Avatars and Learning

In a recent article in FederalComputerWeek I read that the Air Force is using Second Life for virtual training, and that the Navy also has an application in Second Life. The article was touting the benefits of distance learning (reduced travel costs, less time away from desks for participants, the ability to reach global audiences with a single delivery) and particularly the benefits Second Life brings to distance learning (3D environment, avatars, the ability to interact with other virtual participants).

The article got me thinking for several reasons. For one, our team designs distance learning programs, and clients are increasingly interested in this training option because of the cost-saving benefits I listed above, which are particularly attractive in today's economy. We focus on making all our training relevant enough to the job that participants will be able to easily make the connection between a learning objective and on-the-job application, which includes designing online environments related to the specific work setting of the client. However, we haven't used Second Life as a way to deliver that training, and while I can see the benefit of the ability to interact with other virtual participants, the 3D environment and particularly the avatar are what make me hesitant to jump onto the Second Life bandwagon.

I'm not disputing the fact that 3D environments are interesting. They are. But are they more effective for training? If you're doing simulations, then they probably are, but the article talks about using Second Life to replicate a classroom environment. For the participants in the agencies discussed in the article, maybe that's the best learning environment, but in general, creating a virtual classroom sounds like a lot of time and effort invested in recreating a place many adults don't want to be in the first place. If the 3D environment isn't enhancing the application and job-relevance of the content, then it may be more fancy distraction than fancy learning tool.

Avatars are really what make me question Second Life as a learning tool, however. As you may have guessed, I don't spend my free time in Second Life. I found the experience of creating a new and better version of me--my virtual "brand" as the article called it--and building an entire second life for myself to be, for lack of a better word, creepy. And tiresome. The endless options (the length of my hair, the size of my nose, the color of my shirt) and vastness of the program ("How do I get somewhere...else?") quickly went from fun to overwhelming, and I'm of the generation that's supposed to be most interested in virtual worlds. Far from being a time-saving effort, my first experience with virtual training led to hours of time wasted trying to figure out how to fly across a river, whether my oddly-named avatar looked better in pink or blue, wondering how I was supposed to talk to the other floundering new-born avatars, and hoping I could figure that out before I had to attend training with my virtual co-workers...assuming I could ever get to the training.

My point here is that without practice, Second Life isn't necessarily efficient. I couldn't talk, much less get my avatar to interact physically with objects to simulate an on-the-job experience. And not all participants are going to be interested in "practicing" in Second Life, particularly if their only forays into the program are work-related. Once again, it seems the fancy learning tool can quickly become a fancy, time-sucking distraction.

This isn't my final judgement on Second Life. Part of the point of the program is that there are lots of possibilities, and for certain audiences and certain types of training, it may provide better solutions than traditional training. But if you are considering implementing a distance learning program, I think it's important to step back from the hype of "cutting edge" and really assess the goals of your training and the culture and needs of your audience before following the trend of Second Life.

Six Words You Only Think You Know

Everyone’s had the experience of coming across an unknown word while reading, or stumbling through the pronunciation of a word that has been seen but never uttered. Some words mean just what you think they mean and sound just like you think they should, but others are wildly counterintuitive in meaning, spelling, or pronunciation. That’s part of what makes the English language so fun.

Here are just a few of those words for me:

Toothsome
Surprisingly enough, this means “attractive” or “delicious” and even specifically “sexually alluring.” So the next time you see this word, you shouldn’t just be picturing someone with a Cheshire cat grin.

Noisome
Contrary to what it sounds like, this word has more to do with the sense of smell than hearing. Think “malodorous.” It can also mean “noxious.” But unless they’re also stinky, it really isn’t the best word to describe the loud garage band next door.

Victuals
This is food, as in “We chowed down on some great victuals.” It’s more recognizable once you realize it’s pronounced “vittles.” Americans sometimes spell it that way also.

Segue
Fans of music, movies, and good conversation have probably heard this word at one time or another and have a general idea of its definition (to move smoothly from one subject to another, as well as specific meaning with regard to music transitions). However, the spelling is unexpected when you consider that it’s pronounced “segway.” Those personal transportation devices out there have made this one even more confusing.

Penultimate
Once I learned what this word really means, I began noticing how often it’s misused. It doesn’t mean “super ultimate.” It actually means “next to last.” It’s the penultimate word in this list of six.

Enervate
Some people use this word as though it means “energize,” but it’s the opposite of that. If you’re enervated, you’re feeling more exhausted than energetic.

Tell me about some of your favorite “Wow!” moments with words.

The Speck on an Elephant’s Butt

Today I woke up feeling melancholy. My thoughts wandered around that old-fashioned and misunderstood word then leapfrogged to Abraham Lincoln and Michael J. Fox.

Pondering the tribulations of Abraham Lincoln is a good way to gain perspective on one’s own life and work, even from the distance of 144 years. There’s not much that equals the Civil War for the “poor me” factor; but Doris Kearns Goodwin’s excellent book Team of Rivals illustrates that in the face of overwhelming personal tragedy and seemingly insurmountable professional challenges, Lincoln maintained extraordinary equanimity. Although photographs mapped the increasing strain on Lincoln’s face, he wasn’t a man who wallowed. One thing I learned from this book is that even though he may have had a naturally melancholic nature, Lincoln was basically a life-affirming man who was well-known for his sense of humor and perspective.

This led me to Michael J. Fox. On the face of it, a comparison between Lincoln and Fox is ludicrous (tall/short, craggy/baby-faced, great president/actor). However, the subconscious works in weird and wonderful ways.

My eye was caught recently by a picture of Michael J. Fox on the cover of The Costco Connection Magazine. The incongruity between Costco and Fox piqued my curiosity and I ended up reading the whole cover story. Michael J. Fox, struggling with Parkinson’s disease since 1991, is just so… so… positive.

Here’s something he says in the April 2009 issue:

“Having a sense of humor is absolutely critical… It’s a companion to humility.
You have to kind of acknowledge that you’re the speck on an elephant’s butt” (23).

That phrase – the speck on an elephant’s butt – has stayed with me for weeks. It’s a phrase Lincoln would have loved.

From the point of view of the elephant, a speck is pretty insignificant. Think Rick to Ilsa in Casablanca: “…it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.” My problems don’t amount to much when compared to world hunger, the Civil War, or Parkinson’s disease. That comparison doesn’t do much for the reality of having to tackle specific challenges, but having perspective and a sense of humor certainly defines my attitude.

The elephant is the whole universe from the point of view of the speck. Sometimes the elephant is the one big thing that temporarily overshadows everything else in my life. Being a speck on that elephant’s butt might be something I can’t change, but perspective, sense of humor, and attitude can give me a different view as I’m carried along for the ride.

Work is the biggest elephant for most of us and these days we may feel as if we aren’t in a position to change much about where we work or what we do. However, as employers and employees alike we can change one thing every day: our attitudes.

Lincoln understood this. Michael J. Fox lives it. And I’m trying. What about you?

“The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.” Carlos Castaneda

Culture and the Economy

During these economic times, it is important to look at every aspect of the company, including culture. Your organization’s culture will drive business. Does your culture support innovation, lowering costs, loyalty and trust? If not, do you need a culture shift?

Consciously changing culture is hard work and takes time. You are asking individuals and groups to change their habits. Culture is an organization’s DNA: the intangible that guides action based on assumption, beliefs, and values.

Tips for shifting culture:

1. Reevaluate your mission, vision and purpose. Make sure that it fits the organization and that employees at all levels believe in the values. Building a great culture requires that messages be carried to and from every level. Every member of the organization must be living the same message.
2. Look at other companies that have great cultures and evaluate what might be valuable to incorporate into your culture.
3. Communicate ideas. Culture can be articulated from the top, but is cultivated when people at every level feel included.

Anyone can build a great culture when times are good. It takes courage to do so when they are not.

Managing Information Overload

I was flipping through a magazine the other day, when I started to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information in front of me. There were so many articles that, introduced new trends that are emerging, great content to share with peers and clients, or spurred ideas for classes. When I stopped flipping through that magazine, I thought about blogs I enjoy reading, and newsletters that I subscribe to. Then to completely throw myself over the edge, I thought about the information I am not getting at all from places like Facebook and Twitter. When I think about all of the information we are flooded with, it causes what could be called information grazing, where we accumulate tidbits of interesting information but never really attain new knowledge.

How can we manage information effectively, use limited time well, glean what is needed, and let go of the rest? In an article in Wired magazine, Rob Proctor points out that when it comes to some subjects, our usual relationship with information is reversed and ignorance increases. So according to this article, to some degree, all of this information is making us less smart, not more.
Can we fight the tendency of all of this information to foster ignorance? I am not sure I have the answer, but the good news is all of the information online is forcing users to build knowledge through consensus with sources like Wikipedia.

Here are some tips that I have come up with to help with information overload:

1. Only subscribe to magazines, newsletters and blogs that you truly enjoy reading and let go of the rest.
2. Dedicate time daily or weekly to read the information, rather than waiting until it becomes an overwhelming pile.
3. If there is an article that contains interesting information that you would like to reference at a later date, tear it out and put it in a file that has been labeled appropriately, rather than keeping the entire publication.

Remember, you don’t know what you don’t know, but sometimes it is okay to be happy knowing what you know.