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WAVELENGTH -- The ID Newsletter of India -- June 2009
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Hello Friends,

Welcome to this edition of Wavelength.

Are you looking skywards?
Well...who isn't?

Oppressed by heat and charged with hope, we all are wishing
for dark clouds, with or without the silver lining.
Sometimes, we just hope for a change. We don't really
stop to question whether the change would be good or bad.
With sweat dripping off our brows, with each passing day,
we pray for rain - and when the rain begins its parade, we
worry about the floods. Life is unpredictable. Every morning
it brings us a crease for either our lips or our brows.

When I was growing up, Michael Jackson was already a sensation.
In my youth, college-boys danced to the beats of his
music - they tried to imitate his moonwalk...and the girls
watched starry-eyed. His life was a checkerboard of joy and
pain, and success and failure. He died at 50, and he had been
on painkillers for a long time. He had lawsuits hanging over
his head - he was loved and he was hated. He led a life filled
to the brim...there isn't a doubt about it.

Do you wonder whether there were nights when he too sat alone
and thought of what he could've made of his life, and what
he did? I do. Every once in a while, each one of us, sits
alone and talks to the inner voice - either to stop it from
bothering us, or to listen to it. More often we don't listen
to it. I've made a short post that qualifies as a
Random Thought - "Jolts Inspire us to Change!" Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/random_thoughts/inspired.htm
to read it.

The Mystery of the Month article for June,
"Jargon-Free Instructional Design" at http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/jargon_free_instructional_design.htm
voices my thoughts on jargon. If this has made you shrug,
you probably haven't been listening to those words flying
all around you. It'd be nice to catch some and figure them
out. Do they really make learning effective for your learner?
If they don't, then why should we waste our energy on them?
Let us know what we say, and say what we know.

Finally, we've added something that was long overdue.
Read "The Philosophy of Wavelength's Courses" at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/wavelength_courses_philosophy.htm

I'd like to thank all the participants of the Instructional
Storytelling Workshop who made it successful through their
energetic interaction and thought-provoking insights.

The new sessions of the IDCWC Online, IDSP Online, ELT Online,
and IDT Online are beginning on July 01, 2009. We shall shortly
open the registrations for the October sessions of these courses.

The Content Writing for Web Certificate Online (CWWC Online)
course shall end its first session today. We are currently
receiving applications for the second session of the CWWC Online
(August 1 to August 31, 2009.) If you want to recommend this
course to your friend or family members, do it now.

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
July 26, 2009, please go through the details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/flex_certificate.htm .

* The next session of the IDCWC course also begins on
August 2, 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 July 26, 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 bountiful Monsoon.

Thanks and Warm Regards,
Shafali

******************
Table of contents
******************
From the Editor's Desk
Mystery of the Month
The Cognitive Excursion
ID Section
Technology Section
Cognitive Footprints
Views
Laugh-a-little
Innoken Games
Signing Off...

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Events Calendar
*******************

-----------------------------------------------------
::: Online Course on Web Content Writing :::
-----------------------------------------------------

The CWWC Online (Content Writing for the Web Online)
course begins on June 01, 2009. Registrations are now
open for the 2nd session beginning on August 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 Course
----------------------------
The next session of IDCWC Online (Instructional Design &
Content Writing Certificate Online) course begins on
October 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 Course
----------------------------
The next session of IDSP Online (Instructional Design for
Senior Professionals Certificate Online) course, begins on
October 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 Course
----------------------------
The next session of IDT Online (Instructional Design for Trainers
Certificate Online) course begins on
October 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 Course
----------------------------
The next session of ELT Online (Elearning for Trainers
Certificate Online) course begins on October 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 August 02, 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 August 30, 2009. Read the details at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/aidc_details.htm

3. ASDC (ActionScript) Course
-----------------------------------
Classes for the ActionScript Developer Certificate (ASDC)
course begin on July 26, 2009.
Registrations are open for this course group. Click
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_certificate.htm

4. FADC (FLEX) Course
----------------------------
Classes for the Flex 3.0 Application Developer Certificate
(FADC) course begin on July 26, 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 July 25, 2009. Read the details at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/plfc_certificate.htm

6. AS2OOP (Object-Orientd Programming) Course
-------------------------------------------------------
Classes for the ActionScript 2.0 with Object-Oriented
Programming (AS2OOP) course begin on July 25, 2009.
Registrations are open for this course group. Click
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: Jargon-Free Instructional Design
---------------------------------------------------------------
Jargon doesn't help - especially when a discipline
requires practical application. Read Jargon-Free
Instructional Design" at http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/jargon_free_instructional_design.htm.

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The Cognitive Excursion
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Are you web-savvy? This June, the Cognitive Excursion
definitely is. Use this opportunity and accept the challenge.Click http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/cog_ex/cognitive_excursion.htm

**********
ID Section
**********
-------------------
ID Concepts
--------------------
Though I am not keen on canned instructional strategies,
this page lists some very generic ones - if you are
new to instructional design, you may find them helpful.
Read "Using Instructional Design Strategies To Foster
Curiosity." by Arnone, Marilyn P, at http://www.ericdigests.org/2004-3/foster.html

On the other hand, if you have spent some years creating
instructional content, you probably love to design your
own solutions. Read "Cognitive load theory as an aid for
instructional design" by Graham Cooper, at http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet6/cooper.html
The article first differentiates between the novice
and the expert learner and then discusses the
transformation from novice to expert through the use of
worked examples and means-end analysis.

----------------------------------
Language & Culture
------------------------------------
"IMPACT OF CULTURE ON LEARNING:SOME THOUGHTS" by
Leonid Khaimovich at http://home.earthlink.net/~lkhaim/cul_on_l.html
is an interesting insight into how culture impacts
learning.

------------------------------
Writing Style
------------------------------
If you are interested in exploring your fiction-writing
potential, you might want to develop your own
distinctive style. Read "Five Steps to Developing Your
Writing Brand" by Sonya Carmichael Jones. You'll find this
article at http://www.writing-world.com/tech/branding.shtml

And this is more for your little one than it is for you :-)
Writing by hand could soon become a lost art - but at
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/
you will find some discussions that will make you feel
nostalgic while giving you some tips that you could share
with your little 'un!

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Technology Section
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Learning Content Management Technologies
--------------------------------------------------------------
The questions that Professor Jack Meecham raises in
"Questioning the Best Learning Technology" http://ctl.stanford.edu/Tomprof/postings/781.html
touched my heart.

My experience with technology in learning mirrors his. I too
don't believe in making the learners cognitively lethargic
through the use of technology. If you too believe that your
sessions should be interactive, and that they should "push
them to think critically and, ultimately, to learn"
(as Professor Meecham says,) then click the above link.

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Cognitive Footprints
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Sigmund Freud was a neurologist who is considered to be
the founder of modern psychology. He was among the first
to suggest that psychological issues may have their roots
in the unconscious mind. He is also somewhat infamous for
stating that everything that humans do is primarily
motivated through sexual desire.

He was born the first of the eight children in the family
of a wool merchant. He was educated well. He studied
medicine in Vienna, and completed his MD in 1881. Later,
he established the technique of treating psychopathic
patients through probing conversations (the talking cure.)
Among his other contributions, the theory of id, ego,
and super-ego too gained a lot of prominence.

Here are some links:

* Freud's biography at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud
* About Freud's life and work at: http://www.freudfile.org/
* About the Unconcious at: http://allpsych.com/personalitysynopsis/freud.html
* About Id, Ego, and Super-ego at: http://allpsych.com/psychology101/ego.html

(Do reflect upon the iceberg metaphor. It makes
sense, doesn't it?)

********************************************************************
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.

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

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Laugh-a-Little
***************
And now the dessert!

Write right, probably assertively; but for the thousandth
time - don't exaggerate. This of course is not my
creativity. I've been "inspired", as any Bollywood director
would say:). Click http://www.electronixwarehouse.com/humor/how-to-rite.htm
to view the source of my inspiration.

Don't forget to scroll down to read about EuroEnglish and
the new EC regulations. (Don't check the right column
though - I am not too sure about the ads they run.)

If you want to introduce subtle humor in your writing,
and you believe that the best way to learn is through
experience; experience some subtle humor at: http://www.southernhumorists.com/

Enjoy!

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

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Signing Off...
**************
Have a cool, humidity-free July. I'll be back. (Yes, I have
watched Terminator Salvation - How could I miss it?)

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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