Definition 1: Learning + Tech + Fidelity

In thinking about starting this new “working life” blog, I wanted to go beyond the job/professional categories I’ve been using in the past:

• educational technology
• instructional technology designer
• learning + cognition + technology + business
• corporate learning developer

Nothing wrong with these categories — I am all of those — but none of them really encapsulates my aspirations. Instructional technology designer is what I have been calling myself lately, but the profession of instructional design in general is under pressure of becoming irrelevant (see Harold Jarche – The Relevance of the Learning Profession .) Learning has proliferated into mutliple channels – the traditional instructor-led classroom training (increasingly rare) to web seminars, books, ebooks, Twitter, Google search, and blogs of course. All of these channels cannot be controlled by the training department. It is reminiscent of what happened to network channels once cable entered the picture.

What then is left for the learning professional?

So here we go — an attempt at a new definition for myself (“again!?!” says my mother, “Yes, mom, again”. )

• Support learning and lead by example — make things easier to find, become a knowledge center/clearing house. Thus this blog.
• Support performance tied to organizational outcomes rather than learning outcomes. Create learning that matters to the organization. Create learning that can be measured.
• Make learning fun and anticipatory. That doesn’t mean it’s all games (though games can be pretty serious as well). It doesn’t mean it isn’t hard. The learner is motivated and engaged.
• Enable people to learn on their own and become self-directed learners. What skills, knowledge and attitudes do they need? Research, melioration, critical thinking.

So here I come to my tag line – learning + tech + fidelity.

• learning – how do people learn; how do we help them learn; how do we help them create their own personal knowledge environments (aka Stephen Downes) or personal knowledge management (aka Harold Jarche, et. al).
• technology – what technology tools can help people learn and how
• fidelity – has several aspects. on one level – just how good is the technical aspect of the media (quality of video, crispness of photos, etc.); how good is the content (quality of writing, design, camera work); emotional fidelity – how does the creator of the content connect with the audience/learner. How human is it? This is an area I’m just beginning to explore.

As so I begin.