ScenarioA new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices. Unfortunately, the staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location. As an instructional designer for the corporation, you have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, you were advised how imperative it is that the staff members share information, in the form of screen captures and documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.
Simonson et al (2012) state that it is important to “identify learning experiences and match each to the most appropriate available technology” (p.117). Since the idea is that members of each organization should be able to collaborate and share documents, online collaboration tools or media sharing sites would be a good choice.
Over the past few years, there has been some outstanding media sharing sites. The sites allow online collaboration, synchronization of materials, working in real time which make it ideal for businesses.Google Docs
Google Docs has many advantages. It is compatible with many file formats, including Microsoft Office. It allows teams members to collaborate and edit files. Each regional office can create a folder within Google Docs and save documents and screenshots within the folders. These files can be viewed by all the regional offices and team members can work collaboratively on the files. Google keeps track of all the changes and attaches the team members name to the changes. There are no worries about working being lost as “Google designed Google Docs to auto save almost constantly, preserving each edit shortly after a user makes it. Other users see the updated changes instantly” (Strickland, n.d). This makes collaboration very easy. When working collaboratively on spreadsheets, team members can click on the ‘chat’ tab and in discuss matters in real time. Google Gears allows users to work offline and then once the user connects to the internet, it synchronizes the offline copy to the master copy in Google. If multiple users have been working off line, then the Google Gears will “Google alerts you to the issue and gives you the opportunity to compare your changes against the other user's edits and “if you still want your changes to go into the file, you can copy and paste them into the document” (Strickland, n.d).
Evernote
This is an amazing collaboration tool as it allows a user to collect information, videos, audio etc and store them in Evernote in the form of notebooks. These notebooks can be accessed from any device that has internet access, including smartphones and tablets. The instructional designer can create a team account and set up notebooks within the account for each regional office. Each office can upload its screen captures, documents, videos and sound files to their notebook. Team members can access the notebooks from anywhere. If any changes are made to the notebooks, it will automatically synchronize all the information on each device, allowing each member to have updated information. To protect the information of the organization, the instructional designer can set password protected accounts and members can only view and share notebooks through these accounts. The premium account has better features and allows every user to make changes to the account instead of just the primary account holder. It also allows working on a notebook offline, which makes it perfect if team members are travelling. This type of collaborative learning is only possible in E-learning, which “allows for learning strategies that may not be possible in a classroom or other traditional environments” (Moller, et al, 2008, p.74).
Mind mapping tools
This video shows the features of Bookvar.
Very often mind mapping is underestimated and is considered by many as something that only students can use. Mind mapping in business can really help with “problem solving, strategic planning and organization” (Novamind, n.d). Mind mapping is based on the natural structure of the brain and is appealing an way of organizing information (Mind Map, n.d). Bookvar is a mind mapping tool with a twist. It offers the opportunity to upload images, documents, and videos. What makes this an ideal collaboration tool is that it has an integrated chat option. Team members from each of the regional offices can organize their documents and screenshots using this tool. They can use the chat feature to collaborate on ideas and organization. The user interface is “based on the Office Fluent Ribbon” (Bookvar, n.d) and allows 3D animation enabling users to quickly create sophisticated and quality mind maps.
By using collaborative tools the instructional designer is giving the team members in each regional office the opportunity to be successful as "significant learning often occurs as a result of learner to learner communication. Logically meaningful learning is more likely to occur when leaners have access to a supportive community that encourages knowledge building and social reinforcement” (Moller, et al, 2008, p.74).
References
Mind Mapping News. (n.d.). Mind Mapping Article. Retrieved March 16, 2012, from http://mindmapping.bestreferenceguide.com/
Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.
Shangland, S. (n.d.). How Google Docs won me over | Deep Tech - CNET News. Technology News - CNET News. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20023084-264.html
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Strickland, J. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks "Advanced Tricks in Google Docs". HowStuffWorks "Computer". Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/google-docs3.htm
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