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WAVELENGTH -- The ID Newsletter of India -- January 2010
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========= Blog: THE ZEN OF LEARNING ===========
http://thezenoflearning.wordpress.com
========= Blog: THE ZEN OF LEARNING ===========

Hello Friends,

Welcome to this edition of Wavelength.

Have you thawed up yet?
Now that isn't a great question to ask - but I can't help
it. It was just last week that I had icicles forming on my
eyelashes, and I had begun to wonder whether my nose had
fallen off. So this thawing feels good - and it pervades
my schema for now.

Cold is a great driver of thought - not for any other
reason but because it inhibits action. So, I've been
thinking and reading, then reading and thinking! The
success of "The Three Idiots" motivated me to read
"Five Point Someone" by Chetan Bhagat. I'd say that the
controversy of due credit should be duly credited for this
flurry of action at my end. Next I ended up forming my
own opinion - and finally, now I find myself wondering
whether it was all, worthwhile?

Sometimes, we do things because we are driven; and in our
drive we forget to reason whether our actions were really
justified. One of these things, that we probably will
reflect upon when we are done working is - why the memories
of that part of our life that we spent working...don't bring
a smile to our lips?

This month's Mystery of the Month Article, "Content Development,
Instructional Design Concepts, and Random Outcomes!"
attempts to pull the cloak off the mysterious "random successes"
in content development. If you are interested, click
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/articles/content_development_instructional_design.htm
to be provoked into reflection and then into action.

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Wavelength's FREE Workshops - Instructional Design & FLEX
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It is important that I speak of the forthcoming FREE workshops
at Wavelength. I believe that it is time for all of us to
get ready to extend a true welcome to the New Year, so let us
wake up and register for one of the two FREE workshops that
Wavelength is organizing in the month of February:

The Instructional Design Orientation Workshop:
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On February 07, 2010, join us for a three-hour
Instructional Design Orientation workshop. This workshop
should help you answer some questions about your career and
the skills that you may need, if you want to walk the ID path.
Read the details of this workshop at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/workshops/idorworkshop11.htm

The FLEX Orientation Workshop:
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On February13, 2010, you are invited for a two-hour
FLEX Orientation Workshop. This workshop will help you explore
the new FLEX technology and define its scope. It will also help
you chart your own growth path, if you are a programmer from
a planet other than eLearning (C++, C#, Java, JavaScript,
ASP, etc.)

You can find the details of this workshop at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/workshops/flex_workshop3.htm
If you'd like to recommend this workshop to your friends
in the technology/graphics teams, please do so soon:)

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NEWS from the Virtual World: THE ZEN OF LEARNING BLOG
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For all those who were kept away from the
Newsletter by the after-effects of the
New Year, this is still NEWS:--) I've
begun to pour my thoughts out into the blog "The Zen of Learning" at http://www.thezenoflearning.wordpress.com
If you are a seasoned instructional
design/content professional, you might
enjoy the cognitive ride of a higher order;
and if you are new to instructional design and
raring to go - you'd still manage a lot of fun
with Froth and Sloth!

About Wavelength's Courses and Training Programs:
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The schedule for Wavelength's contact courses
is as follows:

* The IDCWC contact course: February 28, 2010
* The AS3DC contact course: January 31, 2010
* The FAADC contact course: February 28, 2010

And the next session of all the Online courses (IDCWC Online,
IDSP Online, and CWWC Online) shall begin on April 01, 2010.
Please send your applications in time. Remember that
Time Management is an important trait for an online learner:--)

I wish all my readers, a beautiful spring!

Warm Regards,
Shafali

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Table of contents
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From the Editor's Desk
Mystery of the Month
The Cognitive Excursion
Shafali's Blog - THE ZEN OF LEARNING (http://thezenoflearning.wordpress.com)
ID Section
Technology Section
Cognitive Footprints
Views
Laugh-a-little
Innoken Games
Signing Off...

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Events Calendar
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::: Workshops @ Wavelength :::
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***FREE WORKSHOPS***
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I. Instructional Design Orientation Workshop
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(February 07, 2010 - Sunday -11 am to 2 pm)
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/workshops/idorworkshop11.htm

II. FLEX 3.0 Orientation Workshop
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(February 13, 2010 - Saturday - 3 pm to 5 pm)
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/workshops/flex_workshop3.htm

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::: Online Course on Web Content Writing :::
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The next session of CWWC Online (Content Writing for the Web Certificate
Online) course begins on April 01, 2010.

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

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::: Online Courses in Instructional Design :::
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1. IDCWC Online Course
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The next session of IDCWC Online (Instructional Design &
Content Writing Certificate Online) course begins on
April 01, 2010. Read details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_online.htm
Please send us your queries at idcwconline [at] vibrantwavelength [dot] com

2. IDSP Online Course
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The next session of IDSP Online (Instructional Design for
Senior Professionals Certificate Online) course, begins on
April 01, 2010. Read details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idsp_online.htm
Please send us your inquiries at idsponline [at] vibrantwavelength [dot] com

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::: Contact Courses :::
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A. Instructional Design Course
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1. The Instructional Design and Content Writing Certificate (IDCWC) Course
begins its next session on February 28, 2010.
Find the details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_details.htm

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::: Technology Courses :::
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1. ASDC (ActionScript) Course
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Classes for the ActionScript Developer Certificate (ASDC)
course begin on January 31, 2010.
Registrations are open for this course group. Click
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_3_as3_certificate.htm

4. FAADC (FLEX) Course
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Classes for the Flex 3.0 and ActionScript 3.0 Application Developer Certificate
(FADC) course begin on February 28, 2010.
Registrations are open for this course group. Click
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/flex_actionscript3_certificate.htm

3. AS3OOP (Object-Orientd Programming) Course
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Classes for the ActionScript 3.0 with Object-Oriented
Programming (AS3OOP) course begin on March 27, 2010.
Registrations are open for this course group. Click
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript3_oop_details.htm

4. PLFC Course
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The Programming Logic Fundamentals Certificate (PLFC) course
begins its first session on March 27, 2010. Read the details at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/plfc_certificate.htm

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From the Editor's Desk
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/editorial.htm

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Mystery of the Month
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Wavelength Article: Content Development, Instructional Design
Concepts, and Random Outcomes!
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Why is it that audience satisfaction and client approval
are random events in our lives? Why is it that our hands
go clammy before we click open the email that contains the
customer satisfaction rating? What is that which prevents
us from loving our work and feeling confident about its
results?

Find a few answers in the Wavelength article,
"Content Development, Instructional Design Concepts, and
Random Outcomes!" at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/articles/content_development_instructional_design.htm

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The Cognitive Excursion
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This month, the Cognitive Excursion is homebound.
The CLICK and the PEARL both give you an opportunity to
test your connect with ID.

Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/cog_ex/cognitive_excursion.htm
and find out.

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Shafali's Blog --NEW--
*********************
Visit my blog "THE ZEN OF LEARNING"
at http://thezenoflearning.wordpress.com/

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ID Section
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ID Concepts
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I am sure that you've heard of mind-maps. You may even
have used them to develop your ideas. Now it's the turn
of concept-maps. Concept mapping is an interesting method
developed by Joseph Novak and his team, which helps
create a schema of different concepts that relate to one
another in some way. Thus, concept maps may have more
than one hub from which relevant concepts radiate and
then connect with other concepts.

Read about the theory of Concept Maps at: http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryCmaps/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.htm

Also read how Concept Maps are created at:
https://www.msu.edu/~luckie/ctools/

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Language & Culture
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Slang: Words/Expressions of the non-standards variety,
used in informal communication.

The good news about slang is that it livens up your writing;
the bad news is that the editors strike it out! But then
there are times in life, when you want to write what you
want, and the way you want. So, for the "ace" rule-breakers,
here's a "cool" link!

Click http://www.manythings.org/slang/slang1.html to reach
a fantastic dictionary of about 300 American slang terms.
Have fun!

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Writing Style
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I presume that even if you want to write a novel, you
aren't telling yourself that you'd do it in 100 days or
else...But then, here's an interesting read on how you can
write a novel in 100 days. There are tips that could help
you make your writing more interesting and spontaneous.
(If you get my drift.)

Click http://www.peacecorpswriters.org/pages/depts/resources/resour_writers/100daysbook/bk100da.html
to read "How to Write a Novel in 100 Days or Less" by
John Coyne.

If you've decided to skip the previous link, you are the
plain language loving person. Here's the right link for
you. Click http://www.plainlanguage.gov/examples/humor/writegood.cfm
to read "How to Write Good."

(PS1: Don't I love my audience?)
(PS2: Are you still laughing?)

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Technology Section
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Learning Content Management Technologies
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"Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool
New Thing" by Ben McNeely at http://www.educause.edu/Resources/EducatingtheNetGeneration/UsingTechnologyasaLearningTool/6060
is a thought-provoking article, which makes us wonder whether
we truly use technology as a learning tool. Among many other
Net Gen characteristics pointed out by him, there's one that
has a far-reaching implication for developers - "the Net
Generation should learn better through Internet courses because
they have been surrounded by computers all their lives and know
how to use the technology already."

(How often we are blind to things that we see all the time?)

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Cognitive Footprints
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Most of us have been using the ARCS model proposed by
Dr. John Keller, to motivate our learners. Dr. Keller began
his career in the US Marines in 1957, where he developed an
interest in Philosophy. Later he worked as a secondary school
teacher before earning his Ph. D. in 1974.

Read his biography at: http://www.arcsmodel.com/pdf/Biographical%20Information.pdf

Dr. Keller's most prominent contribution to the field of
instructional design is the ARCS Model, which has four
factors: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction.

Read about this model at: http://www.arcsmodel.com/pdf/Biographical%20Information.pdf

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Our Readers and Course/Workshop Participants Views
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Read what the Course Participants feel about Wavelength's Courses:

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1. The Content Writing for the Web Certificate
Online Course (CWWC Online) Participants' Views:
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#cwwconlineviews

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2. Instructional Design and Content Writing Certificate
Online Course (IDCWC Online) Participants' Views:
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#idcwconlineviews

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3. Instructional Design for Senior Professionals Certificate
Online Course (IDSP Online) Participants' Views:
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#idsponlineviews

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4. Wavelength Trainings/Workshops Participants' Views:
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#trainingsworkshopsviews

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5. IDCWC (Contact) Course Participants' Views:
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#idcwccontactviews

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6. ActionScript Developer Certificate Course
(ASDC) Participants' Views:
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#asdcviews

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7. The ID Newsletter Readers' Views:
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http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/views.htm

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Laugh-a-Little
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Are you a trainer?
No?
Have you attended a training program?
What kind?
Any kind.
Yes?
Oh, then you are qualified to be a trainer!

Here are some humorous one-liners that could help you
spice up your training programs.
Click http://squarewheels.com/jokes/trainerjokes.html

And here's some interesting statistics from the
Bob Pike Group.
http://www.bobpikegroup.com/apps/articles/web/articleid/60069/columnid//default.asp

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

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Signing Off...
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I wish you a wonderful, fun-filled year ahead.

Shafali

Shafali R. Anand
Editor & Publisher, Wavelength the ID Newsletter
Director & Chief Instructional Architect
Wavelength eLearning Consulting and Training Pvt. Ltd.
eMail: shafali [at] vibrantwavelength [dot] com
Blog: The Zen of Learning (http://thezenoflearning.wordpress.com)
Twitter: Follow Wavelength News (@wavelengthnews) at http://www.twitter.com/wavelengthnews
Wavelength, A-84, 2nd Floor,
Sector 65, Noida-201301, India.
Phones: 9810324284 / 9810412297 / (0120)4572760
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com

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