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WAVELENGTH -- The ID Newsletter of India -- May 2010
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Hello Friends,

Welcome to this edition of Wavelength.

I wish I could begin this newsletter with some good news.
Unfortunately all that the newspaper brings me these days,
is terror, mayhem, pain, and agony. So I'll backtrack
a little and speak of our recently famous child prodigy
Sahal Kaushik. I wonder what would've become of
Sahal had his mother not decided to school him at home by
giving up her career. In fact, I don't have to wonder
a lot - my take is that Sahal might've grown up with a
huge "inferiority complex" probably due to ostracism by
his classmates, and also due to the inability of most
teachers to handle children with extreme intelligence.

We aren't meritocracy; we are democracy. We love numbers
and whatever we do, we do for numbers! We don't believe
in talent or intelligence - in fact, we often end up
driving them out of our country. So though it makes me
happy to see that nature still holds the trump card, and
once in a while a Sahal is born and preserved; we as a
society still try destroy talent, ability, love, and
happiness; to favor power, money, numbers, and traditions!
Our biases extend to the level where when our journalists
list our child prodigies, they don't find even one girl
child! Why? Because they were never identified as prodigies!

So even a good news isn't that good after all. What might
happen to Sahal here on? Will he stay with us or will he
be lured by the facilities abroad? For despite the
mushrooming of foreign collaborations in India - have we
truly become capable of first acknowledging, then
nurturing exceptional talent?

In my work, I sometimes come across exceptional talent.
Recently, I met a young man who made me wonder why he had
to take such a long and hard route to reach where he had - and
why he had to steer his way clear of what he had a strong
passion for? Somewhere, something's wrong. We fail to
channel the young talent correctly. Our teachers need to
wake up! I do thank my stars that most of the schools I
studied in, never had teachers for all the subjects:-)

Sometimes, it's best to leave your learning in the
hands of God.

This month's Wavelength article, "The Story of Genesis teaches
us how to Create Effective Content," helps us learn from
the Master Creator, the fine art of moving from simple to
complex, and more. Read the article at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/articles/
learning-to-design-content-from-the-story-of-genesis.htm

In the five years of our existence, Wavelength has tried
to identify and nurture talent. We do come into the
picture at a very late stage, as usually our participants
have a great deal of experience - however, they've found
that the experience of taking a Wavelength course is that
of realigning their talents. We thank them for being with
us and establishing this forever connection:)

With the TDDC course, Wavelength hopes to connect with a
much younger audience. For this course we are looking at
young talented individuals who want to save a few years
of "learning on the job" to become skilled at conducting
excellent training programs. The ideal candidate for this
program is a young person with at least one year of
experience in any area of work.

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The Training Design & Delivery Certificate (TDDC) Course:
(The Train-the-Trainer Program from Wavelength)
Contact Course commencing on June 06, 2010.
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This two-month course, for individuals with about 1 year
of experience in any area of work, focuses on the design
and delivery of classroom training programs.

If you are interested in the course, please visit the
course web page at http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/
train_the_trainer_training_design_delivery_certificate_course.htm

This course is offered as a contact program at
Wavelength, Noida, and the classes are held on Sundays.
If you are interested, please contact us at
9810324284 / 0120-4572760.

All our online courses begin their next sessions on
July 01, 2010. Here are the details.

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The IDCWC Online - Next Session begins: July 01, 2010
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The IDCWC (Instructional Design & Content Writing
Certificate) Online Course Details can be found at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_online.htm.

This course is designed to address the learning needs
of the content development professional. So if you are
an instructional designer, content writer, or trainer;
and you want to master the nuances of instructional
design for content development, you should click the
link above.

NOTE:
If you stay in NCR (Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad,
or nearby areas,) you should consider enrolling for
the IDCWC Contact program for which the next session is
scheduled to begin on June 06, 2010.
(details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_details.htm)
This course is offered as a 2-month intensive contact
program with classes at Wavelength Noida. If interested,
please call us at: 9810324284/9810412297/0120-4572760.

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The IDSP Online- Next Session begins: July 01, 2010
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The IDSP (Instructional Design for Senior Professionals)
Online Course Details are available at:
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idsp_online.htm
This 2-month online course is for professionals who
have more than four years of experience related to
learning. This course assumes that you are adept at
whatever you do - and now wish to dazzle your audience
through instructional design. The knowledge of
instructional design helps tremendously in client
interactions and team-management.

In the past, this course has been taken by
Senior Professionals ranging from Instructional
Analysts/Specialists to the Content/Training Heads of
different eLearning/Content Organizations. If you too
have a similar profile, you should apply for this course.

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The CWWC Online - Next Session begins: July 01, 2010
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The CWWC (Content Writing for the Web Certificate) Online
Course Details are available at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/content_writing_for_web_online.htm.

Who needs this course?
If you wish to grow professionally, you do.
I mean it.
This course isn't only for the web-professionals; it is
for people like you and me too. Irrespective of the
profession we follow, we can ignore the need of online
presentation only if we are willing to put our careers
into peril. Fortunately, many of us understand it. However,
the "how" of web-presentation eludes many. It is a
tightrope walk between pleasing the search-engines and
pleasing the audience!

Take the veil off your potential, dazzle those who
matter...online. Apply to the CWWC Online course.

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About Wavelength's Courses and Training Programs:
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The IDCWC contact course: June 06, 2010
The TDDC (TTT) contact course: June 06, 2010
The ASDC contact course: June 06, 2010
The FAADC contact course: June 05, 2010

I wish you all a pleasant summer. Stay out of the Sun's way!
He seems to be in a bad mood this year.

Warm Regards,
Shafali

******************
Table of contents
******************
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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::: 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 July 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
----------------------------
The next session of IDCWC Online (Instructional Design &
Content Writing Certificate Online) course begins on
July 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
----------------------------
The next session of IDSP Online (Instructional Design for
Senior Professionals Certificate Online) course, begins on
July 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 Contact) Course
begins its next session on June 06, 2010.
Find the details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/idcwc_details.htm

2. The Training Design and Delivery Certificate (TDDC) Course
(The Train-The-Trainer Program from Wavelength)
begins it first session on June 06, 2010.
Find the details at: http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/
train_the_trainer_training_design_delivery_certificate_course.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 June 06, 2010.
Registrations are open for this course group. Click
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/actionscript_3_as3_certificate.htm

4. FAADC (FLEX) Course
-----------------------------------
Classes for the Flex 3.0 and ActionScript 3.0 Application Developer Certificate
(FADC) course begin on June 05, 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 July 31, 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 May 29, 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: The Story of Genesis teaches us how
to Create Effective Content
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Can you think of anything more complex than the Earth?
I can't. Despite the recent show of human ability to
"create" life, we seem to be a long way off from creating
anything that resembles our world. According to the book
of Genesis, God created this world in seven days.

Read the Wavelength article, "The Story of Genesis teaches
us how to Create Effective Content" at
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/articles/
learning-to-design-content-from-the-story-of-genesis.htm

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The Cognitive Excursion
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The Cognitive Excursion this month will take you to
Ancient Greece. Have fun with CLICK in the land of
Socrates and Plato, then return to the present day
Britain for a game of PEARL before relaxing with a
steaming cup of HIVE.

Visit http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/cog_ex/cognitive_excursion.htm

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THE ZEN OF LEARNING [The April Posts on my Blog.]
http://thezenoflearning.wordpress.com
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Learn to learn online – 6 Steps to Effective Online Learning
Posted: May 8, 2010
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<<<Quick Excerpt>>>
Learning online is a little different from attending an
on-ground training program. In an online course, the
responsibility of learning is borne more by the learner
than the learning provider - so while online learning has
a lot of rewards (flexible hours, comfort of learning from
home) it also has its share of challenges. The online learner
who understands these challenges and overcomes them is the
one who learns the most...

Read the full post at http://thezenoflearning.wordpress.com/
2010/05/08/learn-to-learn-online
-6-steps-to-effective-online-learning/

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Four Important Differences between the Online Learning
Environment and the Classroom Learning Environment
Posted: May 30, 2010
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<<<Quick Excerpt>>>
... here's a world of difference between the environments
of the online learner and the classroom learner. These
differences often result in learner behavior that doesn't
explain itself readily to us.

The Four Important Differences between the Online Learner's
and the Classroom Learner's Environments are:

1. Distance from Family & Friends
2. ...

Read the full post at http://thezenoflearning.wordpress.com/
2010/05/30/four-important-differences-between-the-online-
learning-environment-and-the-classroom-learning-environment/

**********
ID Section
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-------------------
ID Concepts
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According to to Van Merrienboer's 4C/ID Model and
Instructional Design, we can analyze the complex
learning experiences into four basic components.

These components are:
*Learning Tasks
*Supportive Information
*Just-in-Time Information
*Part-task Practice

These four components are further decoded into Design
Steps that are associated with each of them.

Read the pdf "Blueprints for Complex Learning: The 4C Model" at
http://www.cogtech.usc.edu/publications/clark_4cid.pdf

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Language & Culture
------------------------------------
When I was in school, our books had already adapted to the
Indian Culture. Unfortunately, this wasn't true for our
parents. I remember seeing my father's English textbook,
which belonged in England and not in India. Read
"The Role of Culture in Education" by Sally Goddard at
http://www.sicc.sk.ca/saskindian/a88sep27.htm to understand
the implications of a cultural mismatch in educational content.

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Writing Style
------------------------------
If you've had anything to do with content writing, you've
heard of style manuals. What are they?

Find out at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_guide

If you want to cleanse your language of style issues, you
need to read, "Guide to Grammar & Style" by
Jack Lynch. Find it at http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/

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Technology Section
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"How Does Technology Facilitate Learning?"
by D. Jonassen, J. Howland, R.M. Marra, D. Crismond takes
you through the growth of technology as a vehicle for learning.
Click http://www.education.com/reference/article/
how-does-technology-facilitate-learning/
to reach the first page of this comprehensive article.

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Cognitive Footprints
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We know the famous Greek Philosopher Socrates through the
writings of his students Plato and Xenophon.

Modern instructional design draws upon the dialectic method
practised by Socrates where the "facilitator" asks a series
of questions to help the learners arrive at a more insightful
solution to a problem.

The death of Socrates fueled the interest of the Socratean
scholars more than his life. According the Plato, Socrates
incurred the wrath of the Athenian Goverment by being their
"gadfly" and attempting to awaken them into action. He was
sentenced to death for "corrupting the young minds".

Read about Socrates.
About his life at: http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/socr.htm
About his philosophy at: http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/2d.htm

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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:
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com/trg_participants_views.htm#idsponlineviews

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

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

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Laugh-a-Little
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How are you feeling today?

Happy and comfortable?!

Good.

Did you know that the average human (you and I included)
eats 8 spiders in their lifetime at night?

What?

Oh...you said eeeeyuck?

And you aren't feeling so good now?

Wait. Stay...

Things get better at http://www.indianchild.com/weird_information_humor.htm
(Can't resist this one - Our eyes are always the same
size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop
growing. - Wow! Now I know what I'll look like when
I am old!)

Find some IT snigglets to make you snigger and giggle
at http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci506044,00.html

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

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Signing Off...
**************
Thanks for staying till the end. I promise to be back next month - same time and same place!

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 eLearning Consulting and Training Pvt. Ltd.
A-84, 2nd Floor,
Sector 65, Noida-201301, India.
Phones: 9810324284 / 9810412297 / (0120)4572760
http://www.vibrantwavelength.com

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