The article "Multimedia Design 2-Graphic Design"
provides an overview of the concepts that you should
keep in mind while doing graphic design. What I like
most about this page is that it also provides some
"example links", which are fantastic! Click on
http://www.multimediacreative.com.au/articles/graphicdesign.htm
to read this article.

---------------------
For Flash Fans:
---------------------

Ferry Halim's portfolio at http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/
is the most fantastic, fresh, and fabulous collection of
little Flash games on the net. His graphics are so pretty
and sweet, his animations are programmed to be so smooth,
and the music is heavenly; I don't think there's
anything about this site that I don't like. I am
confident that you will enjoy it as much as I do (yes,
I am a frequent visitor to this site:-)

---------------------------
For Photoshop Pros:
---------------------------

If you are an artist, Photoshop is probably the best
assistant you can get for your money! Check out
Nene Thomas' tutorial at http://www.nenethomas.com/Tutorial2GreenCloth.shtml
for two reasons:

1. To learn how to paint fabric in Photoshop, and
2. To marvel at what powers Photoshop can endow an artist
with.

Don't forget to check Nene Thomas' gallery at http://www.nenethomas.com/Portfoliomain.shtml,
where you can see how his other works were created.

-----------------
For 3d Dons:
-----------------
http://www.3dtotal.com/home2/gallery/gallery.asp?cat=fantasy
is a group portfolio of 3d art touched up in Photoshop.
Check it out. I loved "The Princess and her Bodyguard"
by Zubuyer Kaolin-This fantastic image is created
using 3ds Max 7 and Photoshop! Wow!

******************
Site of the Month
******************

1, 2, 3, 4...count up to 10, and that shall be the name
of the site of the month for March 2006!
UptoTen, UptoTen...yes! That's it! The Site of the Month
for March is http://www.uptoten.com/

I love this site, I love Boowa and Kwala, and I think
that this site is different! It's not just a site for
kids, but it's a site for all those who love innocence,
simplicity, and clarity. Here are my reasons for liking
this site; I wonder, what are going to be yours.

1. The pre-loader catches your attention with its stark
play of colors. The innocence of children is reflected in
everything they love, even the colors. The vibrant colors
and the strong strokes help build an immediate connection
with children.

2. The site loads in a green that looks vibrant because
it's complemented with blues, reds, yellows, and deep
purples.

3. A deeper look will reveal that the characters and
the objects displayed on the homepage represent the
complete world. The Strawberry with the flowers
represents the plant kingdom; Kwala and Boowa, the
animal kingdom; and the kid represents the audience.

4. The pop-ups that keep fading in and fading out at
the right corner, give life to the site. Though it can
be argued that they take the viewer's attention away
from the main content, but then kids will seldom visit
this site to understand quantum physics. Right?

5. I don't really like the bottom half of the home page,
but in view of their possible rationale, I shall not
criticize it much. I think they've used the white base
for additional information (recommendations, uptoten
worldwide etc.) to differentiate it from the main page.
Yet, I feel that subtle beige would've been a better
choice.

6. Now click on "First Visit-Take a look" button.
Check out the huge, colorful icons with their long
descriptions. Also note that Kwala and Boowa have
already begun to befriend the kid surfer.

7. Click on any of the icons to view how little games
are implemented with an objective to educate the young
user through entertainment. I tried "Make a Chili for
Boowa and Kwala." What amazed me was that such a
simple interaction could hold so much of educational
value. The names of some ingredients, the fact that
chili is hot, and restaurant manners; all bundled
into a small, easy to use interaction!

8. While you are here explore the site in more detail.
Another little activity, which is extremely simple to
use is "Color the Lizards".

9. If you click on "Play More Games on this Site"
button, an organically arranged display of huge,
colorful balloon icons invites you to play games. The
rollovers pop the balloons and provide the description
of the corresponding content. The site characters are
very much there.

10. The tool bar at the top looks...well, out-of-sync
with the whole site. The grays do not look good, but
then little things such as these could be overlooked
in view of the larger picture, which is quite intriguing.

I leave you here...as I am busy trying to win a race
against the computer! If you want to join
the race, click on http://www.uptoten.com/
> Play More Games > Games 6-10 > Races > Grand Prix
2000! See you there!

**********
Views
**********

1. Reader's Views:
-------------------------
Click on http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/views.htm to read
what readers feel about Wavelength.

2. ActionScript Course Students Views:
-----------------------------------------------------
Click on http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/wavelengthians.htm#asdcstudentviews
to read what ours students feel about the ActionScript
course (ASDC) and Wavelength.

3. Instructional Design Course Students Views:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Click on http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/wavelengthians.htm#idcwcstudentviews
to read what ours students feel about the Instructional
Design course (IDCWC) and Wavelength.

************
Surge Ahead
************

First things first!

Pick of the Month...Ahm!
Wavelength requires trainee graphic designers, who are
excellent at Flash & Photoshop and would like to begin
a career in the eLearning industry with a growing firm
that values quality.

So here's the requirement...

-----------------
Noida (Delhi:NCR)
-----------------

WAVELENGTH
-----------

Position: Graphic Designer (Trainee)

Experience: Nil (Freshers preferred)

Educational Qualifications : Graduate in any discipline

Software Skills : Flash and Photoshop

Artistic Skills : A fine understanding of graphic design
principles and basic drawing skills.

Language Skills : Ability to understand and interpret
descriptions written in English.

If you are a resident of Delhi-NCR, please call at
9810324284 / 9810412297 to fix an appointment for
tests and interview.

If you are a budding graphic designer with absolutely
no experience, this is the coolest job for you. If not,
read on!

=============================
Instructional Design Jobs:
=============================
------
Pune:
------

BRAINVISA
---------
Instructional Design::Project Lead
(Exp: 2 to 8 yrs)
http://www.brainvisa.com/opening5.html

Project Manager(Exp 3 to 7 yrs)
http://www.brainvisa.com/opening3.html

Content developer / Content writer
(Exp 1 to 3 yrs)(Also at Delhi)
http://www.brainvisa.com/opening4.html

MAXIMIZE LEARNING
-----------------
Learning Producers/Senior Leads (Instructional Design)
(Exp: 2 to 5 years)
http://www.maximizelearning.com/pop_up_learnPro.htm

----------
Chennai:
----------

LIONBRIDGE
----------

Project Director/Sr. Project Manager/Project Manager
(Exp: 10 years with 5+ yrs of managing large projects.)
http://www.lionbridge.com/company/careers/empdisplay.asp?intJobID=278&intLangID=1

------------
Bangalore :
------------

MENTORWARE
-----------
Instructional Design Head
(Head a team of ID/Senior IDs :: Exp: Min 8 years)
Instructional Designer(Exp:2-4 years in ID)
http://www.mentorware.com/careers/careers_india_sub.html#id

Project Managers::e-learning
(Exp: Minimum of 3 to 4 years of team leadership)
http://www.mentorware.com/careers/careers_india_sub.html#pm

----------
Mumbai:
----------

LIONBRIDGE
---------------
Instructional Designers(Exp: Not mentioned)
http://www.lionbridge.com/company/careers/empdisplay.asp?intJobID=281&intLangID=1G

Content Writers(Exp: in eLearning, years not mentioned)
http://www.lionbridge.com/company/careers/empdisplay.asp?intJobID=395&intLangID=1
gauri.ganeshan@lionbridge.com

PRAXIS TECHNOLOGIES
------------------------
Project Managers::Content (Exp: 3 to 5 years)
Project Leaders::Content (Exp: 1 to 3 years)
Team Leader::Writing and Instructional Design
(Exp: 4 to 6 years)
Instructional Designer (Exp: 2 to 3 years)
Instructional Writer (Exp: 1 to 2 years)
http://www.praxistechnologies.net/careers/careers.html

LEARNING MATE
----------------
Instructional Designer (Exp: 3 to 8 years)
Team Leader: Writing & Instructional Design
(Exp: 5 to 8 years)
Lead Instructional Writer (Exp: 3 to 5 years)
Instructional Writer (Exp: 1 to 3 years)
http://www.learningmate.com/index.html ->Careers ->here

------------
Delhi, NCR:
------------

INFOPRO
-------
Instructional Designers (1 to 3 years)
http://learning.infoprocorp.com/careers/careers.html

LIQVID
---------
Senior Instructional Designer/Instructional Designer
http://www.liqvid.com/webassets/Joinus.index.htm

FCS
------
ID Reviewer/Senior Instructional Designers(3 to 5 years)
http://www.fcsltd.com/home/careers/careers.asp#SRID

=============================
Flash ActionScript Jobs
=============================

-------------
Bangalore:
-------------

MENTORWARE
-----------
Multimedia Engineer (Exp: Minimum of 2 years experience
in Flash (ActionScript) Programming)
http://www.mentorware.com/careers/careers_india_sub.html#me

---------
Mumbai:
---------

LEARNING MATE
------------------
Flash Developer/Team Leader (Flash)
(Exp: 1 to 3 yrs/4 to 6 years)
http://www.learningmate.com/index.html ->Careers ->here

-------------
Delhi, NCR:
-------------

LIQVID
---------
Web Developer/Flash Developer
http://www.liqvid.com/webassets/Joinus.index.htm

FCS
------
Flash Developer
http://www.fcsltd.com/home/careers/careers.asp#FDev

----------
Kolkata:
----------

INFOSOFT GLOBAL
------------------
ActionScript Developer/Flash Project Mgr. (Exp: 2 to 3 yrs)
http://www.infosoftglobal.com/Careers.asp > Job CodeIGPLASD08
pallav@infosoftglobal.com

=====================
Media Jobs:
=====================

--------
Mumbai:
--------

LEARNING MATE
-----------------
Graphics::Team Leader (Exp: 6+ years)
Graphics Illustrator (Exp: 2 to 4 years)
Graphics Designer (Exp: 1 to 3 years)
Visualizer (Exp: 2 to 4 years)
http://www.learningmate.com/index.html ->Careers ->here

PRAXIS TECHNOLOGIES
----------------------
Graphic Artist (Exp: 3+ years)
Team Leaders: Graphics (Exp: 4 to 6 years)
Graphic Visualizer(Exp: 2 to 4 years)
Graphic Designer (Exp: 1 to 3 years)
http://www.praxistechnologies.net/careers/careers.html

--------
Pune:
--------

MAXIMIZE LEARNING
----------------------
Media Designers (Flash MX, Authorware, Photoshop,
Dreamweaver, and Fireworks)
http://www.maximizelearning.com/pop_up_gd.htm

--------------
Bangalore:
--------------

MENTORWARE
-----------------
Graphic Designer (Exp: 2 to 4 years) (Flash, Adobe Photoshop,
Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Dreamweaver)
http://www.mentorware.com/careers/careers_india_sub.html#gd

-------------
Delhi, NCR:
-------------

LIQVID
--------
Visual Designer/Graphics and Multimedia Developer
http://www.liqvid.com/webassets/Joinus.index.htm

FCS
------
Flash Designer
http://www.fcsltd.com/home/careers/careers.asp#FD

***************
Laugh-a-little
***************

Humor section today begins with pictures-funny
pictures, cute pictures, pictures that will make us
smile-any time! Well, those of us who love dogs will
love this link. Dog lovers, check out
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh/dogs/index.htm.
I just love "Dog Warning" (http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh/images/05/dogwarning.htm)
and "Dog Speed Indicator"(http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh/images/05/dogspeedindicator.htm)!

Enjoy!

Here's a good, sensible (?) training jokes site. If
you've conducted trainings, you may experience deja vu,
as you laugh through some of the jokes given here.
Click on http://www.trainingnews.co.uk/trainingjokes.html
to enjoy some interesting real and virtual training
moments. Scroll down to "Minister Training", substitute
the minister in the joke with our "minister sahib" and
it won't be a joke anymore. Sigh!

Artists and Graphic Designers, please click on
http://www.workjoke.com/projoke77.htm to read some
artist jokes.

Also check out http://www.tonyfollari.com/art-jokes.html
to read some "thought-provoking" jokes on art and artists!

Let's wind up with President George Bush's New Year
resolution at http://www.tonyfollari.com/computer-jokes.html

Keep laughing!

****************************
Innoken Online Games
****************************

Wavelength and Innoken wish you a very happy Holi. Click
on http://www.innoken.com/UtopiaGames/holihues/holihues.htm to
help Krishna color the gopal, and then let Krishna help the
gopal color you! Where else would you find an
opportunity to play Holi with "Natkhat Kanha"?

You can play more Innoken Games at http://www.innoken.com/games.htm.

**************
Signing Off...
**************

I hope you enjoyed this issue of Wavelength.

As always, I shall look forward to our next meeting!
Early next month, Wavelength shall arrive in your
mailbox, inspired and enthusiastic, with more information,
news, viewpoints, and humor!

Until then, goodbye!

Shafali

Shafali R. Anand
Editor & Publisher, Wavelength the ID Newsletter
Director, Wavelength eLearning Consulting & Training
shafali@vibrantwavelength.com
Wavelength, Link House, 2nd Floor,
C-4, Sector 10, Noida-201301, India.
Ph: 9810324284 / 9810412297 / 0120-4315505
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com

*************************************************************************
Feedback: Write to me with your views on Wavelength at shafali@vibrantwavelength[dot]com with "Wavelength Feedback" written in the subject.

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*************************************************************************