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WAVELENGTH -- The ID Newsletter of India -- April 2009
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:::::::::::: Wavelength's New Online Course ::::::::::::

CONTENT WRITING FOR WEB CERTIFICATE ONLINE COURSE (CWWC Online)
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/content_writing_for_web_online.htm

:::::::::::: Wavelength's New Online Course ::::::::::::

Hello Friends,

Welcome to this edition of Wavelength.

April is the month that links Spring to Summer. This April
has, however been different. It first brought showers that
pulled the mercury down to about 30 degrees Celsius, and
then driven by a need to prove its allegiance to Summer, it
tried to burn our hides off by rising beyond 40! Actually,
I don't mind the heat so much - what I mind is that it's
April, the nice and friendly month that has been stabbing
us behind our backs. Traitor - isn't it?

There's of course no point in my sitting here and cribbing
about how April mauled up my trust. I should try to reflect
upon what I should be doing when I come across the unexpected.
I guess I should try to improvise. When the petals of my
lovely Champa flowers begin to burn down - I pull the plants
into the shade. When the Sun threatens to discolor his lovely
new car, my neighbor stretches a canopy over it. This is what
we the smart humans do - we plan and then we execute.

One of the many plans that we make is an alternate career
plan. I don't know about you, but for me it's always been
important. Even now - I wonder what I'd be doing a decade
from now. If you too wonder about it, and one of the things
that you are considering is web content authoring, I invite
you to go through the Mystery of the Month article for April,
"7 Thumb-rules for Creating Good Web Content" at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/7-thumbrules-for-creating-good-web-content.htm
This article provides some basic guidelines for creating
good web-content, and I hope that you will find them useful.

A mention of Wavelength's newest offering - the
Content Writing for the Web Online Course (the CWWC Online)
is contextual :-) and so here it is.

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The Content Writing for the Web Certificate Online Course
(CWWC Online) (Starts June 01, 2009)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Wavelength is currently receiving applications for its 1-Month
Content Writing for the Web Certificate Online (CWWC Online)
course. The session begins on June 01, 2009. This course is
an intensive program that enables you to understand the web
medium from the viewpoint of a content publisher and enables
you to design and develop content that is web-effective,
ie., scannable, searchable, and sticky.

Read the details of the
Content Writing for the Web Online Certificate (CWWC Online) at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/content_writing_for_web_online.htm
If the course interests you or someone in your family, please
send your inquiries at: cwwconline[at]vibrantwavelength[dot]com

I would also like to thank all those who have already
applied for the CWWC Online course. I must say that by
enrolling for the first session of CWWC Online, you've become
special to us. Thanks.

Recently, many companies have sent us inquires for our
Instructional Storytelling Workshop. This rise in interest
for instructional storytelling is a sign that we've begun
to "feel" for our audience. Wonderful, isn't it?

To aid the progress of this wonderful development, Wavelength
is organizing a 1-Day workshop on Instructional Storytelling.
Here are the details:

---------------------------------------------------------------
Wavelength's 1-Day Instructional Storytelling Workshop on
June 20, 2009 (Saturday)
---------------------------------------------------------------
This workshop aims at equipping the trainers, instructional
designers, and content writers with the skill to design and
develop instructional stories that make the content
interesting and digestible for the audience. We invite
organizations to sponsor their participants for this
workshop. Organizations are welcome to sponsor 2 or more
participants for this 1-Day workshop. Please read the
details at:

http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/instructional_storytelling_training_june09.htm

If you would like to attend this workshop, please speak to
your organization at the earliest. This workshop shall be
able to accommodate no more than 10 participants.

Other than the AIDC and the PLFC courses, the next course
groups for the Flex, ASDC and IDCWC courses are scheduled
to begin as follows.

* For the Flex Application Developer Course beginning on
May 31, 2009, please go through the details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/flex_certificate.htm.

* The next session of the IDCWC course also begins
on May 31, 2009. Read the details of this course at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_details.htm.

* The ActionScript Developer Certificate Course too begins
its next session on May 31, 2009. The details are available at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_certificate.htm.

If you are interested in enrolling for any of these courses,
write to us at connect[at]vibrantwavelength[dot]com or call us
at 9810324284/0120-4315505.

I wish you a wonderful, decisive, and path-breaking year
starting this spring.

Thanks and Warm Regards,
Shafali

******************
Table of contents
******************
From the Editor's Desk
Mystery of the Month

The Cognitive Excursion - *** NEW EPISODES!!! ***
** HIVE - New Episode!
** CLICK - New Episode!
** PEARL - New Episode!

ID Section
Technology Section
Cognitive Footprints :::New Section:::
Views
Laugh-a-little
Innoken Games
Signing Off...

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Events Calendar
*******************
-----------------------------------------------------
:NEW: Online Course on Web Content Writing :NEW:
-----------------------------------------------------

The CWWC Online (Content Writing for the Web Certificate
Online) course begins on June 01, 2009.

Please read the details of this course at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/content_writing_for_web_online.htm

Please send queries at: cwwconline[at]vibrantwavelength[dot]com

---------------------------------------------------------------
::: Online Courses in Instructional Design :::
---------------------------------------------------------------

1. IDCWC Online
-------------------------
The next session of IDCWC Online (Instructional Design &
Content Writing Certificate Online) course begins on
July 01, 2009. Read details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_online.htm
Please send us your queries at idcwconline[at]vibrantwavelength[dot]com

2. IDSP Online
------------------------
The next session of IDSP Online (Instructional Design for
Senior Professionals Certificate Online) course, begins on
July 01, 2009. Read details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idsp_online.htm
Please send us your inquiries at idsponline[at]vibrantwavelength[dot]com

-----------------------------------------------
::: Online Courses for Trainers :::
-----------------------------------------------

1. IDT Online
--------------------
The next session of IDT Online (Instructional Design for Trainers
Certificate Online) course begins on
July 01, 2009. Read details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idt_online.htm
Please send us your queries at idtonline[at]vibrantwavelength[dot]com

2. ELT Online
---------------------
The next session of ELT Online (Elearning for Trainers
Certificate Online) course begins on July 01, 2009.
Read details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/elt_online.htm
Please send us your queries at eltonline[at]vibrantwavelength[dot]com

-------------------------------
::: Contact Courses :::
-------------------------------

1. IDCWC Contact course
---------------------------------------
Classes for the Instructional Design & Content Writing
Certificate (IDCWC Contact) course begin on May 31, 2009.
Registrations are on for this group. Read details at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_details.htm

2. AIDC Course
----------------------------
The Advanced Instructional Design Certificate (AIDC) course
begins its first session on June 28, 2009. Read the details at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/aidc_details.htm

3. ASDC (ActionScript) Course
---------------------------------------------
Classes for the next ActionScript 2.0 Developer
Certificate (ASDC) course group begin on May 31, 2009.
Registrations are on for this group. Read details at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_certificate.htm

4. FADC (FLEX) Course
----------------------------------
Classes for the Flex 3.0 Application Developer Certificate
(FADC) course begin on May 31, 2009.
Registrations are open for this course group. Click
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/flex_certificate.htm

5. PLFC Course
----------------------------
The Programming Logic Fundamentals Certificate (PLFC) course
begins its first session on June 06, 2009. Read the details at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/plfc_certificate.htm

6. AS2OOP (Object-Oriented Programming) Course
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classes for the ActionScript 2.0 with Object-Oriented
Programming (AS2OOP) course begin on June 06, 2009.
Registrations are open for this course group. Read details at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript2_oop_details.htm

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

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

***********************
Mystery of the Month
***********************
---------------------------------------------------------------
Wavelength Article: 7 Thumb-rules for Creating Good Web Content
---------------------------------------------------------------
If you've contemplated writing for the web, and analyzed
your inertia as an outcome of a question mark - how is
web content writing different from normal writing, find
your question answered at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/7-thumbrules-for-creating-good-web-content.htm
Read the Wavelength article,
"7 Thumb-rules for Creating Good Web Content" and take
your first steps towards content that attracts the audience
to your page and keeps them there.

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The Cognitive Excursion
****************************
The Cognitive Excursion this month helps you figure out
your technobility index. (Wondering what technobility
is - the nobility of technology - what else?)

Challenge yourself at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/cog_ex/cognitive_excursion.htm

**********
ID Section
**********
-------------------
ID Concepts
--------------------
"Instructional Design in eLearning" by George Siemens at
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/InstructionalDesign.htm
is a seasoned article from a seasoned professional. I think
that the older articles on technology become better and
more useful with time. The reason for this strange behavior
is actually quite simple - When technologies are young,
they are relatively simple - and so most of the content
created around them too is simple. As technologies mature,
they become complex, and then the articles about them don't
address it in a holistic manner - rather they discuss one
of their many facets.

Those who've just entered our unique industry would do
well to read some of the early articles written
by George Siemens.

----------------------------------
Language & Culture
------------------------------------
As instructional designers we always concern ourselves
with the culture of our audience. The primary reason
behind this interest is to ensure that the presentation
of content doesn't assail the sense of propriety in our
audience, or makes them feel alienated. However, recent
researches in cognitive psychology have shown that the
impact of culture is deeper - it even influences the
manner in which information is processed by our minds.

Read http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=2191
to read about Shinobu Kitayama's research on two
Japanese cultures, and draw your inferences.

------------------------------
Writing Style
------------------------------
A free writing style manual is available at
http://garbl.home.comcast.net/~garbl/stylemanual/
This manual is available on the site and can be accessed
through hyperlinks.

Though we won our political freedom from the British more
than 60 years ago, we still struggle with the bureaucratic
red tape that they left behind...and in our language we
are still trying to shed the fat from our writing. Click
http://garbl.home.comcast.net/~garbl/writing/concise.htm
to read "Fat Free Writing," and visit the links
suggested here.

One of these links will take you to http://www.bartleby.com/116/101.html
the first chapter of H. W Fowler's "The King's English."

*******************************
Technology Section
*******************************
--------------------------------------------------------------
Learning Content Management Technologies
--------------------------------------------------------------
At Jane Hart's blog, click http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/handbook/sociallearning.html
to read about eLearning 2.0.

eLearning 2.0 hasn't yet been properly defined, but this
article gives you a fair idea of what it is all about.
Understanding how the social web interaction concepts
could be coupled with learning isn't easy. It takes a
while to sink in. If you aren't comfortable with
the 2.0 stuff, roll your sleeves up for some serious reading.

**************************
Cognitive Footprints ::: NEW SECTION :::
**************************
If you are wondering whether this is a new section, it is.

If you are worrying whether this would mean that
the Wavelength newsletter would now take even longer
to read, relax. This section fills in the space left
vacant by the Site of the Month section. After a lot
of reflection, I came to the conclusion that the niche
audience that subscribes to this newsletter would find
information on the different Cognitive Psychologists
more useful - this thought, coupled with a lot of
brainstorming with my inner-self, led to the birth of
this new section - Cognitive Footprints!

This month, we begin this section with the forever young
and extremely well known Lev Vygotsky.

If you've heard of the Zone of Proximal development, you
are already aware of one of the most famous concepts
developed by Lev Vygotsky. Despite his short life of
38 years, Vygotsky left an indelible mark on the
discipline of Cognitive Psychology.

If any of us thinks that life is too short to achieve
anything worthwhile, or that their best years are
already past; Vygotsky should inspire us to push our
boundaries. In a single decade, He wrote volumes on
cognitive psychology. Two of the most important concepts
given by him are:

1. ZPD or the Zone of Proximal Development, which is
about the threshold between what a child can learn
on its own and what it needs support for.

2. Establishing the relationship between thought and
language more clearly and within the context of culture.

Both these concepts are regularly used while designing
structures for the process of learning.

* Find more information on this renowned cognitive psychologist at
http://starfsfolk.khi.is/solrunb/vygotsky.htm
* Read about his Social Development Theory at http://tip.psychology.org/vygotsky.html
* Find links to his works at http://www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/
* The direct link to his book "Thinking & Speech" is
http://www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/works/words/index.htm

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Our Readers and Course/Workshop Participants Views
********************************************************************
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Instructional Design and Content Writing Certificate
Online Course (IDCWC Online) Participants' Views:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#idcwconlineviews
to read what the course participants feel about the Instructional Design and
Content Writing Online course (IDCWC Online) and Wavelength.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Instructional Design for Senior Professionals Certificate
Online Course (IDSP Online) Participants' Views:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#idsponlineviews
to read the views of our participants from the IDSP Online.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Wavelength Trainings/Workshops Participants' Views:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#trainingsworkshopsviews
to read what the our Trainings'/Workshops' participants
feel about our training programs.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. IDCWC (Contact) Course Participants' Views:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#idcwccontactviews
to read what the IDCWC Contact program participants feel
about the Instructional Design course (IDCWC) and Wavelength.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. ActionScript Developer Certificate Course
(ASDC) Participants' Views:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#asdcviews
to read what the ActionScript Course participants feel
about the ActionScript course (ASDC) and Wavelength.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. The ID Newsletter Readers' Views:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/views.htm to read
what our readers feel about Wavelength.

***************
Laugh-a-Little
***************
Aha. So someone finally thought about it:-) We now have
a website called learninglaffs.com.

So with thanks to Mr. Wood, here are a couple of links:

http://www.learninglaffs.com/TheLists2009Y.HTM for loads
of interesting jokes about training and teaching.

http://www.learninglaffs.com/braindonanddimmy1.html for
finding out how Braindon and Dimmy react differently to
the same questions.

Do visit learninglaffs.com for more learning laughs:-)

Have fun!

****************************
Innoken Online Games
****************************
http://www.innoken.com

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Signing Off...
**************
I hope that the new section will help you open new learning
vistas. I wish you all the best and promise to meet you in
your mailbox once again - next month.

Until then, keep smiling and laughing.

Shafali

Shafali R. Anand
Editor & Publisher, Wavelength the ID Newsletter
Director & Chief Instructional Architect
Wavelength eLearning Consulting and Training Pvt. Ltd.
shafali [at] vibrantwavelength [dot] com
Wavelength, Link House, 2nd Floor,
C-4, Sector 10, Noida-201301, India.
Ph: 9810324284 / 9810412297 / (0120)4315505
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com

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